Hook

WordPress is the engine behind most affiliate marketing websites, but the right plugins can make the difference between a site that converts and one that just sits there. In this classic episode, I brought in WordPress expert Dustin Hartzler to break down the essential plugins every affiliate marketer needs. Here are the recommendations, updated for what actually works in 2026.

What You'll Learn

• How to evaluate WordPress plugins before installing them
• Essential plugins for backup, security, and spam protection
• The best SEO plugin for affiliate marketers
• Updated plugin recommendations for 2026

Episode Summary

In this episode (part 1 of a 2-part interview), I welcomed Dustin Hartzler from YourWebsiteEngineer.com to talk about the WordPress plugins he installs for clients, particularly people running the kind of content-based affiliate marketing sites we focus on at Late Night Internet Marketing.

Dustin shared his framework for evaluating any WordPress plugin before installing it: check for a professional banner graphic in the repository, verify it has been updated within the last six months, look for at least 10,000 downloads, and check for screenshots. This framework is still solid advice in 2026.

We then walked through plugin recommendations by category, covering backup solutions, security, spam filtering, and SEO. While the specific plugins have evolved over the years, the categories of tools you need remain the same.

Key Takeaways

1. Always vet plugins before installing. Check the last update date, download count, reviews, and whether the developer is actively maintaining it. An abandoned plugin is a security risk.
2. Backup is non-negotiable. In 2026, UpdraftPlus (free) is the go-to backup plugin. It handles automated backups to cloud storage including Google Drive, Dropbox, and Amazon S3.
3. Security needs have grown. Wordfence remains a top choice for WordPress security. It now includes a web application firewall, malware scanner, and login security features. Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security / Better WP Security, mentioned in the original episode) is also still actively maintained.
4. Yoast SEO is still the standard. The original recommendation of WordPress SEO by Yoast holds up. Rank Math is a strong alternative that has gained significant market share.
5. For affiliate marketers specifically: Add Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates for link cloaking and management. These were not discussed in the original episode but are essential tools in 2026.

What's Changed Since This Episode Aired

• BackupBuddy is now Solid Backups by StellarWP (formerly iThemes). UpdraftPlus has become the most popular free backup solution.
• Akismet's pricing model changed. It remains the default spam solution but now requires a paid plan for commercial sites. Antispam Bee is still free and works well for smaller sites.
• Performance plugins have evolved. W3 Total Cache and WP Super Cache (covered in Part 2) have been largely replaced by LiteSpeed Cache, WP Rocket, and built-in hosting-level caching.
• Podcast Alley no longer exists. The podcast directory landscape is now dominated by Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music.
• Google Reader closed in 2013. Feed readers have been replaced by direct podcast app subscriptions.

Resources

• WordPress Plugin Repository — Search and evaluate plugins
• Wordfence Security — Firewall and malware scanner
• UpdraftPlus — Free backup solution
• Yoast SEO — SEO optimization plugin
• Subscribe to Late Night Internet Marketing

Related Episodes

• WordPress Plugins for Affiliate Marketing Part 2 with Dustin Hartzler [LNIM048]

Take Action

Review the plugins on your WordPress site today. Are any of them outdated or abandoned? Replace them with actively maintained alternatives. If you are running an affiliate site without a backup plugin, a security plugin, and an SEO plugin, stop reading this and go install them right now. Subscribe to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for more actionable tips.