Plugins extend and expand the functionality of your blog.
To activate a plugin go to Plugins in your dashboard and click on Activate below the desired plugin (refer to these detailed step-by-step instructions).
Below’s an overview of the Edublogs Plugins
3D Rotating Tag Cloud
The 3D Rotating Tag Cloud Plugin creates a beautiful rotating and animated representation of all your tags and categories which visitors can then click on to visit archives.
Once activated just drag and edit the new WP-Culumus widget into your desired sidebar in Appearance -> Widgets.
You can change it’s configuration by going to Settings > WP-Culumus.
Accept PayPal Donations
The Accept PayPal Donations plugin is designed to easily add a PayPal donate button to your blog’s sidebar.
Once activated you need to:
- Configure under Settings > WP PayPal Payment (remember to add your PayPal email address)
- Add the WP PayPal Payment widget to your desired sidebar via Appearance > Widgets
AddThis Social Bookmarking
The AddThis Social Bookmarking adds a bookmark button at the end of every post, so readers can easily add you to Digg, del.icio.us, Facebook and more.
Please note the The AddThis Social Bookmarking plugin only adds the bookmark button to the top post on your blog post page. You’ll only see this bookmark button on your other posts when you go to their post URL.
Akismet
Akismet is a spam commenting service designed to reduce comment and pingback spam. It checks the content of the comment anonymously with the Akismet server, to determine whether it is spam or not.
All comments considered spam are automatically placed by Akismet in a spam queue where it is held for a month and then deleted.
You should check your spam folder in Comments weekly to make sure Askimet hasn’t captured any legitimate comments or pingbacks.
To use Akismet you need to follow these configuration instructions to obtain a Akismet API key and then enter the key on your Akismet configuration screen (Plugins > Akismet configuration)
Contact Form
The Contact Form plugin is designed to add a straightforward contact form to your blog which allows visitors to your blog to send you an email.
Once activated you need to:
1. Go to Settings -> Contact Form.
2. Add your email address and click Update Options.
3. Go to Pages > Add New, create a Contact page and add the contact form code to the page.
4. If your theme doesn’t display page links in the top navigation you can either:
Feedburner FeedSmith
The Feedburner FeedSmith is designed to redirect your Edublogs RSS feed to Feedburner so you can easily monitor your RSS subscriber numbers.
You can also use it to add a Feedburner RSS widget and Feedburner Email subscription to your blog sidebar.
Once activate you need to go to Settings > Feedburner and configure.
Footnotes
The Footnotes plugin provides an elegant and easy to add footnotes to posts and pages.
Once you’ve activated the footnotes plugin you add footnotes to a post by simply typing them inline in square brackets like this: [1. This is a footnote.] Each footnote must have a number followed by a period and a space and then the actual footnote.
Formidable Forms
Formidable Forms is a powerful plugin which allows you to easily create drag-and-drop forms, quizzes, polls, and tests – and so much more.
After activating the plugin, you will find a new menu like this one in your blog’s dashboard.
Refer to these instructions on how to use the Formidable plugin.
Google Maps
The Google Maps plugin allows you to easily embed, customize, and use Google maps on your Edublogs blog. You can also display local images and let your site visitors get directions in seconds.
Once activated you can easily add Google Maps to:
1. Posts or pages using the Add Map icon
2. Your sidebar with the easy to use widget.
Get more help with this plugin here.
Greet Box
The Greet Box show a different message to your visitor depending on which site they are coming from.
Once activated access lots of great configuration options at Settings -> Greet Box… customize your own special greetings!
Let It Snow!
The Let it Snow plugin makes snow fall down the pages of your Edublog, giving your readers that festive feeling 
RSS Just Better
The RSS Just Better Plugin allows you to display RSS feeds in your posts or via a special widget which is better than the default RSS widget.
Once activated just add the new RSS Just Better widget into the desired sidebar via Appearance > Widgets and then configure the widget.
You can also use it to add an RSS to a post or page as follows:
1. Go to Posts > Add New.
2. Write your post then click on the HTML when you ready to add the RSS feed.
3. Add the following shortcode where you want the RSS feed to display in your post.
[RSSjb feed="..."] where “…” is the RSS feed you wish to display
Please note:
- Refer to these instructions for an extensive list of shortcodes you can use for extra RSS feed customisation options
4. Now click publish and you should see the RSS display when you view the post.
Scheduled Content
The Scheduled Content allows you to make certain post or page content available only at scheduled periods.
Once activated you’ll see a nice new ‘Schedule’ icon added to your Visual editor.
All you need to do is highlight the content then click on the ‘Schedule’ icon to set the date and time for the content to become available on any post or page.
After you’ve entered the schedule it inserts a shortcode around your selected content.
On the front end you’ll see a countdown clock indicating when the content will be released.
Submission Form Creator
The Submission Form Creator plugin is a contact, or powerful form creator.
Once activated configure in Settings > DDFM – Main and then edit each form in DDFM1, DDFM2 etc.
You can use this to create almost any type of form, the contents of which will then be emailed to any address specified.
Subscribe To Comments
The Subscribe To Comments plugin allows readers to receive notifications of new comments that are posted to an entry.
All the need to do is select the checkbox next to ‘Notify me of followup comments’ via email under the comment box on a post.
Once activated configure at Settings -> Subscribe to Comments and manage / view subscribers under Tools -> Subscriptions.
TweetMeme Retweet Button
The TweetMeme Retweet Button plugin adds a button which lets your readers easily retweet your blog posts.
Wibiya Toolbar
The Wibiya Toolbar plugin allows you to add the rather fantastic Wibya toolbar to the bottom of your bar, for more information on this visit Wibya.
Once activated you can configure the plugin in Appearance -> Wibya Configuration.
Widget Pack
The Widget Pack plugins makes available the ClustrMaps, Flickr, Google Search, VodPod, Twitter and Delicious widgets for use in your sidebars.
Once activated just add the new widgets to your sidebar via Appearance -> Widgets.
WordPress Facebook Like
The WordPress Facebook Like plugin adds the Facebook Like button to pages and/or posts on your blog.
Once activated you can configure your options in Settings > Facebook-Like.
Here’s a summary of the Edublogs Plugins and what they’re used for
Plugins extend and expand the functionality of your blog.
To activate a plugin go to Plugins in your dashboard and click on Activate below the desired plugin (refer to these detailed step-by-step instructions).
Below’s an overview of the Edublogs Plugins
3D Rotating Tag Cloud
The 3D Rotating Tag Cloud Plugin creates a beautiful rotating and animated representation of all your tags and categories which visitors can then click on to visit archives.
Once activated just drag and edit the new WP-Culumus widget into your desired sidebar in Appearance -> Widgets.
You can change it’s configuration by going to Settings > WP-Culumus.
Accept PayPal Donations
The Accept PayPal Donations plugin is designed to easily add a PayPal donate button to your blog’s sidebar.
Once activated you need to:
AddThis Social Bookmarking
The AddThis Social Bookmarking adds a bookmark button at the end of every post, so readers can easily add you to Digg, del.icio.us, Facebook and more.
Please note the The AddThis Social Bookmarking plugin only adds the bookmark button to the top post on your blog post page. You’ll only see this bookmark button on your other posts when you go to their post URL.
Akismet
Akismet is a spam commenting service designed to reduce comment and pingback spam. It checks the content of the comment anonymously with the Akismet server, to determine whether it is spam or not.
All comments considered spam are automatically placed by Akismet in a spam queue where it is held for a month and then deleted.
You should check your spam folder in Comments weekly to make sure Askimet hasn’t captured any legitimate comments or pingbacks.
To use Akismet you need to follow these configuration instructions to obtain a Akismet API key and then enter the key on your Akismet configuration screen (Plugins > Akismet configuration)
Contact Form
The Contact Form plugin is designed to add a straightforward contact form to your blog which allows visitors to your blog to send you an email.
Once activated you need to:
1. Go to Settings -> Contact Form.
2. Add your email address and click Update Options.
3. Go to Pages > Add New, create a Contact page and add the contact form code to the page.
4. If your theme doesn’t display page links in the top navigation you can either:
Feedburner FeedSmith
The Feedburner FeedSmith is designed to redirect your Edublogs RSS feed to Feedburner so you can easily monitor your RSS subscriber numbers.
You can also use it to add a Feedburner RSS widget and Feedburner Email subscription to your blog sidebar.
Once activate you need to go to Settings > Feedburner and configure.
Footnotes
The Footnotes plugin provides an elegant and easy to add footnotes to posts and pages.
Once you’ve activated the footnotes plugin you add footnotes to a post by simply typing them inline in square brackets like this: [1. This is a footnote.] Each footnote must have a number followed by a period and a space and then the actual footnote.
Formidable Forms
Formidable Forms is a powerful plugin which allows you to easily create drag-and-drop forms, quizzes, polls, and tests – and so much more.
After activating the plugin, you will find a new menu like this one in your blog’s dashboard.
Refer to these instructions on how to use the Formidable plugin.
Google Maps
The Google Maps plugin allows you to easily embed, customize, and use Google maps on your Edublogs blog. You can also display local images and let your site visitors get directions in seconds.
Once activated you can easily add Google Maps to:
1. Posts or pages using the Add Map icon
2. Your sidebar with the easy to use widget.
Get more help with this plugin here.
Greet Box
The Greet Box show a different message to your visitor depending on which site they are coming from.
Once activated access lots of great configuration options at Settings -> Greet Box… customize your own special greetings!
Let It Snow!
The Let it Snow plugin makes snow fall down the pages of your Edublog, giving your readers that festive feeling
RSS Just Better
The RSS Just Better Plugin allows you to display RSS feeds in your posts or via a special widget which is better than the default RSS widget.
Once activated just add the new RSS Just Better widget into the desired sidebar via Appearance > Widgets and then configure the widget.
You can also use it to add an RSS to a post or page as follows:
1. Go to Posts > Add New.
2. Write your post then click on the HTML when you ready to add the RSS feed.
3. Add the following shortcode where you want the RSS feed to display in your post.
[RSSjb feed="..."] where “…” is the RSS feed you wish to display
Please note:
4. Now click publish and you should see the RSS display when you view the post.
Scheduled Content
The Scheduled Content allows you to make certain post or page content available only at scheduled periods.
Once activated you’ll see a nice new ‘Schedule’ icon added to your Visual editor.
All you need to do is highlight the content then click on the ‘Schedule’ icon to set the date and time for the content to become available on any post or page.
After you’ve entered the schedule it inserts a shortcode around your selected content.
On the front end you’ll see a countdown clock indicating when the content will be released.
Submission Form Creator
The Submission Form Creator plugin is a contact, or powerful form creator.
Once activated configure in Settings > DDFM – Main and then edit each form in DDFM1, DDFM2 etc.
You can use this to create almost any type of form, the contents of which will then be emailed to any address specified.
Subscribe To Comments
The Subscribe To Comments plugin allows readers to receive notifications of new comments that are posted to an entry.
All the need to do is select the checkbox next to ‘Notify me of followup comments’ via email under the comment box on a post.
Once activated configure at Settings -> Subscribe to Comments and manage / view subscribers under Tools -> Subscriptions.
TweetMeme Retweet Button
The TweetMeme Retweet Button plugin adds a button which lets your readers easily retweet your blog posts.
Wibiya Toolbar
The Wibiya Toolbar plugin allows you to add the rather fantastic Wibya toolbar to the bottom of your bar, for more information on this visit Wibya.
Once activated you can configure the plugin in Appearance -> Wibya Configuration.
Widget Pack
The Widget Pack plugins makes available the ClustrMaps, Flickr, Google Search, VodPod, Twitter and Delicious widgets for use in your sidebars.
Once activated just add the new widgets to your sidebar via Appearance -> Widgets.
WordPress Facebook Like
The WordPress Facebook Like plugin adds the Facebook Like button to pages and/or posts on your blog.
Once activated you can configure your options in Settings > Facebook-Like.