Author: Simon Keating

If you use WordPress to build and manage your website, you know about its powerful built-in features and ease of use. But did you know that you can add extra functionality and power up your website by using plugins?    

We’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you navigate the world of plugins. Read on as we explore what WordPress plugins are and answer common questions about how to find, use, and install the perfect ones for your site. 

What are plugins in WordPress?

Plugins are pieces of software that work on top of WordPress to extend its functionality. Anyone from a single talented developer to a large organization or WordPress.com-backed team can create and submit a plugin to the WordPress repository. It’s a community-wide effort to share newly-developed features with others. 

There are tens of thousands of plugins available, and you can use them to add a wide range of features and extend your WordPress experience. For example, you can use plugins to speed up your site, block spam, increase your site’s security, and add a fully-functional ecommerce store to your website. 

Are WordPress plugins free, or do they have a cost?

There are both free and premium WordPress plugins available. Some premium plugins also offer free versions of their software with limited features. While free plugins are often useful, premium plugins tend to offer the best reliability, usability, and security, as a dedicated team of developers typically works full-time on creating, maintaining, and supporting the tool.

Is there a directory or list of WordPress plugins?

The WordPress repository is the largest directory of open-source WordPress plugins, currently holding more than 60,000 options. This makes it the perfect place to start when searching for a plugin to add a feature or tool to your site. Any developer can submit their plugin for inclusion in the directory, and the WordPress team manually reviews each submission. All plugins in the WordPress.org directory are free to download, but some may offer additional premium features or functions.

You can access the directory and add plugins to WordPress from within your admin dashboard by clicking on Plugins → Add New. You can also visit the directory and download a plugin that you can then upload to your site.

Where are plugins located in the WordPress dashboard?

You can see the plugins that are currently installed on your WordPress site by clicking on Plugins → Installed Plugins in your WordPress dashboard.

Any plugin highlighted in blue is currently active.

You can change the view to see only active, inactive, or recently active plugins by using the filters at the top of the page. 

How to check if a WordPress plugin is safe

One of the best ways to ensure you use safe WordPress plugins is by always finding and downloading them from reputable sources, like the official WordPress plugin directory. All plugins are manually reviewed before being listed. You should also make sure the plugin is regularly updated and compatible with your version of WordPress, so you know the developers will quickly address any security vulnerabilities or issues that may arise in the future.

Using a WordPress security plugin like Jetpack Protect also helps ensure that your plugins are safe by automatically scanning your installed plugins each day for any known malware or security vulnerabilities. 

Learn more: How to Choose the Best WordPress Plugins

How to install and activate a plugin on WordPress

There are four main ways to add a plugin on WordPress:

1. Add a plugin through the WordPress admin dashboard

One of the quickest and easiest ways to install a plugin on WordPress is from within your site’s admin dashboard.  

First, click on Add New under Plugins in the dashboard. Or, click on Add new at the top of the Plugins screen.

You can then search for and install a plugin or upload a plugin that you’ve downloaded to your computer. Let’s look at both options.

How to find and install a plugin from the WordPress plugin directory.

You can use the search box on the Add Plugins screen to find the perfect tool for your WordPress website. 

To add the plugin to your WordPress site, click on the Install Now button next to the plugin’s name. 

The Install button will then change to show the text “Installing.” Once the plugin is installed, click on Activate to ‘turn on’ the plugin.

After you’ve activated the tool, you might see a setup wizard that walks you through initial settings. For example, Jetpack looks like this after installation:

How to upload a plugin to your WordPress website

You can also use your WordPress admin panel to upload plugins that you’ve downloaded from the WordPress plugin directory or directly from a developer.

First, click on Upload Plugin. Then click on Choose file and select the .zip file that contains the plugin you want to upload. 

Next, click on Install Now to upload and install the plugin to your WordPress site. 

Once the installation is complete, you can activate it by clicking on Activate Plugin.

2. Add a plugin using an FTP client

You can also use an FTP client to add a plugin to WordPress.

You’ll need to download the plugin to your computer. You can do this by downloading the plugin directly from the developer or by finding a plugin in the WordPress directory and clicking on Download.

Next, unzip the folder. Then, connect to your WordPress website using an FTP client such as FileZilla.

Next, navigate to your site’s /public/wp-content/plugins directory and upload the plugin’s folder. 

To activate the plugin, login to your WordPress admin dashboard and click on Plugins.

You’ll see the plugin you just uploaded within the list of plugins installed on your website. Click on Activate to begin using its features. 

3. Add a plugin using your cPanel

You can also add a plugin to WordPress by using your hosting provider’s cPanel. 

Log in to cPanel. Then navigate to the Files section and click on File Manager.

Select the root directory for your WordPress website and click on the wp-content folder.

Click on the plugins folder.

Choose Upload and select the .zip file that contains the plugin you want to add to your site. 

Once the plugin is uploaded, reload your plugins directory, right-click on the .zip file you just uploaded, and select Extract → Extract Files.

Reload your ‘plugins’ folder and check that you can see a folder with the same name as the plugin you just uploaded.

To begin using the plugin, you need to activate it by logging in to your WordPress admin dashboard and clicking on Plugins → Installed Plugins.

Find the plugin you just uploaded within the list and click Activate.

4. Add a plugin using WP-CLI

You can also install a WordPress plugin using the WordPress Command Line Interface (WP-CLI). To do this, you need to know the plugin’s name in the WordPress plugin directory. You can find this by looking at the URL of the plugin’s page — for example, the Jetpack Boost plugin is called jetpack-boost

To install a plugin, open your terminal and enter:

wp plugin install [plugin name]

For example, to install Jetpack Boost, you would enter:

wp plugin install jetpack-boost 

You can then activate the plugin by entering:

wp plugin activate [plugin name]

How to access and customize a plugin’s settings

To begin using a plugin on your WordPress site, you need to install and activate it. Most plugins then add a menu item to your WordPress admin menu or within the Settings, Tools, or Appearance menu of your WordPress dashboard. This allows you to access the plugin and customize its settings. 

You can usually find instructions on how to access and customize the plugin on its page in the WordPress plugin directory or within the plugin’s documentation. 

For example, you can follow these steps to keep your site one step ahead of security threats and malware with the Jetpack Protect plugin: 

1. Click on Add New at the top of your WordPress admin dashboard’s Plugins page.
2. Enter ‘Jetpack Protect’ into the search bar. 
3. Find the Jetpack Protect listing and click Install Now.
4. Once the plugin has been installed, click on Activate.

5. Jetpack Protect makes setup easy by automatically showing you the configuration screen after it’s been activated.

Select whether you want to use Jetpack Protect for free or enhance your site security with backups and additional real-time malware scanning by upgrading to Jetpack Security. 

6. That’s it! Your site is now protected against malware. Jetpack Protect automatically starts your first security scan and takes you to the scan results page. 

7. You can access Jetpack Protect anytime and see your latest scan results by selecting Jetpack → Protect from your WordPress dashboard. 

How to update a WordPress plugin 

Most WordPress developers regularly update their plugins to add new features, fix bugs, and ensure the tool works with the latest version of WordPress. These updates often address newly-discovered vulnerabilities or security issues, so it’s essential that you help keep your site secure by always using the most up-to-date version.

The best way to do this is by enabling automatic plugin updates. To do this, load the Plugins screen in the WordPress dashboard. 

You can click on Enable auto-updates next to each plugin.

Or, you can select multiple plugins by clicking the checkbox next to each name and then selecting Enable Auto-Updates from the Bulk Actions drop-down menu. 

You can manually update plugins by clicking on Updates on the WordPress admin dashboard menu. The number displayed in the orange circle next to “Updates” shows how many of your plugins and themes have new versions available. 

Select the plugins you wish to update and click on Update Plugins.

Alternatively, you can update plugins from the WordPress dashboard Plugins page, which you can access by clicking on Plugins.

Any plugin that needs updating will display a yellow bar, and you can click on Update now.

You can also bulk update plugins from the Plugins page by selecting the plugins you wish to update and clicking Update from the Bulk actions dropdown.

How to deactivate and uninstall a WordPress plugin

Sometimes it’s necessary to stop using a plugin that you’ve installed on your WordPress site. For example, you may no longer want the features the plugin offers, or you might need to deactivate plugins to troubleshoot WordPress errors. 

To deactivate a plugin, head to the Plugins page in your WordPress dashboard. Then, select Deactivate underneath the plugin you want to turn off.

You can also deactivate plugins in bulk by selecting the plugins and selecting Deactivate from the Bulk actions dropdown. 

The files for deactivated plugins remain on your server, and you can reactivate the plugin at any time by finding it on the Plugins page and clicking Activate underneath its name. 

If you don’t intend to use the plugin again, you should uninstall it from your website by deleting it. Here’s how to do this:

After deactivating the plugin, reload the Plugins page in your WordPress dashboard and click Delete underneath the plugin’s name. You can also use the Bulk actions dropdown to delete multiple plugins at once. 

Five essential plugins every WordPress site should install

1. A security plugin like Jetpack Protect

You can keep your site secure by installing a plugin such as Jetpack Protect. 

Jetpack Protect is a free security and malware scanner that’s easy to use. It will help you stay one step ahead of risks by automatically scanning your site each day. The plugin will then let you know if it finds any vulnerabilities associated with your plugins, themes, and WordPress software, so you can take action to secure your site. 

Jetpack Protect leverages a robust database of known malware and security vulnerabilities which contains over 25,000 entries. WordPress security experts update the data as soon as new information becomes available, meaning its daily scans can spot the latest attacks and vulnerabilities. 

Jetpack Protect is made by Automattic, the team behind WordPress.com, so it seamlessly integrates with your WordPress site and is guaranteed to work with any future updates. You can download Jetpack Protect for free from the WordPress plugin directory and start protecting your site with one click. 

2. An SEO plugin like Yoast

SEO plugins like Yoast SEO can help your website rank higher on search engines by analyzing your content and providing guidance on improving it in line with SEO best practices. 

Yoast SEO is one of the most popular WordPress SEO plugins, providing many features that ensure your pages are optimized for search engines. Once you activate the plugin, its default settings automatically implement SEO best practices on your site. Yoast SEO also analyzes your posts and pages for readability and keyword usage, displaying tips to help you improve your content.  

A free version of Yoast SEO is available in the WordPress plugin directory. A premium version, which includes advanced features and allows you to analyze each page for multiple keywords, starts at $99 a year. 

3. A form plugin like Contact Form 7

You can add forms to your website using a plugin like Contact Form 7. 

Contact Form 7 is a popular WordPress plugin with over five million active installations. It’s quick to install and comes with default templates you can use to help your visitors easily get in touch with you. You can also use Contact Form 7 to create your forms, which can include a wide range of fields like drop-down menus, quizzes, and file uploads, and the plugin will email you every time a visitor submits a form. 

Contact Form 7 also integrates with Akismet to help guard your site against spam form submissions. A range of third-party add-ons is available to add additional features, such as storing form responses and helping you change the appearance of your forms. You can download and add the plugin to your website for free from within your WordPress admin dashboard or from the WordPress plugin directory.

4. An anti-spam plugin like Akismet

Anti-spam plugin, Akismet, can guard your site against spam in your comments and form submissions. Akismet keeps your WordPress comment section free of spam by automatically analyzing comments, discarding the most ‘spammy’ ones, and flagging questionable entries for you to review. 

Akismet is one of the most popular WordPress plugins — it comes installed on every WordPress.com site and is included in many one-click WordPress installations. The plugin is made by Automattic, the team behind WordPress.com, meaning Akismet works seamlessly alongside the WordPress comment system and many other plugins, including Jetpack Comments. 

Akismet helps block an astonishing 3,500,000 pieces of spam on average per hour, and this unbeatable spam protection is free for personal websites. Plans for business sites start at just $8.33 a month.

5. A backup plugin like Jetpack Backup

A backup plugin like Jetpack Backup can help you when your website suffers a problem or goes offline by getting it up and running again in minutes. Jetpack Backup is a comprehensive backup solution built specifically for WordPress by Automattic.

Because it utilizes real-time backups, which save every change you make, you never have to worry about losing a single thing — post update, page edit, visitor comment, or customer order.  

In addition, Jetpack keeps your backups safe by storing them on multiple servers around the world, and you can even restore your site if it’s offline.  

Jetpack Backup also includes a WordPress activity log that stores a complete record of everything on your site. You can select a specific time to restore your website to, and you’ll have your site back in one click. 

With over 269 million site backups, Jetpack Backup is a proven choice for site owners. It’s available on a range of affordable plans, with 10 GB storage space, costing just $5 per month for the first year.

Frequently asked questions

Can WordPress work without plugins?

Yes, WordPress can work without plugins. WordPress has all the features necessary to create a website and publish content without a plugin. But plugins add helpful functionality and features to your WordPress website and can help keep your site secure and free of spam. 

Can WordPress plugins contain viruses or malware?

WordPress plugins are generally safe, but just like any other software, malicious developers can create plugins containing viruses or malware that could harm your site. In addition, plugins may also contain vulnerabilities that allow hackers access to your site. 

You can help protect your site against the risk of viruses and malware by:

• Downloading plugins from reputable sources, like the WordPress plugin directory. 
• Regularly scanning your site for malware by using a security plugin such as Jetpack Protect.
• Keeping your plugins up to date.
• Making sure you have regular backups of your site, so you can restore it to a working version if it is ever infected by a virus or malware. 

Why do plugins need to be updated on WordPress?

It’s essential to update your WordPress plugins to improve the security and stability of your site. Plugin updates often address security vulnerabilities, fix bugs, and make changes to improve performance and ensure they keep working with the latest version of WordPress. Updating your plugins also ensures you benefit from any new or improved features, and you should make sure you update your plugins as soon as one becomes available.

What should you do if a plugin installation fails?

Plugins installed using the Add new page of the Plugins section of your WordPress dashboard will normally install without any issues. However, sometimes plugin installations fail, which is more common if you manually upload a plugin to your WordPress site. To help resolve failed plugin installations, you can:

• Make sure you download your plugins from a trusted source like the WordPress plugin directory.  
• Make sure you’ve selected the correct file and that it’s in .zip file format. 
• Try uploading the plugin by using FTP or cPanel.
• Increase your WordPress memory limit.
• If the plugin is in the WordPress plugin directory, install it directly from your WordPress dashboard. 

What should you do if a plugin won’t activate?

If your WordPress plugin won’t activate, you can try:

• Eliminating any theme conflicts by switching to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Three. 
• Checking that the plugin is compatible with your version of WordPress.
• Minimizing plugin conflicts by using tools that offer several of the features you need in one place, such as Jetpack.

What should you do if a plugin won’t update?

If a plugin won’t update, try to solve the issue by:

• Checking if you have sufficient storage space on your server to update the plugin. 
• Manually downloading an updated version of the plugin and uploading it to your WordPress dashboard. 
• If you’re trying to update a premium plugin, checking if you hold a valid license key.
• Checking if your WordPress installation is up to date.
• Using a tool like cPanel file manager to make sure the plugin’s files have the correct permissions.

How can I roll back a plugin to its previous version?

If a plugin update causes issues with your site, you may need to temporarily revert to a previous version of a plugin. You can do this in three ways:

1. If you’re using Jetpack Backup, head to the activity log, navigate to a time you know the plugin was functioning as expected, and select Restore. Note that any other changes you made since the iteration you restore to will be lost.
2. Connect to your site via SFTP and add ‘-deactivated’ to the end of the plugin folder’s name. Then download a previous version of the plugin from the developer or WordPress plugin directory and manually upload and activate it.
3. Using WP Rollback to revert any theme from the WordPress plugin directory to its previous version.

How many WordPress plugins are there?

There is no definitive list of every WordPress plugin, so it isn’t easy to know precisely how many plugins there are. This is because WordPress is open source, meaning any developer can create and publish plugins. But, WordPress.org hosts the largest WordPress plugin directory, which contains over 60,000 free plugins — so there’s bound to be one that adds the feature you need.

How many plugins should I use on my site?

The number of WordPress plugins you should use depends on what type of site you’re creating and the features and functionality you want it to have. 

It’s good practice to ensure you only use the essential plugins you need, as each plugin you install increases the chances of:

• Security risks from malicious code or vulnerabilities. 
• Plugins conflicting with each other and causing your site to break.
• Your site slowing down.

Installing a plugin like Jetpack, which offers multiple valuable features, allows you to reduce the number of plugins you need to install and learn how to use. 

How many plugins can be considered too many?

There isn’t a set number of plugins that is considered too many. It depends on various factors, including the quality of the plugins, their impact on your site’s performance, and your hosting provider.

Including a contact form on your WordPress site gives visitors an easy way to get in touch with you. They don’t have to leave your site, dial a phone number, copy an email address, or do anything else. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to communicate with prospects while keeping personal information private.

There are a few different ways to add a contact form to your WordPress site. In this article, we’ll show you everything you need to know about contact forms, including how to create them, embed them, and secure them.

Why having a contact form is a good idea 

There are a few reasons you might want to add a contact form to your WordPress site. Here are some of the most common ones:

• It helps keep your email address private. By having a contact form, visitors can get in touch with you, but you don’t have to publicly share your email address. This can help to cut down on spam emails.
• It’s more user-friendly than an email link. A lot of people are hesitant to click on email links because they don’t want to go through the trouble of opening and using an email client. Plus, if they’re not super familiar with your site, they might not want to click unknown links for fear of being directed to less-than-friendly sites. With a contact form, they can send a message quickly and safely. 
• It looks more professional than an email link. If you’re running a business website, then you’ll want to come across as professional as possible. Having a contact form can help with that.
• It offers spam protection. You can add contact form spam protection to cut down on the amount of unwanted submissions you receive.
• It aids in lead generation. If you’re looking to generate leads, you’ll want to provide several easy ways for people to reach out. A contact form is a top choice for many users, and you don’t want to leave them out of your lead generation process. You can add a form to your website and offer something in exchange for visitors’ contact information, like an eBook or white paper.

Now that we’ve gone over some of the reasons that having a contact form is a good idea, let’s take a look at how to create one.

How to create a contact form with a plugin

There are a few plugins that you can use to create a contact form, each bringing something a bit different to the table. Here are a few of the most popular options:

• Contact Form 7: This is one of the most popular contact form plugins for WordPress. It’s free and easy to use, with a simple interface that allows you to create complex forms with just a few clicks.
• Gravity Forms: Gravity Forms is a premium plugin that offers a great deal of flexibility when it comes to creating forms. It’s perfect for creating forms with multiple steps, such as order forms or surveys.
• WPForms: WPForms is another popular contact form plugin that boasts an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface. With this tool, you can create intricate forms without having to write any code.

And while these are all solid choices, the best option for adding contact forms to WordPress is Jetpack. 

Creating a contact form with Jetpack

1. Install and activate Jetpack

To begin, you’ll need to install and activate the Jetpack plugin. To do this, head over to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Plugins → Add New.

In the search bar, type in “Jetpack” and hit enter. Click Install Now.  After the plugin is installed, click Activate.

Lastly, once you’ve activated the plugin, you’ll be prompted to connect it to your WordPress.com account. If you don’t have a WordPress.com account yet, don’t worry — you can create one for free.

2. Create a contact form

Once you have Jetpack installed and activated, creating a contact form is easy. Simply navigate to Pages → Add New in your WordPress dashboard to get started.

If using the Block Editor, you can add a contact form block by clicking on the (+) symbol and selecting it from the list of available blocks. Scrolling down should take you to the section with Jetpack blocks. Or, you can search for it by name. Click Form when you find it. 

From there, you can select the type of form you wish to create, including: 

• Contact Form 
• Newsletter Sign-up
• RSVP Form 
• Registration Form 
• Appointment Form 
• Feedback Form 

3. Configure your contact form settings

Now it’s time to configure your contact form settings. Here, you’ll be able to specify which email address you want the form submissions to be sent to, as well as what you want the subject line of the email to be.

To access these options, click on the pencil icon on the upper right-hand side of the block: 

Here you can adjust the email address your contact form submissions are sent to, what the email subject line says, and what message someone sees upon submission. You can also choose to send users to a specific URL once they’ve completed their submission. 

4. Choose which fields you want to include in your contact form

The default contact form appears as follows: 

However, you can make adjustments to this. Jetpack includes a variety of default fields, such as name, email, website, and message. 

You can do this by first selecting the form field you’d like to change and then clicking the green icon on the left.

In the above example, we selected the default name field. You can change this (or any) field to whatever you’d like, including: 

• Text
• Name
• Email
• Website
• Date Picker
• Phone Number 
• Message

To make a field required (or optional), click on it, then select the asterisk.

To add a field to your form, click the blue + icon at the top left, scroll down to Jetpack blocks, and select the field type. You can then change the order of the form fields by dragging them.

5. Preview your contact form

Once you’ve configured your settings, it’s a good idea to preview your contact form to make sure everything looks correct. To do this, simply click on the View button at the top of the page.

The next logical step would be to publish your form, but before we discuss that process, let’s first talk about security concerns and some of the more advanced customization options available.

How to secure and customize your contact form

Now that you know how to create a contact form, it’s important to discuss some of the security concerns you’ll need to keep in mind. By default, contact forms are not secure, which means they’re susceptible to spam submissions and other malicious attacks.

Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to mitigate these risks:

1. Use a CAPTCHA

A CAPTCHA is a type of challenge-response test that helps to ensure that only humans can submit your contact form. Visitors will need to answer a question or solve a math problem to prove that they’re an actual person.

There are also more advanced options, called reCAPTCHA, that involve checking a box or that even work invisibly to identify robots based on common user characteristics. 

Learn more about stopping contact form spam on WordPress.

2. Block spam with Akismet

Another great way to combat spam submissions is by using Akismet. Akismet is a plugin that often comes pre-installed with WordPress, and it does an impressive job of automatically filtering out spam comments and contact form submissions.

It works behind the scenes so it doesn’t add any extra work for your users. It utilizes global learning from millions of websites to identify spam based on phrases used, IP addresses, and other characteristics of known spammers. It automatically filters out spam submissions so you never see them, but you can review them manually at any time if you’d like. 

To configure Akismet for your contact form, go to Plugins → Add New. Search for “Akismet,” then click Install Now → Activate. 

You’ll need to configure a few more things. Follow this guide to activating Akismet to be up and running in just a couple of minutes!

3. Add a honeypot field

A honeypot is a hidden form field that helps catch spam submissions. By default, Jetpack includes a honeypot field in all of its contact forms. Some other form plugins have options to add a honeypot field as well. If the one you’re using does not, you’ll need to add one manually.

Use the CSS style “display: none !important;” to make the field hidden and tabindex=”-1″ autocomplete=”false;” to ensure the field is empty by default. 

Once you’ve done this, be sure to mark the field as required so that it’s always filled out when the form is submitted.

4. Customize the look of your contact form

In addition to securing your contact form, you may also want to customize its appearance to match the overall look and feel of your website. Advanced users can do this by adding custom CSS. 

But the good news is that you can make many appearance changes from within the block editor.  

For instance, if you select the button on your form, you can make changes to it via the settings panel that appears on the right-hand side of the screen.

You can change the button to be filled or outlined, change the text and background colors, and adjust the border radius. Here’s an example after playing around with the settings: 

Or you can set the background color to a gradient, even going so far as changing the angle of the gradient, how much of each color is shown, and whether you’d like the gradient to be linear or radial.

You can also change the background color of the entire form by first selecting the form block, then scrolling down to Color in the block’s settings. Again, choose between a solid color and a gradient.

Want to change the width of individual fields? That’s an option, too. Simply select the field you want to edit, then choose Field Width in the settings panel. In the example below, we’ve changed the Name field to only take up 50% of the form’s width. 

5. Add radio buttons and checkboxes

In addition to standard text-based fields, you can add options like checkboxes and radio buttons to your form. You’ll do this by following a similar process to adding other fields. 

Navigate to the form you want to edit. Press the blue + icon at the top left of the screen. 

Find the section titled Jetpack and choose from the list of fields. For example, if you want a list of radio buttons, choose the Radio field. Then, drag it into your form. 

You can click the + icon within the block to add the options that visitors will choose from. 

6. Add conditional logic to your contact form

Another useful customization is conditional logic. This allows you to show or hide fields based on how a user fills out your form. While Jetpack doesn’t include this functionality, you can do this with a plugin like Gravity Forms.

Let’s say that you offer interior design services. You might have a form field that asks visitors whether they’re interested in a virtual or in-person consultation. If they select “in-person,” you want to find out where their home is located.

We’re assuming that you’ve already installed Gravity Forms and created your initial form. Now, you would need to start by adding an Address field. Click on the field and scroll down in the Settings panel. Expand the Conditional Logic section and toggle the box to enable it. Choose “Show” and “All” for the first two dropdowns. Then, select the “What type of consultation are you interested in?” question for the next dropdown, followed by “is” and “In-Person.” 

Now, the address field will only appear when someone is interested in an in-person consultation. And feel free to play around here — there are a variety of options you can choose from.

7. Enable file uploads

You might also want site visitors to be able to upload files. Perhaps you’d like them to submit a  photo of the project they want help with or a PDF version of their resume. You can also do this with the Gravity Forms plugin.

When editing your form, go to Add Fields and expand the Advanced Fields section. Then, drag and drop the File Upload field into your form. Click on it to configure settings like file size and whether or not you’ll accept multiple files at once.

Where and how to embed your contact form

There are a variety of places you can embed contact forms other than pages and posts. Let’s take a look at a few options.

1. In the sidebar

The sidebar can be a great place to add a contact form because it appears on multiple pages or posts throughout your site. If you’re using a block theme with full site editing capabilities, you’ll need to use the Editor to make changes to your sidebar.

In the WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance → Editor, then select the template you want to edit from the top dropdown. You’ll want to click Browse All Templates to see the full list of templates. For example, if you want to edit the sidebar on all of your blog posts, choose the Single Post template.

Now, click the + icon at the top left of the Editor, search for your form block, and drag it into your sidebar column. Make any necessary changes and click Save.

If you’re not using full site editing, go to Appearance → Widgets and then expand your Sidebar area. Click the + sign to add a new block and select the appropriate Form block associated with your plugin.

2. In a template file

If you’re using a block-based theme that allows for full site editing, you can also add your contact form into any templates that you create. 

Let’s say you want to add a form to your blog post template. In the WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance → Editor and select the template you want to edit from the dropdown at the top. You might need to click Browse All Templates to see the full list.

Now, simply click the blue + icon at the top left, find your contact form block, and drag it into the template. There, you can edit the settings and make whatever changes you’d like. 

3. In the footer

You might want to add your contact form to the footer so that visitors can access it no matter where they are on your site. If you’re using a block-based theme with full site editing, the steps are similar to adding a form to a template. In the WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance → Editor and select Footer from the dropdown at the top.

Click the blue + icon at the top left, find your contact form block, and drag it into the footer wherever you’d like it to go. Make any necessary changes, and save them.

If you’re not using the full site editor, you can still add a contact form to your footer. Navigate to Appearance → Widgets in the WordPress dashboard. Scroll to the Footer section — you may have multiple footer columns — click the + sign and add your contact form block wherever you’d like. Now, just edit the settings and save!

4. As an on-click popup

If you want to display your contact form as an on-click popup, there are a few WordPress plugins that can help. Let’s look at how you can do this using WPForms and the Popup Maker plugin. 

Once you’ve installed and activated the plugins, simply head to WPForms → Add New in your WordPress dashboard. Then, select Use Template. Build your form and click Save.

Next, you’ll need to create a popup. Go to Popup Maker → Create Popup in your WordPress dashboard. Give it a name. Then click the Add Form button. Select the form you just made a few moments ago from the dropdown list and then click Add Form. This will insert a shortcode for the form. 

Next go to Popup Settings and click the Triggers tab to configure the settings related to how and when your popup will appear. Be sure to click Add when done making your selections and customizations. 

From there, go to the Targeting tab and select the conditions for where the popup will appear. This is where you’ll choose which pages, devices, etc. it’ll display on. 

Continue clicking through the tabs in Popup Maker to set the popup’s appearance. Once you’re done making changes, click Publish. Be sure to navigate to the page(s) where you’ve set the popup form to appear to verify it’s working properly. 

How to create a WordPress contact form without a plugin

If you don’t want to use a plugin to create your contact form, you can always do it yourself using WordPress core functionality. However, this method is more complex and requires some basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and PHP.

You’ll also have to code all of the error handling and form field validation that comes by default when using a dedicated plugin, making what should be a simple task complex and time consuming.

If that doesn’t deter you, let’s dive in.

Note: Any changes made here should be done a) after a full WordPress website backup and b) using a child theme. 

We’re now going to walk you through how to create a very basic contact form, with fields for name, email address, and message. Of course, you can add more fields if you’d like to. You’ll start by adding the HTML for the form — this specific code was created by Daext:

<form id="contact-form" action="<?php echo esc_url( get_permalink() ); ?>"
    method="post">
    <input type="hidden" name="contact_form">
    <div class="form-section">
        <label for="full-name"><?php echo esc_html( 'Full Name', 'twentytwentyone' ); ?></label>
        <input type="text" id="full-name" name="full_name">
    </div>
    <div class="form-section">
        <label for="email"><?php echo esc_html( 'Email', 'twentytwentyone' ); ?></label>
        <input type="text" id="email" name="email">
    </div>
    <div class="form-section">
        <label for="message"><?php echo esc_html( 'Message', 'twentytwentyone' ); ?></label>
        <textarea id="message" name="message"></textarea>
    </div>
    <input type="submit" id="contact-form-submit" value="<?php echo esc_attr( 'Submit', 'twentytwentyone' ); ?>">
</form>

Now, you’ll need to sanitize the data from your contact form, which means cleaning or filtering it. WordPress offers data sanitization functions to make this process easier. In this case, you’ll use the sanitize_text_field() and sanitize_texarea() functions.

Next, you’ll need to set up form validation, which validates that fields aren’t left empty when the form is submitted. You’ll also add error messages that appear if a field doesn’t pass validation. You can use the following code to do this, editing the messages if you’d like:

//Validate the data
if ( strlen( $full_name ) === 0 ) {
    $validation_messages[] = esc_html__( 'Please enter a valid name.', 'twentytwentyone' );
}
if ( strlen( $email ) === 0 or
    ! is_email( $email ) ) {
    $validation_messages[] = esc_html__( 'Please enter a valid email address.', 'twentytwentyone' );
}
if ( strlen( $message ) === 0 ) {
    $validation_messages[] = esc_html__( 'Please enter a valid message.', 'twentytwentyone' );
}

You’ll also need to add code to display the error messages, send an email with the form submission to the site administrator, and create a shortcode that allows you to add the form to one of your pages. You can then style the form to match your site’s design.

You can find more detailed instructions and code for all of those functions in the walkthrough from Daext. 

Frequently asked questions

Now let’s review a few of the most commonly-asked questions about creating contact forms in WordPress.

1. Do I need a plugin to create a contact form in WordPress?

There are plugins that can assist you in creating a contact form, but you may also accomplish it without one. This approach is more difficult and necessitates some fundamental HTML, CSS, and PHP knowledge.

2. How do I add a contact form to my WordPress website?

There are two methods you can use to add a contact form to your WordPress website. You can either use a plugin or do it yourself using code.

If you want to use a plugin, Jetpack is a great choice. It’s easy to use and comes with everything you need to create a powerful contact form.

3. What should I do if I’m not receiving emails from my contact form?

If you’re not receiving emails from your contact form, there are a few things you can check.

First, contact your hosting provider to see if there are any restrictions in place that could be blocking the email from being sent.

Next, check the settings of your contact form to make sure the email is being sent to the correct address.

If none of that fixes the problem, you may need to use an SMTP plugin to help validate and send your emails.

4. Can I add a contact form to my WordPress sidebar?

Yes! If you want to add a contact form to your WordPress sidebar, just insert the Jetpack Form Block into your page or post template (if using full site editing) or sidebar widget area.

5. Do I need a separate contact page on my WordPress website?

No, you don’t necessarily need a separate contact page on your WordPress website. However, you may want one so that visitors can easily find your contact form. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to include additional information about how visitors can get in touch with you.

For example, you may want to include your email address, phone number, and social media links on your contact page. This way, visitors can choose the method they’re most comfortable with.

6. Do I need a separate contact form for each page on my WordPress website?

No, you don’t need a separate contact form for each page on your WordPress website. However, this could allow you to collect more relevant data from your visitors.

For example, if you have a form on your contact page, you may want to ask visitors for their name and email address. But if you have a contact form on a support page, you may want to ask for their name, email address, and to select a type of issue they’re experiencing. 

7. What is the best way to stop spam on WordPress contact forms?

There are a few things you can do to stop spam on your WordPress contact forms.

We recommend enabling Akismet. Using AI learning from millions of websites to identify common traits of spam, it works behind the scenes to stop unwanted messages before they ever reach your inbox.

If you’re looking to build a website, you’ve probably run across information on WordPress, the most popular content management system (CMS) on the web. But what exactly is WordPress? What can you create with it? And how can you build a site using its tools?

Let’s take a look at the answers to all of those questions, plus a few more.

What is WordPress?

At its core, WordPress is free software that anyone can use to create a website. It falls into the category of CMS — content management system — which is a tool used to build and manage websites without code. In fact, this is a key component of WordPress, because it empowers business owners, bloggers, influencers, and the average person to share what they’re passionate about on the web.

On their website, WordPress states: “We believe great software should work with minimum set up, so you can focus on sharing your story, product, or services freely.” This is at the heart of everything they do.

Here are some other important things to know about WordPress:

• It’s open-source. The software is freely available and can be modified and distributed in any number of ways. What does this mean for you? There’s a huge community of people passionate about WordPress who are involved in making it better each and every day. They work together to develop new features, fix bugs, and solve problems that users experience. You can trust that you’re getting opinions and solutions from the best of the best in their respective areas.
• It’s incredibly powerful and flexible. WordPress includes tons of top-notch features by default. But there are also thousands of free and premium plugins available with additional functionality you can incorporate. There’s a solution for just about any need you have, so there are absolutely no limits when it comes to your site. And, if there isn’t an out-of-the-box solution, the code can be easily modified by a developer to build whatever you’d like.
• It’s the most popular website building tool. 43% of the web uses WordPress, from small blogs to enterprise sites, online stores, and forums.
• The community is like no other. This goes back to the idea of open-source. There are lots of people — experts and beginners alike — who love the freedoms that come with WordPress. You’ll find online support forums, Facebook groups, podcasts, and in-person meetups full of people to connect with, share tips and tricks with, and learn from.

What is WordPress used for?

We touched just a bit on how flexible WordPress is, so it should be no surprise that it can be used in a huge variety of ways. Let’s look at just a few!

A site builder

You can use WordPress to build absolutely any kind of site you can imagine, from a hobby blog to a business site with hundreds of thousands of visitors. And you can do all of this without having to edit a single line of code! 

How does it work?

WordPress content revolves around the block editor, a powerful drag-and-drop tool that you can use to create any sort of design you’d like. It uses blocks to construct pages and posts — these are individual elements that make up a page, like paragraphs, headings, images, videos, and columns. All you have to do is find the one you want to use, drag it into your page, then click a few buttons to customize settings like colors and styles. 

There’s also a library full of block patterns that you can choose from. These act as pre-designed layouts for entire sections of content — think pricing tables, portfolios, FAQs, and service grids. Just drag a section you like into your page design, then switch out images and text as necessary. Then you’re ready to go — it’s that simple!

And you really can create anything you can dream up. Gracenote, for example, created a clean, professional website to showcase their entertainment services and impressive client database. Thatgamecompany built a highly-visual site with full-screen videos and fun animations that feature their video games. And the Dallas Mavericks have a WordPress website full of grunge textures, interactive elements, and colorful photos.

Three completely different sites — all built with WordPress.

An eCommerce store builder

Online stores can encompass a wide variety of merchants, from traditional retailers and digital product creators to membership sites, service-based businesses, wholesalers, and software engineers. And WordPress enables you to create all of those store types — and more — with the help of WooCommerce.

WooCommerce is the eCommerce arm of WordPress, supported and maintained by Automattic. It’s completely free, and integrates seamlessly with WordPress sites to add everything you need for an online store. It enables you to list products, accept payments, ship physical items, offer coupons, and more. There’s also an impressive library full of free and premium extensions that provide additional functionality for subscriptions, memberships, marketing, design, and more.  

Adding products and setting up your store is just as simple as creating pages and posts. There’s a setup wizard that walks you through all the steps you need to get started, even making suggestions based on the type of store you’re running.

And the product builder is straightforward, making adding items to your store fast and easy. All you have to do is fill out a series of fields — like the product title, price, SKU, description, and inventory levels — then add images to the gallery.

Of course, there’s a lot more you can do with your store, especially when harnessing the power of extensions. And there’s extensive documentation and a knowledgeable support team available to help you along the way.

Want some real-life examples? Here are some WooCommerce stores across a variety of industries and product types:

• Good Dye Young sells hair dye and other accessories — physical products that they ship to their customers.
• Style Girlfriend offers styling services for men, accepting payments and displaying those services with WooCommerce.
• TipoType is a type foundry, with a variety of digital typefaces and licenses for sale.
• boldSOCKS sells both one-off socks for men and women, along with subscription boxes that automatically ship products once a month.
• Dumpster Market compiles dumpster rentals across the country and enables customers to book them for a chosen date and time.
• Perfusion.com offers a membership program that provides subscribers with access to a cardiovascular content library, event discounts, a database of medical professionals, premium tools, and more.
• Porta Pro Chem is a distributor of portable restroom supplies, offering product quotes and special pricing for each of their wholesale customers.
• AdvantageLearn.com provides online courses to students preparing for university.

As you can see, the possibilities with WordPress and WooCommerce are endless. See even more examples.

A blog and publishing platform

Content creation and publishing are at the heart of everything that WordPress does. In fact, it was originally built as a blogging platform! That means that it provides top-level tools for bloggers and publishers.

It’s easy to present content in a way that’s consumable by site visitors, whether that’s in a grid, masonry format, or simple vertical feed. And, of course, the technical aspects are all there, too. WordPress is responsive, accessible, and SEO-friendly, ensuring that everyone can make the most of your posts â€” from mobile, desktop, and screen reader users to search engine robots.

You can add blog posts to your website using the block editor that we discussed in more detail above. This enables you to easily create truly unique content that’s more than just text. You can include images, videos, quote boxes, social media feeds, sliders, and more! 

But don’t just take it from us. There are endless examples of sites using WordPress as a blog or publishing tool. TechCrunch, for instance, has a clean, super engaging layout for their blog posts, including elements like social share buttons and email newsletter options. Oh She Glows has a beautiful, image-heavy blog feed to showcase available recipes. And Pousta uses WordPress to display the content that makes up their graphic-focused arts and culture magazine.

A customer relationship management system (CRM)

A customer relationship management tool (CRM) corrals all the information about your contacts, prospects, customers, and clients in one place, making it easier to manage and keep up with each and every one.

Jetpack CRM allows you to truly use WordPress as a CRM. It pulls all of its tools directly into the WordPress dashboard, available in the same place that you add posts, create pages, and more. But what exactly does it do and how can it help you?

It strengthens your sales, marketing, and customer service processes no matter what type of business you run. It gathers all of your customer and prospect data in one place, so you can view key information — like revenue and sales funnel information — at a glance. The CRM also has a detailed profile for each contact, with a record of every single interaction you’ve had with them, plus their preferences and engagement history with your company.

Want to set up a client portal? Send quotes and invoices? Share prospect information across sales team members? Email specific segments of your customer base? Jetpack CRM enables you to do all of that, from inside WordPress. This is an incredibly powerful opportunity for any business, whether you run an ice cream shop, online store, or graphic design agency.

How to use WordPress to build a secure site

Okay, so now that you have the answer to, “What is WordPress?” and you’ve learned what WordPress is used for, let’s dive into how you can build a safe, secure website.

1. Find a host for your WordPress site

A hosting provider stores your website’s files and makes them available for visitors to view when they type in your URL. It serves as the foundation of your site when it comes to security, site speed, and more. So it’s important to choose the right one!

Here are some important qualities of a good host:

• Offers excellent support. You’ll want to be able to get help whenever you need it. Look for a provider with 24/7 support in whatever method you prefer — live chat, phone, email, etc.
• Includes security features. You’ll want to pick a host with features like malware scanning, SSL certificates, and a server-side firewall. 
• Sets you up for growth. Choose a host that allows you to easily scale and switch to a plan with more resources as you grow. 
• Supports WordPress. Many providers include one-click WordPress installation, settings specific to the platform, and even premium plugins in your plan at no additional cost. 
• Includes any specialty features you need. If they’re important to you, choose a host with features like staging functionality, automated migrations, or workflow tools. Not every site will need these types of advanced features, however.

If you’re looking for the easiest, fastest way to start, with a host that’s 100% dedicated to WordPress, consider giving WordPress.com a try. It takes file and server maintenance completely off your plate and simplifies all of your site management. There are several plans available, but we highly recommend choosing a premium plan that allows you to install and utilize plugins.

We’ve also put together a list of recommended hosts that cover a wide range of budgets and features.

2. Install WordPress

Next, you’ll need to install WordPress on your host’s server. Most providers include one-click WordPress installation, which simplifies and speeds up the process. Check out their documentation for detailed instructions.

Or, if you do need or want to install WordPress manually, you can follow these instructions.

Note: If you’re using WordPress.com, it’s pre-installed, so you can skip to the next step.

The WordPress dashboard is the area where you’ll manage every aspect of your site, from pages and posts to comments, products, and settings. You can log in to your WordPress site by going to yoururl.com/wp-admin and using the credentials you created when installing WordPress. 

Check out our guide to the WordPress admin dashboard for detailed instructions on navigating every aspect.

3. Choose a theme

A theme sets the general design of your site as a whole, though you can customize details like colors, fonts, and more. Some themes act as pre-designed templates, enabling you to simply switch out elements and run with a ready-to-go site. Others are more like frameworks, allowing room for tons of customization. You’ll want to choose one that fits your experience and knowledge level. 

Here are some other considerations:

• Level of support. Most free themes include forum-based support, while premium themes often offer ticket-based support for a certain period of time. You’ll also want to choose a theme with excellent documentation to walk you through setup.
• Demos and templates available. If you want to use a ready-made design or layout, make sure that your theme has great demos that you can implement in a few clicks.
• Ease of use. What’s your technological and WordPress experience? Ensure that you can implement and make the most of your theme based on your capabilities.
• Customer reviews. What do others say about the theme? What problems have they encountered and how helpful has support been?
• Integration with other tools. Looking to use specific tools like WooCommerce? Make sure that your theme integrates seamlessly.
• Regular updates. The developer should release new versions regularly to keep up with WordPress and plugin updates. This is important for both security and functionality. 
• Quality and speed. Is the code quality high? How quickly does the theme load? You can always run the theme demo pages through a page speed test like GTmetrix to get a general idea.

You can add your theme by going to Appearance → Themes in the WordPress dashboard. There, you can either choose the one you’ve selected from the WordPress theme library or upload your own. 

Note: We highly recommend using a child theme, which enables you to make changes to your theme files without losing them when you update in the future. Many themes come with one included, but you can also create a child theme yourself.

4. Create your pages and posts

Now it’s time to build the pages and posts that will make up your website content. Your exact pages will vary based on your business, audience, and specific needs, but may include Home, About, Contact, FAQs, and more.

To build a page, go to Pages → Add New in your WordPress dashboard. Add a title to the page. Then, you can get started with the block editor.

In the top left, you’ll see a blue plus icon. Click this to open up a full list of available blocks. You can either scroll through to find the one you want, or use the search bar if you have something specific in mind.

Click your chosen block to add it to your page. You can also drag and drop it anywhere you’d like in relation to other content. Then you can manage the settings for that specific block. These will vary, of course, but let’s use an Image block as an example.

You’ll see a placeholder for an image after initially adding the block. There are three options that you can use to add an image: Upload, Select Image, and Insert from URL. Once you add the picture you want to use, more settings will appear.

You can use the toolbar on top of the image block to apply filters, choose the alignment, add text on top, and more. Or, use the settings panel on the right-hand side of the page to configure settings for things like alt text and image size. 

Again, these will vary based on the block that you’re using.

Want to implement more of a ready-made design? Try clicking the plus icon again and selecting Patterns. This will open up the pattern library, with fully-configured layouts for things like pricing tables and FAQs. Just add one to a page, switch out the content, and you’re good to go!

For more information about using the block editor, read this guide from WordPress.com.

5. Build a navigation menu

A navigation menu is a key component of any website. It provides an easy way for visitors to move through your site and helps guide their journey. For example, you might include an attractive button that directs people to your email capture or sales page.

While your primary menu typically lives at the top of your site, in the header, there are other options, such as the sidebar, if you want to go with something a bit different. But no matter what location you choose, you’ll want to think through the organization of your menu items. Packing too many links in can be overwhelming to site visitors. If you have a lot of content, you can break your primary navigation menu down into categorized submenus, or even create a highly-visual mega menu. 

To build your navigation menu, go to Appearance → Menus in the WordPress dashboard. Add a name for your menu, then use the checkboxes on the left to add pages, posts, categories, and more. You can then drag and drop each item wherever you’d like, indenting them to create submenus as necessary.

Finally, select a display location for your menu at the bottom of the page — typically “primary menu” — and click the blue Save button. Your menu will now appear on your website!

6. Install a security plugin

Now that the design of your site is ready, it’s time to start thinking about functionality like security and speed. Security is critical, whether you’re running a personal blog or an eCommerce store. It prevents you from losing the hard work you’ve put into your website and protects both you and your visitors’ data from hackers.

While WordPress is a secure platform, there are still some steps you need to take to lock down your site. Here are a few best WordPress security practices:

• Always use strong passwords. Choose credentials that are hard to guess, with a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Protect against brute force attacks. These occur when hackers use bots to try and guess your login credentials. They can guess hundreds of combinations per second! Set up a tool that stops them in their tracks.
• Regularly scan for malware. If your site is ever hacked, it’s important to know right away so you can fix the problem and prevent further havoc. But it’s impossible to manually check for malware 24/7. A good malware scanning tool can take care of this automatically and alert you if something is found.
• Update your software often. Make sure that WordPress, themes, and plugins are always updated to their latest version to keep hackers from taking advantage of any vulnerabilities.
• Turn on downtime monitoring. If your site goes down, this could be an indication of a hack. Downtime monitoring helps you know when this happens right away so you can get things back up and running.
• Consider two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication adds an extra step to your login page, requiring you to enter a one-time-use code that’s sent to your phone. This is extremely effective because it’s unlikely that a hacker would have your login credentials and your phone in their hand.
• Set up automatic, off-site backups. Backups protect you if something goes wrong because they allow you to quickly return your site to its state before the problem occurred. The best WordPress backups are taken automatically and in real-time, saving each and every change as it happens. They’re also stored off-site, separately from your host’s server just in case that server was compromised, too.
• Use an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate protects information transmitted through your website, like credit card details, addresses, and names. There’s no reason not to add this to your site — you can get an SSL certificate for free!

Jetpack is a WordPress security plugin that checks off almost all of the items in the list above, in one fell swoop! From brute force attack protection and malware scanning to real-time backups and more, you can trust that your site is locked down. And it’s all easy to use for beginners and developers alike. For example, backing up your WordPress site takes just a few clicks, and restoring a backup is even faster!

See all of the available features of Jetpack Security.

7. Install a speed optimization plugin

If you want your site visitors to have a top-notch experience, speed should be something you invest time into. The faster your website loads, the more likely it is that people will stick around and take the actions that you want them to take — sign up for an email list, make a purchase, call your company, etc.

The best place to start with site speed is by choosing a high-quality host and a well-coded theme, as we already discussed here. Then, install a speed optimization plugin like Jetpack Boost. 

When you install the plugin, it will analyze your site performance so you get an idea of where you stand. Then, by just toggling on a few settings, you can optimize CSS loading, defer non-essential JavaScript, and turn on lazy loading images. If you’re not sure what this means, that’s okay — you don’t have to! Jetpack Boost takes on all the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to be a developer to ensure your site loads quickly.

(But if you’re curious, that’s okay, too! Read our post about core web vitals for more information.)

You can find additional speed optimization tools with the core Jetpack plugin as well. For example, its content delivery network (CDN) displays your website from high-speed servers around the world, so it’s always shown from the location closest to each individual visitor. It also automatically resizes your images for mobile devices to improve speed when it counts the most.

8. Install a spam protection plugin 

Comments are a powerful way to drive engagement on your site and build a community around your brand. But, unfortunately, when you enable comments in WordPress, you open yourself up to spam — responses that are unrelated, unwanted, and sometimes even malicious. These can impede the discussion, make you look unprofessional, and, in the worst case scenario, cause your visitors to fall prey to hackers’ schemes.

But you shouldn’t have to spend time weeding through comment after comment to determine if it’s spam. Instead, let a WordPress spam plugin like Akismet take care of it for you. 

It can automatically get rid of the worst spam comments on your site so you never even have to see them. It also integrates seamlessly with popular WordPress tools to protect not just your comment section, but also your contact forms. Ultimately, this saves you a lot of time and protects both your site visitors and reputation.

9. Add and configure any extra features

One of the best things about WordPress is the ability to add any functionality you’d like with the help of hundreds of available plugins. The WordPress repository is full of free options, offering everything from extra blocks and contact forms to integrations with your favorite marketing tools. Plus, these are all vetted by Automattic, so you can trust that they’re high-quality and safe.

There are also excellent developers in the WordPress community that sell premium plugins on their own websites or on third-party plugin marketplaces. Take the time to look into the ones that you choose to add, however, to ensure that they’re from a good source. Reviews can be one of the easiest ways to tell a plugin’s legitimacy and quality. Learn more about choosing the best WordPress plugins.

10. Launch your site!

Now that your site looks exactly the way you want, loads quickly, and is secure, it’s time to launch! Give yourself a pat on the back — you’ve put a lot of work in and now you can reap the benefits. 

Frequently asked questions about WordPress

Still have questions? We’ve taken some time to answer some frequently asked questions about WordPress below.

When was WordPress created?

WordPress was created in 2003 by Mike Little and Matt Mullenweg, who built a new personal publishing platform on top of b2/cafelog, which had been discontinued. Its open-source nature created an entire community of supporters, and it eventually turned into the revolutionary CMS that it is today, powering more than 43% of the web. It’s grown to become much more than a blogging tool as well, with everything from eCommerce stores and membership sites to forums and enterprise-level companies building their sites with the software.

Is WordPress free? 

Yes, the core WordPress software is 100% free. And, since it’s licensed under the GNU General Public License, it’s also completely free to use however you’d like, including modifying and customizing it.  

There are a number of WordPress plugins from Automattic that are free as well. These include WooCommerce, Akismet (free for personal use), and Jetpack (free for some plans). 

Is WordPress secure?

Yes, WordPress is a secure content management system. It was built with security in mind and is updated regularly to fix any bugs or vulnerabilities. 

That being said, any website or piece of software can be hacked, no matter how secure it is. You’ll want to take some additional security measures to protect your content and visitor information. A great place to start is with a WordPress security plugin like Jetpack, which implements valuable strategies like downtime monitoring, malware scanning, two-factor authentication, brute force attack protection, and real-time backups. 

You should also take other basic security steps, like using secure passwords and providing login access just to trusted people who absolutely need it.

Does WordPress offer accessibility features?

When it comes to the web, accessibility means making your website usable for every single visitor, including those with physical and mental impairments. WordPress is dedicated to this practice, requiring all new and updated WordPress code to conform to specific accessibility standards. There is also a category of themes available from the theme repository that have been reviewed and marked as “accessible ready.”

You can use plugins to add accessibility features to your website, allowing site visitors to resize fonts, toggle grayscale mode, turn on high contrast, and more.

Where can I download WordPress?

WordPress is available for download directly from the WordPress.org website. Many hosting providers also include one-click WordPress installation, so there’s no need for you to manually download or install the software.

What’s the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

If you’re new to WordPress, you might be trying to decide between WordPress.org and WordPress.com. Let’s take a look at the differences.

With WordPress.org, you pick a hosting provider and install the WordPress software on your server. You have complete freedom to do whatever you’d like with your site, though there is a bit more technical know-how required. 

With WordPress.com, everything is taken care of for you. It includes a hosting plan that’s specifically optimized for the WordPress software, and it comes with everything pre-installed. All you have to do is sign up for an account and you can start building! Each plan has limits, however, so while a lot of the technical aspects of managing a site are taken care of for you, there’s also a certain loss of flexibility and freedom.

If you don’t want to worry about the technical aspects of a site and want to just jump in quickly, you may want to choose WordPress.com. If you want to be more involved in site management and building, and have more freedom and flexibility, then WordPress.org is the route to take.

What is a WordPress theme?

A WordPress theme is a set of files that dictate the look and feel of your site. They can be very specific, acting as a template with content you can simply switch out, or more flexible, like a framework that you can build anything on top of.

There’s an entire library of free and premium themes that are vetted by WordPress. You can filter these based on features, like number of columns and subject matter. There are also themes that you can download from third-party marketplaces and developers. When choosing one of these, check the source, read reviews, and ensure that it’s updated regularly.

What is a WordPress plugin?

A WordPress plugin is an add-on that you can install to create additional functionality on your website. Unlike a theme, its focus is on functionality, not design.

You can find a plugin for just about anything — create an online store, market your business, add blocks or block patterns to the WordPress Editor, build contact forms, connect to third-party software, and more. 

There are thousands of free options available in the WordPress plugin repository, along with support forums for each one. You can also find some great premium options in locations like the WooCommerce marketplace, and third-party websites. But, like with themes, take the time to examine each one for security and quality. Learn more about how to choose the best WordPress plugins.

What is a WordPress page builder?

A WordPress page builder is a plugin or theme tool that enables you to build a website without using any code. They speed up the page creation process, typically allowing users to drag and drop elements to design virtually any layout. 

However, thanks to the WordPress block editor, you can create pages and posts without code and without a page builder. Drag any element into place — like paragraphs, headings, images, videos, and columns — and configure settings to get the exact look you want. 

And if you’re using a block theme, with full site editing, you can even apply this same principle to other parts of your site, like headers and footers.

What is a WordPress widget?

In WordPress, widget areas are special reusable areas that contain blocks — the footer and sidebar, for example. You can add blocks to these areas by going to Appearance → Widgets in your WordPress dashboard. 

These can come in handy in a variety of ways. If you have an online store, you might want to add filters, a search bar, and a list of product categories to the sidebar of your Shop page. If you run a service-based business, you might include links to important pages, an email capture, and your company hours in your footer.

Note, however, that if you’re using a theme that supports full site editing, you’ll need to edit these areas by going to Appearance → Editor instead.

What are the most important plugins to have?

The plugins that you choose will vary based on the specific needs of your site, along with the type of website that you run — online store, blog, service-based business, portfolio, etc. However, there are a few types of plugins that nearly every WordPress site will need:

• A backup and security plugin 
• A spam prevention plugin 
• A contact form plugin
• An SEO plugin
• A site speed plugin

For more information, read our post about choosing the right WordPress plugins.

Can WordPress be used for blogging?

Yes, absolutely! WordPress was designed from the start as a blogging platform. And, while it offers so much more, blogging is still at its heart.

WordPress makes it easy to create a blog around any topic that you’d like, add blog posts with text, images, videos, and more, accept and reply to comments, get your posts in front of your audience — the list goes on and on! Any blog functionality you need, you can create with WordPress.

So it’s no surprise that popular sites like the TED blog, WilWheaton.net, the Martha Stewart blog, and TechCrunch all use WordPress as their blogging platform of choice.

Can WordPress be used for a business website?

Of course! WordPress can be used to create absolutely any kind of site you’d like. You can use the platform to showcase your work in a portfolio, write about your services, and create a client portal. Or if you want to sell products or services online, you can use WooCommerce to build an online store, complete with checkout functionality, shipping tools, and more. 

Looking to manage all of your prospects and clients? Jetpack CRM even turns your WordPress dashboard into a customer relationship management tool that will help you grow your business.

Want some examples? The WooCommerce Showcase is chock full of beautiful online stores powered by WordPress. You’ll also find lots of other businesses using the platform, including Gracenote, The Clorox Company, and the Bedford Hotel.  

Is WordPress enterprise-friendly?

Yes, WordPress powers lots of enterprise-level sites and there are no limits on what you can create. You can use it to scale as large as you like, with no restrictions on number of pageviews, products, etc. It also has features that make running an enterprise website simple, like team management capabilities, mobile-friendly and accessible design, and multilingual plugins.

WordPress VIP is also an exclusive option specifically for enterprise businesses. It’s built on a super powerful server foundation, and includes special tools that help you maximize content effectiveness, create a compelling digital experience for all team members, explore in-depth analytics, and build a hyper-agile commerce system. And all of that comes with enterprise-level scalability, reliability, speed, and security. 

See some examples of enterprise WordPress sites, including The New York Post, Venture Beat, and USA TODAY Sports Media.

Why is WordPress considered the most popular CMS?

WordPress is currently used by 43% of all websites online and by 64.3% of websites using a content management system. This, of course, makes it by far the most popular CMS. 

This isn’t shocking. WordPress is a completely free but incredibly powerful tool that enables absolutely anyone to create a beautiful, effective website. It’s easy to use, endlessly flexible and scalable, SEO-friendly, and constantly improving and innovating. 

What are good tutorials on how to use WordPress?

WordPress.org and WordPress.com provide lots of tutorials with instructions for nearly anything you’d like to achieve with WordPress. If you’re building an online store, the WooCommerce blog offers everything you need to know to build and grow your eCommerce site. And there’s also a wealth of information on the Jetpack blog, including posts like:

• How to Log in to a WordPress Site
• WordPress Admin Dashboard: Become an Expert in 15 Minutes
• How to Create, Add, & Edit a Navigation Menu in WordPress
• WordPress Security Guide: 11 Best Practices to Secure Your Site
• How to Back Up a WordPress Site (Manually & Automatically)

Build your dream with WordPress

Now that you know how to use WordPress, it’s time to create! You have all the tools in hand to build anything you can dream up, whether you want to start a blog, open an online store, or launch a service-based business. 

If you get stuck, don’t worry! There’s a whole team of Happiness Engineers ready to help. You can find answers to any of your questions in the WordPress documentation and support forums.