While some of my design Packages come with the option to have me install Plugins for you before the launch of your Blog or Website, some clients opt out of that option and choose to do it themselves. But with the hundreds upon hundreds of Plugins out there, how do you know which ones to install? I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite Plugins for you to check out. Keep an eye on this list, as it grows pretty frequently!
“Must Haves” for Every Site
- Askimet Spam Filter: This one is a must, no matter what kind of blog you have. Spam is one of the most annoying aspects of blogging. This filter catches pretty much everything. No glitches, no bugs, no hassle.
- TwitterLink Comments: Gives your commenters the chance to link their Twitter accounts to your blog in one easy step. The best thing? They only have to link it once for it to show up every time they come back to your site to comment!
- Comment Luv: My absolute favorite plugin. This allows your commenters to link to their site and have their most recent blog post show up with their comment. It’s a great way to allow a little extra exposure for those readers who take time to leave you feedback.
- WP Touch: Gives your blog a mobile friendly makeover, allowing your readers to browse your site on their phone or iTouch with ease.
- Comment Reply Notification: This plugin ensures that your commenters are notified whenever you (or someone else) takes the time to respond to a comment they left on your site. This plugin sends them an email notification for every response their comment receives.
- Some sort of contact Form: You’d be surprised by how many readers would be interested in contacting your via email regarding review opportunities, advertising, etc. But, if you only have your email address there and require that readers leave the page and open a new window to reach you, there is a huge possibility that that email will never be sent. I personally use Wufoo because of their ability to add multiple forms to different sites. But there are other sites and plugins providing great contact forms such as Formbuilder and the ever popular Gravity Forms.
- A set of Social “Share” Icons: I know you guys have seen them and there are literally hundreds of options for share icons to include in your blog. It all depends on what size icons you want and what your personal style is. A few of my favorites: Sexy Bookmarks, Sociable, and Socialize. All three offer different varieties of options for which bookmarks to include and where to place them. Be sure to search the actual WordPress Plugin directory for more options.