7 Wordpress Plugins No Blog Should Be Without
Read More: Was recently asked a couple of questions about plugins, both in the forums and via my own blog, so I took a little time to list 7 of my favorites and the reasons I use them.
All In One SEO Pack.
This plugin requires a little extra from you at the time you create your post, but heaps benefits on your blog-head all throughout the life of your blog posts. Basically, it allows you to use the normal, short post title (keyword rich of course), and then specify a second title to be used at the browser title. For example, let's say you wrote a post and titled it: 7 Ways To Reduce Blog Spam. In your SEO title, you would put something like: 7 Ways To Reduce Blog Spam | A step-by-step guide to eliminating blog spam. If the difference and benefit of this step isn't immediately obvious, you need a little more education on SEO. It also allows you to create a short description that Google (or other search engines) will use to display the *summary* of the link they are displaying. Make this the reason they should click the link to read. In other words, the benefit to them. Finally, it adds a section for keywords. It will add these keywords to the meta tags of the page.
CommentLuv.
My next recommendation is about getting folks to comment. This little plugin does something wonderful for you and your readers. It rewards them in a way they can understand for commenting on your blog. When they include the URL in the comment section, CommentLuv parses out their last blog post (if the link is a blog) and includes an anchored text link to their last post. Again, the benefits here should be obvious. If they know they are gonna get a one-way link to their blog, they are more likely to comment.
SEO Post Link
This little gem will take a long title, and shorten it to just the keywords for the perma-link. For example, the title What Everyone needs to know about blogging for dollars, and why they should be doing it today will create a terribly long *pretty link* with the entire title (separated by dashes instead of space). SEO Post Link will shorten the *link* to something like domain.com/category/blogging-for-dollars. It does this by removing the unnecessary words and focusing on the keywords.
Subscribe To Comments
This plugin places a checkbox beneath the comment area to allow them to subscribe via email to the comments on that particular blog post, without them having to complete any additional fields. Once checked, and their comment is complete, this plugin will email everyone who has it checked whenever anyone new comments on the blog post. This encourages your visitors to return by reminding them about the post. Curiosity will cause a good many to come back to see what additional comment was added, just in case someone said something about them!
Wordpress Tweaks
There are a LOT of tweaks in this little gem, too many to cover and do it justice. One of the main sets of features I like about this plugin is that you can control if the NOFOLLOW tag will be added to comments, or if you want to auto-open in a new window/tab.
Homepage Excerpts
Love this one! Normally, when you set your blog up to include the full text for the first one of two posts, and then excerpts on the rest, Wordpress has an annoying habit of not formatting the text. It even goes so far as to strip off the formatting you have in there! This plugin allows you to display excerpts and keep the all important formatting.
Views: 332
| 
Comments: 7 Proven, automated, easy-to-use tracking tool that gives you 'psychic' ability with every marketing step you take
About the Author: Cenay Nailor
Company: (Self Employed - 20 years now)
I'm a Distributor For:: Nussentials
Industry: MLM
Primary Web Site: http://www.CenayNailor.com
Using Plugins
Hi Cenay,
Great ideas and just what I was looking to find out. Now I just need to install and learn to use the plug ins. Are they all available off the WordPress.org site? I'm really slow at understanding how techy stuff works.
Would it be worth gettng someone else to do the installing for me, or is it pretty quick to do and learn? (FYI, I couldn't make heads or tails of downloading and installing the "simple" Word Press instructions for my blog.) I've had to hire someone to install the blog itself.
Thanks for your opinion,
Betsy
Where To Get Plugins
Betsy, sorry for the delay in replying, I missed your comment.
Each of the plugins discussed above include the links where those plugins *live* on the Internet. The titles are also links. Each of these plugins is from a different author. I follow the *function*, not the *author*, though I do have a couple\three plugins from the same guy.
As far as installing them, it's the same repetative process...
Some of the plugins have additional settings which you should review. Most of these are self evident, but if you have a specific challenge, let me know and I will record a video demonstrating the plugin you are questioning.
Finding other Plugins is pretty easy. There is the main *repository* on the Wordpress Plugin page and a LOT if you search Google.
As you evolve as a blogger, your *needs* will change. When that happens, search Google/Wordpress again. For example, I realized I wanted to bring visitors back in a *natural* way. I essentially wanted my blog to email them with a personal message about 3 days after they stopped by and left a comment. Just a thank you.
So, I searched this term in Google:
wordpress thank you later
Fourth link down was one that exactly matched what I wanted. It's called Thank Me Later
I make it a point to think about and search for plugins every couple/three months. Sooner if I come across a *need*.
Hope this helped Betsy. Let me know (PM or email cenay@nowyouaretalking.com) if you need anything else.
Cenay'
Plugins
Hi Cenay- (I was away for a week so timing was good ;-)
Much appreciated!! Still so much I don't really understand about making a blog "spider" and form a community. I love to write so I post constantly, but think I should spend more time using and employing tools to make connections. Ex:
What are pings and how do I use them? I will follow your instructions for the plugins-- several hours of work there!
Thanks again
Betsy
All About Pings
There are services which notify the various blog reporting servers every time you add a new post. You set these up in the *Writing* tab of settings. (Down at the bottom). I use several, but am displaying four below:
http://rpc.pingomatic.com/
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
http://www.blogoon.net/ping/
http://www.blogoriffic.com/add_blog.php
These ping servers act like a messenger to Google (and others). When you post, the ping servers run over to Google, give it a good shake and say... *Hey, come over to XYZ blog and check out the new content, you won't be sorry*.
Remember that Google initially *schedules* your blog for indexing based on what it finds each time it shows up. FIrst time, it schedules a return visit 90 days out. When it comes back, it checks for new content. If it finds some, it schedules the next visit for 45 days. It repeats the process (unless notified by your blog) until it establishes a scheduled that requires the least amount of return visits to match your posting schedule.
Using Ping servers is a way to force Google to come back each time you make a post.
I hope this helps answer your questions.
Thank me later and commentluv Plugins
Hi Cenay
Thanks for the heads up on this plugin. I have been looking for ways to bring people back.
I have a couple of questions with regard commentluv plugin.
1/. Did you let your visitors / potential commentors that they would earn a one way link by leaving a comment?
2/. Have you had much spam created by software that looks for blogs that have the "no follow" allowed?
Just curious. ....
Simon
My CommentLuv Results
Simon,
I do use Akismet spam protector and require comment moderation on most of my blogs, but frankly, the benefits out weigh a little extra work on my part. While there might be spiders that are looking for me (because of the nofollow setting or lack thereof), it's more important to me to bring the visitors back by rewarding them for coming.
And to answer #1, those bloggers who are interested in building traffic and links already know about CommentLuv. I don't specifically announce it, but the check box in the comment area does send a clear message.
Another one I have started using is the *Thank Me Later* plugin, which allows me to send a personal message to someone who took the time to comment, on a schedule I set up. How many times have you commented and received an immediate email from the blogger? It's pretty obvious it's automated.
With Thank Me Later, I set the schedule out about 2 or 3 days. Then an email goes out with the message I put together. Another way to help bring them back I believe. I will let you know about the testing I am doing with it now.
Cenay'
What's a SEO Senior Executice Officer
Wow ! Cenay you are so far ahead of me it hurts. The only thing that helps is the fact I am a perpetual student and you are the conumate proffessor! Keep it comming,
Tom Savas, Gain Consulting Group, LLC.