WordPress offers tons of plugins which confuses the new user. Not just that but there are multiple plugins that serves the same purpose and have the same functions. Which one do you need to get the upper edge, we will cover it in this article. We are only mentioning the plugins that you need to start off your blog, so custom plugins will not be listed in this article, but you may find it being reviewed in our Plugins Category.
WordPress itself is a strong script, but it is the plugin that makes WordPress the best. How can you get them? You need to visit the Plugins Directory at WordPress. With the new version of WordPress 2.7.1 and above are offering plugin installation from the WordPress admin panel.
Step by Step Guide to Install a WordPress Plugin
Installing WordPress can be a little challenging for new users. Therefore we have written a comprehensive guide showing you three ways you can use to install a plugin. Check out our Step by Step Guide to Installing a WordPress plugin.
Must Have WordPress Plugins for Every Blog
Akismet – comes installed with your WordPress by default. All you have to do is get an API Key to activate it. It prevents your blog from comment spam. Read our Akismet 101 Guide for All WordPress Users.
All-in-One SEO – This is an ultimate necessity for your blog if you want to have any chance of ranking high in search engines. All-in-One-SEO Pack allows you to add unique meta description, keywords, and titles to each page of your blog and blog posts. (User’s Guide for All in One SEO for the Recommended Settings and tips.)
Contact Form 7 – When running a blog you need to allow your users to contact you. This is the best free contact form plugin to this date. It makes everything easy. (An alternative to this plugin is a paid plugin known as Gravity Forms which is extremely feature rich.)
W3 Total Cache – This plugin makes a copy of your web page on the server and by doing so it increases site performance and reduces the resource consumption. It is essential that you have this plugin just incase if your site hits the Front Page of a social media network such as digg or stumbleupon, without this plugin, your server will most likely crash. (See: How to Install W3 Total Cache)
WordPress Database Backup – This plugin lets you make backup for your blog’s database as often as you need. You can set this process to be automated and have it deliver to your email or a safe spot in your webhost. By having this plugin, you can always stay on the safe side because if anything goes wrong, you have the latest backup in your possession. If you want to get a full backup of your WordPress site, then a commercial plugin known as Backup Buddy is the BEST option.
Subscribe to Comments – A plugin that allows your users to subscribe to the comments, so they will be notified when the next comment is posted. It helps your user to stay updated with the discussion and keep the activity going on your blog.
Comment Redirect – This plugin lets you redirect the attention of your new users to a specific page. So you can actually substitute the email sent out by Comment Relish plugin by a page on your site. Sometimes users might prefer this over the email. Check out our Thank You Page.
Google XML Sitemap – This plugin will generate a special XML sitemap which will help search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and Ask.com to better index your blog. With such a sitemap, it’s much easier for the crawlers to see the complete structure of your site and retrieve it more efficiently. Additionally it notifies all major search engines every time you create a post about the new content.
OIO Publisher – This is an ad manager that focuses on maximizing your revenue, saving you time, and keeping you in complete control of your ad space. While there is a one time fee for unlimited domains, this plugin is a gem that every blog needs. It will create a purchase page, automatically connects with paypal, generate subscription links, and much much more.
We recommend these plugins for any new blog or existing blog. There are more plugins that would need to be added based on the niche and your needs. But for any generic blog, this should be a good list to start with.
When you have us install the WordPress blog for you, we will also install some of these plugins and some extra ones depending your niche to give you an upper edge.
I dunno if I'd list All-In-One and Google Sitemaps any more. The former isn't that good and the latter doesn't get updated that much so there MIGHT be security concerns. I'd recommend WordPress SEO as bundles the functionality for both of these plugins, and does a better job of it.
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