We’re using these plugins on a daily basis, some of them are simply essential for every website (All In One SEO Pack, Google XML Sitemaps, cformsII, Insights, Search Everything), some of them we’re using in particular cases (WP-PageNavi, NextGen Gallery, Flash Video Player) and some we used only once so far (WP AutoSuggest, WP-Syntax, WP-Polls, Twitter Tools).

OK, here’s the list:

Essentials

All In One SEO Pack

All In One SEO Pack is a must-have plugin if you are serious about SEO for your website. It works out-of-the-box so once installed you don’t have to look on it. What it does automatically:

• Automatically optimizes your titles for search engines
• Generates META tags automatically
• Avoids the typical duplicate content found on Wordpress blogs
• You can override any title and set any META description and any META keywords you want.
• And more…

However, if you want it offers you options to fine-tune almost all website parameters that are responsible for perfect Search Engine Optimisation.

Download All In One SEO Pack. Read more about the features.

Google XML Sitemap

This plugin will create a Google sitemaps compliant XML-Sitemap of your WordPress blog. It supports all of the WordPress generated pages as well as custom ones. Everytime you edit or create a post, your sitemap is updated and all major search engines that support the sitemap protocol, like ASK.com, Google, MSN Search and YAHOO, are notified about the update.

Use it carefully though. Long story short, we deployed new Wordpress website on the client’s server but it wasn’t visible to the general public yet. All essential plugins were installed, Google XML Sitemaps as well. Before website was populated with content by the client people were able to find it and use it, especially booking form was used (this is a dental practice website)!

Download Google XML Sitemaps. Google XML Sitemaps Homepage.

cformsII

cforms is a powerful and feature rich form plugin for Wordpress, offering convenient deployment of multiple Ajax driven contact forms throughout your blog or even on the same page. It enables you to create forms and use anywhere on your website. Forms can be as simple as name, email and message or as complex as multiple page surveys. It’s very powerful plugin.

Download cforms plugin.

Insights

Insights it’s a plugin that extends functionality of Wordpress administration panel. Did you ever think about how to easily add interlink between your posts or pages, flickr images, YouTube videos, results of Google searches or Google Maps? If you can answer yes to any of these questions then Insights is a plugin for you. Insights allows you to do all this using dynamic AJAX interface which loads the relevant information to your post in just a few seconds.

A practical example is a website for estate agent who can now illustrate every property on one’s website with detailed location map (the only one disadvantage is that generated map is static).

Search Everything

Search Everything increases the ability of the default Wordpress Search. It includes:

• Search Highlighting
• Search Every Page
• Search Every Tag
• Search Every Category
• Search non-password protected pages only
• Search Every Comment
• Search only approved comments
• Search Every Draft
• Search Every Excerpt
• Search Every Attachment (post type)
• Search Every Custom Field (metadata)
• Exclude Posts from search
• Exclude Categories from search

Useful but not essential

WP-PageNavi

First of non-essential plugins, WP-PageNavi. It does exactly what it says, creates pages navigation you can customize and match with your design. Simple and effective.

Download WP-PageNavi plugin. Read more about WP-PageNavi plugin.

NextGen Gallery

NextGEN Gallery is a full integrated Image Gallery plugin for WordPress with a Flash slideshow option.

• Templates : You can add custom templates for your theme.
• Media RSS feed : Add the Cooliris Effect to your gallery
• Role settings : Each gallery has a author
• AJAX based thumbnail generator : No more server limitation during the batch process
• Copy/Move : Copy or move images between galleries
• Sortable Albums : Create your own sets of images
• Upload or pictures via a zip-file (Not in Safe-mode)
• Watermark function : You can add a watermark image or text
• JavaScript Effect : Use any available popular image effect : Shutter, Thickbox, Lightbox or Highslide
• and even more features…

Download NextGen Gallery plugin. Read more about NextGen Gallery plugin.

Flash Video Player

The flash video plugin for WordPress allows the addition of video (and other media) to a WordPress website using standards-compliant markup and the leading open source software (Jeroen Wijering’s FLV Player and Geoff Stearns’ SWFObject Javascript Library). A full options menu is available with post-level overrides for endless customization. Installation is quick and easy, and no additional setup/coding/php knowledge is required. This plugin is low footprint, creating no tables, and uninstalling cleanly. Version 3 provides full support for skinning the player as well as video player plugins.

You can see it in action here and here (with captions).

Download Flash Video Player plugin. Read more about Flash Video Player plugin.

Special Plugins

WP AutoSuggest

WP AutoSuggest adds the Auto Suggest support to the WordPress search. The visitor can enter a keyword and the plugin will show him a few suggestion via an AJAX request before submitting the search query. The visitor can continue his search by pressing enter or he/she can use the keyboard arrows (up and down) to visit directly a suggested post.

See it in action! Just type anything in the search box at the top of the page.

Download WP AutoSuggest plugin. Read more about the WP AutoSuggest plugin.

WP-Syntax

WP-Syntax provides clean syntax highlighting using GeSHi — supporting a wide range of popular languages. It supports highlighting with or without line numbers and maintains formatting while copying snippets of code from the browser.

It avoids conflicts with other 3rd party plugins by running an early pre-filter and a late post-filter that substitutes and pulls the code snippets out first and then pushes them back in with highlighting at the end. The result is source code formatted and highlighted the way you intended.

Download WP-Syntax plugin. Read more about WP-Syntax plugin.

This is it, a list of essential and not-so essential plugins that we use in almost every project that involves Wordpress. Suggest your essential plugins in teh comments!

• TagSociety.com
• CSS Showcase
• Design Snack
• Professional on the Web
• Epreo.com
• CSS Design Yorkshire
• Cool Site Collection

Golden Spiders 2008 Awards shortlist was announced on 29th October. Our team at Revolution Media would like to wish all shortlisted very best of luck. View 2008 shortlist

Website of Hannigan, Hogan, Maguire Architects from Leixlip, Co. Kildare build by Revolution Media was shortlisted in 2006 Golden Spiders Award in Best Professional Service Website category. That website didn’t win but the thrill of being nominated was fueling us for few more months.

Did you know that Revolution Media is a proud member of Setanta BNI Chapter in Leixlip? Since we joined Setanta Chapter in July 2006 we’ve got a lot of business from our fellow members and we passed lots of business back! Because this is all about Givers Gain. If you give business you’re more than likely receive business back. We’re meeting every Thursday at around 6.45am to do business when other sleeps!

Being a member of BNI also means that people trust us. By passing business members passing their reputation as well and this is something you can’t buy.

We’re currently searching for people who are in a position to take more business to visit our group and possibly join us. Hot positions are (but not limited to):

• Recruitment Consultant
• Estate Agent
• Handyman
• Insurance Broker
• Computer Programmer
• Photographer
• Facilities Management
• Management Consultant
• Fitness Consultant

If you’re interested please contact us to arrange your visit. Do business when others are still sleeping!

It’s ‘evolution’ rather than ‘revolution’ but we’re finally there! We’ve got our own Blog. The reason behind is deadly simple: everyone has it! (just kidding ) It’s just sometimes we approaching something very interesting that doesn’t really fit into any section on our “business” website. A blog is a perfect place to post such findings. We’re decided to move our Latest News section here as well. It’s just so easy and fun to use that blog!