Here is a question that comes up a lot, “What are the most important plugins?”

So let’s chat about this today.

There are many important plugins and it’s based on what you are trying to acomplish with your blog so answering this question is not easy because I have no idea what you’re trying to do.

However, for me, the most important plugin is Google Analytics for WordPress. (scroll to the bottom of the page for the plugin)

Why is because it tracks your traffic.

Where it’s coming from.

How long people stay on your blog.

What they are reading.

What links are getting clicked on and a lot more data that armed with, gives you the insights you need to improve and do it fast.

With out tracking, you’ll be left to guessing and that’s a very frustrating position to take. Also, it’s unexceptionable because with the internet, and all the tools available, there is no reason not to track.

Forget about all the guess work, guru advice and make tracking your only source of what to do and how to improve. Once I got this, I felt liberated and in control.

Spend some time reading up on Google Analytics and open your mind to a whole new world.

Last point about this, the beauty of the internet is your ability to test things and track its progress at lightning speed for little or no cost. Get this and it’ll be hard for any snake oil sales man to fool you into thinking they have some magic button to internet riches.

“Numbers never lie, only people.”
-Old sales manager

Moving on…

The following are the plugins I install on evey blog i build for me or for others.

1. A good contact form. I was using the one you see on this blog for the longest time however I’m switching over to WordPress ready contact form.

2. Google site map. This blog still needs one and here is a big tip, don’t add it until you have a few posts because this plugin contacts Google and let’s them know about your blog. I don’t think it’s a good idea to ask Google to check out your blog if it has no content.

3. WordPress Sticky This plugin let’s you keep a post at the top all the time. It’s good to do this if you want to welcome people and offer a way for them to join you and get notices every time you add content. I’m using it here.

(The part of your blog viewed most is whatever is seen with out scrolling with a mouse. Which is the top half of your blog/site)

4. A social book mark plugin. I’m using this one but there are many around. This is real good to have because you can get lots of back links and traffic if someone bookmark’s your content.

5. Drop down admin menu plugin. This plugin I LOVE! It takes all the links in your admin panel and puts them into a drop down tabs like in the following image. Even after working with wordpress from day one, I still find myself looking for where stuff is within the admin panel but not anymore. (This gets installed first

Now say you have an idea about your blog doing something cool. Google the idea and add “wordpress plugin” at the end. Most of the time you can find a plugin for the idea. Give it a try.