Credit Titanas

If you ask me what blogging platform I recommend, I’ll tell you – self-hosted WordPress.  The main reason why is the added functionality of plugins.  There are plugins that enhance the functionality of your blog, and then there are those that are just fun, or add a little oomph.

If you’re looking to pimp out your WordPress blog, here are five plugins that are uber-cool, and easy to install.

TTFTitles

TTFTitles allows you to make your post titles in a “fancy font”, or something other than Arial, Times New Roman, or other standard font.  TTFTitles does require a string of code to be added to your php files, but the instructions are plain and simple and relatively easy to change.

WP-Sticky

Want to announce a giveaway on your blog or promote another site?  Trying to figure out how to make a post “sticky” for a carnival or for new visitors?  WP-Sticky will do just that.  Simply install the plugin, and then you’ll have the option of making any post sticky in the post’s options.

AJAX Comments

If you’re anything like me, you like to see your comment show up right away when you post one, ensuring that it actually went through.  AJAX Comments shows your readers their comments immediately and makes sure that they fill out all fields correctly.

Comment Luv

I find it hard to believe that there are people that have not heard of Comment Luv, but there are!  Comment Luv is another plugin created for your readers- it pulls their latest blog post and links it at the bottom of their comment.  For me, Comment Luv is a great way for me to pop over to visit my commenter’s blogs so that I can reciprocate the comments that they leave for me.

Photo Dropper

We all know that photos draw readers into your blog and gives them something to look at while reading your highly-creative content.  But what happens when you don’t have a photo that goes with your post? Enter Photo Dropper, which puts a Flickr search bar within your “write post” page, which will allow you to search through photos on Flickr under the Creative Commons license.  Photo problem solved!

These are just five of hundreds of plugins that can help make your blog just a little more fun for both you and your readers, and in the words of Emeril, “kick it up a notch”.

How about you?  What are some of the plugins that you don’t NEED but are alot of fun to have? Head over to the Blissfully Domestic social network and share with us!

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Heather Jacobson is a self-taught web geek, mother, and blogger, and embraces the very meaning of each title.  You can find her online blogging about her quest for sanity at Desperately Seeking Sanity and all things WordPress at Desperately Seeking WordPress.