Plugins and Enhanced Functionality (Session 2 of 3)

Acquire the skills to enhance WordPress functionality through plugins, reinforced by hands-on exercises. You'll gain practical experience with key plugins, such as creating a contact form, boosting security with reCAPTCHA, tracking performance with Google Analytics, and optimising content for search engines using Yoast SEO.

Topics covered:

Introduction to Plugins:

• What are plugins? Understanding how they enhance WordPress functionality.

• How to search, install, and activate plugins from the WordPress repository.

• Managing installed plugins: Updates, deactivation, and deletion.

Hands-on Exercise 1: Creating a Form with Contact Form 7:

• Step-by-step guide to installing and setting up Contact Form 7.

• Creating a basic contact form with fields like Name, Email, and Message.

• Embedding the form on a page or post.

Adding reCAPTCHA for Spam Protection:

• Importance of spam protection on WordPress sites.

• Integrating Google reCAPTCHA with Contact Form 7 for added security.

Hands-on Exercise 2: Integrating Google Analytics:

• Installing Google Analytics using a plugin.

• Setting up Google Analytics tracking on your WordPress site.

• Overview of basic Google Analytics reports.

Introduction to Yoast SEO:

• Importance of SEO for WordPress sites.

• Installing and configuring the Yoast SEO plugin.

• Basic SEO optimization: Adding meta descriptions, titles, and keyword