WordPress is currently the most popular content management system on the Internet. This is due in part to the open source development possibilities made possible with the platform, which allow an endless number of useful plugins to be created and used for just about any purpose you can imagine.
essential wordpress plugins for bloggers to Optimize Your Blog
Most new WordPress bloggers quickly reach a point of comfort and familiarity with WP features. This is a good time to look into adding new features to your site to optimize its efficiency, security, and your users’ overall experience. The following plugins can be used effectively by novice through expert developers to enhance several aspects of any WP blog.
All In One SEO Pack is an essential SEO plugin. It offers a simple, automatic solution to ensure your site is properly categorized by search engines by focusing page titles, post titles, and tags. It optimizes your titles and generates META tags based on page content. This plugin is recommended for all blogs.
Super Cache is an essential plugin to help handle extreme spikes in traffic. This can happen for any number of reasons, for example, when your blog receives a link from a social bookmarking site. Super Cache automates caching procedures and lightens your server load. This improves your page load time and improves your visitors’ experience. New search engine algorithms factor your page load speeds into your page rank, so this plugin is more important than ever.
Ultimate Google Analyticsis a handy tool that lets you easily introduce Google Analytics within your site. With the plugin you will not have to insert any code. Google Analytics lets you know where your users are located and their navigation habits while on your site. This vital information can help you improve your site’s functionality and your users’ experience while visiting your blog.
Security Scan is a security plugin that scrutinizes your installations for potential security risks and tells you the best ways to repair them. It offers scanners for database security and file permissions, a password generator, and WP admin protection. Security Scan is an extreme time saver, while giving you peace of mind that your important data is safe.
Akismet is a crucial time saving plugin. It greatly reduces the amount of track-back and comment spam your posts will receive, so you’ll no longer waste precious minutes deleting spam. Akismet also allows you to teach it, so it becomes more effective as you use it. Too much spam commenting on your blog can damage your search engine ranking.
Widget Cache is another caching plugin that affects the output of your widgets including social media widgets. It helps to improve your site’s speed and is most effectively used in conjunction with Super Cache for additional optimization. Widget Cache is recommended for any site that uses widgets.
Broken Link Checker regularly examines your entire site for broken and outdated links. It will notify you of any links that need repairing. Having functional links throughout your site is an important factor in page rank.
Sociable connects to social media and social bookmarking sites. It provides your users with the convenient ability to easily share your posts. This plugin will automatically add links to bookmarking sites on your pages, individual posts, and RSS feed.
SexyBookmarks is another social bookmarking plugin. It’s well-designed, aesthetically pleasing menu allows your readers to share your blog posts across a myriad of different channels, which include Gmail, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.
WP e-Commerce is a fairly simple commerce solution. This plugin is perfect for a wide variety of e-Commerce sites, and is easy to use. Additional features include the ability to import your products into Google Base and Facebook Marketplace, as well as allowing users to bookmark your individual products and share them across networking and bookmarking sites with the “Share This” plugin. WP e-Commerce integrates with several of the most popular payment processors.
NextGEN Gallery allows you to add high-resolution images and collections to your site with elegant lightbox galleries. Even novice designers can easily transfer images among galleries and place slideshows. NextGEN also allows the simplified use of JavaScript effects.
OpenID comment form simplifies the process of commenting on your posts. Provides authentication without the need for a new password, while decreasing the amount of spam you’ll get. Another useful feature is the ease with which users can link back to their own WP site through a comment. This facilitates discussion and community.