Top 10 WordPress Plugins That You Need To Be Using In 2014

If you’re running a WordPress-powered website or blog, then you’re always searching for a way to innovate and make your site easier to use –for both you and your visitors.  This is one reason why WordPress plugins are so unbelievably awesome, because they seem like quick little cheats and hacks that take little-to-no time to learn, install, and use.

One of the most important parts of the plugins we chose is that all ten of them can help just about any blog in some way.  Also, we wanted high functionality, low cost, ease of use, popularity, and simple installation.  To make the cut, they basically have to be foolproof and downright powerful.

Well, it is now the year 2014, and this top-10 list of the year’s best plugins has arrived.  If you haven’t yet download these plugins, your life is about to get a whole lot easier…

Here are top 10 WordPress Plugins you should consider using in 2014.

#1: WordPress   by Yoast 

With over 7 million downloads to date, that makes this one of the #1 WordPress plugins for its power, ease-of-use, and functionality for optimizing your posts for search engines.  Basically, the plugin works the way it sounds: simply download it, install the plugin, and it goes to work getting your blog or website search engine optimized.  According to the raving customer reviews, this plugin is not to be overlooked.

#2: WP Google Drive 

Don’t get caught in a sticky situation.  Backing up the files from your WordPress site is just as essential, as it is easy with this plugin, called WP Google Drive.  Backup plugins for WordPress are a dime-a-dozen; however, the fact that this backs up to Google Drive makes it unbelievably simple and convenient.

#3: Ebyline WordPress Payments 

Ebyline is an industry leader in connecting freelance writers and clients who need content creation.  Thus it makes sense that they would develop a plugin that allows clients to pay freelance writers directly from their WordPress dashboard.  Not only is this convenient, but the plugin even keeps track of W9 tax information too.  Clever.  Very clever.

#4: Google Analytics Dashboard 

If you need to track your traffic, but don’t want to navigate away from your WordPress dashboard, then you can do it with this plugin: Google Analytics Dashboard.  The convenience of this plugin is monumental, giving you a realtime picture of what your traffic is doing, directly from inside WordPress.

#5: Shareaholic 

If you want one of the best plugins in the history of blogging, you’ll need to download Shareaholic.  It’s basically a platform, from which you can get your blog posts noticed, via social networking media.  Not only will this work with Facebook, but you can also use it with LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and even Google+.  Also, it will provide the usual Facebook buttons, just so you can increase your blog post’s ‘shareability’.  In addition, its sleek design cuts down on the clutter, helping your blog get noticed and stand out.  Few plugins are this powerful.

#6: Thank Me Later 

Have you ever posted a comment on a blog, or provided your email to a site –then receiving an email mere seconds from doing so?  You automatically think, “Well either that’s the most obsessive blog admin on the web, or this is an auto-generated email.”  Well, with Thank Me Later, you can make your ‘Thank you,’ emails far more personal through the ability to customize certain fields, and the best part… you can tell it to send hours after you the signup.  The beauty of this is the fact that it provides a much more personal touch to the emails that are programmed to be sent to new commenters and visitors.

#7: Akismet 

Of course, not all comments are generated without ulterior motives.  Having to deal with spam and those annoying ad comments is synonymous with the success of a blog… until now.

Askimet is a WordPress plugin that will filter junk comments and sift through the real ones and the spam.  Simply set it and forget it, but you can moderate all comments if you wish.  Also, your use of Askimet will send reports and help improve the plugin to provide better filtering.

#8: Contact Form 7 

Basically, Contact Form 7 is a WP plugin that provides one of the most functional, simplest, and easiest contact forms for blogs.  If you’ve recently filled out a contact form on a blog, then there’s a good chance it was one powered by Contact Form 7.  Also, do you remember how we talked about those annoying spammers in #7?  Well, CF7 even works with Askimet, so that you can rest assured –those spammers aren’t going to abuse your contact form.

#9: Simple Pull Quote 

If you run any kind of a research-based blog or write about anything concerning current events, then it is important to be able to quote your sources.  However, quoted sources are often overlooked by readers.  One great way to keep people reading (even your quotes) is to make the quote ‘stick out’.

Simple Pull Quote is a plugin that simply adds a button to your post dashboard, which allows you to highlight the text that was pulled from another source.  The visitor then sees a clear, concise quote that sticks out.  Simple.

#10: JM Twitter Cards 

Twitter Cards were only announced in 2013 and enable you to tweet with media included. They allow you to insert images and video from the blog post into your Tweets that link to your content. When you click on a tweet, it’ll show more information about that tweet such as its title, a short summary, image, Twitter account and source link. This can turn your Twitter stream into something more like Facebook or Google+.

This is a relatively new plugin (with great reviews and over 25,000 downloads to date). But If you would like to insert pictures and video directly into your Twitter stream than this plugin is it!

Your WordPress blog is only as good as the plugins you use.  Plugins basically make life simple and your blogging effective.  In addition, the ability to utilize entire SEO packages and work directly with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+, are fantastic assets.  Some of the most prevalent bloggers in the industry swear by plugins – so learn from the best, and be sure not to overlook these fantastic WP plugins in 2014.

What about you?

What WordPress plugins have you found useful? Which ones couldn’t you do without?

Look forward to hearing about them in the comments below.

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[INFOGRAPHIC] 12 Fantastic Facebook Contest Ideas To Grow Your Email List 

According to recent research published on Marketing Sherpa, 4 out of 7 possible ways to grow your email lists are connected to incentives. Just like Jeff Bullas does here on the right-hand side of this page, where he offers an eBook in exchange for your email address! (Tip: it’s worth it!)

These small bribes might also take the form of coupons, or a chance to win something within a sweepstakes or contest or a guaranteed gift.

Some facts and figures to consider 

Here are the most important stats from the infographic that place some perspective and highlight some important elements you need to consider for Facebook contests.

• 78% use Facebook from mobile, but apps can’t be opened on mobile by default, so make sure that your app has a mobile compatible version. (Source.)
• 77% of Facebook marketers’ top goal is to drive brand awareness. Contests are perfect for this as typically friends of fans are invited to vote. (Source .)
• 42% of Facebook marketers think discounts and special offers, which require fans to share and interact with their networks, are effective. (Source .)

Viral spread 

This last number refers to viral spread… And this is why bigger bribes – contests and sweepstakes – are effective. They have inbuilt sharing incentives.

For example, lets say that you run a photo contest; you can draw 3 prizes among the top most popular entries. Entrants will want to get in among the top 10, so will ask friends to vote on their image. This is how contests are perfectly constructed for reaching the friends of the fans.

If you have a draw then people can earn bonus entry points by inviting their friends. (Without this incentive, there wouldn’t be much sense to share the sweepstakes, as the subscriber decreases his or her own chance of winning.) The more points one collects, the better their chance of winning.

As co-founder of Antavo , a contest and activation platform I see a lot of good examples. We have collected some Facebook contest ideas on how you can use these promotions to grow your email list throughout the year.

There is one idea for every month. Have a look!