I attended WordCamp Montreal, where WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg was the keynote speaker. His talk was interesting and speaking with him afterwards was equally so. He mentioned that a WordPress installation on its own is good but what makes it so special is that there’s such a large dedicated community behind it that helps each other out, particularly with plug-ins. He then encouraged everyone to thank people who create the plug-ins which make our lives as WordPress customizers easier.

My own team has developed several complex plug-ins which we use in-house and I can certainly appreciate the time, ingenuity, and effort that goes into making them.

On the Internet, far too much time is spent complaining and not enough time is devoted to giving credit where it’s due. The individuals and companies who have developed plug-ins for WordPress have made it much easier for the rest of us to get our work done. I consider some of these to be among the best WordPress plug-ins while others are just generally helpful. Either way, here’s a thank you to some of the people whose plug-ins we’ve used.

Thank You!

Akismet by Matt Mullenweg
More Fields by Henrik Melin & Kal Ström
Custom Permalinks by Michael Tyson
Enhanced Recent Posts by Vincent Prat
NextGEN Gallery by Alex Rabe
Post-Plugin Library by Rob Marsh, SJ
Recent Posts by Rob Marsh, SJ
Redirection by John Godley
Report Comments by Dagon Design
WP-PageNavi by Lester ‘GaMerZ’ Chan
WP Super Cache by Donncha O Caoimh
AdSense Manager by  Martin Fitzpatrick

 If you’re thankful for plug-ins, feel free to say it in a comment below!

1. Use an RSS feed
2. Submit to RSS directories
3. Comment on other people’s blogs
4. Reply to comments on your blog to generate buzz and get people more interested
5. Use pay per click (PPC) services and bid on relevant keywords
6. Use search engine optimized blog URLs/permalinks (use words rather than numbers)
7. Perform a keyword analysis to see what keywords should be in your titles and URLs
8. Add your blog address to your SMS signature on your mobile device
9. Engage in Social Bookmarking (use sites like Delicious, Digg, ReddIt, StumbleUpon, etc)
10. Add your blog address to your email signature
11. Write blog posts that answer questions on popular websites (like Yahoo Answers) and link back to your post
12. Write a research-based blog post and refer to it in a Wikipedia article
13. Share your white papers, PDF outlines and other documents on Scribd (don’t forget to brand your blog on the docs!)
14. Share your PowerPoint presentations on Slideshare
15. Create podcasts to go along with your blog
16. Submit to blog directories
17. Use your blog name as a username when you sign up for community websites
18. Publish articles on websites that allow you to have a user profile with a link to your blog
19. Sponsor an Internet cafe and make the default homepage on each computer your blog
20. Word of mouth: Just tell people!
21. Join a blog carnival where many blog posts with the same topic are brought together and published on a pre-arranged date
22. Participate in a Synchronized Blog (synchroblog) where multiple bloggers discuss a topic on the same day and link to each other
23. Optimize your LinkedIn profile and link to your blog
24. Get active on Twitter
25. Create a MySpace page
26. Create “how-to,” “best of,” or “viral content” videos, publish them on YouTube with blog branding and a link back to your site
27. Write a “how-to” post for something technical
28. Submit an article to an article directory (like EzineArticles) and don’t forget to add your blog address to your signature or author byline
29. Write an e-book and give it away on your blog
30. Learn the art of writing better blog headlines (try copyblogger)
31. Write a guest post for someone else’s blog
32. Pay bloggers to write about your blog
33. Pay online magazines for publicity via advertorials
34. Blog about an up-and-coming topic
35. Publish photos on a topic of interest
36. Trade links with fellow bloggers
37. Distribute useful software for free (legally!)
38. Review your blog’s web analytics and adjust accordingly
39. Create add-ons to popular software products (such as Facebook widgets, WordPress plugins, etc, so people talk about you and your blog, and make sure you have links to your blog in the application that you create)
40. Ask someone to review your products or services and link to your blog in the process
41. Post intelligent statements, tips and advice on thematically-related forums and make sure you have a link to your blog in the signature
42. Do something Golden Palace would do
43. Re-design your blog to make it an attention-grabber
44. Try posting to user groups (like Yahoo Groups and Google Groups)
45. Show off your expertise by way of intelligent posts
46. Create useful diagrams and give them away on your blog (make sure you’ve branded your blog name on it)
47. Link to your blog from your other websites (company website, etc)
48. Post headlines of your most recent blog posts on your company website (they’ll act like teasers and bring people in)
49. Place an ad in a local newspaper (online and offline)
50. Buy an advertising spot in a company’s newsletter (be sure to stay on topic)
51. Create skins/themes/templates for blogs, directory scripts, OS Commerce, etc, and add your blog URL
52. Print your blog name on promotional products (like t-shirts, baseball hats, etc) and give them away at an event
53. Print business cards exclusively for your blog and give them out like mad
54. Sponsor an event
55. Cover an event
56. Run a contest
57. Run a charity event
58. Offer an award
59. Apply for awards (like WeblogAwards, WebAward, Golden Web Awards, etc)
60. Write a book review
61. Write a website review
62. Write a definitive summary and review of a topic (like your industry)
63. Write a predictions post
64. Write long, well thought-out blog posts
65. Write  in-depth about a topic you’re passionate about
66. Write a proactive blog post
67. Write a reactive blog post
68. Attend local blogger meetings and conferences
69. Run a controversial poll (and then email the results to an influential blogger or a journalist)
70. Sponsor an Interview on someone else’s blog
71. Buy ad space on an olympic athlete’s uniform or vehicle
72. Sponsor a local sports team
73. Conduct a study on a hot topic and publish the results
74. Just write about a hot topic of which there is little information available online
75. Write a link baiting article
76. Write about a controversial topic that’s sure to enrage people
77. Interview someone (they’ll thank you in kind on their blog)
78. Issue a press release about something being featured on your blog
79. Write a review on a product or service that’s in high demand
80. Turn your “no follow” blog into a “do follow” blog (and announce it on the site)
81. Add a quick message in your voicemail (like “by the way, check out my blog…”)
82. Do you sell something? Run an e-commerce store? Make a giant sticker and put it on all packages you send out
83. Create a pamphlet about your blog’s topic and distribute it in relevant places
84. Wear your blog address on your jacket
85. Paint your blog address on your car door (tacky but possibly effective…)
86. Call friends, family, and clients to announce your blog
87. Email friends, family and clients to announce your blog
88. Put your blog address on invoices
89. Print your blog address on letterheads
90. Print your blog address on holiday cards
91. Print your blog address on match books and leave them somewhere relevant
92. Announce your blog address at company meetings
93. Announce your blog address at parties
94. Announce your blog address at chamber of commerce and networking group meetings
95. Advertise your blog on the radio and TV
96. Send thank you cards with your blog address
97. Place your blog address on your license plate holder (it’s easy and cheap with CafePress)
98. Get a tradeshow booth to advertise your blog
99. Check your blog for errors (factual mistakes, typos, etc)
100. Write a “101 Blank” list
101. Find the time to implement the top 100 points of this list