Not just another wordpress Top 10 plugins list...

my design journey from print to pixels with a few random stops along the way

Not just another wordpress Top 10 plugins list…

8 July 2010 No Comment

So I spent some time researching different plugins with the idea that for every site that I start, I always end up downloading and installing the same plugins – at least a core group. So I made a list of what I think is essential to every wp site. I know there are a ton of lists of top 10 or whatever number plugins for WordPress that every site should have etc… but here’s my list. As a web designer, I have been a wordpress user for years and I know these work. Of course every wordpress site will be focused on a different topic so you’ll want to find specific plugins to suit the needs of your site. But every site should have the same bottom line – Search Engine Optimization – how can I care about your awesome website if I can’t find it?

1 – All-in-one SEO pack -

Try searching for “Logo Design Spartanburg” or “Graphic Design Spartanburg” and you’ll see I have my site listed on page 1 of google! This plugin allows you to add the right keywords in the right places – right from the WordPress editor screen. The feature to allow your tags to be used as meta keywords can save you a lot of time and makes the SEO optimization process simple and efficient.

2 – SI contact form -

This is called the “Fast and Secure Contact Form” and the name fits. Highly Customizable and works hand in hand with Akismet for blocking spam. What’s Akismet you ask…?

3 – Akismet -

I know it comes pre-loaded with WordPress so you don’t have to download it but if the WordPress developers include this with the core software then it must be worth it. I have had great success in keeping spam comments off my blog using this plugin. Set-up is simple once you have your WordPress API key. If you don’t have a WordPress API key then take about two minutes to sign up at wordpress.com – you’ll be glad you did. Unless of course you like dealing with constant spam comments…

4 – Fancy Box -

there are a lot of image overlay plugins available and I’ve tried most of them – this one is easy to use and looks great. The set up is simple – activate the plugin and you’re done. You can see examples by clicking on any images on my site.

5 – Google Analytics -

This plugin will give you all the info you could ever want to know about the traffic to your site. If you don’t already have one, take a few moments to set up your account at google (webmaster tools are also a “must” ) Start viewing your stats from your admin screen.

6 – Google XML sitemaps – If you are using webmaster tools (and you should be) you will see the need for using a sitemap in analyzing and indexing your site for traffic and searches.

7 – Permalink Redirect -

Once you’ve gotten familiar with Google’s tools you might notice that you have some broken links or errors. For me, the errors weren’t showing up on the front end but in google indexing. This plugin makes sure that all links point to where they should and that your site’s permalink structure plays nice with google’s spiders.

8 – Mailchimp -

this is a fantastic service for collecting email subscribers and also for sending and managing email marketing campaigns. It is free up to 500 subscribers and up to 3000 sends per month. And of course wordpress integration is seamless once you’ve signed up for your account.

9 – WordPress mobile pack -

More people are browsing the web on mobile devices than ever before but not everyone is equipped with a mobile browser that can display your site properly. This plugin gives visitors the option to switch between a mobile friendly display or your standard display. Also, you can set it up to automatically detect and use the appropriate view.

10 – Sociable -

Last one my list because some people don’t want to associate with social media sites on their personal or company site – so sure, it may not be for everyone. But I’ve found that social media can be a great way to share content from your site and therefore drive traffic back your site. Backlinks are good – really good – and using a plugin like this to share content on social sites like facebook and twitter can generate a lot backlinks to your site. Lots of backlinks means lots of traffic.

speaking of sharing… if you found any of this to be useful or maybe you know one of your friends is using wordpress or is interested in web design, why not click on your preferred social media icon below and share!