The power of Craft CMS plugins
Roughly a 5 minute read by Navneet
Craft CMS is a powerful content management system (CMS) that allows you to build and manage complex websites with ease. One of the things that makes Craft so powerful is its extensibility through plugins. There are over 500 plugins available for Craft, which can add new features, functionality, and integrations to your site.
In this blog post, we will discuss the power of Craft CMS plugins and highlight some of the best plugins available. We will also provide some tips on choosing and installing plugins for your site.
What are Craft CMS plugins?
Craft CMS plugins are essentially extensions that add new features and functionality to your site. They can be used to do almost anything, including:
- Adding new content types
- Creating custom forms
- Integrating with third-party services
- Building complex e-commerce stores
- Improving SEO
- And much more
Plugins are a great way to extend the functionality of Craft CMS and make your site more powerful and versatile.
How to choose Craft CMS plugins
There are a lot of great plugins available for Craft CMS, so it can be tough to know which ones to choose. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right plugins for your site:
Start by identifying your needs
What features are you looking for in a plugin? What functionality do you need? Do you want to be able to upload content that is fully SEO-optimised or generate high-quality leads through new contact forms? Once you know what you want, you can narrow your choices.
Read reviews
Before you install a plugin, be sure to read reviews from other users. This will help you understand how well the plugin works and whether it fits your needs.
Check the compatibility
Ensure that the plugin you are interested in is compatible with your version of Craft CMS.
Documentation
If you’re new to Craft or to using plugins, we recommend you check out the documentation, just so that you can learn how to use it as quickly and as well as possible. Remember, only install plugins from reputable sources.
Get support
If you have any problems with a plugin, be sure to check if the developer offers support. This way, if you run into any issues, you can get quality help as soon as possible.
Remember: keep your plugins up to date. Plugin developers often release updates to fix bugs and add new features.
5 of the best Craft CMS plugins
Here are a few of the best Craft CMS plugins:
SEOmatic: While we’re sure you have an incredible SEO agency or team that handles your optimisation needs, SEOmatic helps them by adding features like keyword research, title and meta tag optimisation, and XML sitemaps. This way, they have more time to look at the bigger picture to support your organic growth.
Formie: This plugin allows you to create custom forms for your site to support your lead generation strategy. It includes a variety of form fields and templates, as well as support for file uploads and conditional logic.
Craft Commerce: Built especially for Craft by Craft themselves! This plugin allows you to sell products and services on your site. It includes features like product management, shopping cart, and checkout.
Feed Me: This plugin lets you import content from other websites into your Craft CMS site. This is a great way to keep your site up-to-date with the latest news and information.
Sprig: This free plugin allows you to create dynamic content blocks for your site. These blocks can display images, videos, text, and other content.
So many more Craft plugins are available, but these are just some of our favourites. The functionality of your Craft site is endless, with so many options to choose from. You can find the whole list on the Craft Plugin Store.
How to install Craft CMS plugins
Installing Craft CMS plugins is easy. Simply head over to the Craft Plugin Store and search for the plugin you want to install. Once you have found it, click the “Install” button. The plugin will be installed and activated on your site.
It can also be the case that some plugins require development integration, so be sure to ask your team for support to configure more complex plugins.
Conclusion
Craft CMS plugins are the best way to extend the functionality of your site and make it more powerful and versatile. With so many great plugins, you can find the perfect ones to meet your needs.
At Engage, we’re proud to be a Craft CMS partner and LOVE talking all things Craft! If you’re considering moving to Craft, don’t hesitate to get in touch!