WordPress has become the most popular blogging software and content management software for many bloggers, website hobbyists, business owners and even big companies since it was launched in 2003. Although it has gained popularity as a blogging platform, WordPress has eventually evolved and has become the top choice for creating almost any kind of website from online shops, membership sites, portfolios, corporate websites and even media publications. One major reason why website owners prefer WordPress is the wide array of plugins it offers. WordPress plugins provide a wide range of functionality necessary to make these kinds of websites possible.
What are WordPress eCommerce Plugins?
Before we dig deeper into the benefits of using WordPress eCommerce plugins, let us first define what a plugin is.
Simply put, a plugin refers to a small software application that “plugs into” your self-hosted WordPress website. Similar to the way mobile apps work for your smartphone, a plugin adds new features and functionality to your website, allowing you to create any type of website depending on your needs.
WordPress eCommerce plugins can create different effects on your website, from small tweaks to major changes. For instance, there is a plugin that could allow you to simply enhance your website by adding in sliders and contact forms but you can also opt for a plugin that can perform complex tasks such as allowing visitors to book appointments online and assist with payment gateways.
Advantages of Using WordPress eCommerce Plugins
Now that you have an idea of what WordPress eCommerce plugins are, let’s talk about the list of benefits you can get from using these plugins.
There is a plugin for almost all of your requirements.
Given the support from a huge community of talented developers worldwide, WordPress now offers over 60,000 plugins that website owners can choose from. With a lot of plugins available, there certainly is something for your every need. For starters, there is a plugin for optimising your content for SEO, integrating automated email marketing, creating memberships as well as adding live chat.
They can meet your changing demands.
If you are a newbie and you have only started making your very first website, it might be difficult and overwhelming to identify the list of functionality you will need in the future. After all, businesses change over time and so are their needs and demands. For example, you may not find a WhatsApp button useful when you first started launching your website but you have realised its significance after a couple of months. Instead of hiring a developer to help you add this functionality, you can simply look for a plugin that can perform the same task.
With WordPress plugins, you don’t have to overhaul your website with a list of features you don’t even need. Rather, you can choose to add functionality as required.
There is a wide variety of free and affordable plugin options.
WordPress eCommerce plugins are relatively cheaper compared to the cost of hiring a developer for each and every feature you will need. What’s more, there’s almost always a free version that can help you achieve your desired result. Even if you need to purchase premium versions, the cost of a plugin is still way less than the amount you have to pay for web developers as the costs involved in building a plugin is distributed among all the buyers.
They are easy to use.
All the processes involved in using WordPress eCommerce plugins from finding the plugin to adding it to your website are extremely easy. To find a plugin, you only need to select “Plugins” and then Add New. You can now search for the plugin that meets your requirements. Once you have found the plugin you opt to use, you can install the plugin. Once downloaded, the plugin will come in the form of a zip file which you will need to upload and activate.
There is open information about the plugin available.
How do you choose from the thousands of plugins available? Fortunately, you can easily evaluate WordPress plugins. Thanks to the detailed information about the plugins available, you can now assess a certain plugin based on various factors such as the number of active installations which can help determine the popularity of the plugin, the date of the last update which can tell that the plugin is updated regularly and last but not the least, the rating system which shows genuine reviews from plugin users.
Conclusion
WordPress eCommerce Plugins have indeed changed the way people create websites. These plugins have provided a viable solution to non-coders, allowing them to achieve their desired outputs in a relatively less complicated and more cost-effective way.
Learn how to pick the right WordPress plugins for your website. Contact us at (65) 8687 8143 or send us a message at hello@smmile.com for more details.
Chris Anne
Smmile is a Digital Marketing Agency in Singapore with over 10 years of experience in the industry.