This isn’t a big list of all sorts of WordPress plugins you could use on your site, but more of a list of my favourate plugins. The plugins I regard as essential for the basic functionality I want.

Google Analytics

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/googleanalytics/

Nice and easy plugin to allow you to add the Google Analytics code to your site. I regard this as an essential for any site.

Spam Free WordPress

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/spam-free-wordpress/

A great plugin to stop all those unwanted spam comments to your posts. Requires a license key to get full functionality, but the key is free.

WordPress SEO

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-seo/

Another essential wordPress plugin in my opinion. Gives you some great functionality to improve the SEO of your posts.

Custom Meta

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/custom-meta/

A simple little widget that lets you choose which links to include.
Not been updated recently, but then it does what you want so why should it be updated.

NextGen Gallery

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/nextgen-gallery/

Gives you some great photo gallery functionality. lets you choose between thumbnails which open up in a lighbox (I use FancyBox) or scroll through the pictures in a slideshow.

Easy FancyBox

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/easy-fancybox/

I like the look of the FancyBox Lightbox. I use it mainly with the NextGen Gallery but it can do a lot more.

Smart Youtube PRO

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/smart-youtube/

Great for letting you embed YouTube or other video content into your pages/posts. I want to play with this more when I get some time. I also want to look at using FancyBox to display a YouTube video.

WP Mobile Detector

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-mobile-detector/

This plugin will spot if the visitor is using a mobile device and whether its a smartphone or not and will swith the theme accordingly.

Like-Button-Plugin-For-Wordpress

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/like-button-plugin-for-wordpress/

Add a ‘Like’ button to your posts. I’ve used it to add a Facebook ‘Like’ button and a Google +1 button to my posts (not in this DBN Blog yet, I really should add it).

No e-commerce plugins?
I haven’t included any e-commerce plugins in this list because I prefer to use cs-cart for e-commerce sites.

This will probably be a post I keep coming back to as I find more great WordPress plugins. So please keep watching out for updates and why not leave a comment if there are any other plugins you think should be on this list.