Better Core Video Embeds
by Highrise Digital · Performance
Also makes 2 other plugins · 300+ installs across the portfolio →
A plugin which enhances the core embed block for Youtube, Daily Motion and Vimeo videos by not loading unnecessary scripts until they are needed.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
C 66/100
Stale
Active installs
300+
≈360 estimated
Momentum
+38%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “embed”, “oembed” and “performance” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
66 health vs 69 average across 1,808 Performance plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.7%
of downloads still active
At least 300 of 17.4K lifetime downloads are still running, in line with its category: the median Performance plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,103 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Performance plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Room to improve
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 517 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.8.12, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 11 reviews, smoothed to 4.26★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
Not enough tracked days yet to call a direction. Momentum needs at least three keywords measured a week or more apart.
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| embed your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| oembed your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| performance your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| vimeo your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| youtube your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
0 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days. 5 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “embed”, “oembed” and “performance” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
Daily downloads
Since 27 Nov 2022 · 1,435 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 1.4K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank
Ranked about #10,100 to #11,100, alongside the other plugins at 300+ installs. Plugins with the same install count swap places between wp.org requests, so this is where most of them sit. Checked monthly, last on 21 Oct 2026.
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
1.4y ago
latest release · v1.3.8 · 2 Jun 2025
16
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “300+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 7 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 61% of the way through.
Install history since 26 Nov 2022
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Helison S. Cruz11mo ago
The plugin is excellent, super optimized, and does what it promises. However, I believe my case might be an exception — or perhaps not — because after using it for another month, I noticed that my site had disappeared from YouTube’s analytics in the external access section. I deactivated the plugin, and the site reappeared, so something in the way the plugin works must have interfered with YouTube’s interpretation. This topic was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by Helison S. Cruz.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jay43712mo ago
It doesn’t interfere with other speed optimization plugins.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Peter Ingersoll2.0y ago
Install and activate and your video embeds are better. Deactivate and your video embeds continue to work as they always did. So go for the better! I am recommending this at my next Meetup.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Emily Rapport2.1y ago
Easy to set-up and it just works. Embedded videos behave and will fill the width of your container / group and scripts aren’t loaded until the user clicks to watch the video. Custom thumbnails are a great update too!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jesse Fisher2.4y ago
It does exactly what it needs to out of the box, and support has been very prompt.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ motorsportprospects2.8y ago
This is a brilliant plugin that does what it does perfectly with no fuss or muss. If you embed any videos on your site, this is a must.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jaiji3.0y ago
I’ve used this since I first became aware of it and it does everything it should really well. Support is prompt also. Very happy.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Knut Sparhell3.7y ago
This is an example of an excellent plugin. Just activate and get immediate enhancement when using the embed blocks from WordPress. If deactivated, everything still works as before, but then without the enhancement. No “lock in”:
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.8.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 1 language, 1 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
5 of 8 pass · checked 25 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "A plugin which enhances the core embed block for Youtube, Daily Motion and Vimeo videos by not loading unne..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 3 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 3 of 3 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions YouTube, Vimeo.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 735 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "oembed", "performance" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-03-23 200+ → 300+ up after 5 days in tier
- 2026-03-18 300+ → 200+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2026-03-16 200+ → 300+ up after 5 days in tier
- 2026-03-11 300+ → 200+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2026-03-10 200+ → 300+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2026-03-07 300+ → 200+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2026-03-05 200+ → 300+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-03-04 300+ → 200+ down after 1 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
- I iframe 60K+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags B
-
Lazy Load for Videos 9K+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags A -
Presto Player 100K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
All-in-One Video Gallery – Video Player & Galleries for YouTube, Vimeo & Self-Hosted Videos 20K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
WP YouTube Lyte 20K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Embed PDF Viewer 20K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Better Core Video Embeds into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/better-core-video-embeds" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Better Core Video Embeds — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Better Core Video Embeds: 300+ active installs, 5.0★ (11 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/better-core-video-embeds
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