If you’ve recently made the switch to WordPress, you’re probably quickly learning the ropes of how different WordPress can be from another blogging platform. One of the biggest differences with WordPress is the world of plugins. There are quite a few I’ve learned to love and a few I’ve learned to hate. If you’re new to using plugins, here are some things to keep in mind about plugins and some of my favorites!
A few things to remember about plugins:
They have to be updated!
While your blog probably won’t break from a plugin not being updated, it’s really important to keep them updated so that you don’t start to have other issues. It takes a few seconds to update all of your plugins, so don’t neglect to do so!
Check last updated dates
When you’re browsing plugins for something specific, make sure to pay attention to whether the plugins have been updated for your?latest version of WordPress and last updated recently. I will sometimes download plugins that haven’t been updated in a few months, but never those that haven’t been updated in years. Technology changes way too much for plugins to not be updated for years on end.
Too many plugins can slow down your site
It’s really easy to go plugin happy since there is a plugin for everything it seems. Remember the whole, “there’s an app for that!” Plugins are very similar. Researchers say that too many plugins doesn’t guarantee a slower site, but rather too many badly designed plugins do. At any rate, be wary of large plugins, especially ones that you don’t use.
Now for a few of my favorite plugins that I use all the time.
Genesis Simple Hooks
I mentioned last time in my post about my favorite WordPress themes?that I love using Genesis for blog designs. One of the reasons is to be able to use this plugin. This plugin allows you to add in code virtually anywhere on your site, which makes adding in post ads, graphics in between posts, or even an extra footer section so easy! Download the plugin here.
Genesis Responsive Slider
Another Genesis favorite, this plugin adds in a responsive slider which can make featuring posts so easy. This plugin only works with Genesis child themes?but it’s a great way to add in functionality, especially if your theme didn’t already come with this type of section built in!?Download the plugin here.
CoSchedule
I’ve talked before about how I love CoSchedule, but it truly is one of my favorite plugins and one I use every day. It’s my favorite scheduling tool and I love that it’s right within my post editor as well as my WordPress dashboard. Learn more about CoSchedule in this post.
ZipList Recipe Plugin
This is an essential plugin for lifestyle bloggers who share recipes. One of the biggest frustrations as a semi-food blogger on Blogger is that there is not a great way to share recipes. This plugin creates a beautiful recipe that can be printed directly from the site as well. It’s easy to add in a little bit of HTML code to your recipes if you need to add in hyperlinks or bolded parts of the recipe. Download the plugin here.
Google Analytics
I hardly ever log in to Google Analytics anymore, because my GA plugin allows me to see my analytics right on my dashboard, which makes things so easy. It’s an easy plugin to use and makes installing Google Analytics onto your blog super easy! Download the plugin here.
Akismet
This spam blocking plugin is awesome. Before I installed it I constantly had notifications of spam comments and it drove me crazy (I’m totally one of those people who can’t stand any notification bubbles on my iPhone, just sayin). This plugin keeps all spam comments in a folder and every once in a while I’ll go in and delete them all but when I haven’t, they’re not a big notification in my face. Download this plugin here.
RSS Image Feed
If you have an email newsletter that goes out with updated posts, you may wonder why you can never seem to get your images to show in your emails (at least, I did). This plugin helps you out with that! Simply download it and then make sure under your settings that the reading tab says “For each article in a feed show?summary.” That should take care of it! Download the plugin here.
Ultimate No Follow
This plugin is really helpful if you do a lot of sponsored posts or giveaways! If you’ve ever worked with a brand or received a product for review, you should be using a no follow link to tell Google that it’s a “sponsored” link. Find out more about no follow links on SITS. This plugin adds a quick check mark button that you can use when writing your post, which will allow you to stay off the text side of your post. It makes adding in no follow links so easy! Download the plugin here.
These are the majority of the plugins I rely on heavily and use all the time! Plugins add functionality to your website and allow you to do a variety of things without having to access the coding side of your blog (which you shouldn’t try to handle unless you’re sure you won’t break your blog).
Keri Snyder says
This is so helpful! I keep hearing about co schedule so I’m going to check it out more. I didn’t know there was a Google analytics plugin- that is so helpful!
Gina Alyse says
Oh I didn’t know about the no follow plugin! So helpful! I noticed that changed when I switched from Blogger to WP. But I will have to download that before posting a sponsored post! And I love a lot of the other ones you mentioned too! 🙂
Anne @ Love the Here and Now says
I have the RSS Image feed one already but my images still don’t show up. Under my settings it says Force Excerpt (with something about summary). Is that what you are referring to? My settings don’t show a Reading tab. Thanks in advance!
Lindsay Ropella says
Ultimate No Follow has been super super helpful with not having to remember to change sponsored post links to nofollow, and a RSS Image plugin totally saved my newsletter (and myself a ton of headache). I specifically use the one called “add featured image to rss feed” and that works really well too. 🙂 I also really like “Relevanssi” for searching your website, and “Simple Share buttons adder” to make it really easy to share my posts!
MeganReablog.wordpress.com says
Pinning! Thanks so much Madison!
Stephanie Pass says
CoSchedule has definitely become a fave. I don’t now how I lived without it. The Ziplist plugin is no longer being updated, so as WP updates, it quite possibly might stop being functional or cause issues. I know when they announced it, a lot of foodie bloggers moved to Easy Recipe. It has a paid version called Easy Recipe Plus, I really like it, and it can convert your old Ziplist recipes into Easy Recipes.
Elizabeth Mayberry says
I love all this! I am thinking about switching and it is good to have this stuff in mind!
Autumn | Stay gold Autumn says
I have been unable to download Ultimate No Follow’s plug in. Is there one that you use now instead?
Autumn | Stay gold Autumn says
I just figured it out because you left the link for downloading it. Thanks for this page! 🙂
Annette G says
I just happened here. Very helpful and I really need to look into Co schedule! Thanks for the reminder!
McKenzie says
this is awesome! How can you tell if comments are spam or legit?? I am having a hard time with that with my current site.
Madison Wetherill says
That is tough! Usually, my spam filters will catch the spammy ones. And those ones usually don’t have anything to do with the post itself. If the comment seems to actually reply to my post then usually I don’t think it’s spam. I hope that helps a little 🙂
Kim says
This was so helpful. I had no idea about CoSchedule. I learned a lot. Thank you
Madison Wetherill says
It’s my favorite, for sure!