Column Shortcodes
by Tobias Schutter · Uncategorized
Adds shortcodes to easily create columns in your posts or pages.
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
D 51/100
Stale · Likely abandoned
Active installs
60K+
≈65K estimated
Momentum
+17%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “column”, “columns” and “divider” 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.
51 health vs 58 average across 25,736 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →6.6%
of downloads still active
At least 60K of 903.8K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,764 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
Removal-risk signals
53/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 4+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Falling behind WordPress. Tested up to WordPress 6.0.18.
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: Update recency
Updated 1481 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.0.18; the current branch is 6.8
4.8★ over 134 reviews, smoothed to 4.61★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 1481 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| column your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| columns your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| divider your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| shortcode your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| shortcodes your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
1 search this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 0 listed. 1 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 5 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “column”, “columns” and “divider” 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 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 2.8K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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
4.1y ago
latest release · v1.0.1 · 11 Oct 2022
15
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 95% 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 “60K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 9 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 17 Aug 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ hmschiefer4.0y ago
I only use this because it’s what my client already had installed and they’ve been using it for years. When I asked why I can’t align content vertically within a column I was simply told, “it can’t do that and we won’t be adding this”. Seems lazy, but what do I know?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Viktor Jenerál4.8y ago
Perfect plugin! Thanks a lot.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ maruska5.9y ago
Simple and easy to use, that is the reason I like it.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mvkwebmaster6.0y ago
Easy to use, best result, perfect! This topic was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by mvkwebmaster.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ my3seadogs6.1y ago
I’ve been using this plugin for ages now. I’m so glad it exists!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ pslom6.3y ago
Simple plugin, but does what it’s supposed to. Recommended over all the wysiwyg “solutions”.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ flavio93zena6.5y ago
As title says, if you want a LIGHT plugin that can do columns quickly without having to fiddle for hours with settings and stuff, this is for you. It does allow nesting but there are some minor issues with very complicated layouts. It seems to be semi-abandoned so due to the minor bugs and lack of updates it’s not a 5 stars, but very close.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kimhoaht6.8y ago
fast anh usable
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.0.1 [Fixed] Hotfix for WordPress 5.5 1.0.1
- — Version 1.0 [Fixed] Compatible with WordPress 4.8 and up [Fixed] Padding generator will automatically add ‘px’ to numbers [Added] Added filter to hide banner add_filter( 'cpsh_show_banner', '__return_false' ); [Improved] UI improvem 1.0
- — Version 0.6.9 [Fixed] Rollback of the auto paragraphs. Too much conflicts with other shortcodes 0.6.9
- — Version 0.6.8 [Fixed] use wpautop() to wrap content in paragraphs when needed 0.6.8
- — Version 0.6.7 [Fixed] Paragraphs are added to the columns 0.6.7
- — Version 0.6.6 [Fixed] Swapped images for 5/6 columns 0.6.6
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.5
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 29 languages, 17 at 90% or more
Plus 5 more locales with partial translations.
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
4 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 "Adds shortcodes to easily create columns in your posts or pages."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 8 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 8 of 8 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 Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 2 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 733 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "divider" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-02-10 70K+ → 60K+ down after 177 days in tier
- 2025-08-17 60K+ → 70K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2025-08-16 70K+ → 60K+ down after 142 days in tier
- 2025-03-27 80K+ → 70K+ down after 222 days in tier
- 2024-08-17 90K+ → 80K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2024-08-16 80K+ → 90K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2024-08-15 90K+ → 80K+ down after 278 days in tier
- 2023-11-11 100K+ → 90K+ down after 2988 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).
-
Grid Shortcodes 2K+ installs · 4.4★ · 3 shared tags B -
Shortcodes Ultimate – Content Elements 400K+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
Meks Flexible Shortcodes 10K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags C - C Contact Form 7 Shortcode Enabler 10K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags C
-
WP Date and Time Shortcode 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
Genesis Columns Advanced 10K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags C
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Column Shortcodes into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/column-shortcodes" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Column Shortcodes — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Column Shortcodes: 60K+ active installs, 4.8★ (134 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/column-shortcodes
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