Akismet

This great comment spam fighting tool is a must have, even for sites that require registration for commenting. Right now you’re saying, “But, Akismet already comes with WordPress,” and you’re right. But a lot of folks don’t understand it or use it, probably because it requires a WordPress.com API key to install. But honestly, don’t let this scare you away. WordPress API key’s are drop-dead simple to get. Just follow these quick steps:

1. create an account at WordPress.com (make sure to check “Just a username, please”)
2. verify your account and login
3. under My Account select the Edit Profile link
4. your API key is displayed at the top of the page, voila!

To use the key with Akismet, simply go to your blog’s Plugins menu, click Akismet Configuration, paste the key into the text box and save. Bam… instant comment spam protection!

Check out the Akismet plugin home page for more information or to download it yourself.

Next time we’ll cover Google Analytics for WordPress, one of many great tools to help you get a handle on your blog’s traffic.