12 Plugins to Avoid On Any Blog (Don’t Install These Site Killers!)

Blogging has evolved from a mere hobby to a full-fledged industry. In pursuit of creating the perfect blog, many newbie and even experienced bloggers fall into the trap of overloading their websites with plugins. While the right plugins can enhance your site’s functionality and user experience, the wrong ones can significantly slow down your blog, compromise security, and ultimately drive away your audience. Below, we delve into the murky waters of plugins and highlight 12 that you should avoid to keep your blog healthy and thriving.

1. Broken Link Checker

While the intention behind the Broken Link Checker plugin is spot-on—identifying and fixing broken links—its continuous scanning can strain your server resources. Its aggressive background processes can slow down your website, especially on shared hosting environments.

Alternative: Use online tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush for occasional manual checks that won’t affect your site’s performance.

2. Jetpack (Certain Modules)

Jetpack offers a suite of tools ranging from security to performance enhancements. However, enabling all of its modules can lead to a bloated website. Some features are also notorious for causing conflicts with other plugins.

Alternative: Use lightweight, dedicated plugins for features that you absolutely need or leverage built-in WordPress functions when possible.

3. MyReviewPlugin

If you run a review site, you might be tempted by MyReviewPlugin. However, it’s known to be outdated and not frequently updated, which can lead to compatibility and security issues.

Alternative: Consider up-to-date and well-supported plugins like WP Review Pro or go for a theme that has built-in review features.

4. WP PostViews

WP PostViews plugin tracks and displays the number of times a post is viewed, but it’s not exactly efficient. It increases the number of database queries on your site, affecting loading times.

Alternative: Analytic plugins like MonsterInsights effortlessly integrate with Google Analytics for comprehensive and performance-friendly tracking.

5. Google XML Sitemaps

While an XML sitemap is crucial for SEO, the Google XML Sitemaps plugin is no longer necessary since many SEO plugins now include sitemap functionality and are more integrated with Google’s search console.

Alternative: SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO Pack have excellent sitemap generation as part of their suite.

6. All-In-One Favicon

Favicons are essential but dedicating a plugin like All-In-One Favicon to manage them is overkill. This plugin adds unnecessary bloat for what can be handled by a simple piece of code or a website setting.

Alternative: Most modern themes and website builders provide a straightforward interface to upload your favicon directly.

7. WP-Optimize

WP-Optimize promises to clean up your database, but it can cause performance issues if misconfigured, and running database operations through a plugin can be risky.

Alternative: Regular database maintenance should be performed with care, ideally by using phpMyAdmin or a managed hosting service’s tools.

8. Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP)

Displaying related posts can increase engagement, but YARPP can be heavy on server resources as it searches through your content for matches.

Alternative: Lightweight alternatives like Related Posts for WordPress or Jetpack’s Related Posts module (used selectively) can achieve the same goal with less impact.

9. P3 (Plugin Performance Profiler)

Ironically, a plugin designed to monitor the performance of other plugins can itself cause a drag on site speed. Ongoing scans and reports eat into your server resources.

Alternative: Performance testing should be done using external tools like GTmetrix or Pingdom Tools for occasional checks without affecting site performance.

10. Wordfence (On Shared Hosting)

Wordfence is a popular security plugin, but its firewall and scanning features are resource-intensive, especially on shared hosting servers. It can cause your website to slow down or even hit memory limits.

Alternative: Lightweight security plugins like iThemes Security or SecuPress may be more suitable for shared hosting environments.

11. BackupBuddy

Regular backups are critical, but BackupBuddy can be heavy on resources and not always reliable. Failed backups and server load are the last things you want to worry about.

Alternative: Managed WordPress hosting solutions often include robust, scheduled backup systems. Otherwise, UpdraftPlus is a less resource-intensive alternative.

12. Contact Form 7

It’s one of the oldest and most downloaded contact form plugins, but with its outdated coding practices, it can lead to site slowdowns and conflicts with other plugins or themes.

Alternative: Modern plugins like WPForms or Ninja Forms provide a more efficient and user-friendly experience while maintaining website performance.

Final Thoughts

Keep in mind, the key to picking the right plugins for your blog lies in balance and moderation. Before installing any plugin, consider the following best practices:

  • Don’t duplicate functionality: If two plugins serve the same purpose, choose one.
  • Assess plugin quality: Look for frequent updates, good reviews, and high download numbers.
  • Focus on essentials: Only install plugins that are absolutely necessary for your blog’s operation and user experience.
  • Test performance: Use staging environments to test new plugins’ effects on your site.
  • Keep everything updated: An outdated plugin can quickly become a security liability.

By critically evaluating each plugin and weighing its advantages against potential drawbacks, you can build a robust, fast, and secure blog that serves your audience without compromising on performance or functionality. Remember, less is often more when it comes to plugins, so choose wisely and your blog will thank you for it.