Continuing with our new online blog series, here’s another post that shows you how to install plugins when using WordPress and what are some of the must have plugins if you want your blog to succeed online.

This blog post is part of our newly created blogging series that aims to help new users (newbies) on how to setup, manage and maintain an online blog using WordPress CMS..

It was first started with this beginning post and continued with Post Two, Three, and Four. If you haven’t been following and wish to know how to setup WordPress online, then I’d suggest that you start from the first post.

Now that you’ve got WordPress up and running, here’s how to install plugins. WordPress plugins are small, sometimes independent programs that help you improve WordPress. Some of them help speed up your site, enhance pages, make your blog search-engine friendly, and provide other services that will you’ll benefit from.

With that said, lets’ go and install our first plugin. To do that, logon to WordPress admin dashboard.

http://mypersonalonlineblog.com/wp-admin

 

When you’re there, go to Plugin –> Add New

 

wordpress-install-plugin

 

On Plugins page, you can search for and install plugins you like. If you know the name of the plugin you wish to install, search for it in the search box and click the button.

One thing to remember, even though most plugins are good, the more you install, especially those that come with their own JavaScript and CSS files, the slower your site will run.

So be cautious when installing plugins.

Now you know how to install plugins, here are some of the plugins you should install on every blog you own.

Must Have WordPress Plugins

 

1) Akismet — This plugin comes with WordPress by default and it’s created by the company behind WordPress. All you have to do is activate this plugin. It will help you prevent and combat spammers to your blog.

 

2) WordPress SEO – I use this plugin on all my online blogs. It helps you optimize your blog so you can rank better with search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo! . Believe me, if you don’t make your blog attractive to search engines, people won’t find it easily. So, go ahead and install this plugin.

 

3) W3 Total Cache – This is another plugin that will help make your blog run faster. The reason you want you blogs to run faster is because search engines like faster website, especially Google. Google may rank (show you pages first) you site better than other sites that are slower.

So, to perform well on search engine’s result pages, install and configure this plugin.

 

4)  Contextual Related Posts –> Here’s another plugin that you should install on your blogs. This add related posts at below all your posts to help your users find related articles. It may also help you users stay longer on your site.

 

There are more wonderful plugins that you can use to enhance your blog but be very cautious when installing plugins. Plugins are good in most cases, however, bad plugins will slow your website, expose security vulnerabilities or crash your site altogether.

 

After you search for a plugin, use the Install link to install it as shown below.

 

wordpress-install-plugin-1

 

After installing it, use the ‘Activate Plugin’ link to activate it or make it usable.

 

wordpress-install-plugin-2

When’re done, go to the ‘Installed Plugins’ to view all your installed plugins.

 

wordpress-install-plugin-3

 

That’s it for today. Next time, we’ll show you how we configure these plugins on your own online blogs.

Enjoy!