Having good content is a great way to start a blog. In today’s interactive world, however, your readers are likely to be multitasking while reading your latest post. One way to keep the faithful on your page is to add some plugins so they can access other applications and websites as they keep up with your blog. Carefully selected plugins make your blog more interactive and, let’s just say it, fun! Here are ten free plugins to make your blog more engaging. Your readers will appreciate the extra effort.
1. WP Super Cache
As a blogger, you surely have discovered the importance of page load speed. Site speed is now a routine factor considered in determining your search engine rank. You can have the best blog in the world, but if it takes forever for your page to load, readers will go elsewhere. This plugin converts your page into static HTML, which has a faster load speed. This plugin can be installed in less than five minutes, and the benefits of faster page-loading can give your blog the extra boost it needs to succeed.
2. Fast Secure Contact Form
Every blog needs a contact form, otherwise it would just be an online journal. This plugin features all the bells and whistles you need to satisfy the interactive needs of your readers. You will find multi-forms, the ability to create multiple fields, a spam blocker feature and a URL re-direct for your readers after they make their submission. Additionally, there are plenty of customization options that make this free plugin surprisingly better than those that require a fee.
3. Drag-To-Share eXtended
This plugin is designed to mimic the Mashable functionality, allowing users to share news stories and other articles of interest via social network sites. A cool feature of this plugin is the ability to click and drag an image associated with a story. The image and accompanying story becomes accessible from your toolbar so content related to your blog can be easily shared.
4. Align RSS Images
This plugin allows you to bypass the standard alignment of most feed readers. The beauty of this plugin is in the way your page looks when all images are properly aligned. Scattered images can break up text and be a distraction to your readers. When you view your blog, images you add may look perfectly aligned. However, when others view it, the feed can knock the alignment out of whack and create a scattered look on your page. This plugin is easy to install and fixes the alignment problem.
5. WP Frame Breaker
This plugin is designed to streamline the appearance of your blog’s toolbar by eliminating distracting frames on your page. Ow.ly’s wraparound frames can often keep visitors from spending too much time on your blog. This plugin is mainly to improve the appearance of your page.
6. SEOquake
This plugin comes in handy when you want to check how your blog is ranked on popular search engines such as Google. SEOquake is designed for use on browsers such as Firefox, Chrome and Opera. You can view a variety of stats, including search engine rank and page rank. Installation only takes a couple of seconds. If you are interested in seeing how much traffic your blog generates, this is a handy plugin.
7. GrowMap Anti-Spambot Plugin
One cross to bear when running a blog is an influx of spam. Routine spam blockers aren’t always highly reliable. This plugin has proven to be more reliable than the generic anti-spam software offered by most blog hosts. When your readers leave a comment, they must check a box to confirm that they are not a spammer. The concept is similar to those boxes with an image of letters and numbers that you have to retype, only less annoying.
8. Google XML Sitemap
This plugin is designed to add a Google compliant XML sitemap to your blog. You have several configuration options or you can just stick with the default settings, which provide you with a setup that works just fine. Additionally, your sitemap can be added to Google’s Webmaster Tools. Features include creating a priority for each blog post and a user interface to customize certain guidelines, such as specific priorities for your blog.
9. Digg Digg
This plugin integrates popular social buttons, including Google +1, Facebook Share, Facebook Like, Twitter, DZone, Yahoo Buzz, TheWebBlend, BlogEngage, Topsy and Google Buzz. This free plugin has already been downloaded more than 200,000 times. It is the easiest to install and use of all the free social plugins available for your blog. You have the choice of several effects, such as right scrolling, left scrolling, vertical mode, normal mode, compact mode and excerpt mode. Floating Social is a similar plugin that allows you to add the services you want.
10. AntiVirus for WordPress
Every blog should have some form of anti-virus protection in addition to what is already offered. Readers are constantly accessing your blog and adding their own content in addition to what you post. Unfortunately, everything that is added to your blog is not always safe. This plugin is designed to search for viruses, worms, malware and other potentially harmful attacks. Installation is free and easy.
Bonus: Wibiya Bar
Of course, let’s not leave this one off the list. If you are going to use one toolbar to help run your blog more efficiently, this is it. Wibiya provides quick and easy navigation of common social websites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter along with access to a wide selection of free apps to further boost your blog. No coding is necessary, meaning that you can add and remove items from your bar with no fuss. The Wibiya Bar can be personalized with custom colors and other design features. Additionally, it can be easily edited to fit the needs of your blog.
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Brenda Ankley frequently contributes content to Assisted Living Today, a web publishing company that deals with issues ranging from how seniors interact with the Internet and social media to memory care and how social media is impacting our memories.