Nested Shortcodes
by Outerbridge · Admin & Utilities
Also makes 2 other plugins · 1.3K+ installs across the portfolio →
A small plugin which allows you to use nest shortcodes (i.e. a shortcode within an enclosing shortcode) by implementing a simple do_shortcode filter
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
A 87/100
no flags
Active installs
1K+
≈1.5K estimated
Momentum
+114%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: One page off on “do shortcode”. #15 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
87 health vs 56 average across 5,896 Admin & Utilities plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →4.1%
of downloads still active
At least 1K of 24.4K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Admin & Utilities plugin keeps 0.6%, across 4,188 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Admin & Utilities 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.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 37 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.8★ over 14 reviews, smoothed to 4.25★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
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.
51
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.7
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
47%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.3
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| nest | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| nested shortcode | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| nested your tag | #3 | #6 | down 1 |
| shortcodes your tag | #3 | #4 | up 2 |
| nested content | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| do shortcode your tag | #15 | #12 | up 2 |
| shortcodes plugin | #8 | #15 | up 1 |
| shortcode | #19 | #18 | up 3 |
| wordpress shortcodes | #10 | #20 | up 2 |
| wp shortcodes | #12 | #20 | up 1 |
| text widget your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| the content your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
15 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 10 listed. 5 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- One page off on “do shortcode”. #15 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
- “text widget” and “the content” 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.
- Already on top for “nest”. #2 without listing it. A tag would change little there; your slots are better spent on a search you don't yet win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 1.3K · 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.
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. 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 “1K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 12 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 25 Apr 2015
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Atanas Yonkov3.9y ago
That’s just a brilliant plugin! Many thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ AceTech.me6.1y ago
Perfect utility plugin for WordPress
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Marcus Spanier7.8y ago
Updated an outdated theme and we run into the nested problem. this plugin saves our a**. thanks
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ incometube8.2y ago
Works perfectly!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ naenotenet8.7y ago
This is what I wanted for long time. Works great with Post Snippets plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ bradfranklin8.8y ago
Thanks for sharing plugin. Was researching codex, found shortcode api info, but was confused as to how to code it. I’ll tell my collegues about your plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Scott Kolbe9.0y ago
I was confused why my image/media shortcodes weren’t showing up in Post Grid plugin pages, and this solved it. Looks as if only one of the two shortcodes I have on the page are showing up, but otherwise this was exactly what I needed. Cheers!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ iJassar10.1y ago
This plugin simply solves the problem swiftly and cleanly. Maybe there is a reason for not having it integrated in WordPress, but if there isn’t, then it should be =D .
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.4.8 · WP 6.0.2
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 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "A small plugin which allows you to use nest shortcodes (i.e. a shortcode within an enclosing shortcode) by..."
- ✓ 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 Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 257 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "text_widget", "the_content" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-11-16 2K+ → 1K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-11-15 1K+ → 2K+ up after 6 days in tier
- 2025-11-09 2K+ → 1K+ down after 877 days in tier
- 2023-06-16 3K+ → 2K+ down after 107 days in tier
- 2023-03-01 2K+ → 3K+ up after 18 days in tier
- 2023-02-11 3K+ → 2K+ down after 130 days in tier
- 2022-10-04 2K+ → 3K+ up after 1032 days in tier
- 2019-12-07 1K+ → 2K+ up
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).
- B bbPress – Do Short Codes 100+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Dynamic Shortcode 40+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
Shortcodes Ultimate – Content Elements 400K+ installs · 4.9★ · 1 shared tag A -
Nested Pages 90K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A -
Column Shortcodes 60K+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag D -
Apollo13 Framework Extensions 20K+ installs · 4.0★ · 1 shared tag B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Nested Shortcodes into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/nested-shortcodes" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Nested Shortcodes — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Nested Shortcodes: 1K+ active installs, 4.8★ (14 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/nested-shortcodes
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