Wanted: Service Starting a site using Wordpress. What first?

[jdk]

I am going to start a personal blog and want to know what should I do first? It seems Wordpress has a lot of new features built in, but what about what is not?

What mods/hacks would you recommend to start with? Someone mentioned in the past, k2, but it doesn't look like it has been updated in a couple months.

Suggestions?

 

[Adam DickerAdam Dicker is verified member.]

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/

All in One SEO Pack

-=DCG=-

 

[PeterMan]

I am going to start a personal blog and want to know what should I do first? It seems Wordpress has a lot of new features built in, but what about what is not?

What mods/hacks would you recommend to start with? Someone mentioned in the past, k2, but it doesn't look like it has been updated in a couple months.

Suggestions?

Here is an awesome site for wordpress resources: http://www.noupe.com/category/wordpress

 

[jdk]

Nice, thank you both.

 

[NameClerk]

Use a custom structure for your permalinks under Settings > Permalinks

I use: /%year%/%postname%/

Use a static page for your homepage and optimize it for the main keyword you want to rank for.

Use some type of sitemap plugin and add your site and sitemap in Google's Webmaster Tools.

 

[Honan]

I am going to start a personal blog and want to know what should I do first? It seems Wordpress has a lot of new features built in, but what about what is not?

What mods/hacks would you recommend to start with? Someone mentioned in the past, k2, but it doesn't look like it has been updated in a couple months.

Suggestions?

The very frequent k2 updates are called nightlys
Get it at http://getk2.com/nightly/

 

[Mind]

List of useful plugins to consider:
All in One SEO Pack
Google Analyticator
Google XML Sitemaps

 

[dodo1]

I've been using K2 on my blog and it's been working fine so far. K2 is easy to customize and there have been no problems with adding new plugins.

Plugins I recommend using:

AdSense Manager
Akismet (included in WP download)
All in One SEO Pack
Feedburner Feed Replacement
Get Recent Comments
RSS Footer
Subscribe To Comments
WordPress Database Backup

Also useful if you need them:

CForms
Increase Sociability
Twitme
Yet Another Related Posts Plugin

 

[uclaboyz]

Check out http://www.HowToStartABlog.com

For themes, go with Elegant Themes club for $19.95 per year you just can't beat it.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[DNP]

Great links guys. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Arragon]

what do you want to do for your blog, and who are your targeted audiences? The best is not just SEO, whatever but you need to write good articles that specifically for your target audiences..

 

[Gerry]

I asked the same questions earlier in the month.

These suggestions and advice and people were enormously helpful.

http://www.dnforum.com/f123/wordpress-help-suggestions-thread-365173.html