The Plugins I Use on My WordPress Blog

Running a blog is a bit like tending a small garden—you need the right tools to keep everything growing smoothly. Over time I’ve experimented with quite a few WordPress plugins, and I’ve finally settled on a set that balances security, speed, SEO, and ease of use.

I thought it might be helpful to share my current plugin lineup with you. Maybe you’ll discover something new to try out on your own site, or simply get a peek at how I manage mine. Either way, I hope this list saves you some time and gives you a good starting point.

Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection

The classic spam defender. Akismet quietly handles spam comments in the background so I don’t have to waste time moderating junk. It’s basically “set it and forget it” protection.

Code Block Pro

Perfect for sharing code snippets with style. It uses the VS Code engine for syntax highlighting, so code on my blog looks clean and professional.

Imagify

Image optimization made simple. Imagify reduces file sizes dramatically without noticeable quality loss, which means faster loading times and a better experience for readers.

Jetpack

A powerhouse from Automattic. I mostly rely on Jetpack for security and performance tweaks. It also bundles a lot of handy tools under one roof.

MalCare Security

My extra layer of defense. MalCare offers malware scanning, a firewall, and overall site protection. It’s reassuring to know it’s monitoring things 24/7.

Redis Object Cache

Caching for better performance. By connecting WordPress to Redis, database queries become much faster and more efficient.

Site Kit by Google

The official Google plugin. It ties together Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, and more in one neat dashboard. A must-have for tracking site performance.

The SEO Framework

My go-to SEO plugin. Lightweight, unbranded, and smart enough to automate most of the SEO heavy lifting without cluttering up the interface.

Wordfence Security

Another line of defense. Wordfence adds a firewall and malware scanner with detailed monitoring, which pairs nicely with MalCare for complete coverage.

WP Mail SMTP

Ensures all emails from my site actually get delivered. Instead of relying on WordPress’s default mail function, it connects to proper SMTP services like Gmail or SendGrid.

WP-ServerInfo

A small but useful plugin. It shows PHP, MySQL, and memcached information right on the dashboard—handy for quick troubleshooting.

WPCode Lite

My tool for adding custom code snippets. Whether it’s inserting tracking pixels, custom PHP, or header/footer scripts, WPCode makes it safe and simple.

That’s my current setup. Some plugins overlap in functionality, but together they create a stable, secure, and fast environment for running my blog. If you’re just starting out, you don’t need to install everything here—but hopefully this list gives you ideas for what might work best for your own site.