10 Best Genesis Plugins to Skyrocket Your WordPress Site‘s Success in 2022
Are you using the Genesis Framework to power your WordPress site? Wise choice! Genesis is one of the most popular and trusted theme frameworks available, known for its speed, security, SEO-friendliness, and flexibility.
But did you know that by adding the right plugins, you can extend Genesis even further and unlock new possibilities for your site‘s design, functionality, and performance? It‘s true!
As a WordPress consultant who has worked on countless Genesis sites, I‘ve seen firsthand how the perfect plugin can take a site from good to great. That‘s why I‘ve compiled this list of the 10 absolute best Genesis plugins for 2022.
These plugins have been battle-tested and proven to deliver real results, whether you‘re looking to customize your theme, add new features, boost conversions, or streamline your workflow. So if you‘re ready to supercharge your Genesis-powered site, read on to discover the plugins that can help you do it!
Design & Customization
1. Genesis Extender
Genesis Extender is the ultimate tool for customizing your Genesis child theme without touching a line of code. Trust me, if you‘ve ever struggled with CSS or wished you could tweak your theme‘s design without hiring a developer, you‘ll love this plugin.
With Genesis Extender‘s intuitive front-end controls, you can visually customize virtually every aspect of your theme, from colors and fonts to layout and spacing. The plugin‘s real-time preview lets you see your changes instantly, so you can perfect your design without the usual trial and error.
But that‘s not all – Genesis Extender also includes powerful features like:
- Custom page templates
- Widget area creation
- Mobile responsive settings
- Google Fonts integration
- And much more!
Plus, if you need even more flexibility, you can upgrade to the Dynamik Website Builder, which adds advanced options like custom post types, hooks, and more.
Over 100,000 WordPress users have chosen Genesis Extender to customize their sites, and it‘s consistently ranked as one of the top Genesis plugins. Whether you‘re a beginner or an advanced user, this plugin can help you achieve the custom look you want without sacrificing the performance and reliability of the Genesis Framework.
2. Design Palette Pro
Another fantastic option for customizing your Genesis theme is Design Palette Pro. This premium plugin offers a simple yet powerful way to customize your site‘s colors, fonts, header, navigation, and more, all through an intuitive visual interface.
One of the things I love about Design Palette Pro is its "Active Palette" feature, which allows you to create and save multiple custom designs for your site. This is incredibly useful for testing different looks or creating seasonal or holiday-themed designs that you can switch to with just a few clicks.
Some other notable features of Design Palette Pro include:
- Live customizer preview
- Granular control over typography and spacing
- Easy logo and favicon uploading
- WooCommerce compatibility
- Importable/exportable settings
Although it‘s a premium plugin, Design Palette Pro offers a lot of value for its price. Personally, I think it‘s a great investment for any Genesis site owner who wants an easy way to create a unique, professional design without the need for coding skills.
Content Management
3. Genesis Blocks Pro
If you‘re using WordPress 5.0 or later, you‘re probably familiar with the block editor (aka Gutenberg). While the block editor is a huge improvement over the classic editor in terms of flexibility and customization, it can still be a bit limiting out of the box.
Enter Genesis Blocks Pro – a powerful collection of custom blocks that can take your content to the next level. With Genesis Blocks Pro, you can easily add and customize a variety of content elements, such as:
- Testimonials
- Pricing tables
- Call-to-action buttons
- Accordions and tabs
- Customizable sections and layouts
- And dozens more
Not only do these blocks make it easy to create engaging, professional-looking content, but they‘re also fully responsive and optimized for performance. Plus, the plugin includes a library of pre-designed block patterns and full-page layouts that you can use as a starting point for your own designs.
As a bonus, Genesis Blocks Pro integrates seamlessly with other popular plugins like WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, and Gravity Forms. So if you‘re looking for an all-in-one solution for creating stunning content with the block editor, this plugin is definitely worth checking out.
4. Genesis Custom Blocks
Developers will love Genesis Custom Blocks, a free plugin that makes it incredibly easy to create custom Gutenberg blocks without the usual complexities.
Normally, building custom blocks requires a deep understanding of React, JavaScript, and the block editor API. But with Genesis Custom Blocks, you can create new blocks using a simple, intuitive interface and your existing PHP skills.
Some key features of the plugin include:
- Drag-and-drop block builder
- 15+ common field types (text, image, URL, etc.)
- Customizable block icons and categories
- Conditional fields and repeaters
- Template and pattern library
Whether you need to create custom blocks for a client project or your own site, Genesis Custom Blocks can save you a ton of time and headaches. Plus, since the plugin is open source, you can even contribute to its development or suggest new features.
SEO & Performance
5. Genesis Simple Edits
Sometimes it‘s the little things that make a big difference when it comes to SEO and user experience. That‘s where Genesis Simple Edits comes in handy.
This free plugin lets you make quick changes to your site‘s content and metadata directly from the WordPress dashboard. For example, you can:
- Edit the post-info and post-meta output
- Customize the entry header and footer
- Add scripts to the header and footer
- Modify the 404 page content
- And more
While these tweaks may seem minor, they can actually have a significant impact on your site‘s SEO, accessibility, and user engagement. Plus, being able to make these changes without editing your theme files directly can save you a lot of time and potential headaches down the road.
6. Genesis Accessible
Accessibility is an important but often overlooked aspect of web design. Many WordPress themes, even well-coded ones like Genesis, may have accessibility issues that can make them difficult or impossible to use for people with disabilities.
Genesis Accessible aims to solve this problem by implementing a range of accessibility enhancements for Genesis child themes. The plugin adds ARIA landmarks, improves keyboard navigation, enhances color contrast, and more, all while preserving the design and functionality of your theme.
The result is a more inclusive and user-friendly site that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their abilities. And as a bonus, improving your site‘s accessibility can also boost your SEO and help you avoid potential legal issues.
While Genesis Accessible is a valuable plugin for any Genesis site, it‘s especially important for businesses, organizations, and individuals who want to ensure that their site is welcoming and accessible to all users.
Marketing & Conversions
7. Genesis eNews Extended
Building an email list is one of the most effective ways to grow your business and engage your audience. But let‘s face it – getting people to actually sign up for your list can be a challenge.
That‘s where Genesis eNews Extended comes in. This free plugin makes it easy to add attractive, customizable email signup forms to your Genesis site. With just a few clicks, you can create forms that integrate with popular email marketing services like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, AWeber, and more.
The plugin offers a variety of customization options, including:
- Form title and description
- Input fields (name, email, custom fields)
- Submit button text and styling
- Success and error messages
- GDPR compliance checkbox
You can display your forms in any widget area on your site, or use a shortcode to embed them directly into your content. And with built-in spam protection and responsive design, you can be confident that your forms will look great and work effectively on any device.
Whether you‘re just starting to build your email list or looking to optimize your existing forms, Genesis eNews Extended is a must-have plugin for any Genesis site owner.
8. Genesis Simple Share
Social media is a powerful tool for driving traffic, building brand awareness, and engaging with your audience. But getting people to actually share your content can be a challenge, especially if your site doesn‘t make it easy for them to do so.
Enter Genesis Simple Share – a free plugin that adds beautiful, customizable social sharing buttons to your Genesis site. With just a few clicks, you can enable sharing for all the major social networks, including:
- Mix
The plugin automatically pulls in your post‘s title, URL, and featured image to create attractive, eye-catching shares. And with customizable button styles and placement options, you can easily match the look and feel of your site.
One of the things I love about Genesis Simple Share is its performance. Unlike some other social sharing plugins that can slow down your site with bloated scripts and stylesheets, Genesis Simple Share is lightweight and fast-loading. This means you can enjoy the benefits of social sharing without sacrificing your site‘s speed or user experience.
Bonus Plugins
While the plugins above are some of the best and most essential for any Genesis site, there are countless other great options out there. Here are a few more of my favorites that didn‘t quite make the top 10:
Genesis Portfolio Pro
If you‘re a creative professional, agency, or anyone else who needs to showcase their work online, Genesis Portfolio Pro is a fantastic solution. This premium plugin adds a custom post type for portfolio items, along with customizable templates and layouts for displaying your work.
WooCommerce Genesis Connect
For those running an online store with WooCommerce, this free plugin ensures a seamless integration with your Genesis theme. It adds custom templates and styles for product pages, shopping cart, checkout, and more.
Genesis Responsive Slider
Want to add a slick, responsive slider to your homepage or other key pages? Genesis Responsive Slider makes it easy, with support for images, text, and even video slides.
Genesis Author Pro
If you run a multi-author blog or publication, Genesis Author Pro is a great way to showcase your contributors and their work. The plugin adds custom author pages, bylines, and even author boxes to help you build a more engaging and authoritative site.
Choosing the Right Genesis Plugins for Your Site
With so many great Genesis plugins available, it can be tough to know where to start. My advice? Focus on the plugins that will have the biggest impact on your specific goals and needs.
For example, if you‘re a beginner who wants to customize your theme without coding, Genesis Extender or Design Palette Pro might be your top priorities. If you‘re a marketer looking to boost conversions, Genesis eNews Extended and Genesis Simple Share could be game-changers.
Of course, it‘s also important to choose plugins that are well-maintained, regularly updated, and compatible with your version of WordPress and the Genesis Framework. Be sure to read reviews, check support forums, and even test plugins on a staging site before deploying them on your live site.
Frequently Asked Questions
To wrap up, here are answers to some of the most common questions I hear about Genesis plugins:
What‘s the difference between free and premium Genesis plugins?
Free plugins are available at no cost and can be downloaded directly from the WordPress plugin repository. Premium plugins typically offer more advanced features, priority support, and regular updates, but require a one-time or recurring fee.
How many Genesis plugins should I use on my site?
There‘s no hard and fast rule, but in general, it‘s best to use as few plugins as possible to achieve your goals. Having too many plugins can slow down your site, create conflicts, and make maintenance more difficult. Focus on quality over quantity.
Can I use Genesis plugins on a non-Genesis theme?
It depends on the plugin. Some Genesis plugins may work with other themes, but many are designed specifically for the Genesis Framework and its child themes. Be sure to check the plugin documentation and support forums before attempting to use a Genesis plugin on a non-Genesis site.
How do I get support for a Genesis plugin?
Most Genesis plugins offer support through the WordPress plugin repository, a dedicated support forum, or a ticketing system. Premium plugins may also offer priority email support or even live chat. Be sure to check the plugin documentation and website for specific support options.
Take Your Genesis Site to the Next Level
Whether you‘re a beginner or an advanced user, the right Genesis plugins can help you achieve your goals faster and more effectively. By leveraging the power of these tools, you can create a site that looks great, functions flawlessly, and drives real results for your business or personal brand.
So what are you waiting for? Start exploring these top Genesis plugins and see how they can help you take your site to new heights in 2022 and beyond!
