We’re going to start this series on WP Plugins in the professional way I wish I had begun my WordPress / blogging journey – with a Statistics plugin.
Hold on there – any urge to head out the door should be strongly resisted!
Statistics gets a baaaaaaad press…!!!
Truth is that I had the good fortune to learn it the real way from guys who knew it in real battle tested commercial form and I tell ya it’s just gorgeous learning stuff from people who can walk their talk.
Back to “Shortstat”…
There are other statistics plugins – for example you could try “WordPress.com Stats” but I found Shortstats easy to install use and understand.
The important thing is not to be concerned about finding the Perfect Plugin but to find a good one! It is very important for all bloggers and web site owners to track the number of unique visitors.
Not “hits” – that’s just a technical measure of how many files get loaded – what you care about is the number of people who visit and read and comment.
And you need to record the number on a weekly basis so you can plan your way forward.
Because if you fail to plan your blog you are planning to fail…
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-shortstat2/
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/stats/
Happy Blogging!
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Filed under WordPress Plugins by on Feb 25th, 2009. Comment. 
Comment Redirect Plugin: Just Say Thanks
The Wonderful Plugin Project continues on it’s merry way today with our guest Blogger from Genesis Blogging – Traci Knoppe telling us about a plugin I had not heard of.
Take it away Traci!
I have many plugins that I use and like, each serving their own unique purpose, but one that I actually get positive comments on from site visitors is one they see in action – it’s called Comment Redirect.
Have you ever posted a comment on a blog, never to get a reply from the blog owner? Does the blog owner ever reply to anyone, or only a select few?
Some blogs are what I call libraries – very quiet with not much talking. Others are court houses – lots of talking, and sometimes arguing. It’s the court house blogs where new commenters in particular can get overlooked, because the sheer volume of comments makes it difficult for the blog owner to keep up and reply to everyone.
Whether an intentional oversight, or an impossible task to maintain – your blog commenters are an important aspect to your blog. I have found a solution to help…
Every first time commenter on my blog is redirected to a page I created specifically to thank them for their comment. It must be that extra special touch of hospitality that new commenters appreciate, because I’ve had quite a few then contact me to say thank you!
In addition to a short thank you note on this special page, I also invite them to join my email list. Sometimes I have a special sales offer, just for them. The purpose isn’t really to overwhelm them with sales pitches; however, a short, simple call to action is certainly appropriate.
Comment Redirect helps me to make a personal connection with my readers – at least with that first time contact they make. First impressions are important! I want them to know that they aren’t just statistics to me; they’re more than numbers to boost my blog ranking: they’re people I want to interact with, I ‘hear’ them and appreciate them taking the time to read my blog and post their comments. It makes for good blog hospitality.
@TraciKnoppe
http://genesisblogging.com
Superb post Traci, you’re welcome to publish great content here anytime!
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Tags: comment redirect, Plug-in, Plugin, traci knoppe, wordpress.
Filed under WordPress Plugins by Alex and Kathy on Feb 26th, 2009. Comment.