<div align=”center”>
Code for first ad block
&nbsp;
Code for second ad block
&nbsp;
Code for third ad block
</div>

It worked lik a charm. If you wish to display just two ad blocks, simply remove the third line of ad code from the snippet.

Normally a webmaster would create an XML sitemap file for his/her website in accordance with the standards set forth, upload the completed file to the server, and then “tell” the search engines how to find it. The sitemap file itself can be assembled manually (not an easy thing to do if a site is large) or by using an XML sitemap creation script of some type. The problem is, every time a new page or blog post is added, the XML sitemap file must be recreated and uploaded all over again.

Thankfully, if you have a WordPress blog there is an outstanding plugin that automates the entire process for you after the initial setup is performed. The Google XML Sitemapsplugin takes care of all the drudge work for you. After you install and configure it, it takes over and makes sure every post and page you add to your blog gets added to the XML sitemap, which it then automatically uploads to the server. The plugin also pings the search engines to let them know that the sitemap has been updated. What a great plugin!

If you have never used an XML sitemap before or if you have been updating and uploading it manually, you’re going to LOVE this plugin. If you want to add it to your WordPress blog, you’ll find it right here.

1 – Decide which category you wish to designate as the new “default” category. If the “Uncategorized” category is the only category you have, you’ll have to add at least one new category before proceeding on to the next step.

2 – Choose the “Writing” option on the “Settings” menu.

3 – In the drop-down box labeled “Default Post Category”, select the category that you wish to use as the new default category.

4 – Click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page.

Now that you have selected a new “default” category, you can completely remove the “Uncategorized” category as follows:

1 – Under the “Posts” menu, click “Categories”.

2 – In the list of categories on the right-hand side of the screen, check the box beside “Uncategorized”.

3 – In the “Bulk Actions” drop-down box, click “Delete”, then click “Apply”.

Note: When you delete the “Uncategorized” category, all posts currently filed under that category will be moved automatically into the new default category.

I have used Ozh’ Admin Drop Down Menu on all of my WordPress blogs for some time now, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for an easy way to streamline your blogging activities. The easiest way to find out more about the plugin and install it is to log in to your WordPress admin panel and click on Plugins and Add New. Then simply type “Ozh’ Admin Drop Down Menu” into the search box.

Alternatively, you can click here to visit the plugin author’s website where you’ll find all kinds of unseful information and tips on this great script.

I have been building websites using the WordPress blog platform for some time now, and I have always been quite impressed with its amazing combination of power and simplicity. Since there are numerous resources for helping build and maintain WordPress based blogs and websites available on the Internet for free, it never occurred to me that there would be a market for an actual printed book on the topic. Well, it turns out that I was wrong.

While browsing the aisles of my local bookstore, I happened to see a book entitled WordPress For Dummies, and since I have always found the “For Dummies” series of books to be easy to read and understand, I picked it up and read a couple of chapters right there in the store! Then I took it home with me and read the rest of it. I found it not only to be an interesting read, but also a comprehensive resource for every aspect of planning, building and maintaining a blog or website using the WordPress platform.

As expected, the book starts off with an explanation of blogging in general, then it quickly gets into the nuts and bolts of the WordPress software. Topics discussed include the differences between the hosted version of WordPress and the self-hosted WordPress scripts, installing the WordPress files on your server, setting up the database, personalizing your new blog with a theme, finding and using plugins, backing up and restoring your WordPress installation and many, many more. In a nutshell, WordPress For Dummies is a wonderful collection of much of the information you’ll find about installing and using WordPress scattered around the Internet all in one well-organized, easy to understand printed book.

Could you get by without ever seeing a copy of WordPress for Dummies? Sure you could. After all, everything found in the book can also be found for free on the web. But nowhere else will you find so much critical information in one place, neatly organized and indexed, ready to use exactly when you need it! If you use WordPress now, or have plans to use it in the future, this book deserves a prominent spot on your desk.

Click here to read more about WordPress for Dummies on Amazon.

One of the most powerful aspects of blogging with WordPress is the ability to use plugins to add functionality and spiff up the site. There is a plugin for just about every function there is related to blogging, and here is my list of must-have plugins for the serious blogger:

1 – Login Lockdown- This simple plugin makes it a lot harder for a hacker to break into your blog’s admin account by using software to try numerous login / password combinations as a brute force method of taking over your blog. After a set number of failed login attempts (set by you), the login form is disabled for a given length of time (which is also set by you). This effectively renders automated scripts that try to guess your login info ineffective.

2 – Remove My Version- By default the code for every page on your WordPress blog contains a line that tells the world which version of WordPress you’re running. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, it isn’t. When a hacker finds a security vulnerability in a particular WordPress version, he simply uses Google to find a bunch of blogs running that version by searching for that line in the code. Then he attacks the blogs that show up in the search results. The “Remove My Version” plugin does just that, making it more difficult for hackers to identify your blog as one that can be easily attacked.

3 – WP Super Cache- When a WordPress blog receives a burst of traffic, all those hits on the WordPress files and MySQL database can reduce the speed of your blog to that of a lethargic turtle. WP Super Cache helps alleviate this problem by storing static HTML versions of your blog’s pages, then loading them into your visitors’ browers instead of brand new dynamic pages that the server must create on the fly. The result is a faster site that can handle much larger amounts of traffic without crashing.

4 – Dagon Design Form Mailer- Contact forms are handy for letting your visitors email you without having to publish your email address on your blog. They are also useful for gathering information from your visitors. There are a number of good form generator plugins available, but the one I use on all my blogs and recommend is this one from Dagon Design.

5 – Ohz’ WordPress Admin Drop Down Menu- The WordPress admin interface is pretty straightforward, but this nifty plugin makes it even easier to understand and use. Give it a try and you’ll probably never want to give it up.