Connect With Me-- I'm All Over The Place!
How to Pimp your Wordpress Admin Panel
Posted On: August 13, 2008Posted In: Blogging Tips, Organization and Productivity
Comments: 9 Responses
How you can tweak your WordPress admin panel
So, I had to use pimp because, that’s what you crazy kids understand these days. Basically, I want to talk about a few ways you can tweak the look and feel of your WordPress admin panel according to your tastes.
There are a few things I don’t like about the admin page, or panel, one being all the CRAP on the dashboard! I really don’t care to see links to plugins and WordPress development and all those squares at the bottom. Luckily for us, there are other folks out there that hate that crap as much as us….and they are way smarter than me so they made plugins for it!
Dashboard Editor will let you take off the crap you don’t want, and even add stuff you do! Want some widget action on your dashboard? Go for it! I just used it to take out the crap I didn’t want, so I just have my recent comments, incoming links, and that “you have” bar. It’s very clean now!
Another thing I like is stats, but not just any old stats, I found a plugin that will list the stats of your blog such as author contribution which covers average posts per month and words per post. It also covers post conversion rate by tracking the trackbacks, comments per post ( not counting your own!), and average number of words in the comments. What’s not to like? I suggest you checkout blog metrics for some stat lovin.
For the Statistics Junkies
Oh yes, we got more for you statistics sluts, hey…I know I’m one…just accept it! Want to see the links from Tehcnorati instead of google blog search? Checkout technorati incoming links. And if you want to really know what your visitors are doing, checkout Wassup. It will let you see real-time what your visitors are viewing, where they are coming from and it’s got a very sexy interface. It’s not realy a history tool, but something to give you some quick looks at how your site is doing…in realtime.
You can also checkout StatPress, which gives you more history, as well as current details on your visitors. Yes I like statistics, I compare them with each other and some report things that others don’t. You thought that was it? I got another one for you wordpress-reports will gather a snapshot of your google analytics stats, and feedburner stats, and give you a quick look-see.
For the wordpress playa in you
Maybe you’re like me, and you wanna really change the feel and functionality of the admin panel. For me, I don’t know why, but I think WordPress should 
have drop down menus! Yeah, I’m feeling it and I think it should be at least a default option. Well, until then you can download Ozh WordPress admin drop down menu. I love it!
And if you really wanna pull out your pimp cup, and change the whole look and feel of your admin panel, checkout Fluency. This plugin will give you admin panel a very nice and sexy application feel. All your menu items will be on the left hand side of your screen, and it’s a nice black, white, and silver layout. I couple this with the drop down menus for the ultimate WordPress funk! So check it out. Note, I think you have to be runing version 2.6 to use Fluency.
I had a video, but, it was a screencast showing the plugins in action. Well, I’m having issues getting it converted properly so I’ll just give you the post 
Sorry lol
Let me know if you decide to use any of these and which ones you decide.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
August 13th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Joe, I am pissed! NO VIDEO, WHAT THE FUNK IS THAT ALL ABOUT? I don’t know what to do with myself without a Joeville video. Plus I got a pool going on who is going to be the next sponsors. Had my money on Tile X, but now I got to regroup. LOL!
Solid post. To be honest, I am too new with Wordpress to be changing things and adding plug-ins, guess i’m nervous. I just moved my site to Wordpress less than a month ago after reading Darren’s ProBlogger book. Once he said he used wordpress, I was on it.
Also, I have a question. Adding plug-ins to the admin doesn’t add script to your website, right?
I read a post on someones site (the are all running together) that talked about make sure you don’t have too many scripts at the top of your page, forcing the main meat of your site down so many lines of code. All of this conversation was centered around the famous Google bots and not giving them too much to decipher.
As a follow up because I believe the answer is no to the question above, the plug-ins that are used on the website to do various things are adding script to your website, right?
I know it is a basic question and off of your topic, but that is where the post drew my attention.
Thanks for any assistance.
As for your post, I do hate all of the boxes at the bottom of my page and may go for a plug-in or two. Thanks for the insight.
I’m with Joe!
Checkout Freddies last blog post..The Importance of Hiring a Project Manager
Reply
August 13th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
In fact, that video you are struggling with would probably ease a lot of my anxioty about adding the plug-ins if I could see it first.
Yes, that was a push to get a video out there before I go crazy! LOL!
Also, I noticed the IF THIS BLOG COULD TALK reference in your right side bar. It is coming, huh?
As usual, i’m with Joe!
Checkout Freddies last blog post..The Importance of Hiring a Project Manager
Reply
August 14th, 2008 at 2:13 am
What does “pimp” mean… I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
…great lesson Joe. Make that top image smaller though, its breaking my 1/2 of content max rule. Argh!
Dashboard Editor is brilliant. I have a blog (Bullish Bankers) with multiple writers, and I wanted a way to make it more obvious how to get around. Way to deliver the goods right on time
Checkout The Net Fools last blog post..Making Money Online by Flipping Websites for Profit – Using Arbitrage To Earn Online
Reply
August 14th, 2008 at 5:38 am
@Freddie – these plugins don’t do much for your index page, so they won’t put too much script on the site, that I know of. It’s more for you and your writers. They aren’t too hard to use, and install just like plugins, I’d say stick with the others and leave the fluency alone since you have multiple writers.
Yeah, it was a quick video but I couldn’t get it to work! It was a different style for me so, I couldn’t get the size right for uploading.
@The Net Fool – Oh Jim! You are the definition of pimp! Sorry sir about the rule, must have still been operating on my old theme definitions. Hey, my pic of the pimp cup is right-aligned in the admin panel but won’t show up that way on the site! Any suggestions?
I think dashboard editor and blog metrics at least will be great for your site! You will be able to track everyone’s input with blog metrics and dashboard editor I’m sure you can figure out some good stuff to use. Like I said, you can add stuff in there too!
Checkout Normal Joes last blog post..How to Pimp your Wordpress Admin Panel
Reply
August 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am
nice ill be sure to add this to my wp-dashboard everything pimped out lol
Reply
August 14th, 2008 at 11:26 am
I was pretty happy with the dashboard changes in the recent Wordpress as it was a lot cleaner, but these extras are awesome if you wanna personalize your experience.
I liked Fluency from the start as it seems to visually match “Mac/Firefox”.
Thaks for the hot tip on the drop down add on. I never saw that before. I’m gonna try it out!
Cheers man!
Jay
Checkout Jays last blog post..Where To Get Help If You’re Addicted To Stats
Reply
August 14th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
@Nick Throlson -
Gotta have it pimped buddy! I think you’ll like it…I put up a viddy for it today to give a little visual on it. Tip your pimp glass playa playa and bling out that css lol
@Jay –
Yeah man, I don’t like all that extra junk, and being able to add what I want is a plus, even if I haven’t did it yet!
Fluency is nice, but, depending on your screen size and plugin lists, you’ll have to force your browser to full screen to see them all…IF you’re using it with the drop down menus.
Drop down menus are by far the best functionality enhancement for me.
The stats, well…I’m a slut for those
Checkout Normal Joes last blog post..How to pimp your WordPress Admin Panel. The Video
Reply
August 15th, 2008 at 4:14 am
I’m downloading these plugins. You are very smart Joe, this is exactly what I have been wishing for.
I wanted to add that the format of your latest newsletter is super-fantastic. What a relief to see! I actually felt like reading it. I can’t stand the usual plain text format I get (and I don’t understand why people do it either to be honest) which is all small and squeezed over on the left and requies so much scrolling to read. I usually don’t read these and it is probably mostly because of the format.
So I think what you have there is fantastic. Great job, keep going. And don’t forget to vote for me, I’m running for president!
Checkout Annas last blog post..The Truth is Out – An Internet Marketer is Running for President
Reply
Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 15th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Great! Glad you liked them.
Thanks for the compliment on the newsletter, I’m always trying to tweak and step outside the norm. Most will say the text, squeezed over…works. I hate it, and the longer it gets the more I unsubscribe!
I just like to tweak stuff, and I’m sure I’ll be tweaking it a lot more, but I will still use that same format..so thanks for being on the list and make sure you keep me in check
I will vote for you!
Reply