The best WordPress news plugins

Always up to date! A WordPress news plugin lets you present news clearly and above all up to date on your website. This offers great added value for readers and enhances your site. We’ll explain what’s important in a news plugin for WordPress and which plugins are the best.

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Overview: the best WordPress news plugins

Plugin Price
Ditty News Ticker Free / Pro Version from $20
Simple News Free
Vertical News Scroller Free / Pro Version from $13
WP News and Scrolling Widget Free / Pro Version from $39
News Announcement Scroll Free

What is a WordPress news plugin?

WordPress news plugins let you display current events or news on your site, for example, with the help of a ticker. Breaking news or updates, but also articles or teasers, can be shown more prominently to readers. This brings some advantages: on the one hand, readers get a quick overview, on the other hand, it encourages them to stay on the website. Especially if the news matches the theme of your site, a WordPress news plugin can enhance your online presence and can, for example, bring in readers via Google News.

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What should you bear in mind ahead of installation?

If the tool doesn’t match your site in terms of content or to your theme, this can potentially pose a disadvantage. On the one hand, the site may look cluttered and unprofessional. The content of the ticker may also distract from the more important offer on your website. In addition to that, each WordPress plugin requires memory. So, before you install your plugin, you should carefully consider whether your website will benefit from it.

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What’s important in a WordPress news plugin?

The key advantage of a good WordPress news plugin is that it provides up-to-date content, even if you don’t have the time or capabilities to prepare all the topics immediately and make them available to your readers. Used properly, the news plugin can also display topics from your website or blog with relevant context. The functions and advantages of a WordPress news plugin include:

  • Timeliness: This point goes without saying. A tool for news is only useful if the information provided is really new and therefore of value. The news plugin for your WordPress site should therefore always be up to date. Displaying old news posts simply looks unprofessional.
  • Clarity: Readers will only use your news plugin if the news can be quickly grasped. If a news story requires more context, this should be provided via a link. Complicated sentences result in readers bailing and moving to a clearer source.
  • Sorting: Not all developments are breaking news. However, if a piece of information is particularly important, it should be presented accordingly. Picking out the right news helps in this case.
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Different kinds of WordPress news plugins

There are many different types of WordPress news plugins. Which one is right for you depends on the structure and content of your site. Some plugins also combine several functions. Roughly speaking, you can divide most plugins into four categories:

  • News tickers: A news ticker displays important developments live on your site and can therefore make a useful addition. It basically sits rather discreetly in the background without taking the focus away from other content on your site, but at the same time provides readers with a brief overview of the latest news and updates.
  • News widgets: A news widget presents the biggest headlines in a designated area of your site. This WordPress news plugin can, for example, be added to the header or footer of your website. If readers want more information, they can simply click on the message.
  • News importer: A news importer lets you add longer news items to your site. However, this is usually only useful if the topics match the content on your site. This adds fresh content to your site even if you don’t have time to create it yourself.
  • Scroller: Scrollers are also placed comparatively prominently on your page. Here the visitor has to get a little bit active and can get an overview by looking through various messages.
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Five best WordPress news plugins

Ditty News Ticker

Ditty News Ticker belongs to the WordPress news plugins that offer a great number of possibilities. You have the choice between the three modes: “Scroll”, “Rotate”, and “List”. You can display news depending on what’s best suited for your site. The implementation is done either via shortcode or a widget. With the paid premium version, you can also incorporate feeds from social media platforms. The disadvantage of the free option is that news has to be entered manually.

Advantages Disadvantages
✔ Three modes ✘ Some features only available with Premium version
✔ Easy to use ✘ News needs to be entered manually
✔ Free version available  
✔ Choice between widget and shortcode  

Simple News

The name Simple News shouldn’t be misunderstood. While this WordPress news plugin is simple to use, it’s by no means simplistic or limited. The free plugin shows an image, a headline, and the date of a new news item on your site. This gives readers a first impression. The plugin can be customized and seamlessly integrated into your site. Moreover, news can be filtered not only by date, but also by categories.

Advantages Disadvantages
✔ Free ✘ Few features available with free plugin
✔ Customization possible  
✔ Easy to use  
✔ Good filter function  

Vertical News Scroller

Vertical News Scroller is what it suggests. The WordPress news plugin is very responsive and therefore works well on any device. Administrators can make a few adjustments to integrate the plugin, and using it is relatively easy. Filters for categories, adjustable order, and other useful options are already included in the free version. More features and premium support, on the other hand, are only available for a fee.

Advantages Disadvantages
✔ Works well on all end devices ✘ Some features only available with paid version
✔ Easy to use  
✔ Filter by category  
✔ Customization possible  

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WP News and Scrolling Widgets

WP News and Scrolling Widgets offers plenty of freedom. This plugin lets you present news anywhere on your site. Scrolling news widgets and thumbnails ensure that readers get the latest news in English, German, or French. The paid version comes up with over 120 layout options and offers some additional features. The plugin is also compatible with the Gutenberg Editor.

Advantages Disadvantages
✔ Customizable ✘ Comparably poor free version
✔ Three languages  
✔ Plenty of layouts and designs in the paid version  
✔ Easy to use  

News Announcement Scroll

News Announcement Scroll impresses with its ease of use. You can easily place news, announcements, and more on your site and also integrate an expiration date. You can sort them yourself. The WordPress news plugin also provides shortcodes and a responsive layout for the administrator. This way, you can provide readers with the latest news even when they’re on the road.

Advantages Disadvantages
✔ Free ✘ Less features than other paid plugins
✔ Easy to use  
✔ Expiration date  
✔ Responsive admin layout  

Summary: the best WordPress news plugins

There’s an incredible selection of WordPress news plugins. The above five providers not only provide a handy addition to your site, but also boast ease of use. After all, only if the plugin takes work off your hands and offers added value for your readers is it worth installing. Then you have the opportunity to inform your readers succinctly and clearly.

Tip

The IONOS Digital Guide provides plenty of useful information on WordPress. You’ll find info on WordPress social media plugins, including Instagram plugins for WordPress, caching plugins for WordPress, WordPress chat plugins, WordPress table plugins, or how to set up a WordPress RSS feed. Get your website in shape in no time!

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