WordPress Plugins - Choose Wisely
Plugins add features to your WordPress blog above its core functions as is also with an 'out-of-the-box' installation. Plugins are among the things that makes WordPress so powerful, because there's a plugin for nearly everything (as soon as someone creates a plugin so my WordPress will offer me my morning coffee - I'll proclaim WordPress 100% perfect ;); however, even though there are many plugin choices, does not mean you need to install them. How do we choose?
SEO plugin for Wordpress
You Start by Identifying a desire
If you learn you have a requirement for a specific feature or function in your blog, that's when you look for a plugin to fill that need. Not before.
Therefore the plugins you can utilize, could possibly be very different compared to ones I would use; because our needs are different.
Know and Understand Your Plugins
If you've identified a necessity, then seeking plugins to fill that need is the first part of knowing and understanding why you are installing a particular plugin. You will find many 'Top Recommended Plugins' lists on the web, and there's nothing wrong with those lists, nevertheless, you want to know and view the purpose and performance behind a plugin prior to deciding to install it. Should you not, then you're not by using their plugin towards the full potential; or worse, it could be scaling down your site, you aren't be compatible with another plugin you're using.
So don't blindly install plugins unless it's filling a desire you've on the blog.
Plugin Maintenance
Every time you have to change your WordPress, often there is a chance any particular one of one's installed plugins are not compatible following the upgrade. For the popular plugins, their developers are usually on top of this stuff, plus an upgrade is done available quickly. However, not all plugin developers continue updating the plugin of course, if this is the case, you'll want to find another compatible plugin which will perform the same task your now outdated plugin did.
Lots of Plugins?
There isn't any set amount of recommended plugins; apart from just to use those that you will need. However, take into account that many plugins work with a lot of resources and several may really decelerate your blog's loading time. Should you use a resource hog plugin, try to look for a 'lighter' alternative that gives similar function/features.
My Top 15 Recommended Plugins - and Why They're Useful
Ok, given that I've provided the lowdown on plugin selection and things you need being alert to; I do possess a report on 15 plugins which i personally use and I'll give out their function, so you can decide if they might be useful on the blog. Should you not need or want the function/feature all of these plugins provides - do not have them installed. Simple as that. :)
Akismet: this is one a part of my two part spam-fighting system on my own blog to combat comment spam. This plugin actually comes already installed on every WordPress blog, you simply need to activate it by having an API key you receive from WordPress.com.
All-in-one SEO Pack: awesome plugin that permits you to set unique post and titles on pages (i.e. search phrase specific titles that needs to be unique to every post and/or page you're posting) as well as set meta descriptions and add meta keywords also.
Articles: this plugin allows me to choose 'featured' posts that can then display on a different page on my small blog for quick and straightforward reference. Different then a sitemap, as only those posts you select is going to be visible, so a sensible way to keep your hottest posts all in one easy to find location.
Audio Player: a pleasant plugin that makes it extremely swift as well as simple to provide an mp3 audio with a post or page. Perfect for adding interviews or audio sound bites on your page. I enjoy this plugin within the built-in audio player in WordPress.
Comment Redirect: this plugin will redirect all new commenters on your blog to some page or post that you pick. I've a page created where I thank them, as first time commenters, for visiting my blog - you may even offer them a free downloadable directory of this article, invite them to sign up for your subsciber lists (provide an opt-in form on this page!) or whatever you desire. Get them to feel special and appreciated!
Dagon Design Contact Form: certainly the top and easiest to use and setup contact page form I have found. It provides a captcha to control contact page form spam by bots.
Dagon Design Sitemap: it is a human-friendly sitemap, made to make things easier for your blog people to find all your posts and pages in a spot. Carries a spot to enter in the location of the XML sitemap (see below)
Google XML Sitemap: it is a sitemap for engines like google. Yes, you'll need both a human-friendly sitemap and also this XML sitemap, so works well with the Dagon Design Sitemap as listed above.
Sexy Bookmarks: this can be a social bookmarking plugin that will add social bookmark submitting icons below every post and/or page in your site which means that your blog visitors can certainly Stumble, Digg, Tweet, etc.... your web site content. This is great for traffic generation!
Similar Posts: adds a summary of similar or related posts at the end of your website posts.
Sign up to Comments: allows guests for notice associated with a new comments over a specific article.
Thank Me Later: will point a totally customizable followup 'thank you' email to whoever has previously commented on your blog, but hasn't been back. Perfect for reminding folks about your blog and getting return visitors.
Twitter Tools: lets you integrate your site and Twitter account. This is the tool I prefer to automatically send a tweet out while i publish a new post on my small blog. It's also possible to add your latest Twitter activity inside your blog sidebar.
WP Database Backup: this an exceptionally handy plugin that everybody really needs to use. Not only will this plugin backup your database, you are able to schedule regular database backups using this plugin and possess those backups emailed for you. I strongly suggest which you install this plugin and schedule at least daily backups of one's blog. Do not assume internet host has been doing regular daily backups of your respective site.
WP Super Cache: when you have your blog that will get lots of traffic, or you will potentially get a surge of traffic (like through Digg, Stumbleupon or even a trending topic), you will need this plugin. It can save you from crashing your bandwidth during high traffic surges.