5 Most Useful WordPress Plugins

WordPress plugins are bits of software that can be uploaded to to extend and expand the functionality of your WordPress site. Note: One of the primary advantages of using the self-hosted version of WordPress  from WordPress.org is the ability to upload and use plugins on your WordPress site.

Here is a list of some most useful WordPress plugins.

• Contact Form 7

  Contact Form 7 can manage multiple contact forms, plus you can customize the form and the mail contents flexibly with simple markup. The form supports Ajax-powered submitting, CAPTCHA, Akismet spam filtering and so on.

  Docs & Support

  You can find docs, FAQ and more detailed information about Contact Form 7 on contactform7.com. If you were unable to find the answer to your question on the FAQ or in any of the documentation, you should check the support forum on WordPress.org. If you can't locate any topics that pertain to your particular issue, post a new topic for it.

  Contact Form 7 Needs Your Support

  It is hard to continue development and support for this free plugin without contributions from users like you. If you enjoy using Contact Form 7 and find it useful, please consider making a donation. Your donation will help encourage and support the plugin's continued development and better user support.
  
  
  

• WP Super Cache

  This plugin generates static html files from your dynamic WordPress blog. After a html file is generated your webserver will serve that file instead of processing the comparatively heavier and more expensive WordPress PHP scripts.
  The static html files will be served to the vast majority of your users, but because a user's details are displayed in the comment form after they leave a comment those requests are handled by the legacy caching engine. Static files are served to:
• Users who are not logged in.
• Users who have not left a comment on your blog.
• Or users who have not viewed a password protected post.

99% of your visitors will be served static html files. Those users who don't see the static files will still benefit because they will see different cached files that aren't quite as efficient but still better than uncached. This plugin will help your server cope with a front page appearance on digg.com or other social networking site.

• Simple Share Buttons Adder

  The Simple Share Buttons Adder does exactly what it says on the tin – adds share buttons to all of your posts and pages, simply.
  No hotlinking to another website to slow downloading or for tracking use, it's simple, as promised.
  You can even upload and use your own custom images if you wish!
  The Simple Share Buttons Adder utilises features that, as a WordPress user, you will be familiar with. A self-explanatory administration screen will have you showing your Share Buttons on your posts and pages in no time!
  
  
  

• Juiz Last Tweet Widget

  Add a widget to your sidebar to show your latest tweet(s) with style and without JavaScript! Retweet, Favorite and Reply links are available. This sidebar's widget offer you the possibility to show your last tweet(s) (THE last by default) in your WordPress web site. The advantage of this plugin is the absence of JavaScript script to load tweets from twitter : a very good point for your page speed. Another advantage is the possibility to use a cache system with an adjustable period. You also can show your avatar, action links (Favorite, Reply, Retweet), activate a slideshow of latest tweets, and customize the CSS.
  Features
  In admin:
  
• Easy to install.
• Panel for easy configuration (Appearance -> Widgets).
• Show or hide your avatar
• Default CSS can be disabled or customized
• Unlimited customization (colors of the widget, several default styles, etc.)
• Adjustable period for cache system
• Can active the action links
• Can active an auto slideshow script and chose delay between two tweets
• Shortcode to insert the widget where you want
• Included: Tutorial to create a Twitter plugin (needed for API 1.1)

• All in One SEO Pack

  All in One SEO Pack Optimizes your WordPress blog for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
  
  Premium Support Features :-
  
• XML Sitemap support - submit your sitemap to Google and Bing and improve your SEO
• Google Analytics support
• Support for SEO on Custom Post Types
• Advanced Canonical URLs
• Fine tune Page Navigational Links
• Built-in API so other plugins/themes can access and extend functionality
• ONLY plugin to provide SEO Integration for WP e-Commerce sites
• Nonce Security built into All in One SEO Pack
• Support for CMS-style WordPress installations
• Automatically optimizes your titles for Google and other search engines
• Generates META tags automatically
• Avoids the typical duplicate content found on WordPress blogs
• For beginners, you don't even have to look at the options, it works out-of-the-box. Just install.
• For advanced users, you can fine-tune everything to optimize your SEO
• You can override any title and set any META description and any META keywords you want.
• Compatibility with many other plugins.