Recently I was searching for an event calendar plugin for my blog. I went to the WordPress plugin depository, entered “event calendar” in the search box and at least 10 pages of results appeared. I just wanted a calendar to post my in-person and virtual events and interviews, nothing fancy or complicated.
As I sat there scratching my head, trying to decide what to do next, I had to determine how to select the best plugin for my purposes. Following are the five things I considered before making a final selection.
Selecting WordPress Plugins
Function
The first thing you need to consider is what you need the plugin to do.
I wanted a calendar to post events on my site. I didn’t need appointments; I didn’t need event registrations; and I didn’t need reminders (although all of these features are nice). I found a few that had good reviews and functioned exactly how I needed.
Ease of Use
After choosing three event calendar plugins, I checked out screenshots and watched videos (if they were available) to see how easy they were to install and how much time it would take to enter information and upload images.
Design
Just because a plugin does what you want it do doesn’t mean it looks good. During my search, there were a few plugins that had too much “extra” stuff going on which distracted from my need. The ability to customize colors and plugin functions were bonuses.
Free vs. Paid
Some plugins are totally free while others offer paid premium or PRO versions. If the free option does what you need it to do, use it. If you need advanced features and functionality, the paid version may be worth the investment.
Compatibility
Some plugins will crash your site if they 1) are not compatible with the current version of WordPress or 2) conflict with other plugins. Good news! WordPress lets you know if the plugin is compatible with your site.
What About You?
What are some things you consider when selecting plugins for your WordPress site? Let us know in the comment box below.