The Menus module is one of those wonderful features, but by default, it doesn’t allow to specify some attributes of the  menu items, like the “target”.

In my opinion, the WordPress administration area design is not usable (and not 508 compliant) and some buttons and options are difficult to find because they are normally in gray letters over light gray backgrounds. After seeking for around half an hour, I finally found the way to specify the target attribute of a link on the Menus module. I decided to share this because I think it’s something difficult to find but also something very easy to activate:

Step 1: Screen Options.

Go to the “Menus module” , under “Appearance”. Then, click on the “Screen Options” button, located on the top right corner.

Step 2: Enable Link Target option.

Then, under “Show advanced menu properties”, check the “Link Target” option.

Step 3: Specify the target attribute on the WordPress menu.

On the Menu items options, a new field will be displayed – Link Target –  to specify the target of the link.

At last count, there were over 14,000 plugins available for download at the WordPress plugin repository – a lot of options for the average online publisher!

While many plugins can extend the capability of your blog in ways that make your life easier, it’s important not to get carried away. Having too many plugins on your WordPress site will actually slow it down.

And a slow site can mean a low search engine rank.

Assuming you don’t go overboard with plugins, here are 5 that can actually help you rank higher in the search engines, foster an online community, and achieve your overall objectives:

1. The All-in-One SEO Pack

Known for being one of the most-downloaded WordPress plugins, the All-in-One SEO Pack lets you do all of the following:

• Add a custom title and meta description to your site
• Customize each post with optimized titles, descriptions, and keywords
• Include the “noindex” tag on archive and category pages to prevent Google from indexing duplicate content

While truly effective SEO requires that you build lots of inbound links, this plugin will help you take care of all the on-site optimization you could ask for.

2. Google Sitemap Generator

An XML sitemap helps Google better understand the organization of your site.

With this plugin, you can choose the pages Google will include in your overall site structure, ensuring that your pages are indexed “properly.” This makes it easier for web crawlers to retrieve your information when someone performs a search.

Along with the All-in-One SEO pack, the Sitemap Generator will help your site garner more search engine traffic.

3. WP-Spamfree

If you haven’t received comment spam yet, you will. That’s why every installation of WordPress comes with the Akismet comment spam-blocking plugin.

But if you’re running a commercial site, Akismet isn’t free. WP-Spamfree, on the other hand, provides an effective, cost-free alternative to Akismet.

4. Subscribe to Comments

Think about the last time you commented on a blog. If you argued a point or made a statement that invited some kind of response, you probably wanted to know when others commented on your comments, right?

Subscribe to Comments lets your readers opt-in to email updates whenever someone responds to their comments. Having this plugin encourages discussion and keeps readers coming back.

5. SexyBookmarks

Other than subscribing to your blog, what would you like readers to do every time they enjoy one of your posts? You want them to share your content with others so that you get more traffic and connect with a wider audience.

SexyBookmarks makes it easier for readers to share content across social platforms. Popular alternatives to the SexyBookmarks plugin are ShareThis and Sociable, which offer similar functionality.

With these 5 plugins, you’ll be ready to put your WordPress blog to work. Although you may find additional plugins that fit your needs, the ones listed here should at least get you off to a good start.

Adam Green is a tech-obsessed copywriter and WordPress enthusiast. When he isn’t working feverishly on client projects or contemplating R graphics, he can be found strumming the guitar on his front porch in Atlanta, Georgia.