WordPress is back on the news again and this time it is not security issues.The latest security update has proven to be immensely useful and almost 90% of all WordPress websites using the latest version has implemented the security fix as of March 2017. 2017 is going to be another remarkable year for online marketing and development of SEO. Besides a remarkable website, you will need the right collection of tools to help you stay on top of your game.

Without much ado, let us share the top 10 WordPress plugins for 2017. These plugins will help your website stay secure, functional and user friendly. You can also find new ways to backup data including client information, without exposing them to security threats. Here are the 10 best plugins for this year:

1. OptinMonster: this is the most popular software that is used for web masters for monitoring conversion rates. If you want to add to your email list and create complete analytical reports, OptinMonster is the plugin for your WordPress site.It also comes with a very easy-to-use form builder and floating header and footer bars. You can use OptinMonster to create WordPress pop-up forms, slide-ins and sidebar forms. Users have noticed a conversion boost of over 785% in certain cases.
2. WPForms: WPForms is the most user-friendly contact form tailor-made for all websites running on WordPress. This is ideal for beginners and you can use this to create contact forms, registration forms and subscription forms. For the newbies, there is a WPForms lite version that packs all the necessary features in a much simpler manner.
3. Sucuri: Sucuri is a website security platform that provides all kind of security to your online presence. It is also a firewall that can be added to all your WordPress sites in 2017. This is ideal if you want to keep your website safe from all malware threats, multiple reinfections, vulnerabilities in core code, XXS attacks, brute force attacks and DDoS. If you have never tried a firewall in the fear of slowing your website down, you should try Sucuri today.
4. BackupBuddy: BackupBuddy is the ideal plugin for those who want to keep their data safe during site migration, engine upgradation and any hardware failure. This plugin does not pose an increased load on your server and does not increase the loading time of your website. This is a brilliant way to keep your business details safe and customer data secure during any malware attack. BackupBuddy is one of the easiest plugins you can use on WordPress to store all your system data, business data and contact information.
5. Yoast SEO: this is one way to make sure you get noticed wherever you go, literally. Yoast SEO can keep your website visible and on top of all relevant keyword searches. The basic features are free. This plugin also analyses your content for keyword placement, keyword density, H1, H2 and H3 header tags and readability of the content. If you have a blog, you should find Yoast SEO indispensable. This plugin will also guide you through other SEO friendly features including alt tags for images, image optimization and content optimization for search engine spiders.
6. W3 Total Cache: this one allows you to compress and serve cached files to all your visitors. This makes your website faster by reducing the load on your server. This helps your website gain more traffic and stay on top of SERPs. Search engines usually rank faster websites higher for relevant keywords and this automatically translates to higher footfalls. Couple the W3 Total Cache plugin with BackupBuddy for the best website speed in the history of WordPress.
7. Soliloquy: Soliloquy is a beautiful WordPress slider for all classy landing page designs. You can showcase your featured products, deals, promotions and offers using the small plugin on your WordPress site. You can now create and customize your own website sliders and add them to your landing page, products page or even your blog without any added hassle. Easy online tutorials for creating such responsive sliders are also available free. This is indeed the best WordPress slider in the market that’s ideal for both beginners and WordPress veterans.
8. Buffer:if you run a blog, you will know how important it is to schedule your posts. You need to be consistent with your topics and quality of your posts, as well as be regular with publishing the blogs. Your followers expect a certain amount of commitment that becomes harder to keep once the volume of your posts increases. Buffer is a great WordPress plugin that enables you to schedule pre-designed posts for the entire day. You can also keep your social media accounts active and linked while you keep working on other projects.
9. CSS Hero: almost all WordPress themes are dependent on CSS for their amazing visual appearance and flexibility. Your website can be customized if you have a direct access to the CSS. CSS Hero is such a plugin that allows you to make changes to the WordPress theme. The best part is you will not have to write a single line of code for making the relevant changes. CSS Hero makes it possible for all designers to create unique website designs without going into the complication of writing and editing strings of code.
10. Beaver Builder: Beaver Builder is the most powerful drag and drop page builder tool that all WordPress users have been looking for. All website designers and web masters are downloading Beaver Builder to create traditional web pages with a twist. Placing elements a little differently and with a touch of personalization enables your website to secure better conversion rates. Beaver Builder increases website traffic. It is quite easy to use and has a very simple UI ideal for beginners.

WordPress runs more than 25% of the web. A few million websites are active right now, that are based on WordPress. From blogs to ecommerce sites, this CMS has made the worldwide web its niche. These 10 plugins help WordPress sites become more user oriented and optimized.

Author Bio: Lalit Sharma is an SEO consultant who runs a SEO house called Ranking By SEO. He is specialized in link building and other SEO related activities. You can also find him on Twitter, Google+ and his personal blog.