In an earlier post, I shared with you the tips on setting up your WordPress blog with a step-by-step guide. In this post, I will show you how you can install WordPress plugins. There are almost 12,000 free plugins which you can use to enhance the functionalities of your WordPress to do almost anything you want. Plugins are designed to either add, complement or replace the existing features in the system.

How to add new WordPress Plugins

When you visit the Plugins page (Menu: Plugins > Plugins), you will notice that there are 2 default plugins which came with your clean WordPress installation: Akismet and Hello Dolly. Usually I would delete Hello Dolly or at least ensure that it is deactivated as it is a useless tool that you can do without. You should however activate Akismet as it is a powerful web service owned by WordPress that will help you to filter spam comments. To activate, deactivate or delete any plugins, simply move your mouse cursor over the plugin name and choose the options below the title.

To find new plugins, you will click on the Add New button on the top left of the page or click Add New on the menu (Menu: Plugins > Add New).

How to install new WordPress Plugins

At the Install Plugins page, you can filter your search by selecting any of the parameters listed near the top of the page. If you are unsure, choosing Featured or Popular will be a good bet. Alternatively, you can enter your keywords in the search box to find the type of functions which you would like to add on to your WordPress.

Depending on your search parameters, WordPress will list the relevant plugins with their brief descriptions and user ratings to help you make your choice. Often, there will be many plugins which share similar names and functionalities presented to you.

After you make your choice, click on Install Now and the plugin will automatically save itself into your web host’s directories.

You will need to Activate Plugin to start using the features in your blog.

This will bring you to the Plugins page which will show you all the installed plugins. For certain plugins, you may need to click on the Settings option to further customize them for your blog.