Top 5 for 2009 – Wordpress Plugins

With 2008 coming to an end, and 2009 already poking it’s head in to say Hi… I thought that a “Best Of” series of posts would be in order. So this is the beginning of a series of posts dedicated to the “Top XX Things for 2009″.

Most people like to write posts about the Top XX Things of [previous year], but I don’t like to dwell in the past. Instead, I’d rather give you all a great list of things to look forward to trying out in the future!

I’ve read a few other posts around the web regarding the “Top XX Plugins” for Wordpress, but it seems to me that everyone seems to be leaving function behind in the dust. Most of the lists I’ve seen so far are basically composed of plugins that will make your blog display something new, or display something old in a different way… Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but I think that function should come long before style in a “best of” list. That’s why this list is made up of 5 of the most useful Wordpress plugins that will improve the functionality of your blog and/or reduce your workload.

Number 1 – Akismet

Akismet will filter out most of the spam that comes through as comments on your blog. It holds all comments that are deemed to be “spam” in queue awaiting your moderation. You can then choose to approve or delete them.

You will need an API key to activate Akismet on your blog. To get this, signup to Wordpress.com and your API key should be emailed to you. If you already have a Wordpress.com account, login and select “Edit Profile” from “My Account”. Your API key will be displayed at the top of the page.

Number 2 – WP-Database Manager

WP-Database Manger takes the tedious tasks associated with maintaining your database and simplifies them. You can empty/drop tables, repair tables, optimize your database, and of course… BACKUP your database! It also has configurable options that you can set to automatically optimize your database every week (or however often you choose).

Number 3 – WP-Super Cache

WP Super Cache is a static caching plugin for WordPress. It generates html files that are served directly by Apache without processing comparatively heavy PHP scripts. By using this plugin you will speed up your WordPress blog significantly.

It automates the method of preparing an under powered site for a Digg front page appearance or a “Slashdotting” by saving copies of dynamically generated pages, and placing them in directories that match the permalink’s structure.

To fully take advantage of this plugin, you’ll need to set up “Pretty Permalinks” for your blog, which isn’t nearly as hard as it may sound.

Number 4 – All In One SEO

I can’t say enough about this plugin, it’s absolutely wonderful! I’ve personally had excellent success with it in the short time I’ve had it installed since the site-wide revamp. If you’re interested in making your site more visible to the search engines, and attracting people to your content, then this plugin is a definite MUST!

Every since I re-arranged the structure of my site, it’s been a constant uphill battle to get everything optimized. This plugin has cut the normal optimization time by nearly HALF! If you’re into stats and scores regarding SEO, then chances are you’ve heard of this site (or one like it): WebsiteGrader.com, and though stats and scores aren’t necessarily “accurate” all the time… They give you a good idea of where you stand and what can be improved.

When I first re-arranged the site, I was scoring a 67% on WebsiteGrader.com… After installing this plugin and really working with it to achieve maximum results, my current score is a 91%! See below:

Granted, there are still areas in which I could improve the overall optimization level of my site, but I am satisfied enough with it now to really start focusing more on posting some real content rather than spending all of my free time trying to get it ready for content!

To help you really utilize all that this plugin has to offer, I intend to write a tutorial explaining how to use it and use it well. (hopefully soon!)

Number 5 – Google Sitemap Generator

This plugin creates a perfect XML “Google” sitemap from your posts, categories, tags, archives, pages, etc… It’s 100% configurable, and it even updates the major search engines when you make modifications or updates to the sitemap!

This is a “must have” for anyone looking to increase their web presence, as sitemaps are a key part of getting your site crawled regularly and thoroughly!