Plugins offer additions to your WordPress blog that enhance features that were already available or add otherwise unavailable new features to your site.
Time: 30 minutes per plugin
Directions:
Install “WordPress SEO by Yoast” or “All In One SEO Pack” to create fields for Title and Description. Your web system may have these fields without the need for a plugin.
Install “Google XML Sitemaps” by Arne Bachhold to build a sitemap. Your web system might already have a sitemap, or the above SEO plugins can create a sitemap.
Install “rtSocial” to add social share icons (including Pinterest) to each blog post. Your web system may already offer this without a plugin.
Install “Google Analytics by Yoast” to connect your Google Analytics account to your website. Your web system may already have an area for this without a plugin.
Install “WP Database Backup” by Prashant Walke to back up your website database so you don’t lose any of your hard work.
Use the Livefyre comments system to add profile pics and social sharing to your comments. See livefyre.com/wordpress. Note: Don’t be afraid to disable comments in the Settings > Discussion area of WordPress. I removed all comments for my site because they create an empty space users won’t scroll beyond.
Don’t use an automated plugin for related links. Instead, manually add relevant links to your landing page posts and resource posts at the end of your session pages.
Delete any unused plugins, which will slow down your site’s loading time.
To install a plugin, navigate to Plugins > Add New and then search for the plugin name. See codex.wordpress.org/Managing_Plugins.
