WordPress security check often shows that users need to add essential functionality to their website and plugins allow to do this without writing any code. They can be used for a wide range of purposes, such as adding contact forms, creating photo galleries, optimising SEO, and much more. They can also be easily installed and updated, making it easy for users to keep their website up-to-date with the latest features. But in this article we will consider essential plugins for WordPress. These plugins are essential because they provide the website with security, easy recovery, better performance and compliance to local regulations like GDPR and others.
Backup plugins create regular backups of your website, so you can restore it in case anything goes wrong.
Security plugins help to protect your website from hackers and other security threats.
Anti-spam plugins are important by protecting your website from unwanted and potentially harmful spam comments and emails, which can not only detract from the user experience, but also potentially harm your website’s search engine rankings and security.
GDPR compliance plugins are crucial for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations regarding personal data and building trust with website visitors by clearly outlining data collection and use practices on the website.
• Cookie Consent
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
Now, let’s delve deeper into each plugin.
Backup
You will likely put a lot of effort into your WordPress website, which is why it’s important to make sure you have a backup in case anything goes wrong.
We recommend using UpdraftPlus, as it is a widely trusted and widely used WordPress plugin. It is also completely free, like all the plugins we cover in this article.
This backup plugin enables you to set up a backup schedule and utilise storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox to save copies of your website files, which can save a lot of space on your website.
Setting up a schedule and choosing a remote storage.
Security
Did you know that on average, a small website experiences 44 cyber attacks per day? This highlights the importance of ensuring proper website security. We have used the Wordfence plugin for many years and it is completely free.
The WordPress plugin provides daily security check. And it offers powerful protection against brute force attacks, has a web application firewall, and includes many other tools to safeguard your website.
Setting brute force protection.
Anti-Spam
So, you’re all backed and your WordPress security check is perfect. Now, we want to make sure that you have anti-spam, because no one really appreciates those unsolicited commercials. So we’re going to search for Antispam Bee plugin and then install it.
Just install and activate it, this is the easiest anti-spam plugin that works straight out of the box.
Make sure that you’ve set a ‘Delete existing spam after XX days’ tool in Settings → Advanced. To be sure that spam messages would not waste the storage of your website. We recommend setting 30 days, thus you have time to check that nothing important was considered as spam.
Setting delay of cleaning up the spam messages from your database.
GDPR compliance
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in the European Union that regulates the handling and protection of personal data of individuals within the EU. It came into effect on May 25, 2018, and replaces the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive. To be sure, that EU citizens more control over their personal data and how it is collected, used, and shared. Also, it imposes strict rules on organizations operating within the EU and on those outside the EU that collect and process the personal data of EU citizens.
Cookie Consent
Cookie consent plugins for WordPress are useful because they help website owners comply with laws such as the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. They require website operators to obtain consent from users before storing or accessing information on their device. These plugins typically display a banner or pop-up that informs users about the use of cookies on the website and allows them to accept or reject them. This helps website owners to be transparent about their data collection practices. Accordingly, it gives users more control over their personal data. Additionally, these plugins can prevent non-compliant websites from receiving penalties for non-compliance.
We recommend the CookieYes plugin which is very popular and provides all necessary functionality in its free version.
As soon as you activate the plugin feel free to go to your website and push the ‘Refresh’ button of your browser. You’ll see that the cookie consent banner appears each time the new visitor comes to your website. Now users can manage their information that your website can save. You’re all set.
No need to change basic Settings, you’re all set after the activation.
Privacy Policy
A Privacy Policy is crucial for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations related to the collection and use of personal data, such as the GDPR and CCPA. It also helps build trust with website visitors by clearly outlining data collection and usage practices.
You can find various Privacy Policy templates by searching on Google, or you can use a template from WBT-Global and replace it with your company’s information.
Terms and Conditions
Once you have created your Privacy Policy, it’s time to create a Terms and Conditions page. The Terms and Conditions page removes your responsibility for any incidents that may occur for your visitors. Also, it states that you are not responsible for third-party software and services. While the Privacy Policy explains how you use visitors’ information, the Terms and Conditions absolves you of responsibility for any incidents.
You can find various Term and Conditions templates that are more relevant to your business by searching on Google, or you can use a template from WBT-Global and replace it with your company’s information.
Summary
How often do you think about WordPress security and legal compliance check? Security and legal compliance is a fundamental and essential aspect of every online activity. This is why we consider these plugins to be at the top of our must-have list. Do you think there is something we missed? Or are you encountering any related issues? Please do not hesitate to reach out to us to discuss it further.
