Content management systems have changed a lot in recent years, transitioning from being simple blogging systems to comprehensive site management utilities use by webmasters around the world. The need for convenience has ultimately led to the development of content management systems that are capable of doing almost everything one could ask for, including but not limited to site organization, maintenance, and optimization. However, every content management system has it’s limits, but thanks to open source code and willing developers these limits are gradually fading through the use of plugins that make the capabilities of content management systems seemingly endless. When it comes to content management systems there is one that stands above the rest in regards to expandability – WordPress.
Analyzing Your Needs
The first thing you’ll notice when operating WordPress initially is that there are many features that are lacking or simply not convenient enough to make a significant difference in your daily productivity. As you browse through the control interface you’ll notice that you’re limited in creative control. For example, when posting content you cannot easily modify font or formatting by default.
Fortunately there is a plugin available called Super Editor that will amend the content management system so that there are options to change text size and font with ease. To get the most out of your content management system you’ll want to browse through the control interface taking note of any limitations you would like to eliminate. There is a good chance that there are plugins available that can greatly improve the features you need.
Finding Plugins
Once you’ve got an idea of what is needed you can begin searching through the plugin database. To do this, click on “Add New” in the plugin module on the left side of the interface. From there you can enter a query in the search box that appears. You can refer to the star rating and description to get a good idea of the capabilities and quality of each plugin. Many times there are plugins that are not in the official WordPress database, but that need to be found using a search engine such as Google. You can also learn a lot from the WordPress forums as well, where there are experienced members willing to lend advice. You can ask a question at any time and receive an answer in just a few hours.
Essential Plugins
When it comes to improving the productivity of your online business, simplifying search engine optimization and site organization is imperative. The All-in-One SEO pack is a prime example of an essential plugin that aids in search engine optimization. The Google sitemap generator plugin is also essential as well. For site organization, plugins like StickyPostOrderer, Date Exclusion, Category Pages, Exclude from Navigation, and Open in New Window are absolutely essential.
