The Must-Have Plugins I use on my WP Blogs

icon1 Posted by Rochelle in Blogging Strategies on 07 31st, 2008 | 35 responses

Edit 12/03/2008: I have modified this list to reflect plugins that I’ve either added to my personal collection, no longer like, or are no longer available.

One of the greatest aspects of using WordPress blogs is that there are hundreds (thousands?) of plugins that make customizing your blogs very easy. Here is a list of the plugins I use. Included, also, is how I activate each plugin, or any special steps that need to be done. I’ve included this information because I have found many of the instructions that come with the plugins are, well, less than helpful.

All plugins will be uploaded to …/wp-content/plugins. All plugins are activated in your blog’s Admin in the Plugins tab. All plugins listed here are compatible with WP 2.6.

 

Must-have plugins I use for my WordPress blogs:

©Feed (Note – As of 12/03/2008, this plugin is not compatible with WP v 2.6)
 The ©Feed plugin lets you add a customized copyright message on posts visible on your RSS feed. The purpose of this is to help prevent theft of your posts.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the ©Feed link. Select your options, then save the changes. I strongly recommend you use the digital fingerprint option. I use the series of characters suggested just below this option.
 Tip: If you use the digital fingerprint option you can set up a Google Alert for the digital fingerprint code. See How to Create Google Alerts for Your Site.
Add Signature
 The Add Signature plugin lets you create a signature that will automatically be displayed at the bottom of every post you create.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the DDAddSig link. Modify the contents of the Primary Signature (or all three, if you want). I only use the Primary Signature so can’t speak about using more than one.
  
 Scroll down to the bottom and choose where you want your signature to show up. I choose all options.
  
 Click the Update Options button.
Akismet
 The Akismet plugin is already installed, as it comes with WordPress and helps prevent spam from showing up on your blog. When it finds comments or trackbacks it thinks is spam it puts them in a folder, instead of posting them publicly. You can go through the folder to make sure there aren’t any legitimate comments (every now and then I find one in there) and remove them, then delete all spam with a single keystroke. It does an excellent job of catching spam.
  
 You will need to enter your WordPress.com API key before it will complete the activation process. I believe you need to register with WordPress.com to get this key, but once you have a key you can use it for all your blogs. Read more about this at WordPress’s FAQ.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 There isn’t much to edit, and this isn’t something I do. Click the Plugins tab, then the Akismet Configuration link. Choose to automatically discard spam comments older than one month, then click the Update options button.
aLinks – No longer available for download – See “Crosslink” below for an alternative linking plugin
 The aLinks plugin lets you add clickable links in your blog posts to any place you want to send people. Use this plugin to create links to any place within your site, including your niche store.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the aLinks tab and the Settings link. Choose your options, then save your changes.
  
 Click the Keyphrases link. Add your keyphrases and the pages they link to, then save your changes.
All in One SEO Pack
 The All in One SEO Pack plugin lets you optimize your blog posts for search engines.
  
 Download from here.
  
 Edit your Home page meta tags by clicking Settings, then the All in One SEO link. Enter the following:
  Home Title (this is the title meta tag)
  Home Description (this is the description meta tag)
  Home Keywords (this is the keywords meta tag)
  
 To use:
 Write your blog post, then scroll down until you see the All in One SEO Pack bar:
 
Image of 'All in One SEO Pack'
  
 Click the tiny white arrow, on the left side, to open so you can use this feature on your post. Complete the options, then save or publish your post:
 
Image of 'All in One SEO Pack'
Amazon Reloaded
 The Amazon Reloaded plugin lets you add products from Amazon.com and earn affiliate commissions.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Amazon Reloaded link. Enter your Amazon Associate ID (required to earn affiliate commissions) and choose your default country, then save your changes.
  
 Write a new post, then scroll down to the Amazon Reloaded field. Enter a search term, then click the Search Amazon.com button:
 
Image of Amazon Reloaded field
  
 You will now see every category that has results for the term you entered:
 
Image of categories in Amazon.com that contain results for your search term
  
 Click on a category to see the results. When you find an item you want to add to your post, hover your mouse over the Insert image text, then choose Small, Medium, or Large. This will insert a small, medium, or large image of the item you chose into your post.
 Note: I have found that this plugin doesn’t always work in some browsers. If you have trouble adding an image then open your blog’s admin in a different browser and try again.
  
 When readers click on the image they will be taken to Amazon to see that item.
  
 I like to edit the image so there is wording under it directing readers to click the image. To edit your image:
  Right click the image, but don’t choose anything from the menu that opened. In addition to the menu, you should also see two images over the original image. Click on the left image, the one that looks like a picture:
 
Image of what to click to edit photo
   
  I edit images as follows:   

  • Select Left alignment so the text from my post will wrap around the image
  • Add an image title
  • Add an image caption
   
  Save changes. You may need to scroll down to see the Update button you need to click to save your changes.
AntiLeech
 The AntiLeech plugin helps prevent content theft from sploggers by showing useless content on the sploggers sites.
  
 Download from here.
  
 Upload the antileech.php file into the …/ wp-content / plugins folder. This plugin will not be in a folder, as most plugins are. The file is all you need to upload.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the AntiLeech link. Choose your options, then save your changes.
  
 This plugin may be a bit confusing for some users. There is an excellent article about using this plugin at AntiLeech Splog Stopper.
Bad Behavior 2 – I have found that this plugin prevents me from see my site when I have tried to go to it from a Google link. I have stopped using it because I fear other visitors may also be unable to access my site due to this plugin.
 The Bad Behavior 2 plugin is not actually meant for spam blocking but users have found it to be highly effective at doing just that.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Bad Behavior link. Choose your options, then save your changes.
new! Breadcrumb NavXT
 The Breadcrumb NavXT plugin lets you add a breadcrumb trail to your blog.
  
 Download from here.
  
 This plugin has two components to it: Breadcrumb NavXT – Administration and Breadcrumb NavXT – Core. They will appear as two different plugins in your Plugins page. You can only have one activated. Do not activate both.
  
 I prefer to use the Breadcrumb NavXT – Core plugin, so the information below pertains to this one.
  
 To use:
 After you activate the plugin you will need to add some code to your blog’s theme. Click the Design tab, then the Theme Editor link.
  
 Click the header.php file. Save a copy of the code before modifying it.
  
 Add the following code under all other code:
 <div class=”breadcrumb”>   

<?php

if(class_exists(‘bcn_breadcrumb_trail’))

{

//Make new breadcrumb object

$breadcrumb_trail = new bcn_breadcrumb_trail;

//Setup options here if needed

//Fill the breadcrumb trail

$breadcrumb_trail->fill();

//Display the trail

$breadcrumb_trail->display();

}

?>

</div>

 

 

 Save changes by clicking the, “Update File” button. View your site for errors. You should now see a breadcrumb trail just under your logo/graphic (the actual location may vary by theme).
  
 Tip: This plugin uses the default term of Blog for the ‘Home’ page. You can change this:
  
 Use your FTP client to navigate to the Breadcrumb NavXT plugin folder (i.e. …/wp-content/plugins/breadcrumb-navxt). Open breadcrumb_navxt_class.php to edit it. Save a copy of the code before you make changes.
  
  Search for ‘home_title’ => ‘Home’, and change Blog to the wording of your choice (i.e. Home). Save changes and view site for errors.
Brian’s Threaded Comments
 The Brian’s Threaded Comments plugin lets users to respond to comments by nesting their responses within the appropriate comments (as you’ve seen in the comments in this site).
  
 Download from here.
  
 Use your FTP client or hosting account’s cPanel to navigate to …/ wp-content / themes / <yourtheme> / comments.php. Save a copy of the original comments.php file, as you are going to replace it in the next step.
  
 Replace the comments.php with the one in the Brian’s Threaded Comments folder. This will overwrite the comments.php file currently on your site.
 Tip: If you change your blog’s theme then you will need to repeat the above step.
  
 Log in to your blog’s Admin and activate the plugin.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Threaded Comments link. Select your options, then save the changes.
 Note: On some themes this makes the ‘Comments’ field wider than it should be. If someone knows what code needs to be edited to correct this please let me know.
new! Caffeinated Content
 The Caffeinated Content plugin is a great way to add unique content to your blog. This is a wonderful tool to use if you find it difficult to think of posts to write. I have written a post about this content and how to use it. For details, see my post, “Why I am Loving the Caffeinated Content Plugin.”
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Caffeinated Content link. The first time you go here you will need to enter your registration information:
 
  • Registration e-mail = the e-mail address you used when you purchased the plugin
  • Registration key = the registration key you were sent after you purchased the plugin
  • Yahoo Developer Application ID = if you have one, enter it, otherwise, leave the default entry
 Save your changes. The message at the top that starts with, “Yo…your creds ain’t checkin’ out…” will go away if your registration information is correct.
  
 Click the Write tab, then the Caffeinated Content Management link. Choose your options and click the “Go >>” button. For more specific instructions, visit my blog post on this plugin (see the link above).
CommentLuv
 The CommentLuv plugin allows people who leave comments on your blog to show their most recent blog posts (this works only for people who have blogs, otherwise there is nothing to show).
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the CommentLuv link. Select your options, then save the changes.
new! Cross-Linker
 The Cross-Linker plugin lets you easily add hyperlinks to your posts. You can use this plugin to create links to affiliate sites, other web sites, or even deep links within your own site.
  
 I found this plugin when I was looking for something to replace aLinks. I must say, I like this plugin much better than aLinks. In my opinion, it is much easier to use, and keeping track of links is better. What I like best is that I only need to create a link once and the plugin will use it every time it finds that word or term. If I had created just a single link in aLinks, then only a single instance of that keyword would have been turned into a link. I hated having to add the same word multiple times to have it create links multiple times in the same post. (If that sounds confusing then just trust me when I say this plugin is easier to use!)
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Manage tab, then the Cross-Linker link.
  
 The first time you come to this page you will see a bunch of information. You can read each one and then click the, “Never show this message again!” button to get rid of them. I deleted all but the, “If you find a problem…” blurb.
  
 Create your links, and save each one after you create it. There are additional settings you can choose from, but I haven’t used them.
Enforce WWW. Preference
 The Enforce WWW. Preference plugin will help prevent duplicate content on your site from being indexed by preventing search engines from indexing the same page twice (one with www. and one without it).
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 There is nothing more you need to do to use this plugin.
FeedBurner FeedSmith
 The FeedBurner FeedSmith plugin that helps you track your RSS feed subscribers.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the FeedBurner link. Enter your options, then save the changes.
 Note: If you are unable to ‘burn a feed’ at FeedBurner then try publishing a post and try again.
Google Sitemap Generator
 The Google Sitemap Generator plugin creates a Google-friendly sitemap for your blog.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the XML-Sitemap link. Enter your options, then save the changes. Add your sitemap to:
  Google Webmaster Tools
  MSN Live Webmaster Tools
  Yahoo! Site Explorer
KB Robots.txt
 The KB Robots.txt plugin lets you create a robots.txt file. If your site currently has a robots.txt file then you should delete this before installing this plugin (be sure to save the contents of your file before deleting it if you want to keep the contents of the file).
  
 Tip: This plugin is only useful for sites that have the WP blog located in the root directory of a site. If the blog is located within a folder on the site then this plugin will not work properly as it will put the robots.txt in the blog’s folder, not the root directory where it belongs.
  
 Also, if you view your robots.txt after installing this plugin it will tell you to modify it by going to ‘Options’ in your blog’s Admin, but sites using WP 2.5+ will need to go to ‘Settings.’
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the KB Robots.txt link. Enter your options, then save the changes.
Photo Dropper
 The Photo Dropper plugin lets you add Creative Commons licensed photos (images that are licensed for shared use) in your blog posts.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Write your blog post, then scroll down until you see the Photo Dropper bar:
 
Image of 'Photo Dropper'
  
 Enter a keyword, or keywords, click the Search button, then scroll through the results until you find one you want to use. Add the desired image by clicking the S, M, or L link under the image (S = small, M = medium, and L = large, as in the size of the image you use).
  
 You may need to play around with the keywords you enter to find just what you want.
phpBay Pro
 The phpBay Pro plugin lets you add eBay auction results to your blog posts.
  
 Download from here.
  
 This plugin requires several steps to be completed before you activate it. You can watch video tutorials at phpBay Tutorials. The steps you take before activating this plugin are:
  Upload the following folders and files to the same folder where you will find wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes (this may be at the root directory or in a folder created for your blog, such as www.yourURL.com/blog/images):   

  • The contents of the images folder to the current images folder. If you don’t have an images folder then simply upload the entire folder to the proper location.
  • The ioncube folder.
  • The auction.php file.

Open the phpBay folder that is located on your computer. Copy and paste your phpBay Pro license key file, a long series of characters, to the license.key file (found by logging in to the phpBay Pro Store), then save changes.

Upload the contents of phpbay_plugin / wp-content / plugins / phpbay to your WP plugin folder (the folder you normally upload plugins to).

Log in to your blog’s Admin and activate the plugin.

Click the Settings tab, then the phpBay Pro link. Enter your License Key (found by logging in to the phpBay Pro Store) and click the Update Options button. You should see a message that says your license was verified and is now active.

While still on the phpBay Pro link, choose any options you want, then save your changes. Don’t forget to choose your eBay affiliate type and number!

  
 To use:
 Write a new post. To add eBay auctions you need to change your writing method to HTML (this won’t work in Visual). Put your cursor where you want the auction results to show, then click the pBP button, which will add code into your post:
 
Image of how to add phpBay Pro code to post
  
 Now you need to edit the code you just added. You can watch the video tutorial for complete details on what you can do. I typically just change keyword(s) to whatever auctions I want to show, and num to however results I want to show. I don’t change the rest:
 
Image of how to modify phpBay Pro code
  
 Save your post (not publish), then preview the post to make sure the results are what you want. If not, go back and work on the keywords until you are happy with the results. I’ve found that phpBay Pro can be a bit touchy. It won’t always show auction results that I know to be there. When you are finally satisfied then you can publish your post.
  
 Tip: To get the most out of the phpBay Pro plugin I recommend you install the free Multiple Country plugin and Title Format plugin.
phpBay Pro Plugin – Better Title Display
 The Better Title Display plugin works with the phpBay Pro plugin. It changes ugly auction titles like, “GREAT CaNon CaMERa” to “Great Canon Camera.”
  
 You need the phpBay Pro plugin for this free plugin to work.
  
 Download from here.
  
 This plugin requires several steps to be completed before you activate it:
  Use your FTP client or cPanel’s File Manager to navigate to …/ wp-content / plugins / phpBay / templates. You will modify the template.ebay.results.html so make sure you save a copy of it before you change anything, just in case you need to revert back to the original file.   

Open the template.ebay.results.html file with NotePad. Search for %%title%% and replace it with <!–startoftitle–>%%title%%<!–endoftitle–> and save your changes.

Upload the phpbay-titleformat.php file into the …/ wp-content / plugins folder. This plugin will not be in a folder, as most plugins are. The file is all you need to upload.

Log in to your blog’s Admin and activate the plugin.

  
 To use:
 There is nothing more you need to do to use this plugin.
phpBay Pro Plugin – Multiple Country
 The Multiple Country plugin works with the phpBay Pro plugin, and lets visitors to your blog choose country-specific eBay auction results:
 
Image of country options available to site visitors
  
 You need the phpBay Pro plugin for this free plugin to work.
  
 Download from here.
  
 This plugin requires several steps to be completed before it will work (you don’t activate this plugin):
  Upload the following files to the …wp-content / plugins / phpBay / includes folder (this will overwrite the three .php files that are already there, so make sure you have a copy of the originals before they are overwritten, in case you need to revert back to them):   

  • combo.php
  • country.php
  • geo.php
  • geoip.inc

Go to MaxMind and download the latest GeoLite Country Binary Format.

You will need to unzip this file. I found the instructions to do this very confusing. I found an easy solution (well, relatively speaking, of course). To unzip this file:

  • Log in to your hosting account’s cPanel.
  • Click the File Manager icon or link.
  • Navigate to your site’s …wp-content / plugins / phpBay / includes folder.
  • Upload the GeoIP.dat.gz file. After it uploads you may see that the file is zipped (or compressed, I’m not exactly sure) and needs to be extracted:

Image of compressed GeoIP.dat.gz file

  • Click the Extract File Contents link (name may vary depending on your site’s host):

Image of link to extract GeoIP.dat.gz file

  • The extracted file, GeoIP.dat, will either be added to the folder, along with the compressed file, or it will replace the compressed file (it depends on how your hosting account handles compressed files).

The GeoIP.dat file should be updated each month to ensure the greatest accuracy. At the beginning of each month go to MaxMind and download the latest GeoLite Country Binary Format, and repeat the steps involved in extracting the file. The filename is case sensitive so do NOT change it or the plugin won’t work.

  
 To use:
 There is nothing more you need to do to use this plugin.
Search Everything
 The Search Everything plugin makes searching your blog easier for visitors.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Search Everything link. Choose your options, then save changes.
Sitemap Generator
 The Sitemap Generator plugin creates a sitemap for your blog.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the DDSitemapGen link. Choose your options, then save changes.  Next, create a new Page and enter <!– ddsitemapgen –> so the sitemap will show.  Save page.
 Note: This is not the same sitemap that is created with the Google Sitemap Generator plugin. This sitemap is meant for site visitors, so they can see all your posts in one location.
Sociable – I’ve stopped using this because the buttons became annoying to me at the end of each post.
 The Sociable plugin adds social media buttons to your posts so readers can easily share your blog posts.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Sociable link. Choose your options, then save changes.
Subscribe Remind
 The Subscribe Remind plugin adds a gentle reminder to readers, encouraging them to subscribe to your RSS feed, at the end of each post.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 There is nothing more you need to do to use this plugin.
Subscribe to Comments
 The Subscribe to Comments plugin allows readers who write comments to subscribe to comments, so they will know when additional comments have been added.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Subscribe to Comments link. Choose your options, then save changes.
Trackback Validator
 The Trackback Validator plugin that helps prevent spam trackback links.
 Tip: It seems there’s a little bug in this plugin. If you have your WP panel set to email you when there are new comments then you will receive emails for spam trackbacks, even though they are properly filtered. This means your inbox may become filled with spam emails.
  
 There are two different hacks you can do to prevent this from happening. Apply one of these hacks at your own risk:
  Hack the plugin
  Hack WP
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Trackback Validation link. Choose your options, then save changes.
WP-Ban
 The WP-Ban plugin lets you ban users based on their IP address. This is useful if you have visitors who regularly post comments that aren’t appropriate, mean, nasty, etc.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Ban link. Enter the IP address you want to ban, or change the message seen when banned viewers try to visit your site, then save changes.
WP-Contact Form
 The WP-Contact Form plugin lets you add a ‘Contact Me’ form to your blog.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Contact Form link. Enter your email address (the one you want emails from visitors sent to) and your other settings, then save changes.
  
 Add a ‘Contact Me’ page by clicking the Write tab, then the Pages link. Create your page (I titled mine ‘Contact Me‘) and add % %wpcontactform% % (remove the spaces so everything between % and % is all connected, as seen in the image below) to the page area:
 
Image of 'Contact Form' plugin code
  
 Publish page (read the tip below before you actually publish this page). Your blog now has a page that allows visitors to contact you.
 Tip: You may prefer to have a link in your footer that takes people to your ‘Contact Me’ page instead of a link where your other blog pages are located (if you look up you will see my ‘Contact Me’ link in the grey, horizontal menu bar). I’ll be writing soon about how to do this. Until I do, if you prefer a footer link, save your page but don’t publish it.
new! WP Review Site Plugin
 The WP Review Site Plugin lets you turn your blog into a review blog.
  
 Download from here.
  
 You can use this plugin on any theme, but if you do not use one of the included themes (this plugin comes with two themes, and you can purchase four more), then you need to add code to your current theme. To be honest, this is a bit complicated. I recommend using one of the themes meant for this plugin. I purchased the additional four themes, and am very pleased with how they look.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the WP Review Site link. This is where you will create the categories people will use when rating your posts.
  
 There should be a default category already listed, called ‘Overall Rating.’ If you like this, then do nothing with it. If you want to change the wording, change it and scroll down to the bottom and click the Save Settings button.
  
 You can add as many categories for people to rate as you like, but you can add them one at a time.
  
 Add a new category by entering your category wording in the ‘Add a Category’ box:
Image of where to add a new ratings category
  
 Now, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click the Save Settings button:
Image of button to click to save your new ratings category
  
 Ignore the Auto-Embed Settings, as these are used only if you are NOT using one of the included themes. In other words, you will only use these settings if you added code to your own themes.
  
 Start writing blog posts. Be aware that every page of your blog will have review information on them. There is a way to block certain pages or categories, but I haven’t figured out how to do this yet (I’ll share when it makes sense to me).
  
 Additionally, if you want to send visitors to an affiliate link (or any other link, for that matter), you can enter a link in the WPRS: Visit Site URL. This will add a link to each post that says, “Visit Site.”
 Tip: This plugin uses the default term of Visit Site for the affiliate link button on the included themes. You can change this in the theme you are using:
  
 Click the Design tab, then the Theme Editor link.
  
 Click the single.php file. Save a copy of the code before modifying it.
  
  Search for <?php visit_site_link(“Visit Site “); ?> and change Visit Site to the wording of your choice. Save changes and view site for errors.
  
 It is possible that this “Visit Site” link is on additional theme pages. Follow the above instructions for any other pages that display this link.
Yet Another Related Posts Plugin
 The Yet Another Related Posts Plugin plugin automatically finds posts related to the one you just wrote and adds links to those posts.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Settings tab, then the Related Posts (YARPP) link. Choose your options, then save changes.
  
 I choose the following options, as they work best for me:
  
= 10
  Match threshold = 4
  Titles = consider with extra weight
  Bodies = consider
  Tags = consider
  Categories = consider
  Automatically display related posts? = Checked
  /
WordPress Database Backup
 The WordPress Database Backup plugin lets you schedule backups of your WordPress database tables. You can also include tables for any plugins you select.
  
 If any of you are paying attention, you will notice that this entry is out of alphabetical order. This is intentional, as it is best to use this plugin after your other plugins are installed and activated. The reason is so all possible tables can be included when you select what tables to backup when scheduling this plugin.
  
 Download from here.
  
 To use:
 Click the Manage tab, then the Backup link. Enter your email address and your other settings, then save changes. You can choose to backup your database tables right now, or schedule backups to be done at the interval you choose.
.

Rochelle

35 Responses to “The Must-Have Plugins I use on my WP Blogs”

  1. How to Setup a WordPress Blog | Niche Store Strategies says:
    July 31, 2008 at 3:58 pm

    [...] The Must-Have Plugins I use on my WP Blogs [...]

  2. Melissa says:
    July 31, 2008 at 10:18 pm

    Hi Rochelle,

    Great list! I use nearly all of them myself. I have a couple more that I would add to it.

    Have you ever looked at Keyword Luv? You don’t have to disable nofollow on your blog for it to work. Spammers won’t comment if your blog is nofollow – well not usually anyway.

    Makes it nice to be able to respond to comments with “Hi Joe” instead of “Hi Travel Timeshares”. Just gives readers an option to use their name instead of spammy looking anchor text. You can see it here:
    Keyword Luv

    Another plugin I use on most every site is Smart YouTube for embedding YouTube videos related to your niche. Easy to use and helps with keeping visitors on your site for a longer period of time. You can find it here:
    Smart YouTube

    Hope you find them useful. I know there are a couple more, but can’t think what they are at the moment.

    Melissa

    Melissas last blog post..PhpBay Site Build – First Month Stats

  3. Alice says:
    July 31, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    Wow, this is awesome! I’ve got a couple of these plugins, but to be honest its overwhelming to sort thru everything that’s out there. Thanks Rochelle for doing the dirty work for us!! I can’t wait to play with the picture drop one.

    The one I’m not sure about is the SEO one. I don’t know what its looking for in those blanks, or how exactly this makes my blog more attractive. I thought search engines loved blogs anyway, and could figure out what was what in the blog. Am I missing something really obvious about why I should install this?

    Also, have you given any thought to compatibility issues, not with WP but between the various plugins? It occurred to me as I was installing one the other night that at the rate I was going, I’d end up crashing the whole thing because one plugin decided to assassinate another, and a bloodbath ensued… :-/

    Alice

    Alices last blog post..Illiteracy Makes Me Smile

  4. Shelley says:
    August 1, 2008 at 8:25 am

    Hi Rochelle,

    Wow, this is an awesome post.

    I’ve just spent the last little while setting most of these up on my new Bans Flex store.

    I am having a problem with the Contact Form plug in. I’ve followed your instructions above and my page does appear like yours, however when I click on the Contact Me page all it shows is the code % %wpcontactform% % (without the gaps obviously).

    Do you know why this may be occurring. The only thing I changed in the settings was my email address, the rest was left at default.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    Thanks
    Shelley

  5. Rochelle says:
    August 1, 2008 at 8:44 am

    Shelley,

    I’m so glad you asked this because it is something I forgot to mention in the instructions. It sounds like you added the code using the ‘Visual’ choice. Try changing to ‘HTML’ and add it there.

    If this doesn’t make sense take a look at the phpBay Pro instructions to see what I mean.

    Let me know if that makes a difference.

    Rochelle

  6. Mike says:
    August 1, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    Great post Rochelle. I was planning one for my own site but your list is way cooler. Personally I prefer the addthis plug in for social bookmarking so if you’ve not seen it check it out.

    Mikes last blog post..Recommended Resources

  7. The Must-Have Plugins I use on my WP Blogs | Niche Store Strategies | BANS Today says:
    August 1, 2008 at 12:37 pm

    [...] The Must-Have Plugins I use on my WP Blogs | Niche Store Strategies. [...]

  8. Rochelle says:
    August 1, 2008 at 1:16 pm

    Glad to know that my work has helped. I’ve gathered these plugins over the past six months or so, so I understand what you mean about it being overwhelming finding good plugins.

    Regarding the SEO plugin, I’m not sure how well I get it myself, but here is my thought on this plugin: As I understand it, blogs are loved by search engines. The SEO plugin makes them a bit better.

    If someone reading this has more knowledge than that, please share.

    Rochelle

  9. Rochelle says:
    August 1, 2008 at 1:17 pm

    Melissa,

    Great additions! Those are new to me so I’ll have to check them out. Thanks for sharing :)

    Rochelle

  10. Rochelle says:
    August 1, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    Mike,

    Thanks for the link in your post.

    As to the ‘AddThis’ plugin, I actually do like it, but, as of this writing, it isn’t compatible with WP 2.6. It probably will become compatible, and if it does, I’ll start using it again.

    Rochelle

  11. Shelley says:
    August 1, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    Hi Rochelle,

    Thanks for the tip…I did put the code in the visual side of the editor, however when I used the html side. The exact same result occurred.

    I decided to try this plugin because I found the cforms one that Mark suggests is a bit complicated for me at this time.

    Not sure where to go from here.

    Cheers
    Shelley

  12. Rochelle says:
    August 1, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    Shelley,

    Did you remove all spaces, so the code is all together?

    Rochelle

  13. Shelley says:
    August 1, 2008 at 11:36 pm

    Hi Rochelle,

    Yes I removed all the gaps. Still didn’t work.

    I went back to the download page you provided above for this plug in and noticed there was a post about How to install. Had a look at that and they said (for an older version) to paste
    (remove X from code).

    I did this and it worked. Go figure!!

    Thanks for your help.

    Shelley

  14. How to Add a WordPress Blog to Your Site | Niche Store Strategies says:
    August 2, 2008 at 8:52 am

    [...] The Must-Have Plugins I use on my WP Blogs [...]

  15. Bob says:
    August 6, 2008 at 7:01 pm

    Glad to see you back up!!

  16. Rochelle says:
    August 6, 2008 at 7:42 pm

    Thanks! It is good to be back :)

    Rochelle

  17. Kaori says:
    August 9, 2008 at 8:09 am

    Hi Rochelle,
    I have been trying to get some info on the must-have plugins and here they are!. Thanks so much. Cheers.

  18. peter - blogs unlimited says:
    November 6, 2008 at 12:35 am

    OK Rochelle,

    I’m armed to the teeth with plugins, your list and a few I found myself. I guess I’m ready to do battle now lol.

    peter – blogs unlimiteds last blog post..Caffeinated Content – Yes You Need It?

  19. Jeff says:
    January 4, 2009 at 3:03 am

    Hi,

    Great post, I thought I had all the plugins I needed, but you had a few I didn’t know about.

    Thanks,

    Jeff

  20. Kevin Jaffray says:
    February 9, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    I like your new theme Rochelle, pretty neat :)

    I know you love phpBayPro for monetizing blogs but thought I’ve share this new plugin with you: http://www.kejabe.com/go/phpos.php It pulls in listings from OverStock and has even better control over the look and feel of your posts/pages with a great-easy-to-use template system.

    See you around the forum

    Kev

  21. Webmaster Uk says:
    February 28, 2009 at 10:44 am

    Thank you, I really need to know this before buying it.

  22. Michael Torner says:
    March 11, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    Nice writing style. Looking forward to reading more from you

  23. Drupal Web Developer says:
    March 13, 2009 at 10:04 am

    Nice writing style. Looking forward to reading more from you.

  24. Hanna @ Afiliate Funnel Systems says:
    March 29, 2009 at 2:55 am

    Keyword Luv is the best plugin. I use it all the time and I do believe that every blogger should too.

  25. lee@forex says:
    April 17, 2009 at 11:45 am

    How about Lucy’s Linky Love plugin?
    This only allows dofollow after a particular user has posted several times… that way encouraging greater participation and discouraging the hit and runners :)

  26. Hanna @ Watch Live Soccer says:
    May 15, 2009 at 5:56 pm

    I’ve been wondering. Is WordPress a real software product or is it simply an anchor for its own plug-ins?

    Curious minds want to know.

  27. Rochelle says:
    May 15, 2009 at 6:03 pm

    @Hanna – Sorry, but I do not understand your question. Wordpress is a script that runs on a hosted domain.

    Rochelle

  28. Management Institute In India says:
    May 28, 2009 at 3:50 am

    Thanks for sharing – having tried and implemented them,I think both commentluv and keywordluv are great for bloggers and commenters – Its also a great way to improve your brand too. The nofollow attribute still serves as an anchor to your site with no Search benefits.

  29. Colin says:
    August 11, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    Hi Rochelle

    Current version of Cross-linker can no longer be used with WP2.8+.
    Just wonder if you know any other replacement?

    Thanks

  30. Rochelle says:
    August 11, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    Colin,

    Sorry, I have no idea. I haven’t yet upgraded any of my blogs to v2.8 for that very reason. Since v2.8 is fairly new, it is possible the author of that plugin will release an update that makes it compatible. You might check the plugin’s website and see what the author has said (if anything).

    Rochelle

  31. Jared@Search Engine Techniques says:
    August 20, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    Thank you for this informative post. I always love reading about new tips and techniques for increasing the popularity of my websites. I look forward to reading more from you in the future!

  32. Forbrukslån says:
    December 16, 2009 at 6:58 am

    First of all: I think it`s kinda incredible that people make their blog nofollow. Off course, if you`re site is good enough it will draw people anyway, but you will get heaps of traffic if you give the people something for visiting – like a link. And the comments you get doesn`t have to have poor quality just because of this. I would know, I have dofollow and commentluv on all my sites. Works like a charm. Man, I just luuuv commentluv and keywordluv!

  33. RobertSwansonSr says:
    December 22, 2009 at 3:35 pm

    I’m sure this technology will be explored as much as possible and what better way to explore it than by letting the people tell you exactly how they feel about it by testing driving it.

  34. chris says:
    February 14, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    Rochelle

    I’m curious as to what you think of keywordluv? I saw it mentioned a few times here but you never really said what you think. Just curious.

  35. Rochelle says:
    February 14, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Chris,

    Honestly, I’ve rarely used keywordluv, either on a site or when searching for sites to link to, so I have no opinion of it. I know of many people who use this method in their backlinking strategy, though, so it has its followers.

    Rochelle

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