Top WordPress Plugins Guide An A - Z For Beginners
There are literally thousands of wordpress plugins you can choose from to change the feel and functions of your wordpress website. Not all the plugins are well made and not all of them are kept up to date. WordPress is constantly being updated and it is important to choose plugins that are well maintained and updated regularly as well. Very often the first place I look when there is a problem on a website is the plugin most likely to be causing conflict.
The below list is one I have compiled of plugins I have used and found to be useful in the past. I would not advocate using them all on a website as too many can slow the site down and as I said earlier cause conflicts.
I shall keep adding to this list as and when I find new and useful plugins.
All in one Adsense
Plugin Name: All in one Adsense
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-adsense-and-ypn/
Description:All in One Adsense and YPN is a Free and Open Source WordPress plugin which is able to automatically insert google adsense ads or yahoo publisher network (YPN) ads in to your posts on the fly
All In One SEO
Plugin Name: All in one SEO
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack
Description: Automatically optimizes your WordPress blog for Search Engines (Search Engine Optimization).
Blog Commenting
Plugin name: Thank Me Later
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/thank-me-later/
Description: Thank Me Later will automatically send an e-mail to your those who leave a comment at your blog. Use this plugin to say 'Thanks' to your visitors, and prompt them to further engage with your blog.
Blog Backup
Plugin Name: Automatic WordPress Backup
Plugin download url:http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...dpress-backup/
Description: Backs up your WordPress Site using Amazon S3 automatically. This is a must have back up tool that you should have running on all your WordPress Sites. This tool does back up your MysQl Database, Themes folder, Plugins folder and your Uploaded content. This Gives you the security that your website is being backed up outside of your local hosting account and it can be easily retrieved from your Amazon S3 Bucket when needed if you ever need to restore your WordPress Blog.
Bookmarking
Plugin Name: Sharing is Sexy SexyBookmarks
Plugin download url:http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/sexybookmarks/
Description: SexyBookmarks is a WordPress plugin that inserts a (X)HTML compliant list-based menu of social bookmarking site icons in each post to allow users to easily submit your posts to some of the most popular social bookmarking networks automatically, including Facebook and Twitter. The attractive social bookmarking menu has buttons that move up when hovered over. You have other options if you do not want to use the phrase Sharing is Sexy. SexyBookmarks is a free plugin.
Cache Plugin
Plugin Name: WP Super Cache
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/
Description: A very fast caching engine for WordPress that produces static html files.
Contact Form
Plugin Name: Contact Form 7
Plugin Page: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/contact-form-7/
Description: Contact Form 7 can manage multiple contact forms, plus you can customize the form and the mail contents flexibly with simple markup.
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Error Pages
Custom 404 Landing Page
Plugin Name: 404 Seo Plugin
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/404-plugin/
Description: This plug will add relevant links to articles on your site so if someone lands on a 404 error page they have an opportunity to click on another link on your site instead of just clicking away. This does help to keep people that landed on your page from leaving so quickly since they are prone to click on a link that is relevant to what they were searching for in the first place. To use this plugin all it takes is adding a snippet of code into your theme and it works instantly.
404 to start
Plugin Name: 404 to 301 redirect
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/404-to-start/
Description: This is one of the easiest and best plugins I've found that is extremely useful, because it will automatically redirect any 404 error to any page you wish. I have it set to home page, but you can set it to go to squeeze page, a review post, anything you wish really. I believe this is a must have plugin to have in your arsenal.
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Google XML Sitemaps
Plugin name: Google XML Sitemaps
Plugin Page: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-sitemap-generator/
Description: This plugin will generate a special XML sitemap which will help search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and Ask.com to better index your blog. With such a sitemap, it's much easier for the crawlers to see the complete structure of your site and retrieve it more efficiently.
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Images
Plugin Name: SEO Friendly Images
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/seo-image/
Description: Automatically Updates your images on your Site. Making them More Seo Optimized by modifying Alt and Title Attributes. If the images do not have the Alt and Title Attributes set it automatically sets them for you.
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LinkCloaking
Plugin name: GoCodes
Plugin Page: http://www.webmaster-source.com/goco...gin-wordpress/
Description: This is really neat - a variation of link cloaking but inserts the code for you. It uses your blog address and inserts /go/your-affiliate-name etc. so this is what your visitors and Google sees.
Link Checking
Plugin name: Broken Link Checker
Plugin download url / http://w-shadow.com/blog/2007/08/05/...for-wordpress
Description of what the plugin does: Checks your site for broken links and sends you an e-mail
Maps
Plugin Name: Map Press
Plugin Page: http://wphostreviews.com/mappress
Description: Easy integration of Google Maps
Mobile Plugins
Plugin Name: WordPress Mobile Pack
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...s-mobile-pack/
Description: Cool Mobile Pack that helps you make your site mobile ready. Also allows the user to switch between desktop theme and mobile theme Plus more.
Menu Plugin
Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu
Plugin name:Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu
Plugin download url:http://planetozh.com/blog/my-project...drop-down-css/
Description: A horizontal menu gave the admin area more of a “desktop application” feel
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Printing
Plugin Name: WP-Print
Plugin Page: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-print/
Description: Allows visitors to print your blog's page/post.
Privacy Policy
Plugin Name: Easy Privacy Policy
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...rivacy-policy/
Description: Easy Privacy policy lets you quickly set up a google adsense compliant privacy policy for your blog with only a few clicks
Quotes
Plugin Name: Super Cool QR Code
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/super-cool-qrcode/
Description: You can add some QR codes to your blog for mobile marketing.
Redirection Plugin
Plugin Name: Redirection Plugin
Plugin download url:http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/redirection/
Description: This Plugin is a must have if you decide to change the permalinks to a post or page. You can easily create a 301 redirect to the proper link on your site. If you have a post that has been ranking well and you would like to make an adjustment this will make it a breeze to do. It also monitors 404 errors on your site so can also make adjustments on the fly so you don't lose valuable traffic because of a messed or changed link that already has been in the search engines.
Search
Plugin Name: Search Meter
Plugin Page: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/search-meter/
Description: If you have a Search box on your blog, Search Meter automatically records what people are searching for -- and whether they are finding what they are looking for. Search Meter's admin interface shows you what people have been searching for in the last couple of days, and in the last week or month. It also shows you which searches have been unsuccessful. If people search your blog and get no results, they'll probably go elsewhere. With Search Meter, you'll be able to find out what people are searching for, and give them what they want by creating new posts on those topics.
Security
Plugin Name: Login Lockdown
Plugin Page: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/login-lockdown/
Description: Login LockDown records the IP address and timestamp of every failed login attempt. If more than a certain number of attempts are detected within a short period of time from the same IP range, then the login function is disabled for all requests from that range. This helps to prevent brute force password discovery.
Social Media
Plugin Name: Facebook Social Plugin
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...ocial-plugins/
Description: This plugin lets you integrate many features from facebook to your WordPress Blog, You can set it up to use it for comments, the "like Button" You can add Recommendations using widgets. Basically makes your site more social in nature.
Testimonials
Plugin Name: wp-testimonial
Plugin Page: http://www.sunfrogservices.com/web-p...-testimonials/
Description: Places random testimonials in a sidebar widget or page.
Translation
Plugin Name: GTranslate
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/gtranslate/
Description: This Plugin allows you to insert a flag with drop down box which contains 58 different languages and translates your website in an instant. I think it's great as it makes your website accessible to 98% of Internet users!
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Video
Plugin Name: Video Sidebar
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...debar-widgets/
Description: A Plugin that allows you to have random Videos Showing on your sidebar. It supports 14 video sharing sites every time you reload the site a new video should show up. Word of caution if you are using a caching plugin for your site this plugin might not work properly. You also need tiny mce advanced to be installed as well. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tinymce-advanced/
Smart YouTube
Plugin Name: Smart YouTube
Plugin Page: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/smart-youtube/
Description: Smart Youtube is a WordPress Youtube Plugin that allows you to easily insert Youtube videos/playlists in your post, comments and in RSS feed.
Widgets
Plugin Name: Display Widgets
Display Widgets
Plugin download url: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/display-widgets/
Description: You can Change the sidebar Content with each page. You can choose what widget shows up on any of your pages
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