Welcome to the 5th featured post here at MamaNYC for my new Blogging 101 series! I’ve discussed StumbleUpon, Compete.com, HTML & Images, and starting your blog with a unique domain name, purchasing hosting, etc.!.
Today I am going to share some of my favorite WordPress plugins with all of you! While you (or others) may not consider these to be the BEST, this list consists of all the plugins that I have used to compose, share, write, and do what I do here at MamaNYC.
These plugins will help you improve traffic, prevent SPAM comments, assist your blog writing skills or post appearances, and much more. The WordPress Plugin Directory is filled with thousands of plugins and there is always a plugin for whatever you need help doing. You can search the WordPress plugin directory, or take a look below for my recommendations. Have a plugin not mentioned here that I might enjoy? Feel free to leave a comment and I will definitely check it out!
Still on Blogger, but looking to transfer over? That topic will be addressed in the future, but did you know I can help you out? I am also a web designer and Internet marketing consultant! You can read a little bit more about my background and services, or send me an email with your project details!
Want your question(s) answered next time around? Fill out my Blogging 101 Request Form and I will try and fulfill your request as soon as possible.
WordPress SEO by Yoast: Every blogger needs this plugin. One of the most important yet least practiced aspects of blogging is SEO. Yoast has packaged up all of the necessities we need to market and broadcast our posts and ensure they reach the search engines in one plugin. I decided to shutoff my Yoast plugin for a week, although it killed me inside, in order to conduct a bit of research and see what sort of influence Yoast actually has on my blog traffic. The results were TREMENDOUS and I was truly in disbelief over the impact that Yoast provides my blog with each day!
Askimet: Comment SPAM is one of the most exhausting and useless tasks that a blogger has to deal with. Unfortunately, SPAM takes over our comments each day and there is no signs on withering down as the robots intensify. Askimet takes care of those spam comments, which means I have a lot more time to spend on blogging or with my family!
Dean’s FCKEditor: This plugin replaces the default WordPress text editor, which lacks a lot of editing and writing features. I love using this plugin and won’t go back to the WordPress default editor if you paid me!
Digg Digg: Notice that vertical social bar to the left of this post? That’s Digg Digg, an all-in-one social bar. You decide which social networks to use and also input your Twitter username so that all Tweets or Re-Tweets include your name!
Ultimate Tag Warrior – The best tag system for WordPress.
Google Sitemap Generator – This plugin will enable you to automatically generate a Google sitemap for your blog.
LinkWithin: I use this service in order to link related posts and encourage readers to checkout similar topics on MamaNYC. There are many other plugins/services available that are similar to LinkWithin, but I have {so far} been very pleased with the results and usefulness from LinkWithin!
WP Super Cache: This plugin is an extremely efficient caching system that will make your site much faster.
WP-ContactForm: This plugin allows your readers to easily email you through a drop in form on your blog. You can implement this plugin on a post or page.
Popularity Contest – This plugin determines which of your posts are most popular and then puts them in the sidebar.
Social Metrics: I love this plugin! Social Metrics is a social media analytical tool that allows me to see how MamaNYC is doing across the leading social networking websites and services. I can see how many readers have "liked" each page on Facebook, or Stumbled a post on StumbleUpon. I can also Tweet out my own posts very easily since each of my posts is listed with a "tweet" button alongside the title.
WordPress Dashboard Twitter: This The Dashboard widget allows Twitter status updates, send direct messages, follow your mentions and retweets, list direct messages, sent messages, your friends timeline and your favorites in a simple tab interface. Everything Twitter in a single widget on your dashboard!
CommentLuv: Reward your readers by automatically placing a link to their last blog post at the end of their comment!
(Want more plugins? MamaNYC continues this list in a Part II edition of must-have FREE plugins for WordPress that you’ll want to take a peak at once you are done with this list!)
BLOGGING 101: The Chapter Guide
Chapter One: What is StumbleUpon & How to Use It [Tips & Tricks]
Chapter Two: Adding A Buddies Blog Button or Images on YOUR Blog!
Chapter Three: Compete.com – Traffic, Stats, and Accuracy
Chapter Four: Buy a Domain, Hosting Account, and Creative Blog Name!
Chapter Five: Best & Most Popular WordPress Plugins For Bloggers!
* While I try to update this list as often as possible, it is not easy going into each of my old Blogging 101 posts to add the newest chapter. CLICK HERE to make sure you aren’t missing out on any Blogging 101 posts that I haven’t listed here yet!
About Nicole
Nicole is a stay-at-home mom living on the outskirts of Manhattan with her husband and their 3-year-old son. She is also expecting a second child in January 2013.
Thanks, cant wait til your next post
Now if you can fix WP so it doesn’t yell at me if I post ‘TOO QUICKLY”. Aggravating for a fast typer.
Sarah,
I knowwwwwww! Ugh. That is so frustrating. I am constantly annoyed by that. I get WHY that is there, but I wish there was a way for the WP system to recognize “this is a HUMAN and he/she is a FAST typer!” It is only a few milliseconds, but I go nuts when I have to press the back arrow and sit there counting “1…2..3… OKAY SUBMIT!” I feel the exact same pain you do over the “Woah! You are typing too fast!” – Oh yeah? Tell that to my 10th Grade typing teacher.. SHE would be so glad to know!
Thanks for reading!
- Nicole
Thank you! This is extremely helpful as I get my new blog up and running
Thank you! This is very helpful!
This was very helpful! I’m still getting settled into WP, and I just downloaded the FCKEditor. I’ve always hated trying to remember the HTML tags for making the text bigger and changing its color. I also plan on downloading the contact form and setting up a page on my blog.
Thanks again!
very interesting article thanks for posting it.
Thanks to all the wonderful bloggers such as yourself who are sharing your secrets with us. I’m just starting out and could use all the help I can get.
This is so exciting to me as I have just started on WP. I really want Deans FCKEditor but I can’t figure out how to install it. I know very little about these things but I will get better. Thanks so very much for all your Blogger 101 posts. I have only read a few but they lit a fire under my finger tips. lol I will be back to read more. I can only digest so much at once. Love these posts! Thank so much.
Gladys P
sps1113 at yahoo dot com
THANK YOU!
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