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SEO in 2026 means optimizing for both traditional search engines and AI discovery tools — and WordPress gives you the plugin ecosystem to handle both. 
The challenge? Figuring out which SEO plugins actually move the needle versus which ones just clutter your dashboard. 
We looked at WordPress.com usage data and user ratings, then I tested the top contenders myself. Here are the 12 SEO plugins worth installing, what each one does best, and which ones to skip:
Yoast SEO Premium — Best for step-by-step SEO guidance as you write All in One SEO (AIOSEO) — Best for broad coverage with AI-era features The SEO Framework — Best for fast sites that need simple SEO Rank Math — Best all-in-one for new sites Google Site Kit — Best for tracking how your site performs in Google Jetpack Boost — Best for one-click performance improvements SureRank — Best for a simple setup with guided assistance Xagio SEO — Best for AI-driven management and multi-site keyword research Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP — Best for detailed schema and rich snippets Smush — Best for image compression and lazy loading Better Robots.txt — Best for controlling crawler access Redirection — Best for managing redirects and 404 errors 1. Yoast SEO Premium: Best for step-by-step SEO guidance as you write
Who should use it: Bloggers and small site owners who want SEO guidance right inside the editor. Rating: 4.5/5 Pricing: Starts at $118/year. Yoast SEO Premium is a reliable, safety-first plugin that prevents small SEO mistakes from compounding as your site grows. It provides real-time optimization feedback directly in your editor.
You can use this SEO plugin to optimize site pages for target keywords, generate SEO titles and meta descriptions, fix internal linking issues, manage redirects, and meet readability and technical SEO standards.
I found it most useful when maintaining or updating existing content on a website with limited content. 
For example, when I tested it on an older site, it flagged broken links and surfaced inconsistent meta descriptions I had missed during regular publishing. 
Our favorite features
Multiple-keyphrase optimization: This plugin lets you optimize a page for multiple related keyphrases for better topical coverage. Internal links suggestions: It suggests internal links while editing based on existing content. AI content assistance: It generates SEO titles and meta descriptions in the editor, with an AI Optimize (beta) feature that suggests on-page improvements for shorter content. Google Docs add-on: Yoast offers the same level of SEO guidance within Google Docs. Pros and cons
Pros:
SEO guidance is built directly into the editor, so issues are flagged before content goes live. Yoast has strong on-page coverage, such as keyphrases, readability, metadata, internal linking, redirects, and structured data in one plugin. It includes advanced add-ons (Local SEO, News, Video SEO) under one license instead of separate purchases. Cons:
Yoast’s recommendations don’t always align with every content strategy or niche, and can sometimes be irrelevant. It may feel limiting for advanced SEO users looking to conduct deep technical SEO audits and experiment with generative engine optimization. Our take
Choose Yoast SEO Premium for SEO guidance built into your writing workflow. It’s especially useful for bloggers and small business owners who are learning SEO fundamentals and want step-by-step guidance. Skip it if you’re looking for a more advanced tool for technical SEO and AI search visibility. 2. All in One SEO (AIOSEO) — Best for broad SEO coverage with AI-era features
Who should use it: Users who want hands-on control over SEO from the start and are comfortable managing more settings in exchange for that control. Rating: 4.7/5 Pricing: A free version is available. Paid plans start at $49.50/year. All-in-One SEO handles site-wide SEO setup with minimal input, then lets you step in and fine-tune details as your site grows.
During page-level edits, the optimization panel works like a checklist, grouping tasks into sections for schema markup, social previews, internal linking, metadata, and more.
It also includes AI tools that generate SEO titles, meta descriptions, FAQs, and key points — helping you structure content in a way that’s easier for both search engines and AI systems to understand.
The operational visibility stood out the most to me. 
Built-in 404 monitoring and redirect management helped me catch and fix broken URLs immediately, without relying on Search Console or extra plugins.
Our favorite features
Link Assistant: AIOSEO scans your entire site and suggests relevant internal links. Schema support and an LLM.txt generator: It lets you add structured data and create LLM.txt files to improve how your content appears in Google and AI search results. Google Search Console integration: It pulls key search performance metrics like keyword rankings, clicks, impressions, and average position into WordPress. AI content generation: This plugin speeds up on-page SEO (titles, descriptions, FAQs) and nudges you toward more structured content. Pros and cons
Pros:
AIOSEO handles both on-page and technical SEO in one workflow, reducing the need to juggle multiple plugins. It gives power users more flexibility than Yoast, with fewer forced scoring rules and more control over how SEO is applied. This plugin scales well for growing sites and content teams that need to manage SEO consistently across many content types. It makes structured data easier to manage at scale, reducing manual markup work as sites grow, and offers AI search-specific features. Cons:
The sheer number of settings and modules can feel overwhelming for beginners, even with the guided setup. Site audits can take longer to complete on large websites, and the TruSEO scoring system may feel strict if your content strategy doesn’t match its built-in recommendations. Our take
Pick AIOSEO if you want a complete website SEO setup that prepares you for modern AI search. It works well for new sites, migrations, and WooCommerce stores that need both SEO basics and operational tools like 404 monitoring and redirects. Skip it if you want a lightweight setup or prefer handling technical SEO and monitoring outside WordPress. 3. The SEO Framework — Best for advanced users who want clean, automated SEO
Who should use it: Developers and experienced WordPress users who don’t need SEO scoring or step-by-step guidance. Rating: 4.9/5 Pricing: A free version is available. Paid plans start at $84/year. The SEO Framework is a lightweight, automation-first SEO plugin that handles core SEO tasks quietly in the background without constant prompts, ads, or upsells.
When I first tested it on an inherited site, it automatically filled in titles and meta descriptions and generated an XML sitemap immediately, without any setup. 
The one trade-off is that it doesn’t guide you step by step or score keywords. So, if you rely on prescriptive SEO prompts, know that this plugin is minimal by design.
The SEO Framework works best on performance-sensitive sites where speed and minimal overhead matter more than in-editor guidance.
Our favorite features: 
Auto-generated meta tags: This plugin automatically creates SEO titles and meta descriptions for posts, pages, and archives using content-based logic. Built-in XML sitemap and canonical handling: It generates XML sitemaps and applies canonical URLs automatically to prevent duplicate-content issues. Unbranded, ad-free interface: It stays out of the way with no upsells, nags, or SEO “score” prompts — so the plugin feels native inside WordPress. Modular extension system: It lets you add advanced functionality (such as structured data, local SEO, or monitoring) through optional extensions that can be enabled individually. Pros and cons
Pros:
You can publish content faster because meta titles and descriptions are generated automatically. Setup takes minutes since smart defaults handle technical SEO without requiring configuration decisions. It keeps your site fast because the plugin is extremely lightweight compared to bloated alternatives. Cons:
It lacks content analysis and keyword optimization tools, so you won’t get real-time guidance on readability, keyword placement, or SEO improvements as you write. There are no native FAQ or How-To blocks: Structured data requires manual setup or third-party tools. Our take
Choose The SEO Framework if you already understand SEO basics and want fast, automated technical SEO handled quietly in the background. It’s ideal for performance-sensitive sites where speed and minimal interface clutter matter more than in-editor guidance. Skip it if you want hands-on SEO help, keyword checks, or extensive writing feedback. 4. Rank Math — Best all-in-one SEO for new sites
Who should use it: New sites and creators who want maximum SEO features early on. Rating: 4.9/5 Pricing: A free version is available. Paid plans start at $107.88/year. Rank Math combines on-page SEO tools, schema markup, redirects, and basic technical SEO features into a single plugin — with many capabilities available on the free plan.
At the page level, Rank Math is highly directive. Each page includes a checklist and score that flag issues with title structure, focus keyword usage, and indexing before publishing.
Once schema templates are set up, you can reuse them across content types instead of configuring structured data page by page.
For the most part, visibility makes Rank Math powerful for scaling sites and teams, but it’s best for users who want active SEO guidance rather than hands-off SEO.
Our favorite features
Score-based SEO checks: Rank Math assigns an overall score and flags optimization issues without forcing step-by-step fixes. Multiple focus keywords: You can optimize a single page for several related keywords. Search Console data in your dashboard: You’ll receive basic performance data directly inside WordPress. Modular design: It allows you to turn features on or off so you only use what you really need. Pros and cons
Pros:
Rank Math provides clear checklists and scoring inside the editor, so it’s obvious what needs fixing before publishing. You get access to most SEO settings upfront, which makes it easy to adjust schema, indexing rules, and analytics as your site evolves. Shared rules, templates, and scoring make it easier to keep SEO consistent across multiple authors and pages. You can set up structured data once per content type and reuse it, saving time on content-heavy or multi-format sites. Cons:
Rank Math asks you to make several SEO decisions early on — sometimes before you fully understand what you actually need to do. The checklist-and-score approach can push users to optimize for the score rather than for search intent or strategy. While powerful, schema templates and settings work best when you already understand how structured data should be applied across different content types. Our take 
Go for Rank Math if you run a content-heavy site and want tighter control over how posts appear in search. Skip it if you’re running a small or new site and only need simple, hands-off SEO basics. 5. Google Site Kit — Best for understanding how your site performs in Google
Who should use it: Site owners who want Google performance data inside WordPress. Rating: 4.2/5 Pricing: The plugin is free, but connected Google services may have their own costs. Google Site Kit pulls key data from Google tools like Search Console, Analytics, and PageSpeed Insights into your WordPress dashboard. You can monitor search performance and Core Web Vitals in one place.
When I installed it, I got a clear, high-level view of how my site was performing in Google, within minutes. 
I could quickly see trends in search traffic and analyze technical aspects like the Core Web Vitals without jumping between dashboards.
All in all, Site Kit works best as a monitoring and context dashboard to identify where problems exist. 
From there, you can dig deeper into Search Console or use dedicated SEO and performance plugins to address them.
Our favorite features 
Unified Google data: Site Kit brings traffic, search visibility, Core Web Vitals, and AdSense earnings into a single WordPress dashboard. Search funnel visibility: It shows which queries surface your pages, how often they appear in search, and how many clicks they earn. Per-page performance stats: You can check Analytics and Search Console metrics for individual posts and pages, so you can see what content drives results. No-code Google setup: It connects tools like Analytics, Search Console, Tag Manager, and AdSense without editing your theme or touching site code. Pros and cons
Pros:
It helps you monitor traffic and search performance without switching tools. You can connect Google services without touching code, because Site Kit handles the technical setup automatically. All features are available at no cost, making it an accessible monitoring tool for basic visibility. Cons:
Site Kit surfaces trends and signals, but it doesn’t provide deep analysis such as conversion tracking, advanced user behavior, or detailed diagnostics. It shows where issues exist, but resolving SEO or performance problems still requires dedicated plugins or native Google dashboards. Our take 
Choose Google Site Kit if you’re already using Google services and want to see basic metrics in WordPress without paying for a premium analytics plugin and switching between tools. Use it as a prioritization layer to decide which SEO or performance issues to address first. Skip this if you need detailed product, funnel, or revenue breakdowns inside WordPress — Site Kit focuses on high-level Google metrics rather than full reporting. 6. Jetpack Boost — Best for one-click performance improvements
Who should use it: Site owners who want core security, monitoring, and basic SEO handled automatically with minimal setup. Rating: 4.7/5 Pricing: A free version of Jetpack is available. Paid plans start at $119.40/year for the first year (introductory discount; regular price is $239.40/year). Jetpack Boost improves Core Web Vitals using a small set of safe, automated performance optimizations, including Critical CSS, deferred JavaScript, and improved image loading. 
When I tested it on a lightly optimized site, it immediately highlighted issues related to Critical CSS, deferred JavaScript, and oversized images. 
Instead of tweaking dozens of technical settings, the SEO plugin focuses on a narrow set of optimizations designed specifically to safely improve Google’s performance metrics. 
It’s a good fit for site owners who want quick, measurable improvements in Core Web Vitals with minimal effort.
Tip: The full Jetpack plugin also covers security, backups, analytics, and more. It’s included for WordPress.com users, with features like real-time backups and SEO support available on Business plans and higher.
Our favorite features 
One-click Critical CSS: Jetpack loads essential page styles first so content appears faster, without breaking layouts. LCP-focused optimization: The most important content appears sooner, improving Core Web Vitals scores. Deferred JavaScript: It delays non-essential scripts so text and layout load first, reducing blank screens on slower devices. Page Cache: It saves pages as static files so they load faster for visitors, reducing server load and improving overall response times. Pros and cons
Pros:
Jetpack improves Core Web Vitals with one-click optimizations like Critical CSS, deferred JavaScript, and lazy loading. You can feel the difference quickly, especially on content-heavy pages, making it a solid baseline performance upgrade. The optimizations are designed to be safe and WordPress-friendly, so you’re less likely to run into layout issues or broken functionality. Cons:
Boost is designed to stay simple; it won’t replace a fully custom performance setup for advanced needs. Controls are mostly toggle-based, which means you get less flexibility than with tools built for deep tuning. Our take
Choose Jetpack Boost if you want a simple, low-maintenance way to improve site speed and Core Web Vitals. Skip it if you already have a heavily customized performance setup — you’ll get more value from a tool built for advanced tuning. 7. SureRank — Best for simple setup and guided SEO assistance
Who should use it: Content creators who want a “set it and forget it” SEO for essentials. Rating: 4.6/5 Pricing: A free version is available. Paid plans start at $149/year. $99 with a first-year discount. They also offer lifetime plans. SureRank keeps SEO basics in one place: titles and meta descriptions, social previews, sitemaps, and default schema.
When I tested it, the first audit surfaced a short list of fixes I could act on immediately. Then, the editor kept flagging common issues as I worked, like missing alt text, oversized images, or titles that ran too long.
It adds default schema (like BreadcrumbList and Article) and keeps your SEO titles/descriptions consistent with your social share previews.
Altogether, SureRank works best for small blogs, portfolios, and simple business sites that need essential SEO with minimal setup. 
Our favorite features
Focused SEO audit: SureRank highlights only the most important issues, so you know what to fix first without noise. Unified metadata workflow: SEO titles, schema, and social previews live in one place, reducing mismatches. Search Console integration: It shows key performance metrics, clicks, impressions, and top queries inside WordPress. Indexing controls (robots + canonicals): It lets you noindex low-value pages and set canonical URLs to reduce duplicate-content issues. Pros and cons
Pros:
The plugin is lightweight by design, so it keeps site overhead low and performance impact minimal. It helps you catch practical on-page SEO issues as you write, like missing alt text or overly long titles, without pushing you toward rigid scores. It keeps SEO, schema, and social metadata in a single workflow, reducing mismatches between search results and social previews. Cons:
SureRank is not well-suited for large or complex sites that require granular control or agency-level workflows. It has a smaller ecosystem and potentially fewer third-party resources due to its relatively recent launch. Our take
Choose SureRank if you’re a content creator, blogger, or small business that needs basic SEO applied with minimal effort. It’s most useful when updating existing content or managing content on a smaller site. Skip it if you’re an SEO consultant, power user, or enterprise site that needs advanced control. 8. Xagio SEO — Best for AI-driven SEO management and keyword research
Who should use it: Agencies and advanced teams managing SEO across multiple WordPress sites. Rating: 4.9/5 Pricing: A free version is available. Paid plans start at $467/year. Xagio is an SEO system built for planning and managing SEO at the site level, not just optimizing individual pages. 
When I tested it, this SEO plugin analyzed existing pages first and grouped them by the keywords they were already ranking for. It then surfaced where pages were competing with each other or missing clear search intent.
Instead of fixing posts individually, you work from a central planner where titles, descriptions, and headings can be updated across multiple pages at once. 
This makes site-wide cleanup and restructuring far faster than editing pages manually.
Our favorite features 
Cluster-based optimization: Xagio optimizes each page for groups of related keywords, not just a single focus term. Centralized project planning: You can see all pages, keyword groups, and rankings in one site-wide dashboard. Intent-aligned page editor: It keeps titles, H1s, schema, and metadata tied to a single keyword group. Integrated rank tracking: This plugin connects keywords directly to the pages they rank for, without external tools. Pros and cons
Pros:
You can manage SEO at the site level, so updating titles and metadata across many pages doesn’t require page-by-page edits. It groups keywords by page and intent, helping prevent keyword overlap and content cannibalization. Xagio provides clear competitive direction by showing which keywords and page structures already perform in the SERPs. It reduces the need for multiple SEO tools by combining keyword planning, competitor research, and bulk optimization in one system. Cons:
It has a steeper learning curve than in-editor SEO plugins, especially for non-technical users. The interface can feel heavy, with many settings and views visible at once. Teams using dedicated analytics or keyword tools may find some features redundant or less substantial than specialist competitors. Our take
Go for Xagio SEO if you’re running multiple WordPress sites or need advanced SEO automation. It’s built for managing SEO across projects, not optimizing pages one by one. Skip it if you’re a solo blogger or a small business with basic SEO needs. 9. Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP — Best for fine-grained schema and rich snippets control
Who should use it: Ecommerce stores, review sites, and local businesses that rely on rich results and need strong support for Product, Review, and LocalBusiness schema. Rating: 4.5/5 Pricing: It has a free plan. Paid plans start at $99/year. Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP is built for sites that need more control over structured data than most SEO plugins offer. 
Instead of applying one generic schema type site-wide, it lets you assign schema by content type — so products, articles, FAQs, and How-To pages stay correctly marked up.
Once configured, those rules apply automatically across your site, keeping markup consistent and reducing manual work.
I especially like that you can add schema directly from the block editor using dedicated schema blocks, which is especially useful for FAQ, How-To, and review content.
Our favorite features 
Site-wide schema control: It defines core entity data once and applies it consistently across the site. Content-type–based rules: It applies the schema by post type or taxonomy, so markup stays predictable and accurate. Gutenberg schema blocks: This plugin converts visible FAQ, How-To, and review blocks into matching structured data. Explicit AMP schema handling: It separates AMP schema from non-AMP pages to reduce mobile validation issues. Pros and cons
Pros:
Schema can be assigned by content type, so product pages, blog posts, and FAQs don’t end up using the same generic markup. Templates let you define a schema once and apply it across multiple posts, keeping markup consistent at scale. The free version includes a broad set of schema types, covering most common use cases without needing an upgrade. Cons:
This plugin requires some schema knowledge to use effectively, especially when configuring advanced rules or templates. It can conflict with other SEO plugins if schema output isn’t carefully managed, leading to duplicate markup. Our take
Choose Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP if you run an ecommerce store, review site, or local business alongside your existing SEO setup. It handles schema markup, but doesn’t replace a full SEO system. Skip it if you’re just getting started with SEO and want an all-in-one solution. 10. Smush — Best for image compression, resizing, and lazy loading
Who should use it: WordPress beginners, content creators, and small business owners who want hassle-free image compression. Rating: 4.8/5 Pricing: A free version is available. Paid plans start at $30/year. The Smush plugin focuses on image optimization, automatically compressing images as you upload them to help pages load faster.
New uploads are optimized immediately, and oversized images are clearly highlighted as you browse the site, which makes performance issues easy to spot and fix. 
For best results, I found that enabling both resizing and metadata removal had more impact than compression alone.
All in all, I found Smush works best on smaller or newer sites where ongoing uploads matter more than bulk cleanup. 
Our favorite features 
Bulk optimization for existing libraries: You can optimize unlimited images without running heavy processes on your own server. Lazy loading: Smush delays loading offscreen images until users scroll to them. Safe image resizing: It notifies you when you upload images that exceed recommended dimensions. Smart compression: It shrinks image file sizes without a noticeable drop in quality, helping pages load faster. Pros and cons
Pros:
It starts optimizing images automatically after activation, so new uploads are handled without ongoing manual work. This plugin makes it easy to spot oversized or unoptimized images that hurt performance. It covers essential image optimization in the free plan, which is enough for basic compression and lazy loading. Cons:
Bulk optimization capped at 50 images per batch makes cleaning up large image libraries slow and repetitive. It’s focused just on images, so you’ll need additional tools for broader performance or SEO optimization. Our take 
Choose Smush if images are slowing your site down. This plugin is best for fixing image-related performance issues on image-heavy sites. Skip it if you need basic image optimization while your images are already handled by a CDN and your performance stack covers compression, resizing, and lazy loading. 11. Better Robots.txt — Best for customising crawler access and blocking unwanted bots
Who should use it: Site owners and SEOs who need precise control over which pages and bots can crawl their site. Rating: 4.5/5 Pricing: A free plan is available. Paid plans start at $109.94/year. Better Robots.txt lets you control how search engines and bots crawl your site directly from the WordPress dashboard — no file editing required.
It generates and serves a robots.txt file automatically, making it easy to update crawl rules, block unwanted bots, or add sitemap references without touching server settings.
Keep in mind that robots.txt controls crawling, not indexing. It works best for managing bot access and crawl behavior rather than hiding pages from search results entirely.
Tip: The plugin can also generate an llms.txt file. While not essential for SEO, it’s a useful addition if you want to prepare for how AI search engines like ChatGPT may discover content over time.
Our favorite features 
SEO-safe robots.txt configuration: It applies sensible default crawl rules so you don’t accidentally block important pages. Granular bot control: It lets you allow or block individual crawlers, including AI bots, without touching robots.txt syntax. Search Console–aware validation: It flags rules that could cause crawl or indexing issues before they become problems. LLM-ready configuration: Better Robots includes support for AI crawlers and optional llms.txt generation. Pros and cons
Pros:
You can manage crawler rules directly inside WordPress, which is especially useful on managed hosts without server or FTP access. It helps improve crawl efficiency by blocking low-value URLs that can waste crawl budget. You avoid missing or incorrect sitemap declarations, because sitemap references are added automatically when compatible SEO plugins are active. Cons:
It requires SEO knowledge to use safely, since incorrect rules can block important pages from being crawled. It uses a virtual robots.txt file, so changes may require cache or CDN refreshes on some hosting setups.
Our take
Choose Better Robots.txt if you need precise control over how bots crawl your site and want to prepare your site for AI search. Skip it if your site is simple or you don’t want to manage crawl rules yourself. 12. Redirection — Best for managing redirects and tracking 404 errors
Who should use it: Site owners who regularly update URLs, migrate content, or want visibility into broken links without server access. Rating: 4.4/5 Pricing: Completely free with no paid version. Redirection manages URL redirects and tracks 404 errors directly inside WordPress, without requiring server access or file edits. 
As soon as it’s activated, it starts logging 404 errors and lets you create, edit, and test redirects from the WordPress admin.
What stands out is visibility: You can see which redirects are active, where users are hitting dead URLs, and whether rules are actually matching real traffic. 
Overall, I found Redirection most useful during migrations or cleanups — when you’re handling lots of URL changes and need reliable 404 tracking in one place.
Our favorite features 
Regex redirects: This plugin redirects entire URL patterns in bulk using regex, making it ideal for site migrations. 404 monitoring: It tracks and logs 404 errors and redirect hits. Automatic redirects for URL changes: It creates a redirect when you update a page or post URL, so visitors and search engines don’t hit broken links. Bulk import and export: It lets you move redirects between sites or upload them in batches during migrations. Pros and cons
Pros:
Redirection protects traffic and rankings by preventing broken links during updates, migrations, and permalink changes. It automatically surfaces real 404 errors and patterns, helping you prioritize fixes based on what users and search engines actually hit. It scales from simple one-off redirects to large restructures, reducing manual cleanup work even for complex URL changes. This plugin is fully usable for free: You can handle redirects and 404 monitoring without committing to a paid SEO suite. Cons:
Not ideal for extremely high-traffic sites: On very large sites, handling thousands of redirects inside WordPress may be less efficient than managing them directly on the server. Advanced rules can cause mistakes: Pattern-based redirects are powerful, but a small typo can accidentally send visitors to the wrong page or create redirect loops. Our take
Choose Redirection if you regularly update content, change URLs, or want an easy way to track and fix broken links inside WordPress. Skip it if your site has very high traffic or thousands of redirects, where a server-based redirect setup is usually a better long-term fit. The right SEO plugins complete your setup
If you want a simple starting point for SEO plugins, focus on the essentials:
One core SEO plugin (Yoast, Rank Math, or AIOSEO) for on-page optimization and technical controls. Jetpack Boost for performance improvements and Core Web Vitals. Smush for image optimization. Redirection for managing URL changes and 404 errors. Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP if you need advanced schema control. On WordPress.com, you already benefit from fast managed hosting, built-in security, SSL, sitemaps, and various Jetpack features. 
These plugins don’t replace that foundation — they extend it where you need more control, insight, or flexibility.
Explore more plugins on WordPress.com View the full article

On WordPress.com, you can manage the entire lifecycle of your website — setup, development, launch, day-to-day management, and potential adjustments — on a single platform that grows with you.
When I first learned to build WordPress sites, I had to stitch them together from different tools and vendors. Think of connecting your domain registrar to a hosting provider, installing backup, security, and performance plugins — that sort of thing.
When I switched to WordPress.com, the experience became entirely different. Here are 14 ways it makes site ownership easier.
1. Launch your site in a single, ready-to-run environment
On WordPress.com, getting a domain, hosting, security, backups, and performance are already configured.
Your site runs on WordPress-first infrastructure, built to handle updates, plugins, traffic spikes, and security without you having to tune the stack yourself.
Here’s what you get:
Hosting optimized specifically for WordPress. Your domain automatically connects to your site (if you purchase it through WordPress.com). Automatic real-time backups and one-click restore (on Business and higher). Ready-to-use, top-notch security features. Performance optimization out of the box. In short, instead of spending time setting up your site’s infrastructure, you can get online — and stay online — while focusing on growing your business.
2. Build with AI, but keep full control
On WordPress.com, AI helps you launch quickly — while still creating a real WordPress site you control.
Some AI website builders generate sites inside proprietary platforms, which can make it harder to customize, add advanced features, or move your site elsewhere later.
That’s different on WordPress.com. 
The AI website builder creates your site using native WordPress functionality, including proven themes, patterns, and the Block Editor. Instead of generating loose code, it assembles your site from building blocks that are designed to work well together.
Because of that, you’re building directly on WordPress from day one. You can redesign, add features, or scale your site over time without rebuilding it from scratch.
And it doesn’t stop after launch. With the WordPress AI Assistant, the AI truly understands your site’s content and layout. You can use it to add smart improvements and optimize your site for better results.
3. Grow your site without headaches
On WordPress.com, success doesn’t create extra work or extra fees. When your site starts getting attention, you don’t need to scramble to keep it online or worry about sudden costs.
No matter if you have 10 visitors or 100,000, all WordPress.com plans come with:
Unlimited bandwidth with no overage fees. A 99.999% uptime target. Global caching and CDN. Free SSL encryption. Built-in malware scanning and attack protection. That means you’ll never be forced to upgrade for performance reasons. While you can upgrade to a Business or Commerce plan for advanced features, your site will remain safe and stable on any plan.
4. Bring familiar AI tools into your WordPress workflow
WordPress.com connects your site to the AI tools you already use.
You can build themes and plugins with AI, connect Claude to analyze your real site data, or use the built-in WordPress AI Assistant directly inside your dashboard. 
These integrations are officially supported and permission-based, so you control what AI can access.
Instead of copying content into a generic chatbot, AI works with your actual WordPress environment — your posts, pages, traffic data, and structure.
All this helps you focus on the actions, pages, content, and opportunities that actually drive business results.
5. Work with real humans who treat your site like it matters
That said, you don’t have to figure everything out alone. 
With WordPress.com’s website design services, real WordPress experts build your site with you — refining your vision, making sure it looks professional, and helping you launch with confidence.
Take Jason, a WordPress.com user who wanted a website to support his son’s motorcycle racing journey.  He worked directly with the WordPress.com team to refine the design and structure, so it felt credible and ready to launch.
But the help didn’t stop at launch. The team continued guiding him through SEO setup, plugin choices, and planning his rollout strategy.
That’s the difference. You’re not just buying a template. You’re getting real people who help you build it right — and stay available as your site evolves. 
6. Restore your website, even if you are locked out
Every WordPress.com site is automatically backed up behind the scenes. You don’t need to install a plugin or set up a backup schedule — it’s handled for you.
On Business and Commerce plans, you can also restore your site yourself with one click — even if you can’t access your WordPress dashboard.
Like all other features, backups and restores happen on the platform level. This means you don’t need to log in to your site or server. Trust me, the last thing you want to do in this situation is struggle to get your website back.
7. Automate site updates without worrying
WordPress.com keeps your site up to date automatically — without you managing core updates, plugins, themes, or server software.
On most setups, it’s your responsibility to update WordPress core, plugins, themes, and even PHP. On WordPress.com, that maintenance is handled for you and coordinated to reduce compatibility issues and update-related errors.
How so?
First of all, core website updates are applied automatically, as are new versions of plugins and themes. Server maintenance is also taken care of for you.
Because the platform and infrastructure are built to work together, updates are tested and coordinated before they reach your site. That reduces the chance of something breaking after an update.
And if you want more control, you still have it. For example, on Business and Commerce plans, you can change your PHP version from the site settings — no server access required.
8. Use plugins to add features, not crucial infrastructure
On WordPress.com, security and performance are built in — so plugins serve to add features rather than fix fundamentals. 
On many setups, you install plugins just to handle backups, security, or caching. Here, that infrastructure is already managed for you. For example, all WordPress.com sites come with Jetpack, which offers SEO tools, analytics, newsletter functionality, additional editor blocks, and more.
That means you can focus on adding capabilities instead — ecommerce, memberships, translations, forums, and more.
With access to over 50,000 plugins, you can shape your site around your goals, not around technical gaps.
9. Build locally, using the same environment
With WordPress Studio, you can test changes on your own computer in the same environment your live site uses — then sync them when you’re ready.
This is more relevant to developers than beginners, but it’s useful to understand. Local development gives you a safe space to experiment, redesign pages, or test features without visitors seeing half-finished work.
The tricky part with local development is usually deployment. If your local setup doesn’t match your live environment, things can break when you push changes.
WordPress Studio solves that by mirroring your WordPress.com environment, making it much easier to move changes from local to live without surprises. It also comes with reusable site blueprints, shareable preview sites, and selective push and pull. 
Tip: Other WordPress.com developer features include free staging sites, SFTP/SSH, WP-CLI, Git commands, and GitHub deployments.
10. Keep your site fast and secure over time
Website performance and security are usually ongoing projects. But, as we’ve already settled, on WordPress.com this happens at the platform level, so you don’t have to worry about it at all.
Keeping a site fast and protected means adjusting cache plugins, configuring security tools, and monitoring logs over time. Here, that work happens behind the scenes.
Features that keep your site resilient include:
Automated data center failover. Built-in spam protection. A detailed site activity log. And if you ever need a hand, WordPress.com’s Happiness Engineers are available 24/7 to help.
Besides, WordPress is one of the most rigorously tested and actively maintained software projects in the world, with thousands of contributors and a dedicated security team. 
On WordPress.com, that foundation is reinforced with managed infrastructure that keeps your site protected as you grow.
11. Expand what your site can do — without starting over
On WordPress.com, you can redesign, extend, and turn your site into something bigger without changing platforms or rebuilding from scratch.
Your website might start as a simple blog or portfolio. Later, you might add a shop, memberships, bookings, or a newsletter. On many setups, that means migrating systems, upgrading servers, or reworking your entire stack.
Here, you build on the same foundation.
You can refresh your design using native blocks, patterns, and themes — and use tools like newsletters. You can also add ecommerce, payments, or other features through plugins. 
And you can do it all without touching hosting, security, or performance settings behind the scenes.
12. Keep full ownership of your website
With WordPress.com, your content and data remain yours forever — and you can export them if you ever decide to move.
Some proprietary website builders make it difficult to take your site elsewhere, limiting how easily you can export your content, structure, or integrations. While self-hosting WordPress gives you full ownership, it also means full responsibility for managing everything.
WordPress.com runs on the open-source WordPress software, which means your content isn’t trapped in a proprietary system. If your needs change, you can export and migrate your site without rebuilding it from scratch.
13. Get out of the maintenance loop
On WordPress.com, most routine upkeep happens automatically, so you’re not constantly managing your site behind the scenes.
It’s great that WordPress and its components receive regular updates. But keeping WordPress core, themes, plugins, and infrastructure up to date can turn into an ongoing cycle of small tasks and checks. 
Here, those updates — along with performance and security management — are handled for you.
That means less time maintaining your website and more time using it to move your work or business forward.
WordPress core is updated automatically on all plans; themes are maintained for you.
On Business and Commerce plans, plugins can be updated automatically as well. Server-level components like PHP are managed by WordPress.com behind the scenes.
14. Migrate your site without downtime
Finally, WordPress.com also helps you seamlessly migrate your website, whether you do it yourself or with expert help.
Moving hosting providers comes with a long list of to-dos. You have to move all parts of your site, fix compatibility issues with the new environment, and cross your fingers that the website won’t go down during the switch.
To avoid this, on WordPress.com Business and Commerce, migration and launch happen as separate steps:
Create a new, empty site. Clone your existing site into it (your original site stays live on your old host). Review the WordPress version, pages, plugins, etc., in the new environment. Switch your domain when you are 100% ready. Your visitors won’t even notice the change. Better yet, you can choose the “do it for me” option and the WordPress.com team will handle the migration for you, and then guide you through the final steps.
Make your life easy — Choose WordPress.com
The difference of hosting your site on WordPress.com versus elsewhere doesn’t come down to a single feature — it changes your entire experience of website ownership.
From the beginning, your site lives in an optimized, centrally managed environment that it never has to leave, no matter how much you grow. 
This reduces the technical work necessary to keep it running smoothly, allowing you to focus on what really matters and moves the needle. At the same time, you retain full ownership and control over your site.
Ready to make this a reality for yourself?
Create a website Migrate to WordPress.com
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When we launched Telex back in August, we invited everyone to experiment with AI-powered block creation.
Since then, thousands of you have built blocks, shared feedback, and pushed the tool in directions we didn’t expect.
That enthusiasm kept us going. Here’s what’s new.
1. Show Telex what you want to build
You can now upload reference images when describing your block. A Figma mockup. A screenshot of a design you like. A napkin sketch. 
Upload it alongside your prompt and let Telex see what you’re imagining.
This helps most with complex layouts — or when you’re chasing a specific aesthetic. Instead of writing a detailed description of how every element should be arranged, just show it.
A picture is worth a thousand prompt words, or so they say.
2. Work in your favorite editor, then come back
One of our most requested features — editing blocks outside of Telex — is here.
Download your block, open it in VS Code, Cursor, or whatever you prefer (we’re not starting that debate), and make your changes. Then upload the zip back to Telex to keep refining with AI.
This round-trip workflow bridges AI generation and traditional development. It’s early days — we’ll keep improving it.
3. Explore previous versions risk-free
Version history now works better. When you restore a previous version, Telex creates a new version instead of overwriting your current work. 
This means you can explore past iterations, compare approaches, and recover that thing you deleted three prompts ago.
Your past mistakes are now just research. Or as we call it: iterative development.
4. Telex speaks your language
Telex is now available in 7 languages for you to create blocks and experiment.
We also fixed an issue where Japanese, Chinese, emoji, and other multi-byte characters weren’t streaming correctly.
5. Small improvements that add up
We’ve also shipped a bunch of smaller fixes:
Dynamic page titles: Juggling multiple blocks in different tabs? The page title now matches your selected project. Save confirmations: Manual code edits now show a “Files updated” message. You’ll always know your changes took. Shorter share links: Cleaner URLs that are easier to pass along. Changelog page: Want to keep up with every update? We now have a dedicated changelog. It’s like release notes, but we actually write them. Keep experimenting
Telex is a living experiment. Your feedback shapes where it goes.
Spin up a block. Try the image upload. Tell us what’s working and what isn’t — in the comments or through the in-app feedback form.
Start experimenting with Telex
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Lily Burton spent years in the lab. PhD in biochemistry and molecular biophysics at the University of Chicago. Deep research. Big questions.
But something was missing.
“I really enjoyed thinking about very deep questions,” she says. “But I kind of missed the human element. I would get frustrated — why should a normal, everyday person care about this?”
That question led her toward science writing. And eventually, to a portfolio she built in an hour using our AI website builder.
From lab to byline
To pursue her science writing dream, Lily built up slowly. Volunteer projects. Small bylines. Then, in late 2023, she applied to the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship — mostly as practice.
She got in.
Ten weeks at a public radio station in North Carolina, reporting on science. That was the moment it became real.
“This might actually be something I could do.”
The portfolio problem
But to get paid work, she needed a portfolio. A place to show her clips. Proof she could do the job.
She kept putting it off.
Then a deadline hit. An internship application. Four hours to finish everything — resume, cover letter, portfolio.
She opened WordPress.com, found the AI website builder, and started typing. About an hour later, her online portfolio was live.
What Lily’s new website delivered
She didn’t get that first job. But the website stuck around.
A few weeks later, another interview. They wanted writing samples. She sent the website immediately.
As a result, Lily got:
Contract work from that company A separate internship A portfolio ready to send whenever opportunities come up Your story deserves a home, too
Lily had been putting off her portfolio for too long. A deadline forced her hand — and the AI website builder got her there in an hour.
WordPress.com’s managed hosting also means she’s not dealing with updates or maintenance. She focuses on her career. The platform handles the rest.
Her story started in the lab. But her website is where the next chapter begins.
Yours can too.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now View the full article

The WordPress AI Assistant is now available on WordPress.com.
If you’ve used our AI website builder, you already know how easy it is to create a full site by having a conversation. Now, that same intelligence stays with you inside the editor and Media Library. 
Unlike standalone AI tools, the WordPress AI Assistant works inside your site. It understands your content and layout and can take action where you’re already building — no copy-pasting, no prompt engineering, and no code to figure out what to do with.
Sites on WordPress.com’s Business or Commerce plans can now opt into the WordPress AI Assistant at no extra cost.
Build, write, design, and manage without breaking your flow
The new AI assistant will show up in a few places within your WordPress experience once enabled on each of your sites:
The Editor
Get help with site-wide structure and design decisions, as well as content editing and refinement without leaving the editor. You can adjust layouts, styles, and patterns on your posts and pages just by talking — and see changes take shape as you work.
You can ask it to:
“Make this section feel more modern and spacious.” “Change my site colors to be more bright and bold.” “Give me more font options that feel clean and professional.” “Add a testimonials section below this section.” “Add a Contact page.” “Rewrite this to sound more confident.” “Translate this section into Spanish.” “Give me three title options for this page.” “Generate an image of a croissant for this blog post.” Enable the AI assistant Media Library
Create and edit images directly in your Media Library. The AI assistant helps you generate new visuals or make targeted edits to existing images, so your media stays consistent with your site’s look and brand. You can specify aspect ratios and image styles to have even more control over the final look.
This feature uses the latest Nano Banana models, bringing you added value without needing other subscriptions.
In your Media Library, click the “Generate Image” button. You can ask the assistant things like:
“Generate an image of a calico cat reading a book.” “Update this image to be black and white.” “Replace this stack of pancakes with a stack of waffles.” Generate and edit images with AI Block notes
The block notes feature introduced in WordPress 6.9 lets you collaborate with teammates directly in the editor. The WordPress AI Assistant extends that same workflow with AI: ask questions in block notes and get answers with your content as context, including relevant links and info from external sources:
“@ai Please fact-check this block.” “@ai Give me headline ideas for this article” “@ai Suggest examples to strengthen this paragraph” Use AI in block notes The WordPress AI Assistant works right inside WordPress, so you get help exactly where you’re building, writing, and editing.
How to enable the WordPress AI Assistant
You can opt-in in just a few clicks:
Log in to your WordPress.com account and go to your Sites list. Click your site name, and then click Settings.  Scroll down and click the “AI tools” setting. Click the toggle to enable the setting. Alternatively, if you purchase a site built with our AI website builder, the AI assistant will be enabled automatically, regardless of which plan you choose.
Note that the AI assistant works best with block themes. If you’re using a classic theme, the AI assistant won’t appear in the editor. However, you can still generate and edit AI images in the Media Library.
Get started today
Most tools stop after generating a site. Others give you a single chat box isolated from your workflow or one-off code you need to know what to do with.
The WordPress AI Assistant works inside your actual site, helping adjust blocks, shape layouts, write content, and guide decisions.
This is WordPress, now with intelligence built in — ready to help you create, design, and grow faster than ever. And just one of the many ways WordPress.com users will be empowered by AI this year.
Enable the WordPress AI Assistant View the full article

AI search tools such as ChatGPT and Google’s AI Mode are changing how people find content.
The good news? Your WordPress site can show up in both traditional Google results and AI-generated answers with a few practical tweaks.
In fact, most of what AI systems need already exists in WordPress — if you structure and use it properly.
This guide shows you how to optimize your WordPress site for AI search with nine simple steps.
1. Write answer-first content with a clear structure
Start each section with the main point, then add supporting details when creating content for your website. 
AI systems extract information by scanning for direct answers and clear patterns. When you lead with the answer and use structured formatting, AI can quickly identify, extract, and cite your content.
Here’s an example of this answer-first approach: a question-based heading followed by a paragraph that starts with the most relevant details, then adds more context later.
How to do it in WordPress
Start each page with a direct answer, definition, or takeaway. Use Heading, List, Table, and Quote blocks to break content into scannable sections. Match your first sentence to your heading. If the heading asks “What is matcha?”, start with “Matcha is…”. Keep paragraphs short (2–3 sentences) so AI can extract key points without wading through walls of text. Place the most important information in the first 100 words of each page. 2. Organize content into topical clusters and key category pages
Group related content into clear topic areas to demonstrate authority, and explicitly name the people, brands, tools, and concepts you’re discussing.
Entities are the specific elements AI systems look for to understand meaning and context, such as “Monday.com” as a product, “remote teams” as a concept, or “integrations” as a feature category. 
When you organize website content around these entities and use consistent terminology, AI can map relationships between topics and understand your expertise.
Source: Ninja Promo
How to do it in WordPress
Identify related content around major themes (3–6 is a good start) that your brand owns. For example, a lifestyle blogger might organize their content into clusters such as wellness and self-care, home and organization, work–life balance, personal finance basics, travel, and everyday routines. Group related posts and pages into category pages. Here’s what that looks like on the WordPress.com blog:  Define each category and add descriptions (e.g., “Here we share practical advice and step-by-step guidance on personal finance”). Link category hub pages from your main navigation, and interlink posts within each cluster using clear, entity-focused anchor text (the specific words associated with the hyperlink). Use the Query Loop block to automatically show related posts and pages on your hub pages. 3. Add schema to formalize entities and relationships
Add schema markup (structured data) — code that labels what type of content you’re publishing — to tell search engines and AI systems exactly what your pages are about.
For example, you can mark a page as a recipe, product review, or local business listing.
Schema isn’t a magic bullet (few things in SEO/GEO are), but it can help AI better understand your WordPress site and pages. 
For example, a recent Semrush study found a correlation between schema use and AI citations, likely because schema adds context and credibility that AI systems can analyze.
How to do it in WordPress
Identify the correct schema type for each page (Article, FAQ, Product, Review, LocalBusiness). Connect content to authors and organizations using Person and Organization schema. Use an SEO WordPress plugin to apply schema without custom code. Some of the best WordPress plugins that offer this feature include All in One SEO, Schema & Structured Data for WP, Yoast SEO, and Rank Math SEO. 4. Add FAQs and structured sections AI can quote
Add FAQ sections with clear question-and-answer pairs that AI systems can easily extract and quote.
FAQs work well for AI search because they mirror how people ask questions conversationally. They also let you control how your answers are framed and presented.
For example, you can use FAQs to communicate your brand positioning in a structured way, such as in this article about picking a cloud GPU provider:
How to do it in WordPress
Write one clear question followed by one focused answer. Start each answer with the main point, then add details. Keep answers helpful, not salesy, especially for neutral questions like “What is X?”. Place FAQs at the end of your content or where readers make decisions. Use the Accordion block to organize FAQs neatly:
For larger help centers, such as software documentation, try the BetterDocs plugin. 5. Make authorship, experience, and E-E-A-T signals explicit
Add author information, credentials, and original thoughts to your website content so readers and AI tools know who wrote it and why they’re credible.
When you clearly show practical experience and expertise — what Google calls E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) — both search engines and AI tools are more likely to trust and cite your content.
For example, DigitalOcean published original research testing AI detector accuracy on its company blog. It became one of the company’s top traffic drivers and eventually earned a citation from Cornell University.
How to do it in WordPress
Use the Authors Widget to display the post author’s name on your blog. Link author names to detailed author pages showcasing their background. For example, iFixit — an e-commerce and how-to site — extensively highlights the expertise of its writers:
This helps users trust the site when getting tips on fixing their electronics and sends positive signals to AI search engines.
Interview subject matter experts and weave in their insights to support E-E-A-T and add uniqueness. Conduct original research and include up-to-date statistics to demonstrate credibility and substantiate claims.  6. Strengthen site-level trust
Create clear, comprehensive About and Contact pages so visitors and AI systems can verify that you’re legitimate.
AI doesn’t just evaluate individual posts — it looks at your entire WordPress site to determine if you’re a trustworthy source. 
Websites with transparent information about who runs them, how to reach them, and what they stand for earn more trust from both readers and search engines.
Here’s another great example of the About Us page from iFixit:
How to do it in WordPress
Create a clear About page explaining who you are, what you do, and who you serve. Use Organization schema (via an SEO plugin such as AIOSEO) to formally tell search engines your business name, location, and what you do. Add a dedicated Contact page with real, verifiable business details. Surface About and Contact pages in site-wide navigation, such as in the footer and header. Pro tip: Your WordPress site’s trustworthiness also stems from external signals. To prove to AI search engines and Google that you’re credible, you need mentions and backlinks from outside sources, such as guest posts, media coverage, content creators, partners, and community platforms like Reddit.
7. Reinforce local and business credibility 
If you run a local business, add location details, business hours, and customer reviews to show you’re a real, legitimate company.
Local business information strengthens trust for both physical storefronts and service-based businesses. 
When AI search tools see consistent contact details, genuine reviews, and clear location data, they’re more confident mentioning your brand.
For example, here’s how Cha Cha Matcha showcases its address and other details on its website:
How to do it in WordPress
Keep your business name, address, and phone number consistent across your site and Google Business Profile. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile with accurate hours, photos, and services. Implement LocalBusiness schema via the AIOSEO plugin. Display customer reviews and testimonials using the Testimonial block and the Google Business Reviews and Rating plugin. Embed a map on your Contact or Location page. 8. Make sure search engines can access and crawl your site
Remove technical barriers so search engines and AI tools can find and index your content.
For example, if your site blocks crawlers, loads slowly, or isn’t indexed, even great content stays invisible. 
Reliable WordPress hosting solves most of these issues automatically by maintaining site speed, enforcing HTTPS, and ensuring reliable uptime.
Tip: For the best foundation, invest in a WordPress host that prioritizes performance and security. Managed WordPress hosting on WordPress.com includes caching, automated software updates, security, and performance optimization.
How to do it in WordPress
Enable indexing in Settings → Reading. This tells search engines they’re allowed to find and list your site in search results. Configure robots.txt correctly using a plugin such as AIOSEO. This file tells bots which parts of your site to crawl and which to skip, such as admin pages. Submit an XML sitemap via your SEO plugin. This file lists all your important pages, making it easier for search engines to find them. For WordPress.com users, sitemaps are activated by default. Ensure HTTPS is active by looking for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar. This shows your site is secure, which search engines and AI systems require before indexing your content. Optimize site speed and uptime by compressing images, using caching, and choosing lightweight themes.  Tip: AI search relies on standard indexing, so avoid blocking AI bots unless the content is proprietary, paywalled, or sensitive. You can use the Block AI Crawlers plugin or Better Robots TXT plugin if needed.
9. Use visuals as explanatory assets
Add images, diagrams, and screenshots that help readers understand your content, not just decorative stock photos.
Clear, explanatory visuals make complex topics easier to grasp. AI systems are also moving toward multimodal search, meaning they’ll increasingly interpret visual content directly.
For example, this article on how to use Google Colab for non-developers includes step-by-step screenshots that walk readers through the entire process:
How to do it in WordPress
Use descriptive file names and alt text. For example, name your file “wordpress-dashboard-settings.jpg” instead of “IMG_1234.jpg,” and write alt text that describes what the image shows for search engines and screen readers. Add captions to provide additional context for readers. Reference visuals in your text. Don’t just drop in an image — mention it (for example, “as shown in the screenshot below”). Use Image, Gallery, and Table blocks to add diagrams, screenshots, and process flows. Organize assets in the Media Library so you can reuse images across multiple posts. Pro tip: Guide AI search tools to your most important content.
An llms.txt file is an experimental way to tell AI tools which pages on your site matter most, such as your best guides, category hubs, and About page.
This isn’t a requirement, and AI systems aren’t obligated to follow it. Think of it like the early days of robots.txt — a suggestion, not a control mechanism. 
Here’s how to do it in WordPress:
Create an llms.txt file using the Website llms.txt plugin. List your most important URLs, such as key guides, category pages, and your About page. Stay visible in modern search with WordPress.com
We explored the core steps to make your WordPress site visible in AI search: clear structure, credible authorship, organized content, and strong technical foundations.
Start with steps 1–5, then expand as you grow. The sooner you adapt to AI-driven search, the stronger your long-term visibility will be.
You don’t need a new strategy — just a more intentional approach. When your expertise is clear and your site is technically sound, AI systems can better understand and surface your content.
WordPress.com further supports this with secure managed hosting and publishing tools built for performance and reliability.
Get started with WordPress.com View the full article

AI is reshaping how people create websites. 
Today, we’re releasing new Skills and a Claude Cowork plugin designed for vibe coders and anyone who wants to create WordPress themes, generate sites, and experiment with AI-assisted development. You’ll find that you don’t need to be technical at all.
These tools are in rapid development and changing constantly, but we wanted to get them into your hands now. 
We believe this is where site building is headed.
WordPress site creator plugin for Claude Cowork
This new Claude Cowork plugin turns a conversation with Claude into a fully built WordPress site. Describe what you want, and it creates a complete block theme and deploys it to a local site running in WordPress Studio.
For example:
/create-site A website for my fitness coaching business. I help busy professionals get strong without living at the gym. I want to book discovery calls and share workout tips.
Claude kicks off by asking you about your site and then provides multiple design options. Iterate until you are happy, and then a few minutes later, you have a full WordPress block theme.
You’ll get a preview link you can send to anyone. And the theme can then be used on any WordPress site.
The plugin is currently a developer preview, so to use it, clone this Github repo and follow the README instructions.
Skills that power it
Alongside the plugin, we’re sharing the Skills that make it work. Skills are reusable instruction sets that teach AI assistants how to perform specific tasks — think of them as the next evolution of prompts.
We have skills for:
Site Specification, collecting important context and info about the site being created Site Design, creating multiple design options and helping with fonts, colors, and style WordPress Theme Creation, sticking to best practices to generate a working block theme To use them, just tell your AI to ‘use this skill’ and paste in the GitHub link above. It will know what to do.
The best part is you can use these Skills just about anywhere, including ChatGPT, Codex, or your favorite vibe coding tool.
These Skills are in active development and changing weekly. But they’re already producing themes worth shipping, and we expect results to only improve.
Build with us
We’re in a significant period of change. There’s uncertainty. But there’s also opportunity, especially for site builders willing to experiment.
Try the new tools. Break them. Tell us what’s missing. Help us make them better.
At WordPress.com, we have the hosting solutions to make it easy to take your AI-created sites and share them with the world.
And watch this space. Claude Cowork is just the start; we want to help you build WordPress sites with your AI agent of choice. 

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Want to build WordPress plugins using AI? 
This guide shows you how to set up Claude Code and WordPress Studio to create working plugins with text prompts.
Claude Code is Anthropic’s AI coding assistant. WordPress Studio is a free local WordPress environment. Together, they let you go from idea to a working plugin in minutes — no deep coding knowledge required.
This walkthrough covers the complete setup and shows you how to build your first plugin.
1. Install Claude Code
Head to Claude Code and sign up for an account — you can choose any paid plan available. 
Run the native installer from the setup page and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
The installation runs for a minute or two. When it finishes, Claude Code is ready to use.
2. Install WordPress Studio
Download WordPress Studio — it’s completely free and works on both Mac and Windows.
Install it, then create a new site. Give it any name you want — e.g., “My WordPress Website” works fine.
Because Studio runs locally on your computer, everything you build stays safely contained on your machine — so you can experiment with AI-generated plugins without risking a live website.
3. Start Claude Code
Using the Open in… options on the Overview tab in Studio, click Terminal. This will open a terminal window at your project file’s location.
Then, type claude. If it’s your first time, you’ll be prompted to log in to your Claude account and confirm that you trust the files in this folder.
Click Enter/Return on your keyboard to trust the folder, and you’ll see the welcome message.
4. Build your first plugin
In the Claude terminal, describe what you want. Give it some context about where you are and what you need. For example:
“We are in the root of the WordPress site folder. I want a simple plugin that prints out ‘Hello [Your Name]’ in the admin of the site.”
From here, Claude will ask some follow-up questions, create a plugin folder, and generate the complete plugin file with proper WordPress structure.
5. Activate and test
Go back to WordPress Studio and open your WordPress admin. Navigate to Plugins, find your new plugin, and activate it.
If the plugin works correctly, your custom message will appear at the top of the admin area — in our case, “Hello Nick” shows up as an admin notice. 
If you haven’t changed your name, you may see it say “Hello admin.” Simply go to your Users list and change the name of your default user.
This is the simplest plugin possible, but it shows how fast you can build with Claude and WordPress.
6. Keep building
From here, you can add more features. 
Go back to the Terminal in your editor and ask Claude to add new functionality — settings pages, custom blocks, whatever you need.
As with any AI tool, experimenting with prompting will help you achieve better results:
Give Claude context about where you are in the file structure Be specific about what you want the feature to do Break complex features into smaller steps Ask Claude to explain the generated code if something doesn’t make sense Bonus tip: Telex — an alternative for WordPress blocks
Telex is another unique tool that helps you generate WordPress blocks with AI — and it’s completely free to use.
Just describe what WordPress block you want, and Telex builds it with a live preview in WordPress Playground.
Test it, refine it with follow-up prompts, then download it as a plugin and install it on your WordPress site.
You’re ready to build with AI
You now have an AI-powered setup for building plugins for your WordPress site.
Describe the plugin you want to build, and watch Claude generate working code inside your WordPress Studio site. Experiment with Telex to create entire WordPress blocks. Keep experimenting and trying new things. Start simple, then tackle more complex projects as you get comfortable.
And if you build something fun, share it in the comments — we’d love to see what you make.

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Web hosting provides an online environment for running your website. WordPress hosting optimizes your environment so WordPress websites can operate at their best.
WordPress hosting is often the better choice if your site runs on WordPress, while general web hosting makes more sense if you plan to use other platforms or need a more open setup. 
In this guide, we compare WordPress hosting with general web hosting and explain when each option makes sense based on your skills, needs, and budget.
WordPress hosting vs web hosting: What’s the difference?
The main difference is that WordPress hosting is optimized for WordPress with minimal setup, while general web hosting is more flexible, supports multiple platforms, and requires more manual configuration.
Here’s how they compare:
WordPress hostingGeneral web hostingInstallation and setupExperience one-click installation or preinstalled WordPress, which often includes hassle-free WordPress-to-WordPress migrations.It may offer one-click solutions, or you may have to install and set up WordPress manually.Ease of useUse custom hosting dashboards to simplify site administration.It requires third-party control panels like cPanel or Plesk, which may include tools you don’t need.PerformanceOptimized specifically for WordPress with fast, high-performance CPUs, global caching, and CDNs.It may include speed optimization, but you have to configure your own settings and  WordPress-specific performance improvements.UpdatesGet automatic updates to WordPress core and components.You are responsible for website updates.BackupsTake advantage of real-time automated backups and one-click restore, depending on your plan.You may have to set up your own backup solution.SecuritySecurity hardening and systems are primed for specific WordPress attack vectors and vulnerabilities.Standard server‑level security is provided, but you are responsible for securing the WordPress application itself.ScalabilityAutomatic scaling of PHP workers accommodates increasing traffic.Depending on the plan and provider, servers may not scale well for WordPress sites with high traffic.FlexibilityIt’s built specifically for WordPress, so it may not support other systems or setups. It allows for various website setups, applications, and server configurations.LimitationsIt may limit certain plugins, themes, and features for security or performance reasons.It offers generic configurations with no built-in optimizations. You can install and manage whatever elements you want — at your own risk.PriceIt might cost more because of premium systems and features.This is often cheaper, but with fewer features and more hands-on management and responsibility.SupportExpert support can troubleshoot specific WordPress errors and problems, as well as hosting issues.General support is available for technical and account issues, but WordPress-specific guidance is limited.Extra features and toolsAdditional features like staging sites make running a WordPress site easier.Extra features designed for WordPress are not included. What is general web hosting? A simple explanation
General web hosting is a service that lets you set up any kind of website by storing your files on an online server where web browsers can find them. 
It offers flexibility to build with WordPress or other software, but it requires hands-on setup, website maintenance, updates, and security.
You can choose from different hosting types based on how server resources are allocated:
Shared hosting: Your site shares a server and resources with other websites, which keeps costs low but can impact speed and performance. Virtual private server (VPS): You get your own section of a shared server with dedicated (though limited) resources, which gives you better performance and customization. Dedicated hosting: You get a dedicated server with full resources and better performance, but at a higher cost. Cloud hosting: Your site runs on a network of servers that scales computing power up or down as needed, with costs based on actual usage. What is WordPress hosting? And how is it different?
With WordPress-specific hosting, everything from the server hardware to the software and features is designed precisely for WordPress.
You get the same server options as with general web hosting — shared, VPS, dedicated, and cloud — but they’re specific to WordPress.
With WordPress hosting, typically you can:
Use a server setup designed for the WordPress platform. Have one-click or automatic WordPress installation. Take advantage of built-in performance optimizations, such as caching. Feel confident in security features, like backups and malware scans. Experience support from WordPress experts. Utilize custom website management panels. Enjoy additional features, such as premium themes, plugins, and developer tools. You can also go a step further with managed WordPress hosting, where the provider takes care of setup, updates, security, and ongoing maintenance for you.
Tip: Since WordPress can run on almost any server, many providers label their plans as “WordPress hosting” without actually optimizing them. It’s worth checking which WordPress-specific features are really included — or choosing a trusted hosting provider like WordPress.com instead.
WordPress hosting vs general web hosting: What are their pros and cons?
WordPress hosting makes running a WordPress site easier. General web hosting might give you more freedom and lower costs, but you have to handle more of the setup and maintenance yourself.
WordPress hosting: Pros and cons
WordPress hosting is a strong fit if you want speed, security, and less day-to-day work, but it’s not ideal if you plan to run anything beyond WordPress.
Pros
Less to worry about day to day: Hosting is set up to “just work” with WordPress. Fewer technical decisions: Performance, security, and updates are handled for you. Faster time to launch: You can get a site live without touching server settings. Cons
WordPress-only focus: It’s best suited for sites that run entirely on WordPress. Often priced higher than basic hosting: You’re paying for convenience and optimization. Regular web hosting: Pros and cons
Standard web hosting is a better fit if you want to run multiple platforms or manage your server configuration yourself.
Pros
More control over your setup: You choose your software, stack, and server configuration. Broader flexibility: You can run any type of site, not just WordPress. Often cheaper than specialized hosting: Fewer bundled features can mean lower entry costs. Cons
More to manage day to day: Setup, updates, security, and maintenance are your responsibility. Less platform-specific optimization: Performance and security aren’t specific to WordPress by default. General support only: Help is usually limited to server issues, not application-level problems. WordPress hosting vs general web hosting: Which should you choose?
If you plan to stick with WordPress and don’t want to deal with technical setup, WordPress hosting makes more sense. If you want to use other platforms or keep your setup more open, general web hosting is the better fit.
If you’re just getting started, choosing the simpler option now can save you time and effort early on. For example, with managed WordPress hosting on WordPress.com: 
Get a ready-to-run WordPress site. Enjoy 99.999% uptime and reliable performance. Experience no limits as your traffic grows. Have a free domain for the first year. Take advantage of expert WordPress support. Trust in enterprise-grade security.
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Our new course — Monetize Your Website — helps you turn the value you’re already creating into sustainable income, using the built-in tools available on WordPress.com.
Whether you share knowledge, create content, or offer services, this course walks you through practical, beginner-friendly ways to get paid. No traditional eCommerce setup required.
The course is fully self-paced, so you can dip into individual lessons as needed or follow along from start to finish at your own pace.
Start the free course What you’ll learn
Across a series of practical lessons, you’ll learn how to:
Understand your monetization options — explore the different ways WordPress.com lets you earn, and choose approaches that fit your goals and audience.
Accept payments with confidence — set up simple payments for products, services, or donations without building a full store.
Offer paid content and subscriptions — use memberships and subscriber-only content to monetize your expertise.
Create value people will pay for — package your knowledge, content, or services in a way that feels natural and worthwhile to your audience.
Set realistic expectations — understand how monetization grows over time and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Build a sustainable approach—choose tools and strategies that can evolve with your site and audience.
Why you should take this course
If you’re already creating something valuable, this course helps you take the next step in a way that fits your site. 
You’ll learn what’s possible on WordPress.com and get practical steps you can use right away, without setting up a full commerce store or reworking your site.
Start the free course More video resources to explore
If you’re new to WordPress.com or ready to keep leveling up, check out our other popular courses and video tutorials:
Grow your website’s audience  Intro to SEO course Create a Website course Start a Blog course View the full article

There are thousands of WordPress plugins out there. But to get started, you really only need a handful. 
We pulled real usage data from WordPress.com sites to see which plugins people rely on, and we selected the ones that address core website needs. Then, I personally tested each plugin and looked at user reviews.
This guide covers the most essential WordPress plugins. These are helpful if you’re launching your first WordPress site, filling gaps in your current setup, or something in between:
Jetpack: For all-in-one site management Akismet: For spam protection Page Optimize: For site speed Crowdsignal Forms: For user feedback WooCommerce: For e-commerce Gravatar Enhanced: For user profiles Yoast SEO: For search engine rankings Google Site Kit: For analytics WPForms Lite: For building forms MailPoet: For emails and newsletters Imagify: For image optimization All-in-One WP Migration: For site migration Let’s explore each of them in detail.
1. Jetpack: Essential all-in-one site management 
Key focus: Use it for ongoing site security and maintenance. Price: The core features are free on all WordPress.com plans, with advanced features available on Business and above. Best for: Website owners who want a full solution for security, speed, growth, content, and more are the ideal users. The Jetpack plugin is a comprehensive suite of tools that help launch and grow your WordPress site, which essentially replaces five or six separate plugins. 
Instead of installing separate tools for backups, security, speed, and analytics, you get everything in a single dashboard. 
I like that the essential features activate with one click — no digging through settings:
Unlike smaller plugins that can go months without updates, Jetpack is actively maintained.
You’re not left dealing with compatibility issues or security gaps when WordPress releases new versions.
Key features
Security: It provides brute force attack protection and spam filtering on all plans, real-time backups, one-click restores, malware scanning, and WAF on Business and above. Performance: It offers image CDN, video hosting, and custom site search. Growth: It includes site stats, SEO tools with automatic XML sitemap, and social auto-posting. Content: It comes equipped with an AI writing assistant, forms, payment buttons, and newsletter signups. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If you’re new to WordPress or just don’t want to spend hours researching plugins, Jetpack covers the basics in one install — security, speed, stats, and content tools. 
You can always add specialized plugins later, but Jetpack gives you a solid foundation to start.
Install Jetpack 2. Akismet: Essential for spam protection
Key focus: Keep spam, ads, and inappropriate content out of your comment sections. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for sites that allow comments, user-generated content, and/or submissions. Akismet filters out over 99.99% of spam comments, form submissions, and texts, keeping your site and inbox clean. 
The best part of Akismet is that you probably won’t even notice it’s there. 
Occasionally, I review blocked comments, but I find it to be so good at its job that I do it more out of curiosity than necessity. 
Tip: Akismet is included in Jetpack Security, so if you’re a WordPress.com user on any plan, Akismet is already installed on your site. 
Key features
AI-driven filtering: Akismet uses machine learning to determine which comments are spam and blocks them before they appear on your site. Analytics: The plugin tracks the total number of spam comments it has filtered and its accuracy in your admin dashboard. Customizable settings: Akismet can automatically filter and delete comments (this is the setting I use) or hide questionable comments until you review and approve them. GDPR compliance: If you have European visitors, cover your bases with Akismet’s GDPR notice on your comment sections. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If your site allows comments or form submissions, spam is inevitable. 
Akismet handles it in the background, so you don’t have to manually filter through junk — or worse, let it pile up and make your site look neglected.
Install Akismet 3. Page Optimize: Essential for site speed
Key focus: Keep your site’s code optimized for blazing fast speeds. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for non-developers who want to automatically clean up their site code and theme for optimal performance. Page Optimize speeds up your website by removing unnecessary site code to reduce processing time. 
It also optimizes which elements of your site are processed first, so users never see a blank screen.
My years of working with web developers taught me that not all code is created equal. There are many routes to the same destination, but some are more efficient than others. 
With third-party themes and plugins adding extra weight, Page Optimize helps keep things clean on the backend.
Key features
Concatenate HTML and CSS: Page Optimize strings together all of your site’s code, removing comments and unnecessary spaces for quicker processing. Execution timing: It also adjusts the timing of non-critical JavaScripts to either run asynchronously or at a delay. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Page Optimize removes unnecessary code and optimizes script timing so your pages load faster — and since it’s built into WordPress.com, there’s no setup or configuration required.
Site speed matters more than most people realize: visitors bounce when pages take too long, and search engines factor load time into rankings. 
A faster site means better engagement, lower bounce rates, and more visibility in search results.
Install Page Optimize 4. Crowdsignal Forms: Essential for user feedback
Key focus: Embedded and pop-up user polls are the focus. Price: It’s free for up to 2,500 signals, and then it’s $15–$45/month. Best for: Get ongoing customer feedback or improve site engagement with polls. Crowdsignal Forms is a WordPress plugin that lets you add custom polls to individual pages or as pop-ups on your website.
Polls are one of the easiest ways to boost engagement — readers can respond to your content with a single click and see how others voted. 
They’re also great for collecting feedback. Unlike emails or comment boxes (where you mostly hear from unhappy people), quick polls have low friction, which means higher response rates.
For example, a recipe website could create pop-ups with simple questions like “What’s your favorite meal?” to gain real insight into its audience. 
Key features
Polls: Crowdsignal Forms lets you add multi-select and single-select polls using the Poll block. Customization: You can also customize your poll to match your site colors and styling for a cohesive look. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Crowdsignal Forms helps boost user engagement, which is a vital element of successful websites. 
This plugin is a low-lift way to make your site visitors feel like their opinions are valued.
It can also provide critical information about visitors that might not be available through traditional analytics tools.  
Install Crowdsignal Forms 5. WooCommerce: Essential for e-commerce stores
Key focus: Create and sell products on your WordPress website. Price: Use this tool for free. Best for: E-commerce stores, small businesses, and websites that want to sell custom merch will find it most helpful. WooCommerce lets you turn your WordPress site into a full online store — product pages, a shopping cart, checkout, and other essentials.
And unlike selling on marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon, you don’t pay a built-in marketplace commission on each sale — though standard payment processing fees still apply.
The setup walks you through the basics, and there’s a massive ecosystem of extensions if you need extras like subscriptions, bookings, or gift cards.
Key features
Product management: Create listings with images, pricing, categories, stock levels, variations, and custom configurations. Built-in shopping cart: Customers can browse, add items to cart, and check out — all without extra plugins. Guided setup: A step-by-step onboarding flow gets your store running in minutes. Massive extension ecosystem: Hundreds of add-ons are available for subscriptions, bookings, gift cards, shipping integrations, and more. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If you want to sell online with WordPress, WooCommerce is the standard. It’s open-source, so you own your store and data — and with thousands of extensions available, you can add pretty much any feature you need as your business grows.
Install WooCommerce 6. Gravatar Enhanced: Essential for user profiles
Key focus: It creates clickable profiles for WordPress users. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for websites with multiple contributors or large, active digital communities. Gravatar Enhanced humanizes WordPress writers and commenters with customizable and clickable profiles.   
If you write for a larger blog with multiple authors (like I do here at WordPress), your Gravatar will show up alongside your posts. 
Gravatars are also used for commenting in forums and on your blog posts in the WordPress reader. 
Key features
Custom avatars: Users can upload a custom image, add a public display name and bio, and more. Profile blocks: The plugin lets you add profile sections to posts and pages to showcase author information, including bio, social links, and recent posts. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Gravatar Enhanced puts a face and bio behind every comment and post, which helps build trust and a sense of community on your site.
Install Gravatar Enhanced 7. Yoast SEO: Essential for Search Engine Rankings
Key focus: Optimize your website to improve search engine readability and rankings. Price: Use the standard option for free, and pay $99/year for Premium. Best for: Use this if you’re a website owner who wants better visibility in search results for organic traffic. Yoast SEO optimizes your website’s content and structure to improve search engine rankings.
Some of this happens automatically — like generating XML sitemaps and adding schema markup so that search engines understand your content. 
Other features work in real time as you write: Yoast flags missing meta descriptions, analyzes keyword usage, checks readability, and suggests improvements before you hit publish.
If you’re new to SEO, it’s a practical way to learn about what matters without getting lost in technical details.
Key features
Automatic structured data and sitemaps: Yoast generates XML sitemaps and adds schema markup behind the scenes, so search engines can crawl and understand your content without you touching any code. Real-time SEO feedback: As you write, Yoast flags missing meta descriptions, grades your keyword usage, and suggests improvements. Readability analysis: Get real-time suggestions to simplify your writing, improve flow, and keep readers engaged. Tip: If you don’t want a separate SEO plugin, WordPress.com includes built-in SEO features powered by Jetpack — including SEO titles and descriptions, sitemaps, social previews, and AI writing assistance.
What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Search is still one of the main ways people discover new websites. If your content isn’t optimized, you’re missing out on traffic. 
Yoast gives you clear, actionable feedback on every page — so you can improve your rankings without needing to become an SEO expert.
Install Yoast SEO 8. Google Site Kit: Essential for analytics
Key focus: Add Google’s comprehensive site analytics to your WordPress dashboard. Price: Use it for free. Best for: Try it if you’re a website owner who wants to track key metrics like site visitors and engagement inside WordPress. Google Site Kit is the official WordPress plugin from Google that brings multiple Google tools into one dashboard.
Instead of logging into separate accounts for Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and AdSense, you can see everything in one place — right inside WordPress.
You can track how people find your site through Google Search, which pages get the most traffic, how fast your pages load, and how much you’re earning from ads. 
If you’re not a data person, don’t worry — the dashboards focus on the metrics that actually matter without overwhelming you with charts you’ll never use.
Key features
One-click Google setup: Connect Google Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and AdSense to your WordPress site. Unified dashboard: See traffic, search performance, page speed, and ad earnings in one place — no need to jump between Google accounts. Built into WordPress: Access all your data directly from your WordPress dashboard, right where you’re already working. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Understanding your audience and site performance is critical for growing your website. Without this data, it’s hard to know what’s working and what isn’t.
Install Google Site Kit
Tip: If you don’t need the full Google toolkit, WordPress.com includes Jetpack Stats on all plans — a simpler way to track visitors, top content, and traffic sources without connecting external accounts.
9. WPForms Lite: Essential for building forms
Key focus: Create no-code contact forms, surveys, and lead capture forms. Price: Use it for free, but for advanced features, upgrade to WPForms Pro, which starts at $50/year. Plugin rating: 4.8/5 Best for: It’s ideal for structured data collection, like potential customer info, surveys, special event forms, and more. WPForms Lite is a beginner-friendly form builder that lets you add professional-looking forms to your site in minutes.
Forms are useful when you need specific information from visitors, like contact details from potential customers, project specs from partners, or applications for review.
Instead of messy back-and-forth emails, you get structured submissions with the fields you need — and since forms send to your inbox without exposing your email address, you avoid spam and scraping.
Key features
Drag-and-drop form builder: Create forms by simply dragging fields onto your form canvas — no coding required. Templates: Start with pre-built form templates for common use cases like contact forms, newsletter signups, and feedback surveys. Spam protection: Built-in anti-spam features keep junk responses out of your inbox. Mobile-friendly: Forms automatically adjust to look great on mobile devices. Email notifications: Receive instant notifications in your inbox when you have a new form submission. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Every website needs a way for visitors to get in touch. Forms let you control that process — you decide what information to collect, and submissions arrive organized and ready to act on. 
Install WPForms Lite 10. MailPoet: Essential for sending emails and newsletters
Key focus: Use for email marketing and newsletter management. Price: It’s free for up to 500 contacts, with paid plans starting at $10/mo. Best for: Use it for sending regular email communications to customers and subscribers. MailPoet is an email marketing platform built into WordPress. You can send newsletters, one-off campaigns, or automated emails — all without leaving your dashboard.
Because it lives inside WordPress, there’s no need to sync contacts or set up integrations with external tools. Your subscriber data and site activity are already connected.
This WordPress plugin also includes signup forms, pop-ups, subscription blocks, and automated workflows that are all drag-and-drop, with no code required.
Key features
Drag and drop email builder: Design emails, forms, popups, and more with drag and drop tools inside WordPress. Newsletter subscription: You can create a pop-up subscription block or banner to encourage new subscribers. Subscribers will be automatically added to the newsletter segment. Automated emails: The plugin also lets you send emails automatically when readers complete specific WordPress actions, like signing up for your newsletter or purchasing an item from your store. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Email is still one of the most direct ways to reach your audience. Regular newsletters keep your site top of mind and bring readers back, turning one-time visitors into loyal followers.
Install MailPoet 11. Imagify: Essential for image optimization
Key focus: Automatically resize and compress images for quick website loading. Price: Use up to 20MB/month (~200 images) for free; paid plans are available for higher volumes — up to $10/month. Best for: Use for sites with photo galleries, product images, or lots of visual content. Imagify automatically compresses and optimizes images, dramatically reducing page load times. High-resolution images can significantly slow down your site, but Imagify works in the background to shrink file sizes while keeping images sharp. 
I especially appreciate that it can retroactively bulk optimize existing images — you don’t need to manually compress or re-upload every photo you’ve already added to your site library.
Key features
Bulk image optimization: The plugin compresses all existing images on your site with one click and automatically optimizes new uploads. Format conversion: It lets you automatically convert images to WebP format for even faster loading. Smart compression: You can choose from three compression levels (Normal, Aggressive, and Ultra) based on your images and quality needs. Imagify uses intelligent algorithms to reduce file size without visibly reducing image quality. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Oversized images are one of the main culprits for slow sites and one of the easiest things to fix. Imagify handles it automatically.
Install Imagify 12. All-in-One WP Migration: Essential for site migration
Key focus: Use for site migration and backups. Price: Use it for free (with size limits); paid extensions are available for larger sites, cloud storage, and automated backups. Best for: Use it to move your WordPress website from one hosting provider to another. All-In-One WP Migration creates complete site backups that you can export and import with a single click, making it simple to move your entire WordPress site between hosts or keep a backup on hand.
I’ve used this plugin multiple times to move my personal website and client websites between hosting providers.
In addition to your site design, All-In-One WP Migration exports databases, downloads media files, and recreates admin settings automatically in the same file, making migration seamless. 
Key features
Single-click migration: You can export your entire site (database, media files, plugins, themes) as one file, and then import it to a new host with one click. Backups: It also lets you create full site snapshots before making major changes or updates. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Having a full site backup is critical if you want to change hosting providers or make significant changes to your site. With one click, you can save and re-upload your site design, content, and data. 
Install All-In-One WP Migration Bonus: The 11 most popular WordPress plugins
In addition to the essential plugins listed above, we’ve compiled the most downloaded (and beloved) plugins on the WordPress.com Plugin Marketplace — removing any popular plugins that come pre-installed for our users.
Explore this list for further inspiration:
Elementor: Design more flexible, free-form drag-and-drop pages with advanced styling options that go beyond Gutenberg’s base capabilities. AMP: Optimize your website pages and design for mobile and alternative screen sizes to improve mobile user experience and search rankings. WooPayments: Accept a variety of payment types in your WooCommerce store, including credit cards and Apple/Google Pay. Contact Form 7: Create lightweight forms with HTML and text editing for users who are comfortable with basic markup. Google Site Kit: Track comprehensive analytics from Google services directly in your WordPress dashboard. Classic Editor: Disable the visual Gutenberg Editor and re-enable the Classic site editor, for those who prefer the traditional WordPress editing experience. WP Forms Lite: Create flexible website forms with a drag-and-drop editor and collect information from site visitors. Insert headers and footers: Add custom code snippets in your header and footer sections without editing theme files. Google Analytics for WooCommerce: Connect your WooCommerce store to Google Analytics to track e-commerce performance and customer behavior. WooCommerce product add-ons: Create product add-ons, like gift wrapping, personalization options, or extended warranties, for products in your WooCommerce store. Google for WooCommerce: Sync your WooCommerce products to Google Merchant Center and run Google Ads campaigns directly from WordPress. How to choose the right WordPress plugin
To select the best WordPress plugins, start with what your site actually needs, use what’s already built in, and be selective. 
The right plugins solve specific problems without adding risk or complexity.
Determine your site’s goals: Before installing anything, be clear on what your site needs to do. Are you collecting leads, selling products, or building a community? Your goals should determine which plugins you install — not the other way around. Check your website’s out-of-the-box functionality: Many hosting providers include built-in features or preinstalled plugins. For example, WordPress.com users get Jetpack features for security, performance, and content by default, so you may not need additional plugins for that. Higher plans include even more functionality. Vet plugins before installing: Any developer can publish a WordPress plugin, so take a minute to evaluate it. Check user ratings, recent updates, which WordPress version the plugin is compatible with, and the available support. Plugins that aren’t actively maintained may break or cause compatibility issues with newer WordPress versions. Keep your plugin stack lean: Install only what you truly need. Too many plugins — or multiple plugins doing the same job — can slow down your site. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have a recent backup before adding anything new. On WordPress.com Business plans and higher, backups are handled automatically. Get started with WordPress.com
The easiest way to try these essential plugins is to start a site on WordPress.com. 
You can explore the plugin library directly, see which tools are already built in, and add only what your site actually needs.
WordPress.com plans also include Jetpack features, professionally designed themes, and an AI website builder so you can launch and extend your site without piecing together separate tools.

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