First let me quickly explain what a plugin is, we can look at the wikpedia definition for plugin: “In computing, a plug-in is a set of software components that adds specific capabilities to a larger software application. If supported, plug-ins enable customizing the functionality of an application. For example, plug-ins are commonly used in web browsers to play video, scan for viruses, and display new file types.” Today I want to introduce 5 key suggested plugins I think will be very useful for your blogs.

1. SEO Blogger plugin that actually is not really a Word Press plugin but a Firefox tool that can aid in writing your post with SEO in mind. You choose a keyword phrase and it then provides you with a variety of keywords and how many times it is searched on, and makes it visible for you to be able to reference it when writing your blog entry.

2. WordTwit plugin, I love this plugin as it saves on time for me, because each time I write a post, it automatically sends a tweet of this post to my twitter.

3. Askimet, this is standard and helpful to keep away spam in your comments section. You need to have an API key for this to work. To get this, you need to set up an account with wordpress.com it will then assign a key for you to use.

4. WordPress Database Backup plugin, this can be set up to backup your database automatically and then send you a zip file directly to your email address.

5. WP Google Analytics plugin lets you use Google Analytics to track your WordPress site statistics.

These are just some popular plugins, but you need to review carefully to make sure they are compatible with your template theme, as well, be wary when updating your theme to ensure that it is compatible with newer versions. Plugins also have their own update process and you will see a little black and white number beside the link if a plugin requires updating. If you need help in setting up plugins for your blog, give us a call 416-451-2063 and we can walk you through the process.