I use WordPress for almost all my websites now. Here is a short list of my favorite wordpress plugins. These go on almost every single site I work with.
Growmap Anti Spambot Plugin – “Very simple plugin that adds a client side generated checkbox to the comment form requesting that the user clicks it to prove they are not a spammer. Bots wont see it so their spam comment will be discarded.”
SexyBookmarks – “SexyBookmarks adds a (X)HTML compliant list of social bookmarking icons to each of your posts.”
Simple Page Ordering – “Order your pages and hierarchical post types using drag and drop on the built in page list. Also adds a filter for items to show per page. For further instructions, open the “Help” tab on the Pages screen.”
Smart Youtube – “Insert YouTube videos in posts, comments and RSS feeds with ease and full customization.“
Social Homes - “Adds a sidebar widget containing a subtle list of all your social homes as linked favicons. Current services include anything and everything! Just add the full URL to the list of services and Social Homes will figure out what the icon is automatically”
WordPress Database Backup - “On-demand backup of your WordPress database.”
WPtouch - “A plugin which formats your site with a mobile theme for visitors on Apple iPhone / iPod touch, Google Android, Blackberry Storm and Torch, Palm Pre and other touch-based smartphones.”
Thank you for mentioning our GrowMap anti-spambot plugin. It saved my blog from 1000+ spambot comments A DAY and makes sure your regular commentators can always comment in your blog.
The other plugin I really miss whenever I visit another blog that doesn’t use it is CommentLuv because it allows me to get to know those who leave comments. In blogs that use it, my readers and commentators become yours and vice-versa, making it far faster and easier to grow your blog traffic and visibility.
It is widely used by generous bloggers who are social media savvy and likely to share your content on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon and elsewhere. I regularly send from dozens to hundreds and sometimes even thousands of visitors to other blogs I frequent – and I only frequent those that use CommentLuv.