Top Multisite Plugins

WordCamp Savannah August 21st 2010

What is multisite?

Multiple sites in one WordPress install

Also called a Network

Setup here:

http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

Sitewide tags

Pulls posts to a tags blog or main page

Can use that one site for global content

Live example:

http://homeschooljournal.net

Permalinks go back to originating blog.

Sitewide tags options screen

Broadcast / Multipost

Push posts from main blog to other sites

Works opposite to SWT

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/multipost-mu/

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/threewp-broadcast/

Super Admin canfine-tune access

Gives a meta box on Write Post page.

Shows all sites I have admin access to.

Domain Mapping

Each site in the network can have their own top-level domain

You need to create the site first, then map it.

Plugin here:

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/

wordpress-mu-domain-mapping/

Tutorial:

http://ottopress.com/2010/wordpress-3-0-multisite-domain-mapping-tutorial/

Super Admin needs to set things up first.

User can map their domain & pick a primary. (Can do more than one.)

Super Admin can also map domains without visiting that site.

New Blog Defaults

Controls settings for new sites as they are created

Does not do plugin, theme or widget settings

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wpmu-new-blog-defaults/

Pulls in all the settings for a site that are under the Settings menu, plus these bonus extras.

It's a really long page of menus.

WordPress.com Custom CSS

Each site can customize the css without touching theme files

Works like the one at wordpress.com

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/safecss/

Great for making minor chages to the same theme on different sites.

More Privacy Options

Adds more privacy settings to each site

Includes must be logged in

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/more-privacy-options/

Adds a network-wide option for Supper Admins under Super Admin -> Options menu.

User gets way more privacy. Admins & Super Admins can have super-private blogs.

Theme & Plugin stats

Super Admin only

Helpful to clean out unused themes & plugins

Stats are cool

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wpmu-plugin-stats/

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wpmu-theme-usage-info/

What themes are being used where?

Which plugins are actually being used?

User management

Users are global across the network

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/add-users-sidebar-widget/

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/multisite-user-management/

Logged-in users can add themselvesto my site if I place the widgetin the sidebar to let them.

The Super Admin can also choose to add uses to specifc sites on signup.

Blog Topics

Categorize the sites by topic

Useful to group sites by your criteria

Includes pages templates for output (directory?)

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/blog-topics/

Granular Plugin controls

Pick & choose

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/exclude-plugins/

Hide plugins network-wide (for super admin only)

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/restrict-multisite-plugins/

Does not show plugins in the mu-plugins folder. Woot!

Where to find more plugins

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/network

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/wpmu

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/multisite

Where to find me

twitter.com/andrea_r

http://ronandandrea.com

http://wpmututorials.com WordPress Must Use Tutorials ;)

http://musupport.net (paid support forum)