Creating plugins for WordPress. Is it relevant in 2022?
Discussing the relevance of WordPress, one may admit that it remains to be one of the most popular Content Management Systems in the world. In particular, according to recent statistics, WordPress powers about 43% of all websites on the Internet. Considering that this platform is so widely-used and has the reputation of being the primary option for creating a website, the business around WordPress will always be relevant. Especially, the development of plugins that expands the functionality of any WordPress website is a lucrative and demanded type of business.
Why are WordPress plugins relevant?
The use of plugins for a WordPress website is almost a necessity when it comes to expanding the functionality of your website. Namely, it is impossible to imagine an eCommerce website without additional plugins that add needed features to improve the conversion rate and overall shopping experience. The same goes for almost every type of website that has the ambitions and desire to have a well-designed (in terms of user experience) website. Meanwhile, since the popularity of WordPress has no signs of a drastic drop, the creation of plugins will always be in demand. Moreover, with the evolution of how people interact with websites, the development of new and unique plugins is the expected occurrence.
Practices in plugin development
The primary principle for developing a great and commercially successful plugin for WordPress is to come up with an idea and concept of what this plugin will be used for. Also, planning to make a really successful plugin involves developing the strategy, and how it will be promoted and monetized. Then, one needs to be aware of the technical aspects of creating plugins, and more specifically, plugins for WordPress. For the development of themes and plugins, WordPress offers Coding Standards that help with the collaboration and customization of WP products. Basically, the WordPress coding standards provide guidelines on how to minimize the issues with the development of this platform using CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and PHP programming language. Another important aspect of developing WordPress plugins is security concerns. Since WordPress is an open-source platform, security is a top priority. Especially, when developing a commercial plugin, every user wants to be confident that your plugin is not vulnerable to threats and that it will not compromise the security of the whole site.
How to benefit from WordPress plugins
As a developer, everyone can be involved in the development of plugins as part-time or full-time employees because the demand for these products will always be relevant. Nevertheless, when you feel that you are a confident WordPress developer, there is an opportunity to create, promote, and profit from a plugin by yourself. For this endeavor, you need to come up with ideas, what problems your plugin solves, and choose the monetization model. In most cases, monetization through the freemium model or through affiliate links are the most common options. Meanwhile, you have to remember that there are thousands of plugins on the market. You need to make sure that your product stands out and delivers what the customers want. Adding a WordPress plugin to the marketplace is simple and free. However, what is most important is promoting it and finding the right customers. For this purpose, you might even need to use your social media channels or other resources that would give your plugin broad exposure.
Conclusion
Lastly, one may admit that creating WordPress plugins in 2022 is not only relevant but also a highly profitable endeavor. Considering the popularity of WordPress as a CMS solution, many eCommerce and other types of industries will use this platform for their businesses. Meanwhile, the developers have the opportunity to work with the companies creating plugins to enhance the WordPress sites or come up with startup ideas of developing, promoting, and monetizing their own plugins.
