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Pros and Cons of the Jetpack Plugin

Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of the Jetpack plugin.

 

Jetpack is a bundle of plugins that support blogging applications and aim to optimise certain aspects of blogging. There are over 30 separate modules that add all kinds of functionality to your blog. By activating the modules you want to use, you can add features to both the appearance of the blog and the way it functions behind the scenes.

The idea behind Jetpack is to bundle all the plugins bloggers commonly need into one package so that WordPress users don’t need to go and search out different plugins to serve all of these needs. But is the Jetpack plugin really helpful to bloggers, or does it do more harm than good?

 

The Pros of Jetpack

The folks at Automattic, the maker of the Jetpack plugin, have done a great job of putting together modules that most bloggers will eventually need. There are modules for a subscriber newsletter, automatically sharing your posts with social media sites, a spam blocker for comments, and site statistics so you know how many views you’re getting, among many others.

Jetpack also offers some modules that aim to speed up page loading times as well as offering a way to modify your theme’s code without creating a child theme. The Custom CSS module will allow you to make changes, which unlike most such changes will remain when the theme is updated.

Jetpack is especially advantageous for blogging beginners who may not even know that many of these functions exist within WordPress. Installing Jetpack and figuring out how to use it may help newer users understand more about WordPress and get an idea of what plugins can do for their site. Support is offered to help users through any problems users may have with Jetpack.

 

The Cons of Jetpack

Many users report that the size of the Jetpack plugin slows down their page loading times, which is detrimental to SEO and to basic functionality. One user who actually tested the speed of her blog with and without Jetpack found no difference in speed, but these reports persist. Jetpack is a large plugin, and all modules get installed even if they are not used.

Another drawback of Jetpack is that it takes away some of users’ choice in which plugins they use. The modules chosen for you as part of the Jetpack package may not be exactly what you want, but if using Jetpack, you will likely use them because they are there.

Some users report that Jetpack makes it harder for search engines to find your blog, while others point to the Enhanced Distribution module that shares you content with search engines and other third party services. Some users also report that Jetpack interferes with other plugins they have installed on their site.

It seems that for basic use by WordPress beginners and those with little technical knowledge, Jetpack may offer advantages over finding individual plugins to optimise your site. For those who have more WordPress experience and those desiring a more custom look and feel to their sites, however, other options may be needed.

 

Tribulant offers premium WordPress plugins that can be used with or without Jetpack for top quality WordPress functionality. Tribulant’s plugins offer unparalleled features to fully customise any WordPress website.