It seems that a lot people are confused on just what blog plug ins are and how to install them properly. What are blog plugins and why do I need one? A plug in, is a download you can get for free at many different places on the Internet. Depending on what you are trying to do will depend on what blog plug in you get. There are many different ones for different functions, and most bloggers will tell you what they use but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to have it.
There are a few plug ins that are a MUST to have if you want your blog to function correctly and get recognized by the search engines with each post. Here are just a few that I hear over and over again that are a Must to have:
All-In-One-SEO - this allows you to set the title of your post for search engines, assign a brief description of your post, and add your own keywords, these can be different from your original post so your title and description are search engine friendly.
Google XML Sitemap - this one will create a special sitemap for Google, it does not show up on your blog, it is a behind the scene plug in.
MaxBlogPress Ping Optimizer - with this plug in you don't have to worry about notifying other places when you make a post. It will also allow you to make changes to a post without notifying other places that all you did was an update. If your posts get pinged too often it can be considered spam
WordPress Database Backup - this is a Must Have plugin it will backup your complete blog and you can either have it saved to your computer and/or sent to your email address. You can set a schedule to have your blog backed up one a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule.
All-in-one Bookmarking Button - this plugin will put a bookmark button at the end of your posts to make it easier for your visitors to bookmark your blog
Now like I mentioned, every blogger will tell you the plugins they use, getting and using plugins will depend greatly on the purpose of your blog and what your market will like. Do not put things on your blog that YOU like, always, always, keep your visitors/customers first in mind when you are planning your blog and content.
Now let's discuss installing your plugin.
Once you download your plugin, it will usually come in.zip format. There are different ways to install your plugin. The easiest fastest way to do this, is to log into your admin area of your blog, click on plugin and choose Add New. You will see where it says Install a plugin in.zip format. Next to this box, click the browse button to find where on your computer the plugin is saved. Click upload.
On the next page you will be able to see the status of the upload, when it is finished you will be given the links to activate your plugin click this to activate it. Now remember, some plugins require additional set up so be sure that you read all the information that comes with the plugin or on the website where you downloaded it. That is really all there is to installing your plugins and activating them.
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