Top 3 Handy WordPress Plugins for 2013

WordPress currently enjoys a number-one position among content management systems for worldwide adoption. With tens of millions of users around the world and a thriving developer community that soars into the tens of thousands in its own rite, it is perhaps no surprise that there are a number of really handy plugins available for the platform.

Generally, the best plugins for WordPress are those that automate otherwise time-consuming and tedious tasks, enhancing the website and its author's operation of that website with ease.There are three plugins, in particular, which stand out while accomplishing this goal.

1) W3 Total Cache

Recent changes to Google's search engine ranking algorithms mean that the company is increasingly valuing how fast a website loads when judging its authority and its placement in keyword-targeted searches. This can actually present a pretty big problem to WordPress website owners. Because the system is so dynamic, and uses a large number of database queries, the performance of a WordPress site can easily suffer.

W3 Total Cache removes this problem by caching websites and eliminating many of the most common database queries that can slow down WordPress sites. This makes the site slightly less dynamic, but far more responsive. Overall, it means good news for Google rankings and the search engine's perception of a site's authority.

2) The Events Calendar

WordPress is first and foremost a content management system, but it's increasingly being used as a gathering place for like-minded individuals to plan both online and offline pursuits. The Events Calendar turns WordPress into a fully functioning planner and agenda, with grid-based calendar views and day-by-day planners. Like many popular calendar products produced by third parties, the system can be used to create events, invite attendees via email, and communicate with those who have committed to attend.

3) Google XML Sitemaps

Originally used only by Google, XML sitemaps have become the leading way for all major search engines to index a website and determine which content is the most important or relevant to those conducting web searches. By default, WordPress does not generate or submit one of these sitemaps to search engines. That can put a damper on SEO efforts.

Google XML Sitemaps generates a sitemap for pages and posts, automatically updating and submitting a new version of that sitemap each time a new page or post is added. It leads to better search rankings and a better "working knowledge" of the site when it's crawled by major search engine bots.

Three Great Options for WordPress Administrators

Whether it's adding new features, speeding up a page's performance, or ensuring that the page is ranked as highly as possible at major search engines, WordPress plugins can get the job done. The three options presented here are must-haves for discerning website owners, and they'll transform how a website works and who it appeals to.