
Under the Hood of My Blog: A Tech Stack That’s Got More Plugins Than a DJ Booth
So, you want to know what powers my site? Buckle up, because this WordPress engine is tuned like a Formula 1 car with a caffeine addiction.
Hosting & Core
- WordPress: Because obviously.
- Hosted by Namecheap: Affordable, reliable, and doesn’t ghost me when traffic spikes.
Email & Newsletters
- MailPoet: My inbox whisperer. Sends newsletters, automations, and transactional emails without breaking a sweat.
SEO That Actually Works
- Rank Math: Handles all my SEO wizardry. The 404 monitor and broken link redirection feature? Absolute chef’s kiss. No more 404 shame. Transition from the other SEO plugin I had before was easy, RankMath imports the old settings and you’re ready to go.
- I actually like it so much, I joined their affiliate program: you click this link RankMath check it out, and if you buy the PRO version (there is a free version too), I get commission – win-win!
Analytics & Traffic Spying
- Google Analytics: Because I like knowing who’s lurking.
- Microsoft Clarity: For heatmaps and rage clicks—yes, people really do rage-click.
- WP Visitor Traffic Plugin: My third eye for real-time traffic stats.
Google Services Integration
- Google Site Kit: One plugin to rule them all—Search Console, Analytics, AdSense, and more.
Search Engine Submission
- IndexNow Plugin: Pushes new pages to search engines faster than I can say “crawl me maybe.”
Admin Experience
- Adminify: Makes wp-admin feel less like a spreadsheet and more like a cockpit.
- CookieAdmin: Handles cookie consent like a polite bouncer at a GDPR party.
Performance & Optimization
- LiteSpeed Cache: Turbocharges my site like it’s on nitro.
- Smush: Squeezes image sizes without making them look like pixelated potatoes.
Security & Spam Control
- Wordfence: My digital firewall ninja.
- Akismet: Blocks spam so well, I sometimes forget comment sections exist. (Seriously, without it, my blog would be a spam buffet.)
Multilingual Magic
- TranslatePress: Makes my site speak multiple languages—I translate texts myself, but this plugin makes it possible for visitors to change language on the fly.
Code & Customization
- WP Code Lite: Lets me sneak code into headers and footers like a stealthy tag ninja. Mostly for site ownership verification and other nerdy rituals.
AI Assistant & Onboarding
- Extendify WordPress Onboarding + AI Assistant: Comes with my theme and helps me whip up pages or tweak layouts when I’m feeling lazy or indecisive.
Theme
- Extendable: A block-based theme that’s as flexible as a yoga instructor. Bold, bohemian, minimal—whatever mood I’m in, it’s got a style for it.
So yeah, my site’s got more plugins than a WordCamp swag bag. But each one earns its keep. If you’re a fellow blogger looking to streamline your setup or just geek out over WordPress tools, I’m always down to compare plugin stacks. Let’s talk shop, drop me an email! jan@dirtyoldman.blog
PS. Check also other site I’m building: EuropeExpedition.com