7 Essential Plugins for All New WordPress Sites

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The list of plugins for WordPress is endless. And most of them work very well. That’s one of things I love about the WordPress platform! No matter what you want to do from eCommerce to Social Bookmarking there is a plugin for it.

Here are the top 7 plugins I install and configure on every new WordPress site I setup.

BTW: I usually install these right after I apply my Top 5 Essential WordPress Tweaks.

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1. The Ultimate Google Analytics Plugin

At 1Cat.biz we talk a lot about the importance of tracking and testing to get higher conversions. As a matter of fact, that’s really where better website monetization starts. You have to know where your visitors are coming from, what search phrases they typed in to find you, how long they stayed on your site, what page they left from, and how changes to your site are improving your conversion rate. Without this information you’re just shooting in the dark. Now, I know that Google Analytics is not the only web stats tool but, in my opinion, it is the most convenient and damn is it slick!

Here are a few reasons why I like Google Analytics…

• Get stats from all of your websites in one place with one login
• Easy to use interface
• Setup and Track Conversion Goals
• Seemlessly integrates with Google AdWords and Website Optimizer
• The list goes on and on…

Here’s how you get your GA tracking code:

• Go to http://google.com/analytics and login with your existing Google account or create a new one.
• Click Add Website Profile.
• Enter your domain name and click continue.
• Now you will be taken to a page that displays your GA code.
• Copy your Web Property ID.
  
• Leave GA open and go back to your WordPress admin

Follow these Steps to Install the Ultimate Google Analytics Plugin (Click images for large view)

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Finishing Up

• After you insert your GA code into WordPress
• Go back to the Google Analytics browser window and click FINISH.
• It may take a while for Google to pick up your site but it is usually added within a few minutes.

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2. Google XML Sitemaps

Using an XML-Sitemap compliant sitemap should be a part of every website’s SEO startegy. This plugin makes it easy to add a properly formatted sitemap to your WordPress blog. This format is supported by Ask.com, Google, YAHOO and MSN Search.

• To install login to your WordPress admin click on PLUG-INS | ADD NEW and search for “Google XML Sitemaps”

After generating my sitemap there are two additional steps I usually like to take.

Step 1: Add my Sitemap link to the footer.php file of my WordPress blog.

Step 2: Add my sitemap to Google Webmaster tools.

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3. FD FeedBurner Plugin

FeedBurner enhances the standard WordPress feed and helps get your feed out to more people.The FeedBurner FeedSmith plugin is recommended by WordPress as the best way to use FeedBurner on your site. Some of the benefits of using FeedBurner are:

• FeedBurner constantly analyzes your feed to make sure it is formatted correctly. This can be very useful especially if your feed accidentally gets “broken” by improper coding in a post, etc…
• Manage and track all of your blog feeds from one FeedBurner account.
• Instantly see how many people viewed and clicked on your feed(s)
• Includes a comprehensive set of tools for Analyzing, Optimizing, Publicizing, Monetizing and Troubleshooting your feeds.
• Gives your viewers more options when subscribing to your feed. See Demo Here
• Allows you to setup a separate feed for comments.

Setting up this plugin is done in 2 main steps.

Step 1:

• To install login to your WordPress admin click on PLUG-INS | ADD NEW and search for “FD Feedburner”
• After the plugin is activated login to your WordPress admin and got to PLUGINS | FEEDBURNER CONFIGURATION
• Leave this window open. We’ll come back to it in a minute.

Step 2:

• Go to FeedBurner.com and create a new account. (If you don’t already have one.)
• Enter your WordPress blog feed when asked.
• Your feed URL will be http://yourdomain.com/feed
• Now FeedBurner will create a feed burner feed using the WordPress feed you just entered.
• Copy and Paste the FeedBurner feed into the available field in your WordPress admin area.
• Click Update Options
• Now when someone goes to http://yourdomain.com/feed they will be redirected to your FeedBurner feed.
• That’s it. You’re done.

NOTE: You may also want to add the option for your users to subscribe to your RSS feed via email. That option can be found in FeedBurner under the “Publicize” tab.

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4. All in One SEO

There are two main reasons I love this plugin and it is essential to every WordPress blog I create.

1. It allows me to have a title tag in my blog’s meta tags without having a “Blog Title” in my blog’s GENERAL | OPTIONS field. (Read that again slowly) Why would I want to do that? Well, let’s say you have a really sweet header graphic for your blog that already includes your Blog title.

If you leave the default “Blog Title” in you have this ugly text covering up your sweet graphic.

But, if you take the “Blog Title” out then your blog has no title in the meta tags and that is very bad.

The answer? All in One SEO (Or go and hack your php files.)

2. All in One SEO allows you to customize the Title and Keyword tags for each individual post!

• To install login to your WordPress admin click on PLUG-INS | ADD NEW and search for “all in one seo”
• To configure this plugin go to SETTINGS | ALL IN ONE SEO
• Enable the plugin
• Enter keyword rich and relevant Title and Description tags.
• Enter 5-10 relevant Keywords
• All other setting can be left as is.

Watch this 1Cat.biz How-To Video for more info.

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5. Akismet

Comment Spam can take the fun out of blogging really fast. Fortunately, there is a convenient free tool that will put an end to it.This plugin comes pre-installed in every new WordPress installation.

All you have to do is Activate it in the Plugins section of your WordPress admin and then go and get your free API key.

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6. WP Database Manager

Your WordPress content is too important to loose. This handy plugin will make sure you always have a fresh backup of your database. Schedule regular backups that can be stored on your server or better yet sent directly to your email.

• To install login to your WordPress admin click on PLUG-INS | ADD NEW and search for “WP-DBManager”
• Settings for this plugin will be available under a new navigation tab labeled “Database”.

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7. Add to Any

Make it easy for your web site visitors to share your content on popular social media sites and with their friends via email.

• To install login to your WordPress admin click on PLUG-INS | ADD NEW and search for “add to any”
• To configure click SETTINGS | SHARE / SAVE BUTTONS

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I hope you find this post useful. As always please leave your comments below and tell me what you think.

Thanks, Barry O.

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1Cat.biz Tags: Blogging, Wordpress plugins