If you have set up your self hosted WordPress blog recently and looking for the list of top and essential WordPress plugins, then this post will help you to set your new WordPress blog. Using too many plugins can slow down your WordPress site. Here you can see only selected and essential plugins that are very useful. Okay let's see the list of top 10 most useful and essential WordPress plugins.
Note - If you are running a self hosted WordPress blog on shared hosting, you should avoid using too many plugins. Using more than 10 plugins in shared hosting may harm your site performance. If you use any kind of cache plugin, then you can use 13 to 15 plugins in shared hosting. So we have listed here only essential plugins.
1. WordPress SEO by Yoast - WordPress SEO is one of the most useful WordPress plugins that helps you to optimize your website with all kinds of On Page SEO methods. If you install this plugin you don't need to install another sitemap plugin. This plugin will help you to solve your all kinds of SEO related issue with lots of features such as SEO score, social option, keyword checking features etc. If you don't want to use this plugin, you can use alternative plugin to this plugin- All in One SEO Pack.
2. Jetpack - Jetpack is one of the most powerful WordPress plugins and if you use this plugin,you don't need to some essential plugins because Jetpack provides many useful features such as Jetpack stats, comment , contact form , social sharing feature, mobile theme, custom css, short code embeds, Gravatar Hovercards etc.
3. Wp Super Cache - Cache plugin helps blog owners to run their WordPress blogs smoothly and if you want to avoid some server related issues , you must use any cache plugin so that your visitors can access your site without facing any kind of server problems. WP Super Cache is one of the most downloaded cache plugin that helps bloggers to run their blog smoothly. This plugin has very easy to use interface so if you are a beginner , this plugin would be more useful than W3 Total Cache because of its easy user interface. Though W3 Total Cache provides many useful features but beginners cannot understand it easily.
4. WordPress Related Posts - Thousands of bloggers recommend Yet Another Related Posts Plugin but WordPress Related Posts plugin provides many useful options with tracking facility so that you can understand your visitors interest. If you install this plugin, you can also show top and popular posts in your widget area.
5. Quick Adsense - One of the most useful ad management plugins that helps users to insert any kind of ad anywhere in their WordPress blogs. Great plugin to monetize web content easily without coding.
6. Akismet - If you have enabled comments on your blog, you must use this plugin so that you can prevent your blog from unwanted comments.
7. Broken Link Checker - Broken Link Checker is one of the most useful WordPress plugins that helps users to check broken links & missing images of blog posts & comments.
8. WP-DB-Backup - Managing WordPress database is one of the most important things and if you site receives heavy traffic, you should optimize your database monthly. This plugin will help you to backup and manage your WordPress Database with easy to use interface.
9. Redirection - Redirection is an essential plugin that helps users to manage 301 redirection and track 404 errors without having knowledge of Apache .htaccess files. You can also redirect your affiliate links to hide your affiliate links.
10. WPtouch - WPtouch is a popular WordPress plugin that helps bloggers to customize mobile theme with lots of features.
Note - If you are running a self hosted WordPress blog on shared hosting, you should avoid using too many plugins. Using more than 10 plugins in shared hosting may harm your site performance. If you use any kind of cache plugin, then you can use 13 to 15 plugins in shared hosting. So we have listed here only essential plugins.
1. WordPress SEO by Yoast - WordPress SEO is one of the most useful WordPress plugins that helps you to optimize your website with all kinds of On Page SEO methods. If you install this plugin you don't need to install another sitemap plugin. This plugin will help you to solve your all kinds of SEO related issue with lots of features such as SEO score, social option, keyword checking features etc. If you don't want to use this plugin, you can use alternative plugin to this plugin- All in One SEO Pack.
2. Jetpack - Jetpack is one of the most powerful WordPress plugins and if you use this plugin,you don't need to some essential plugins because Jetpack provides many useful features such as Jetpack stats, comment , contact form , social sharing feature, mobile theme, custom css, short code embeds, Gravatar Hovercards etc.
3. Wp Super Cache - Cache plugin helps blog owners to run their WordPress blogs smoothly and if you want to avoid some server related issues , you must use any cache plugin so that your visitors can access your site without facing any kind of server problems. WP Super Cache is one of the most downloaded cache plugin that helps bloggers to run their blog smoothly. This plugin has very easy to use interface so if you are a beginner , this plugin would be more useful than W3 Total Cache because of its easy user interface. Though W3 Total Cache provides many useful features but beginners cannot understand it easily.
4. WordPress Related Posts - Thousands of bloggers recommend Yet Another Related Posts Plugin but WordPress Related Posts plugin provides many useful options with tracking facility so that you can understand your visitors interest. If you install this plugin, you can also show top and popular posts in your widget area.
5. Quick Adsense - One of the most useful ad management plugins that helps users to insert any kind of ad anywhere in their WordPress blogs. Great plugin to monetize web content easily without coding.
6. Akismet - If you have enabled comments on your blog, you must use this plugin so that you can prevent your blog from unwanted comments.
7. Broken Link Checker - Broken Link Checker is one of the most useful WordPress plugins that helps users to check broken links & missing images of blog posts & comments.
8. WP-DB-Backup - Managing WordPress database is one of the most important things and if you site receives heavy traffic, you should optimize your database monthly. This plugin will help you to backup and manage your WordPress Database with easy to use interface.
9. Redirection - Redirection is an essential plugin that helps users to manage 301 redirection and track 404 errors without having knowledge of Apache .htaccess files. You can also redirect your affiliate links to hide your affiliate links.
10. WPtouch - WPtouch is a popular WordPress plugin that helps bloggers to customize mobile theme with lots of features.
