One person who has a new widget on his blog everytime I look is Mathew Ingram. I marvel at how this middle-aged dude can be so much more ahead of me with how quickly he pimps his blog.
So, I’m using WordPress and I’m looking to pimp my blog. Any suggestions on cool widgets and plug-ins I could be using? Also, should I go to a 3-column format or just stick with 2? And lastly, is there a plug-in I can use so I can add tags to my posts right from WordPress without having to head over to Technorati and copying and pasting them everytime?
Yes, I could easily look at the list of plug-ins on the WordPress site, but I’m asking you which ones are you using and why are they your favourites?
Here’s what I’ve got:
Adhesive – Sticky posts
Akismet – antispam
AutoMeta – auto technorati tags
Code Auto Escape – override WordPress safeties to insert raw code
del.icio.us widget – yum
Democracy – Voting
Feedburner Feed Replacement – redirect built in feeds
FeedWordPress – import other posts
Google Sitemaps – auto generate a sitemap for SEO
KG Archives – nicer archives
My Tube – add YouTube videos
Sociable – chicklets
Trackback Validator – it is what it is
WordPress Database Backup – the same
WordPress Mobile Edition – make mobile phone pages
WP-ContactForm – nice form
You’re right, Jason. I think I was mixing them up. Thanks for the correction
Ultimate Tag Warrior = good
Sociable = not so good
🙂
I use the ultimate warrior plugin and its great for tags.
In terms of 2 or 3 – it really does depend on you and whether you would like more space to advertise or promote your business. Oh and thanks I really enjoy your blog.
“I find the Ultimate Tag Warrior bad on the usability front, because I just see a bunch of icons that don’t necessary mean anything to me.”
I think Brian is thinking of Sociable which puts a string of icons at the bottom of your post. Ultimate Tag Warrior just gives you a field below your post box in the admin where you enter your tags and they become links when you publish.
Jason
You know I gots nothing but luv for ya, Mathew 🙂
Okay, so I have podpress and askimet. Google Analytics (GA) has been installed since August and it’s way cool. I highly recommend GA.
I’m going to get Ultimate Tag Warrior and Simple Tags. Any others?
Okay, Leesa — I’m going to let that whole “middle-aged dude” thing slide, because I like you 🙂
If you really want to go wild with the widgets, I would recommend a 3-column theme, just because you get a lot more space for sidebar bling. I use Rin Tin Tin, but there’s a k2 version that’s 3 column that is quite good too.
And I also use Ultimate Tag Warrior, which I find great, and Podpress is also really good.
Best of luck.
I don’t use technorati tags because Technorati picks up the categories in the RSS feed which is built in to WordPress.
However, if someone can give me a reason why using tags has an advantage, I’ll whip up a plugin that automatically takes the the wordpress categories you select and writes out a technorati tag and appends it to the post.
Here are a few of my favorite WordPress plugins:
1) Askismet
http://akismet.com/
Fights comment spam
2) Feedburner feed replacement
http://orderedlist.com/articles/wordpress-feedburner-plugin/
Forwards all feed traffic to Feedburner while creating a randomized feed for Feedburner to pull from
3) Podpress
http://www.mightyseek.com/podpress/
Creates flash player to stream audio files
4) Page Links to
http://txfx.net/code/wordpress/page-links-to/
I really like this one. It allows you to create a direct external link in your top nav bar
(For example, check out Hopeful Dad and click on the “photos” link)
5) Simple Tags
http://www.broobles.com/scripts/simpletags/
This will save you heaps of time in creating Technorati links. Once this plugin is installed, you just enclose the words you want to become Technorati links inside [tags][/tags] in the body of your post.
So, for this post you would have typed [tags]wordpress, plugins[/tags] Easy, eh?
I find the Ultimate Tag Warrior bad on the usability front, because I just see a bunch of icons that don’t necessary mean anything to me.
6) Google Analytics
http://www.semiologic.com/software/google-analytics/
Get some great stats on vistors to your blog!
Three columns versus two? Depends on what you want that third column for, really. It’s not really necessary, though. I’ve set up blogs with both formats.
Leeasa,
For tagging I use Ultimate Tag Warrior:
http://www.neato.co.nz/ultimate-tag-warrior/
As for 3-column or not, it depends on if you see a need for it. Having three columns just to fill it up with stuff that might confuse people is counterproductive. That said, I plan to go 3-column soon as I think it is merited for what I would like to do.
I can’t wait to see your new look.
Jason