Feb
14
Anyone who uses WordPress knows that one of the best things about it is that it allows you to really customize your blog through the use of plugins. Many of these plugins merely customize things on your end as a blogger but aren’t seen by your readers. Common examples of these types of plugins are WordPress.com Stats, Google Analytics and All in One SEO Pack.
However, there are some plugins that you can get that will actually change your site and get more attention from the people who read your blog. Here are 5 examples of WordPress plugins that really make your site pop:
1. podPress. Let’s face it; podcasting is in. If you want to make your site sizzle, you need to add some sound to it. A podcast is also great because it allows you to speak directly to your reader. This plugin makes it super simple for you to add a podcast to your existing WordPress blog so you can start incorporating this feature without making any serious changes to your site.
2. FlogMaker. It’s not just audio sounds that are hot. Anything that gets the attention of readers on a site can be used to increase traffic. Flash is a perfect example of that; people are more interested in a flash site than a more basic site. FlogMaker allows you to easily turn your WordPress blog into a flash blog.
3. Polaroid on the Fly. Hopefully you’re already using images on your blog since a blog with pictures tends to get more traffic. Make those pictures stand out from all of the rest of the images on the blogosphere by using this WordPress plugin that creates Polaroid-style thumbnails within your posts.
4. zLinks. There are only a few links plugins that really make a difference in appearance to your readers. This is one of them. What it does is shows the reader information about the link that can be found elsewhere on the web. In this way, you provide your readers with additional information while creating more widespread links from your blog.
5. WP_MonsterID. This plugin does something interesting; it creates a monster-style avatar for every person who leaves a comment on your blog. You’d be surprised by how many people will start leaving you comments just to see what avatar gets created for them. If the monster theme isn’t right for your blog, search through the plugins to find some of the other avatar creators that are out there. Gravatars is a popular one.
WordPress plugins are important on the blogging end of things because they assist you with tracking statistics, organizing information and managing your blog. However, an increasing number of plugins are creating an experience that’s different for readers as well. Using these, a simple WordPress blog can be turned into something that’s worth talking about.
Related links: Top WordPress Plugins, Top WordPress Plugins For the Smart Blogger, 50 Best WordPress Plugins For Power Blogging
Question of the Day: What’s your favorite WordPress plugin?
Ironic that there’s a plugin to make images look like Polaroids given that the company itself has just announced it will no longer manufacture Polaroid film!
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Thanks for this, Kathryn. I thought I knew a lot of WP plugins, but I had only heard of Podpress. This will remind me to ramp up the multimedia on my blog.
These are great, Kathryn, thanks! PodPress I use, but I hadn’t heard of the others.
WP_MonsterID is kind of unique…
I have just started with word press. I installed it just the other day and have been playing around with plugins. These are some very cool and interesting plugins that I had yet to come across yet. I will give them a shot, thanks.
Great info i will incorporate a few of them!
I love the idea of the polariod one. Think I might have to implement that into my blog.
polaroid on the fly is a pretty cool tool, been using it for a while now, better than just shallow thumbnails
I came to this post expecting 5 plugins I’d heard of before a million times, but was pleasantly surprised. Thanks for sharing and for introducing me to some new plugins!
WP_MonsterID. => Why not you install it here