This post in the New Bloggers series covers WordPress plugins. As we discussed in the other posts in this series, WordPress is the software of choice for most bloggers who want their own domain name rather than using free blog sites like Blogger. This allows you to have www.mysite.com rather than www.mysite.blogspot.com for example.
We also discussed the numerous “themes” that you can choose to make customizing the look and feel of your blog site easier. Another tool set you will want to investigate is called Plugins. This is software that is attached to WordPress that gives specific functionality such as building a Google friendly XML sitemap, optimizing your site for SEO (search engine optimization) or managing spam comments. WordPress 2.7 has a plugin installer or they can be manually installed by uploading the files to your wp-content/plugins folder on your server and then activating them within WordPress.
Here are a few I regularly use:
- Akismet. Spam comments run rampant in the blogging world. Spammers look for WordPress blogs that allow anyone to comment. That is why it is a good idea to check the setting that requires an administrator to approve comments before they are posted. Akismet checks your comments against the Akismet web service to see if they look like spam or not. You need a WordPress.com API key to use it. You can review the spam it catches under “Comments.” This plugin comes with WordPress and just needs to be activated and your API key inserted.
- All In One SEO Pack. Optimizing your blog for the search engines is very important. This plugin gives you easy fill-in-the-blanks for the site and each page and post to assist with this function. If your WordPress theme has SEO built in, you may not need this plugin.
- Google XML Sitemaps. Another important part of your SEO efforts is to have a Google-friendly sitemap. This plugin does the job automatically and also submits the sitemaps to Yahoo and MSN as well.
- Share & Bookmarking Plugins. I’m sure you have noticed that most blogs have the ability for you to bookmark a post or share it with a friend or submit it to sites like Digg or Stumbleupon or even Tweet it in Twitter. I use the Add To Any plugin but there are many to choose from. If you install the Onlywire plugin on your site, you can use their automatic bookmarking service for free.
Hop over to the Warrior Forum to see a great post about popular plugins to consider. By the way, you should join this forum because there is a world of helpful information there and really smart Internet Marketers willing to help.
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This post was written by...
Christine Cobb is a web technology consultant, a small business online marketing consultant and provides information for new bloggers and affiliate marketers. Please let me know your thoughts about this blog post. I recommend the products and services mentioned here either because I've personally used them or know the distributor's reputation. Assume links are affiliate links.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
A lot of people have reported problems while using the google xml sitemaps plugin. It tends to interfere with other plugins and cause errors on the blog. I love all the other plugins you mentioned though
Thanks Loretta for the heads up. I haven’t had any problems, but it’s good to be on the lookout for possible problems.
I am glad to read this.I am Belgian and I try to start an affiliate marketing.I first started with 3 different blogs with wordpress.com.It started to be better on google results.One day I was very surprised and schocked that all 3 blogs were removed from internet.When I wanted to open my blogs there was -and still is- a message from wordpress.com that says that this blog was archived or removed because “violation of the terms”.Asking to wordpress.com what I can do wrong and why they say that I “violate” their terms I stay without an answer.Not very friendly,after all the work and time I spent with this 3 affiliate blogs.Try to visit e.g.:http://www.woonenslaapcomfort.wordpress.com and you will see.Please find the time to answer me.Can you tell me why wordpress.com removed me from internet with this 3 blogs?Very interessant that I remark that now you write that the same wordpress allows affiliate marketing-is this WORDPRESS.COM????I wait for your answer.With kind regards.Daniel.
Daniel,
Wordpress.com is a free blogging service managed by some of the same people that developed the Wordpress software. These posts reference the Wordpress software and not the free service. Sorry I can’t tell why they disapproved your blog but looks like you are up and running with your own hosted blog.
hey this is a very interesting article!
Dear Chris,
As I read my comment (that appeared in your website above)in google when I typed “woonenslaapcomfort”I wanted now to thank you for the very interessant website and your letters I may receive from you.I am very occupied to start my own hosted blog so that I cannot have bad surprises again .Can you please visit my blog once when you have time and tell me what I can improve,because I am very surprised about my so bad pagerank in google=1… All the best &very kind regards,
Daniel-Belgium-De Haan
http://www.bloggen.be/woonenslaapcomfort
Daniel,
You might want to use Hubspot’s web page grader. You can find it at http://website.grader.com. This is a free service and may give you a few clues as to why your page rank is low.
Dear Chris,
Very good information .I guess I have some work to do.This is a great service you offer.THANK YOU.Yesterday I spoke about you on Twitter.I have to go back ..
Can I do something for you?
Let me know
yaca@telenet.be
http://bloggen.be/woonenslaapcomfort