Update 11/20/2012: This post is no longer relevant. The FeedSmith plugin is no longer needed since it has been replaced with the FeedBurner FeedSmith Extend plugin (as mentioned in the post, My Favorite Plugins under "Plugins for feeds"), which is available via your Dashboard (here's how to install a plugin via your Dashboard).
I still highly recommend you be familiar with using FTP as it is a very helpful skill to have as a website owner. Please refer to How to Use FTP for more.
Previously, I showed you how to use FTP — getting it set up and how it works. Today we'll see FTP in action. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to transfer several files at once. It also gives you access to your site's files when you might not be able to access them via your Dashboard.
One of the most common ways FTP is helpful to you as a blogger is when you hear about a really great plugin or theme and you look for it via your WordPress Dashboard (see How to Install a Plugin and How to Install a WordPress Theme) but can't find it. That's because not all plugins and themes are listed in the WordPress directory. Some must be downloaded to your computer and then uploaded to your server. That's where FTP comes in!
For this tutorial, I'm going to use the FeedSmith plugin as my example. (I talked about it in How to Get & Optimize a FeedBurner Feed.)
Still, here is a basic overview of how you would work with files via FTP.
1. Download the plugin or theme
Find the plugin's (or theme's) site and download it. A simple search of the plugin's name should direct you to the right place. For FeedSmith, this is where I can find the download link:
Click "Dowload the plugin" and once it's downloaded, unzip it. (It might unzip automatically for you or click on it to do so.) Take note of where the unzipped file is located on your computer.
2. Fire up your FTP
I explained how to do this in How to Use FTP. You're ready to go when you see something like this:
3. Drill down to find the plugin file on your computer
The left side contains the files on your computer; the right contains the files on your server.
So, on the left side of your FTP window (shown above), find your unzipped file "feedburner_feedsmith_plugin_2.3" (without quotes) within your computer's directory. (Your unzipped file will be indicated by the little folder icon as opposed to an icon that resembles a zipper.)
(For me, it's located in my Downloads folder so I will click Home–>Users–>Amy–>Downloads. Your path is very possibly different but once you click around a bit, you should be able to find it.)
When you find it, simply click on it once to highlight it. There is no need to open it, just highlight it like so:
4. Find your Plugins folder
On the right side of your FTP screen (i.e. the files on your server), you need to find your "plugins" folder among your WordPress files.
It's likely the right side of your screen looks similar to mine in which case you will click "public_html–>wp-content" to get this:
Highlight the "plugins" folder by clicking on it. Again, opening the "plugins" folder is not necessary, just highlight it.
So now your FeedSmith folder is highlighted on the left and your plugins folder is highlighted on the right. You are simply indicating that you want the whole folder-full of FeedSmith files to transfer over into the folder of plugins.
5. Transfer the files
To get the FeedSmith plugin into your plugins folder in WordPress, simply click the arrow which will send your files on the left over the the right:
Once the transfer is complete, you can check to make sure it's there by opening your plugins folder (click on it to open it). You should see "feedburner_feedsmith_plugin_2.3" listed:
6. Activate your plugin & configure settings (if needed)
From this point, you should be able to go back to your WordPress Dashboard, click on Plugins–>Installed (refresh if necessary) and it should be there. Be sure to "Activate" your plugin and configure its settings if needed. (For FeedSmith, you can configure the settings by going to Settings–>FeedBurner. More help is here if needed.)
Note about installing themes:
You would use the same process to install a theme, except instead of working with the "plugins" folder among your server files, you'd be working with your "themes" folder. (See Step 4 above. The "themes" folder is located just below the "plugins" folder.)
That's it! You did it! You are now officially an FTP whiz. 
Hi Amy! I love your blog, I purchased my domain & hosting just 2 days ago and am following your blog step by step!
I don't know if you can help me, but I followed your steps precisely and my plugins folder looks just like yours in #5 above, and I see feedburner_feedsmith on the right side under plugins. When I go into my dashboard, and refresh, it still is not listed in my plugins. I only have 5 there and I should have 6. Any ideas what I could try?
Thank you!
Hmmmm…when you click on the FeedSmith folder on the right side, does it open to reveal another FeedSmith folder? If it does, it's that second folder you want to be in the plugins folder. So, go ahead and delete the FeedSmith folder as you have it and start over. This time, though, when the FeedSmith folder is still on the left side of your screen, click on it to open it first. Then, assuming there is another FeedSmith folder inside, transfer *that* one over to the other side. I hope that helps!
Hi Amy!
Good morning!
Thanks for the help on the feed. It seems to be working….I'll know soon about if it is calculating subscibers.
I am trying to download FeedSmith now and though I click on the file to unzip it, when I look in Unlimited FTP in Bluehost, it shows the FeedSmith w/ 2.3 zip after it.
I have tried clicking on it in the download box and also in my file browser (I hope that is what it is called) and I still get the same thing. I am going to try to see if it works, but I don't know why it keeps showing that it is still zipped.
Thanks!
Hi again. I have tried a number of times to unzip it. Each time it shows in my files as an adobe file w/ explanation and the feedsmith file that looks unzipped – it looks like it has opened and has a piece of paper icon next to it instead of the zipped file icon. Still, when I go to bluehost to unlimited FTP, it shows up as a zip file. I may try to keep going w your instructions..
One more thing. In Bluehost when I am in "unlimited FTP", my file doesn't look like yours. In your demo the icon is a folder. In mine it is a document. Does that mean anything?
Thanks again.
I love your blog! Thank you so much for giving this information on how to start your own blog. I've done about 23 of the steps. I'm stuck on replacing the atahualpa image at the top of my blog with my very own image. I'm not really sure where I do that on my wordpress dashboard. I transferred the picture file over to the them area through the bluehost ftp. Could you help me?
This is a question I get quite a bit and keep thinking I should do a tutorial. Until that happens,
the quick answer is to create an image the same size as the Atahualpa header image and then give it the same name as the Atahualpa header image. Then upload via FTP to the same folder where the Atahualpa image is located. It should ask you if you want to replace the existing image (because it has the same name) in which case you would answer yes. Just in case, I'd save a copy of the Atahualpa image to your computer first just in case your new image doesn't work quite right and then you can put it back in there using the same steps until your new image is ready to go again. I hope that helps!
Anybody know why my feedburner plugin has no "settings" or "options" on the dashboard? How am I supposed to configure it? Grr.
Hi Amy,
I love your site! I am having problems with the feedsmith plugin. I've downloaded the plugin to my computer and have gone through the ftp process but it doesn't show up in the plugin area of my dashboard. I've unzipped the file and I just can't seem to get it to work. Do you have any ideas? or other options beside feedsmith?
Thanks!
Hi, Amy,
I'm in a bit of a pickle. I hope you or one of your readers can help me see what I'm doing incorrectly.
There was an update to Atahualpa that I downloaded. After doing so, I noticed that my Networked Blogs link, showing my followers, was messed up. I did a search and found that others were experiencing the same problem. Someone posted this link, from the theme's forum, showing how to fix the problem. I hope it works because I have other items that aren't showing any longer like Google Ads and such. http://forum.bytesforall.com/showthread.php?t=14143
My problem? Well, I can't seem to find the 'atahualpa/functions' folder on my host. I'm using Bluehost. Maybe I didn't put it there. I don't know at this time and I'm too afraid to touch anything until I read a response. Also, I'm not sure how to FTP the file once I find the folder.
I told ya I'm in a pickle, but I am willing to learn.
Thanks for any insight!
Bonnie
It should be in wp-content –> themes –> Atahualpa –> functions.php
Hi Amy,
I've been reading your posts about themes and plugins; since I'm brand new to all this, I'm still a bit green in my understanding of them. But I want to start a site that includes a type of crossword puzzle that I created; not a real crossword, but with some similar elements. My confusion is how to get them on the site, or how to link them. And when they come up, they will need to be interactive – someone would need to be able to insert letters where needed. Right now, they are excel files, but may need to be changed or converted to something else. Any ideas of where to get this instruction? Does this have to do with "themes" or "plugins"? Thanx!
Hi Sue,
Depending on the functionality your puzzles require, you might need some special programming. If they are in spreadsheet format and can simply be printed out, that wouldn't be difficult to do, but if the idea is for people to play the game right on your site, I would recommend hiring someone who has experience creating games. Hmmm…you might try googling "how to create online game" or something similar to see if you can find some information about how to find help. Or, you might try finding similar online games and then trying to find out who they were written by. Sorry I can't be more helpful here!
I think I must be mising something – I've tried to follow the feedburner directions – what am I supposed to do to put a subscription link on my blog? Sorry, pretty cluelessa t this point. Thanks.
Have you seen the post about setting up FeedBurner?
I'm trying to move from blogger to WP and am learning so much that's new! I am using FTP but on the wp content side there's no plug in folder to put things in… What should I do, do I need to get it there and if so how?
Thank you very much!!
Chara, make sure you are drilling down all the way: Public_HTML –> wp-content –> plugins. You can also install most plugins via your Dashboard –> Plugins –> Add New. (P.S. Plugins are not available on WordPress.com blogs, just self-hosted WordPress.org blogs.)
Your tutorials have once again saved my blog! I can't retain this technical information, so each time I have to do something on my blog, I have to come back here to find your posts and follow the directions EXACTLY. It takes me awhile, but eventually it seems to click! Thank you again. Such an invaluable service!
Oh my. Maybe someone else will be helped by my brain lapse. I tried over and over yesterday to get Feedburner to work, kept getting errors, etc.
Came back with fresh eyes today and realized that even tho I'd read and re-read the above comments looking for an answer, I was still entering my basic site address (to burn my feed) but forgot to add the /feed/ at the end of it. Did that and all was hunky dory.
A definite 'duh' moment, but at least only my Bassett Hound was here to witness it! This setting up of the blog is a full on education in itself. Thanks for being such a great teacher, Amy!
Lisa
Hey, great job with the blog
I have an issue finding the public_html folder you are talking about. There is the www folder which contains the wordpress and all the components including plugins. But uploading my plugin there doesnt make it show up on the dashboard. Another blogger said that www>wp-content>plugins isnt the same as public_html>wpocontent>plugins. Please tell me the location where I need to upload the plugin!
It's public_html –> wp-content –> plugins. You might also be able to upload the plugin via your Dashboard (which is a lot easier).
Thanks did the trick
Ok Im in another fix! Help Amy!
Im currently on WordPress and have installed the Symposium plugins along with several others. In the last couple of days I have made changes to my site, and they show up ok at the front end BUT ONLY IF I VISIT THE SITE FROM THE ADMIN PANEL.
If I visit the site without logging in, all the changes I made are not visible (background, header, other plugins etc) and it looks like it did 3 days ago.
What have I done wrong? IS there something wrong with Symposium or is it something else? Im just doing this for a computer class and have no understanding for HTML or CSS, however I can implement minor changes. Please help! My deadline is really close!!
Saroosh, I'm not familiar with Symposium. Sometimes it takes a while for the changes to come through so you try clearing your cache or waiting a while and check again.