Essential Plugins for WordPress Websites

Recently I’ve been a huge proponent of WordPress.  It’s versatile, easy to use, and extremely powerful.  But without the right plugins, your WordPress site might not be operating at its full potential.  Here is my list of essential and non-essential plugins for WordPress.  Expect updates as I find more.

Essentials

Akismet – Awesome spam blocker.
Google XML Sitemaps – For search engine optimization.
Greg’s High Performance SEO – For search engine optimization.
WP Super Cache - Make pages load faster.
WPtouch – Make your site mobile.
XML Sitemap Feed – For search engine optimization.
Fast Secure Contact Form – Add a contact form to your website.
Jetpack by WordPress.com - A bunch of social features and add-ons.

Good but not necessary

Mingle Forum – Create a full featured forum.
GD Star Rating - Enable star ratings on posts.
Q and A - Create an FAQ