Every additional WordPress plugin will take resources away from your website, possibly slowing it down and causing your SEO to plunge. But how many plugins are too many?
I get asked this question all the time at meetups, Facebook groups and online forums.
It can be unclear for new WordPress users to understand the relationship between WordPress core, plugins, speed and SEO.
Let’s start with a more straightforward question to answer.
Can I Have Too Many WordPress Plugins?
Yes, you can.
WordPress makes it super easy to install new plugins right from the admin dashboard.
May website owners will find themselves in the position where they want WordPress to do something, like display a table in a blog post, only to find that the core WordPress app doesn’t do that.
Solution?
Install a table plugin, of course.
This situation repeats itself until suddenly you find you are scrolling, scrolling, scrolling down on your plugins admin page.
WordPress Plugins, Page or Site Speed and SEO
Most, not all, plugins will come with file assets that need to be loaded in by the browser.
These files are commonly JavaScript, CSS and images.
If the plugin developer has been smart, the plugin will only load in the file assets needed on a particular page or query.
Most don’t bother with that unfortunately and load all the files, just in case they are needed.
Each time your browser needs to request and download a file – it adds to the overall download time of that current web page, slowing it down, and therefore the overall speed grade of your site as calculated by Google (an all other search engines).
Website speed is one of the most significant “signals” that the search engine algorithms currently use to determine your ranking in the search results pages (SERPs).
So, if lots of plugin asset files are slowing your site down, this will negatively affect your SEO and site ranking.
All Plugins Are Equal, But Some Are More Equal Than Others
Lumping all plugins together as doing the same thing, however, is not a smart calculation.
And this is why it makes it difficult to answer the “How many are too many plugins?”
A plugin is just a way of extending the WordPress core app.
A plugin can be a single line of code that adds or removes a button or option in the admin dashboard.
That’s not going to affect the speed of your front-end website.
Neither are 100 of those single-line plugins that extend the back-end admin of your site.
Sure your admin dashboard may take a long time to refresh, but Google doesn’t, can’t and shouldn’t measure your private login dashboard area!
However, if you have one big plugin such as WooCommerce installed, which comes with hundreds of file assets for the front and back end of the website, that one plugin will slow down your site more than the 100 single-line back-end plugins previously mentioned.
The same is true for themes – some are lightweight, and others are mighty everything-including-the-kitchen-sink behemoths.
At least you can only have one active theme at a time!
So, How Many Are Too Many Plugins?
To answer this question, you will have to review your plugins and quantify their functionality and quality.
Some questions you can ask during the review are:
- How may asset files need to be loaded?
- Are asset files loaded in smartly depending upon usage?
- Does this affect front-end, back-end or both?
- Do any of my plugins have overlapping functionality?
- Do I need this plugin?
- How many Admin Ajax requests does this plugin make?
You may not be able to answer all of these questions if you don’t have developer/technical knowledge.
You may not have the time to perform a comprehensive plugin review – you want to run your business and make money!
Get Expert WordPress Site Care
At WP Wingman, we understand how plugins work.
We can measure and answer all of these questions to let you know how well your WordPress website performs and suggest plugin improvements and replacements to increase your site speed, performance and overall SEO and page rankings.
Talk to one of our WordPress experts today and take out a WordPress Site Care Plan.
Let us look after your WordPress site maintenance while you look after your business.
I get asked this question all the time at meetups, Facebook groups and online forums.
It can be unclear for new WordPress users to understand the relationship between WordPress core, plugins, speed and SEO.
Let’s start with a more straightforward question to answer.
Can I Have Too Many WordPress Plugins?
Yes, you can.
WordPress makes it super easy to install new plugins right from the admin dashboard.
May website owners will find themselves in the position where they want WordPress to do something, like display a table in a blog post, only to find that the core WordPress app doesn’t do that.
Solution?
Install a table plugin, of course.
This situation repeats itself until suddenly you find you are scrolling, scrolling, scrolling down on your plugins admin page.
WordPress Plugins, Page or Site Speed and SEO
Most, not all, plugins will come with file assets that need to be loaded in by the browser.
These files are commonly JavaScript, CSS and images.
If the plugin developer has been smart, the plugin will only load in the file assets needed on a particular page or query.
Most don’t bother with that unfortunately and load all the files, just in case they are needed.
Each time your browser needs to request and download a file – it adds to the overall download time of that current web page, slowing it down, and therefore the overall speed grade of your site as calculated by Google (an all other search engines).
Website speed is one of the most significant “signals” that the search engine algorithms currently use to determine your ranking in the search results pages (SERPs).
So, if lots of plugin asset files are slowing your site down, this will negatively affect your SEO and site ranking.
All Plugins Are Equal, But Some Are More Equal Than Others
Lumping all plugins together as doing the same thing, however, is not a smart calculation.
And this is why it makes it difficult to answer the “How many are too many plugins?”
A plugin is just a way of extending the WordPress core app.
A plugin can be a single line of code that adds or removes a button or option in the admin dashboard.
That’s not going to affect the speed of your front-end website.
Neither are 100 of those single-line plugins that extend the back-end admin of your site.
Sure your admin dashboard may take a long time to refresh, but Google doesn’t, can’t and shouldn’t measure your private login dashboard area!
However, if you have one big plugin such as WooCommerce installed, which comes with hundreds of file assets for the front and back end of the website, that one plugin will slow down your site more than the 100 single-line back-end plugins previously mentioned.
The same is true for themes – some are lightweight, and others are mighty everything-including-the-kitchen-sink behemoths.
At least you can only have one active theme at a time!
So, How Many Are Too Many Plugins?
To answer this question, you will have to review your plugins and quantify their functionality and quality.
Some questions you can ask during the review are:
- How may asset files need to be loaded?
- Are asset files loaded in smartly depending upon usage?
- Does this affect front-end, back-end or both?
- Do any of my plugins have overlapping functionality?
- Do I need this plugin?
- How many Admin Ajax requests does this plugin make?
You may not be able to answer all of these questions if you don’t have developer/technical knowledge.
You may not have the time to perform a comprehensive plugin review – you want to run your business and make money!
Get Expert WordPress Site Care
At WP Wingman, we understand how plugins work.
We can measure and answer all of these questions to let you know how well your WordPress website performs and suggest plugin improvements and replacements to increase your site speed, performance and overall SEO and page rankings.
Talk to one of our WordPress experts today and take out a WordPress Site Care Plan.
Let us look after your WordPress site maintenance while you look after your business.
