WordPress Plugins as Standard
WordPress Plugins to Make Life Easier
I set up on average around 10 new wordpress blogs each month, either for my own business or for my clients. Each time I do this, I already include in the Plugins Folder a few special plugins that I think are essential for any WordPress Blogger, and small business owner.
Rather than reply to individual emails that I get about which plugins am I using on my main sites, I thought I would just list them for you in a post 
If I am making a site that needs better menus on the blog, then I will use a plugin called Menubar4.4 It is simple to use, and allows you to set up menus on your wordpress blog the way you want them to be shown.
For example, in our Automatic Coffee Machines Blog, I use Menubar4.4.
A plugin that I always install is Exec-php4.9 which allows you to run and execute php within your widgets and plugins. Some Themes will allow for this already, but in the main I install it to my blog as second nature in case it is needed.
If you would like to monetise your website using Adsense, a quick and easy plugin to use is called quick-adsense1.5
This plugin installs with ease, you just define your ads you want to display then paste your code direct from Adsense for the various sizes you want to use.
Then when writing posts etc, you click a button, say for Ads1, Ads2 etc and it will then embed the code for you right into your blog.
For social bookmarking I used to use Share this, which is still a great plugin, and if I am using my own rating and listbuilding plugin, then I install Share This because it is integrated.
If I am not using my plugin, then I use Sexybookmarks2.6.1 which is a great looking plugin and seems to help with encouraging the clicks to share in testing so far. HINT: Put it at the top of the article and not the bottom. For some reason in my tests, this has given better results, but feel free to move it around from time to time and test yourself.
If you would like to show little videos from many of the Video Sharing sites, then an essential tool is the video-widget1.2.3 plugin for wordpress.
Simple, quick and easy to set up, I use it to rotate videos on my sidebar with ease.
wp-spamfree is a MUST have and is not only great at cutting down on the spam, it also has a really simple and cool Contact Us form built in, which is just a small piece of code you paste into a new page (you can see it working on this site if you look).
The final plugin I use as standard is Platinum-SEO-Pack which is helpful and proven in search engine optimisation on sites I have used it on to date.
Well that wraps up the essentials, if you have any questions, please feel free to post in the thread and I will help where I can.
Have a great day, and remember to build your own business at home each day. Better to do one small thing everyday than nothing for weeks or months on end. You will see better results this way too.
Do not forget to integrate your social marketing, and get people using Digg, Squidoo, Twitter and FaceBook to talk about your site(s).
Hi Martin,
thanks for the very good information. I use a few plugins that you stated, and I have found some new ones here!
Thanks
Trevor
Thanks for the plugin tips. The problem for me now is the software I had for manuvering around my C panel it was integrated with wordpress and Mozilla but I can’t remember what it was called. Would you know off hand? It was used to install plugins and then copy and paste from where it was on your computer into your c panel server.
Walt AKA All Sports on the Web
Hi Walt.
Do you mean transfer of files from your computer to your hosting account? Which would be FTP (or File Transfer Protocol) Software, like Cute FTP, Smart FTP etc?
Let me know if you need any help.
Martin
Great info! While I haven’t heard of any of the above mentioned plugins, I like the sound of a few, so I’ll be seeing if I can’t implement some in my blog. Thanks.
Hi, I recently started a bloghosting platform (based on wordpress MU) and when I stumbled your blog I paid attention to your theme (looking good) so I was wondering can you tell me is it custom made theme or one of those free ones? thanks in advance! regards, blogiskewl
Hi there
The theme is from woothemes and is paid for. All the best.
Martin
Very interesting website, but you must improve your template graphics.
I’ve shared you article on digg, good work
Great blog , love the template. Seriously considering migrating to this blog platform now!
Hi, Thanks for the plugins! Perfect! This is exactly what I have been looking for.
Very interesting idea, i dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. happens all the time
I found your site via yahoo thanks for the post. I will save it for future reference. Thanks Market Stocks
I can’t subscribe to your RSS feed. Can you help?
Hi there, sure thing.
Just go to this address and add the feed to your reader.
http://www.anyonecanworkathome.com/info/feed/
All the best.
Many thanks
Martin
Thanks lots, I’ve found this article extremely useful!
Thanks for sharing, I found this article, while searching for some downloads and ran across this site, useful comments and good points made.
Awesome article. I found your website from bing while i was looking for web space. I will forward your site to other people and I am sure they hopefully think the same about your article on this site.All Best
I cannot subscribe for your RSS feed. Can you support?
I cannot subscribe to your RSS feed. Can you aid?
Sure no worries.
http://www.anyonecanworkathome.com/info/rss/
Just click the above link and put that into your feed reader.
Need anything else, please let me know.
Martin
Sure no worries.
http://www.anyonecanworkathome.com/info/rss/
Just click the above link to place in your RSS Reader.
Martin