![The Best 6 WordPress Automation Plugins [Updated for 2022]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/72930-847xAuto.webp)
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There are a lot of things that we put effort and time into completing but some (or most) of them can be automated. WordPress is a feature-packed content management system where time is spent on customization, optimization, security checkups, and much more. These tasks are essential for an up-to-date and secure website. However, the good news is that there are tools out there that can do these things automatically.
Before getting to the automation plugins, however, let us first break down what are plugins and how automation plugins help your overall WordPress experience and save hundreds of hours of manual work and coding.
What is a Plugin?
For the beginner WordPress users out there, here is the definition of a plugin. It is simply a software add-on installed on a program that implements additional functionality to the program. In fact, alongside its ease of use, the vast repository of WordPress plugins is possibly the most attractive feature of the entire CMS (i.e., Content Management System).
Do you want your WordPress site to turn into an online store? There is a plugin for that. Need automatic backups for your website? A few clicks and it’s all good to go. Looking to improve your site’s SEO? You can probably already guess; a plugin exists for that as well. We could go on forever reciting all the useful things you could do with WordPress plugins, but we will just let you experience it for yourself.
Automation Plugins to Make Your Work Easier
We have compiled a list of six plugins we believe will make your life much easier when using WordPress.
Smush Image Compression and Optimization
Smush Image is one of the most popular image optimization plugins that are available. You can resize, optimize, and compress any type of image without losing the quality of your original image. By specifying the height and width the plugin will scale all images. Another useful feature is that Smush image will take out all the unnecessary parts of the image, making your website run smoothly without any drag.
This can be done manually, or you can let Smush do all the work in the background.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce will turn your website into an online store with a WordPress-based back-end that is easy to manage, and it comes with enhanced automation. All things a basic online store will have could be automated ranging from but not limited to, different payment options, shipping, and tax calculations.
It also comes with a feature to integrate Google Analytics, MailChimp, and Facebook to a central dashboard so you will have it all in one place. WooCommerce is free of charge and if you decide to stop choosing WooCommerce, you can export all your data to an external store.
Broken Link Checker
Finding broken links and fixing them is time-consuming and this is where this plugin comes to play. With the broken link checker, it will scan the entire website for broken links and will give you a detailed report. The scanning process goes through your posts, web pages, and comments which will detect any links or images that do not work. The best part is that the plugin does not let search engines follow the broken links and you can edit all broken links directly from the plugin’s page.
Google Analytics WD
Google Analytics WD lets you access your site’s Google Analytics directly from the WordPress dashboard. It comes with a dashboard where you can view real-time visitors, audience, new and returning visitors, user locations, and much more. You have the possibility to compare reports from different time periods and download them in either PDF or CSV formats. It is a very easy tool to use as it is fully customizable for your needs due to its straightforward back-end.
Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO is a site optimization plugin that will save a lot of your time along the road. You can make the necessary optimizations in just a couple of minutes and you can see the whole process in real-time. The plugin comes with a user-friendly back-end that helps you to insert tags, write content with the relevant keywords, use meta descriptions, and more.
UpdraftPlus
With UpdraftPlus, you don’t have to worry about manually backing up your site due to the automatic back-ups integrated with this plugin. You can store your site's data in the cloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and many more places. The best part is that you can restore the whole site with just a single click.
This plugin allows you to split large files into multiple archives and gives you the possibility to choose which files need backing up and which ones should be restored later. All of this can be remotely controlled from the WordPress dashboard.
Conclusions
There is always a way to utilize the tools around you to get your work done faster and more efficiently. Using the above-mentioned plugins for your WordPress website, you can automate these tasks which saves you time and even money, so that you can focus on other important things. Working smart is better than working hard.
I'm fascinated by the IT world and how the 1's and 0's work. While I venture into the world of Technology, I try to share what I know in the simplest way with you. Not a fan of coffee, a travel addict, and a self-accredited 'master chef'.