Because WordPress is an open source community, anyone can develop themes and tools for it.

Plug-ins are community-built applications that add extra features to any WordPress blog, from back-end resources to enhancing the reader experience.

Lately I’ve been asked about some of the features that are on this blog that aren’t native to the theme I use, so I thought it might be fun and useful to share them with you.

A couple of things. First, plug-ins can add load time to your blog, so only use ones that you really want (says he with 17 active plug-ins at present). Secondly, not all plug-ins and themes are compatible with each other, so make sure you check first. So… on with the list.

• Akismet. Probably the best spam filter I’ve ever used, Akismet is an incredibly intelligent plug-in that learns from the behaviour of your commenters to differentiate between spam and genuine comments. So far it’s stopped 13,034 spam comments from this blog. A must-have for any WordPress user.
• Align RSS Images. If you subscribe to a blog by RSS feed, you’ll know that images can appear all over the place. Align RSS Images makes sure that the images in a feed are in the same place as they are on the actual post.
• Apture. I LOVE Apture! A multi-media makeover for your blog, it lets you insert media, video, online profiles and more into a link, which then opens up a box on your post page. This keeps your readers on your site and doesn’t force them away for more info. Hover your mouse over this link to my Twitter profile or this one for the 12for12k video on YouTube as an example. You also have the option to have a site-specific social search and share bar enabled as well. Simply put, one of my favourite plug-ins.

• CommentLuv. Another favourite of mine, CommentLuv is one of the best ways to show your commenters your appreciation. If they have a blog, it will allow them to share one of their recent blog posts with your readers and display the link when they leave a comment for you. A great plug-in.
• Digg Digg. With social networks playing such a big part in blog traffic, it’s important to offer your readers a way to share your posts with their networks. Digg Digg is perfect for this, and allows readers to share your post with the most popular networks. That floating share box on the left of this post is an example of how Digg Digg works.
• Google XML Sitemaps. Although social search is becoming just as important as traditional search, web surfers still need to find your blog. Knowing how search engine optimization works is key, as is a good sitemap that allows the likes of Google to find pages on your blog easily. Google XML Sitemaps is an oldie, but still one of the best.
• Lijit Search. It never fails to amaze me when I land on a blog and it doesn’t have a search bar. How do you expect to grow your blog if it’s not user-friendly? Lijit offers a third-party option to the normal search bar that takes search to the next level. Not only does it search your blog, but that of your networks, online profiles and Google, with the results appearing on your blog. Recommended.
• Photo Dropper. A decent blog post can become good with the right image – a good blog post can become great. That’s how important images are. They provide instant attraction to visitors. Photo Dropper lets you choose Creative Commons images from Flickr, which means you get great images and offer the original photographer credit as well.

• Server Buddy. The main issue with WordPress and plug-ins is future compatibility. New updates to WordPress or plug-ins can conflict and mess up your theme. Server Buddy lets you check compatibility as well as highlights any issues with your web host too. A great plug-in.
• Smart Archives Reloaded. While many bloggers don’t have an Archives page, personally I feel it’s a key part of any blog. How will you let your new readers find older posts if you don’t have an Archives option? And they don’t hurt in search engines, either. Smart Archives Reloaded offers some cool multi-view functions instead of just normal posts. Check out my Archives Page for an example.
• Subscribe to Comments. A big part of any blog is the conversation happening on it. Inviting your readers to continue the discussion long after you’ve posted. Subscribe to Comments helps by letting you sign up for email alerts that a new comment has been posted on a discussion you like – great for keeping old posts alive.
• Twitterlink Comments. Built by the same Andy Bailey that also developed CommentLuv, Twitterlink Comments is a nice little plug-in that allows visitors to leave their Twitter username alongside their comment. Great for finding new connections on the micro-blogging site.
• Wapple Architect. As mobile browsing becomes more commonplace, making your blog mobile-friendly is paramount to its visibility. While there are a ton of options around, Wapple Architect is one of the best. Fully customizable to reflect your blog’s look and feel, and SEO-friendly to boot, it’s a great way to optimize your blog for the new mobile-intensive audience.
• What Would Seth Godin Do. What indeed. A nifty little plug-in that allows you to tailor a welcome message and a call-to-action for readers when they finish your post. The “Enjoy this post…” box at the end of the post you’re currently reading is What Would Seth Godin Do in action.
• Woopra. If you want to take your blogging to the next level, one of the key things you need to be doing is analyzing your traffic. Who’s visiting, where from, what links, how long for, click-through destinations and more. Woopra is a fantastic resource for this, and offers dashboard analytics on your blog as well as a desktop and web version too. Perfect for optimizing your site and understanding your readers and how you can help them.

• WordPress Database Back-Up. Like any web platform, WordPress can be prone to hacks. These attacks by spammers can leave your blog looking like a pig’s breakfast, so regular backing up is incredibly important. WordPress Database Back-Up is pretty straightforward but still in-depth enough for your needs.
• WP-SpamFree. Although I use Akismet for blocking comment spam, WP-SpamFree is another great option, yet also offers a pretty decent contact form for your blog as well, which it also protects from spam. Since spam is the bane of any blogger’s life, keeping spam off your blog can become a full-time job – something like WP-SpamFree is the perfect antidote.

These are the 17 WordPress plug-ins that I use to complete my blogging experience.

There are some hugely popular ones I don’t use, like All-in-One-SEO for example, because the Headway theme (affiliate link) already has its own incredibly robust search engine-friendly options built-in. And I’m a fan of the simple WordPress comment system as opposed to the widely-used Disqus Comments, so that’s why that’s not on here.

How about you? If you’re a WordPress user, what are your favourite plug-ins and why?

photo credit: Eric M Martin

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- It’s all about the dialogue.
- You have to fish where the fish are.
- You have to engage.
- You can’t measure the ROI of social media.
- Look at Zappos / Dell / Best Buy / Jetblue / Comcast as examples of how to do it right.
- Etc, etc, etc… (okay, this last one isn’t really part of the phrases!)

Now, second part of the pop quiz. How many times a day do you see or hear these phrases being used on a social network or blog? Once? Twice? Ten times? More?

My guess is that it’s quite a bit (and, I’ll be the first to hold my hand up and say I’ve been guilty of it in the past). I’ll try my best to steer clear of these areas – if I slip (and don’t quantify why I’m using one or more of these terms) then feel free to shout me down.

My point?

There are three audiences when it comes down to it – the early adopters of social media, the ones that have been using social media for a while, and the ones just starting to dip their toes in. And it’s time to bring these three audiences together. Faster. Starting today. Because really, there’s no need for differences when you think about it.

The toe dippers are looking for help and advice. Good, actionable advice. The kind that can take them from testing the water to the comfort zone that is the mid-term users. Where the theory is understood; the why isn’t in question; and the next step is the how part of the equation.

Which leaves the early adopters, who can bring bring all the pieces of the puzzle together. So let’s see that happening. Here’s how.

• Experienced folks – instead of just saying, “You have to fish where the fish are”, enable the fishermen. Show them exactly how you fish where the fish are. And, if you’re a new fisherman, question people that say this and don’t offer a boat to take you there.

• Quit using the “you can’t measure social media ROI” soundbite. If it can be deployed, it can be measured. Compare previous non-social media strategies with those now using it – did you save promotional money? Did you see an increase in website traffic? Did you reach more of your targeted audience? Was the process more streamlined? How many downloaded your mobile app? Did brand loyalty increase? Did your customer service satisfaction level increase because you had a virtual call centre? These are just some of the basic questions that can be answered when it comes to measuring ROI – but they’re good starting points.
• Change the soundtrack. Yes, it’s wonderful that businesses like Comcast, Zappos, Dell and others like them are held up as examples of social media success stories. But their stories are old now. What about the ones we don’t hear but should? What about family farms? Or innovative approaches to consumer wholesale food? Or delivery firms? Or, if you still want to talk fish, how about an actual fishing company? There’s a whole world of success stories out there – isn’t it about time we shared the small ones that are (probably) more relevant to most social media business users (at this minute)?

Everyone pretty much agrees social media isn’t a fad – it’s showing new ways to do business and connect locally and globally. So why are we still hanging on the coat tails of where it was this time last year?

We know the why – every business entering the social space is there for a reason. There’s not an awful lot of the how, though. So – let’s change that. Let’s stop accepting soundbites and the same old examples. Let’s move to actionable processes and where that can take us instead.

In short, let’s not be afraid to open up and really get this wealth of information to all users.

What say you?

photo credit: sugu

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