Installing and populating a new blog can be a daunting, headache-inducing task that often results in outsourcing. Though, in reality, there are many tweaks that can be performed in-house.
I have been working with WordPress for many years now — it’s my best friend — and whenever I’m setting up a blog for a client, or adjusting previously constructed blogs, there are 3 plugins that I pop in right away. They include the following:
1) HeadSpace2 — Optimizing on-site SEO for WordPress websites is important if you want to squeeze the most out of each piece of content. HeadSpace2 provides a plethora of features including the ability to: customize meta information, adjust no-follow/do-follow settings, add “noindex” tag to irrelevant pages (admin, archives, tags, etc.), and a variety of other options, some of which are far more advanced.
2) StatPress — Have you ever posted a blog entry and you’re dying to know how much traffic it’s receiving, but you don’t want to sit around, biting your nails, waiting for Google Analytics to be updated? If so, you’ll love StatPress. The plugin offers all sorts of useful statistics in a dynamic, real-time manner.
3) Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP) — To build an awesome internal linking structure without cluttering blog posts with linked keywords, YARPP displays related posts. The plugin provides settings for how the posts are related, including factors such as title and category. By linking to pages within your blog, the ranking of each entry is improved and the internal linking ensures all pages are indexed by search engines. The last thing you want is to write 100 blog entries only to have 50 indexed by search engines.
When you have a chance, check out the above-mentioned plugins as I know they will make a world of difference. May the blogging force be with you.
Aaron Schoenberger
@TheSchoenberger
The Brainchild Group
Aaron Schoenberger is Founder of The Brainchild Group — an innovative online advertising agency that specializes in Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He’s known for his work with celebrity clients, top restaurants, automotive manufacturers, professional athletes and Fortune 500 companies.