WordPress is a leading content management system renowned for its strong SEO capabilities right from the start. However, there are numerous additional steps you can take to further enhance your site’s SEO performance. It’s crucial to dive deeper into WordPress SEO to maximise your site’s potential.

This guide provides detailed strategies and best practices designed to help you improve your search engine rankings, attract more subscribers or customers, and overall, enhance the effectiveness of your website. Proper SEO should be integrated into all facets of your online marketing and public relations efforts.

Given the breadth of topics covered, this guide is quite extensive. For ease of navigation, make use of the table of contents to jump directly to the sections most relevant to your needs.

 

Get your basic WordPress SEO right

WordPress is already quite well-optimized for SEO right from the start. A basic installation can give you a solid foundation without needing much customization, theme tweaking, or additional plugins. Beginners can easily get started with WordPress SEO. However, there are several steps you can take to improve your SEO, streamline your process, and further enhance your site’s performance.

By setting up the right basic configurations and using a few straightforward techniques, you can establish a strong base for further optimization.

 

1.1. Check Your Site Health

Before making any changes to your site, it’s important to assess its current state. Running your website on updated software and a reliable web host can significantly improve performance. Consider these questions: What hardware and software are your sites using? What kind of hosting plan do you have? Are you using a budget shared hosting provider or a dedicated plan from a reputable host that optimises for WordPress?

To get insights into your site’s health, visit the Site Health section in WordPress or install the Health Check plugin. This plugin provides detailed technical information and can help identify areas for improvement. Eventually, many features of the Health Check plugin will be integrated into WordPress core.

 

1.1.1 Check Your Hosting

WordPress recommends using a hosting plan with a modern version of PHP, MySQL or MariaDB, and HTTPS support. Older server software can work, but it’s not recommended. Check your Site Health for technical details about your installation and your hosting provider’s dashboard to see your current plan. Investing in good WordPress hosting can offer significant benefits. Upgrading your plan is one of the simplest improvements you can make.

 

1.1.2 Upgrade to a Recent PHP Version

Many WordPress sites still run outdated PHP versions. Although newer versions like PHP 8.0 have been available for years, some sites continue to use older, unsupported versions. These outdated versions lack security updates and are vulnerable to attacks. WordPress now supports PHP 7.4 and above, which offer major benefits:

– Improved speed and efficiency

– Reduced server load

– Modern development features

– Enhanced security

– Future-proofing

 

To upgrade, follow these steps:

  1. Back up your website.
  2. Create a local staging environment with a modern PHP version.
  3. Test your site on the staging environment.
  4. Upgrade your live site (your hosting provider can assist with this).

 

For more details, check out our guide on setting up a test environment and WordPress.org’s information on updating PHP.

 

1.1.3 Ensure SSL and HTTPS

SSL (which provides HTTPS and a green padlock icon in the browser) was once optional, but it is now essential. Search engines may penalise sites without valid SSL certificates, and HTTPS is a ranking factor. SSL helps protect your site from hackers and third parties intercepting data. Modern web technologies like HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 also require HTTPS.

If you need to transition to SSL, we have a guide with tips for making the switch. Since WordPress version 5.7, there’s a basic tool to assist with detecting and moving to HTTPS.

 

1.2. Check Your Site Settings

It’s important to review all sections in the WordPress Settings menu, as various options can affect your site’s SEO. Pay special attention to your visibility settings under Settings → Reading to ensure you’re not blocking search engines from indexing your site. This could negatively impact your visibility and SEO performance.

Also, verify that your Writing and Reading settings are configured correctly. These settings control default categories and what content appears on your homepage. Make sure you have a clear tagline set up in Settings → General to help establish your site’s identity.

 

1.3. Choose the Right Permalink Structure

Your permalink settings determine the format of your page and post URLs, which can affect SEO. When setting up a new site, adjust your permalink settings by going to Settings → Permalinks.

By default, URLs might look like example.com/?p=123, which is not very user-friendly and may impact how search engines view your pages. Changing the permalink structure will alter your URLs, which can affect SEO if done after the site is established.

For most sites, a good permalink structure would be example.com/post-name/ or example.com/category/post-name/, depending on how important categorizing content is for you. This format is generally effective for WordPress sites.

 

1.3.1. Choose WWW or Non-WWW

Decide whether you want your site to use “www” (e.g., www.example.com) or not (e.g., example.com). In your WordPress settings, go to Settings → General and ensure that your preferred version is correctly set.

 

2. Optimize your content

WordPress SEO involves ensuring your site offers high-quality content on your chosen topic. Visitors seek engaging and reliable information, so it’s crucial to present your ideas clearly and effectively. Start with unique perspectives on your topic and structure your content well to attract and retain your audience.

 

2.1. Research What Your Users Want and Need

Before creating content, identify the search terms you want to target. Optimise each page or post around a specific keyphrase. 

To choose the right keyphrases, conduct keyword research. Ask yourself: What terms do I want to rank for? How realistic is it to rank for these terms?

For example, if you run a baking blog and want to target [best cake recipe], consider that it’s a broad term with high competition. Instead, focus on a niche, such as [healthy, low-sugar cake recipes] or [easy French patisserie recipes]. Niche topics allow you to become an expert and create more targeted content. 

Use long-tail keyphrases like [how to make a low-calorie vegan blueberry cheesecake]. These are more specific and less competitive, making them easier to rank for and more relevant to your niche.

 

Focus on Search Intent

Understand what your audience aims to achieve with their search. This is known as search intent. Whether they’re looking for information or intending to buy a product, tailor your content to meet their needs.

Need help with keyword research? Check out our Keyword Research training in the Yoast SEO Academy. Access to the Academy is included with Yoast SEO Premium.

 

2.2. Write Great Content for Your Users

Once you’ve completed your keyword research and decided on your topics, start writing your content. This process often involves drafting, writing, editing, and rewriting to create a polished final piece.

Begin with an outline for your first draft, focusing on a clear structure with an introduction, main points, and a conclusion. The structure may vary based on the content type, such as recipes or articles.

During the writing phase, expand on your outline to develop a complete draft. In the editing phase, ensure your content is engaging and easy to read. Even if you’re an expert on the topic, your audience might not be, so make your writing accessible. Use readability tools in Yoast SEO to improve your content.

If you struggle with writing, seek feedback from a friend or colleague. Reading your text aloud or using text-to-speech tools can help you gauge flow and readability.

 

2.3. Optimize Your Individual Posts and Pages

When working on a post or page, focus on elements like subheadings, SEO titles, and meta descriptions to ensure they reflect the content’s topic. These elements should make it clear to both search engines and visitors what your page is about.

 

2.3.1. Set Your Focus Keyphrase(s)

Avoid using the same focus keyphrase on multiple pages to prevent internal competition. Ensure the focus keyphrase appears in key elements like the SEO title, introduction, subheadings, and meta description. This consistency helps clarify the main topic of your page.

Incorporate the keyphrase naturally throughout the content but avoid overusing it. If necessary, use synonyms and related keyphrases to diversify your text and maintain relevance.

 

2.3.2. Optimize Your Permalink

Include your focus keyphrase in the URL of your post. Keep permalinks short, descriptive, and free from unnecessary words. Remove function words like “a,” “and,” or “the” to improve readability. Be cautious when changing permalinks for already published posts to avoid broken links.

 

2.3.3. Optimize Your Page Title

The page title, or HTML `<title>` tag, is crucial for SEO. It appears as the clickable link in search results and should clearly describe the page’s content. Structure titles with important keywords near the start to improve ranking and click-through rates.

Use Yoast SEO to preview how your titles will appear in search results and set default title templates to streamline the process.

 

2.3.4. Use Headings Correctly

Headings help organise content and make it easier for readers and search engines to understand. Use `<h1>` for the main title of your page, and `<h2>` and `<h3>` for subheadings in a logical order. This hierarchy improves readability and SEO. Ensure your theme correctly applies these heading tags to maintain content structure.

 

2.3.5. Optimize Your Meta Description

The meta description helps search engines understand what your page is about and appears below the page title in search results. A well-crafted meta description can encourage users to click on your link, even if you’re not at the top of the search results. It’s your chance to attract visitors by summarising your page effectively.

Writing unique and engaging meta descriptions for each page is a best practice that can drive more traffic to your site. Even though creating these descriptions can be time-consuming, it’s worth the effort.

If you don’t provide a meta description, search engines may generate one automatically based on the page’s content, often highlighting search terms in bold. However, auto-generated descriptions are usually less compelling than custom-written ones. Use the Yoast SEO plugin to create meta descriptions that include your focus keyword and encourage users to click.

 

2.3.6. Optimize Your Images and Media

Optimising images and media is an important yet often overlooked aspect of WordPress SEO. To help search engines understand your images, ensure you use descriptive file names and appropriate formats. Consider using next-gen formats like WebP, which WordPress supports.

Adding descriptive alt text to images not only improves accessibility for users with screen readers but also enhances your SEO. The Yoast SEO plugin checks for proper alt attributes and transcripts for videos, providing guidance to optimise your media.

 

2.4. Maintain Your Content Quality

 

2.4.1. Keep Your Content Fresh and Up-to-Date

Google aims to provide users with the most current and relevant information, so it’s important to keep your content updated. Regularly review and revise your content to avoid outdated or incorrect information.

If you have a large volume of posts, focus on updating cornerstone content and addressing keyword cannibalisation.

 

2.4.2. Update Your Cornerstone Content

Cornerstone content is your most valuable and important content. These pages should be comprehensive, authoritative, and well-maintained. They typically receive the most internal links and generate significant organic traffic.

Prioritise updating cornerstone content to ensure it remains accurate and relevant.

 

2.4.3. Manage Cornerstone Content with Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO helps manage cornerstone content by allowing you to mark certain posts as cornerstone articles. This makes it easier to track and update these important pages. Yoast SEO Premium also offers a filter to identify stale cornerstone content that needs updating.

 

2.4.4. Avoid Keyword Cannibalisation

Keyword cannibalisation occurs when multiple articles target the same keyword, causing internal competition and potentially lowering rankings. To resolve this, identify the affected keywords, assess which content performs best, and either merge or remove less effective posts. Use redirection to guide users to the best-performing content.

 

2.5. Avoid Accidental Duplicate Content

 

2.5.1. Understanding Duplicate Content

Duplicate content happens when multiple URLs have the same or similar content, causing search engines to struggle with ranking. This can result from technical issues like session IDs or multiple versions of a page (e.g., www and non-www). Scraped or copied content can also contribute to duplicate content problems.

 

2.5.2. Solutions for Duplicate Content

To address duplicate content:

  1. Avoid creating duplicate content if possible. Disable session IDs or similar features if they’re unnecessary.
  2. Use 301 redirects to point duplicate URLs to the original page.
  3. If you must keep a duplicate, add a canonical link to the original version to guide search engines.

 

2.5.3. Set a Canonical Link with Yoast SEO

Adding a canonical link with Yoast SEO is straightforward. In the Advanced tab of the Yoast SEO meta box, enter the URL of the original article. Yoast SEO also sets a self-referencing canonical link by default if you don’t provide one, which helps avoid issues with duplicate content.

 

2.6. Support International Audiences

To optimise your site for different countries or languages, conduct targeted keyword research and create content tailored to each audience. Avoid automated translations; invest in proper research and translations.

Choose the right domain structure for international SEO. For most, subdirectories (e.g., www.example.com/de) are preferable over separate ccTLDs (e.g., www.example.de). Implement hreflang tags to indicate language variations and prevent duplicate content issues.

 

2.7. Add Schema.org Structured Data

Structured data helps search engines understand your content better by providing detailed information about it. With Yoast SEO, you can easily add structured data by selecting options in the Yoast SEO settings. Use structured data blocks for FAQs and how-tos to generate valid structured data while building content visually.

 

3. Optimize your site structure

 

3.1. Organise Your Site

A well-organised site structure improves navigation for both users and search engines and highlights the most important pages. Aim to structure your site with a clear hierarchy, from the homepage down to individual posts and pages. Use categories and subcategories to bring order and make navigation straightforward. Avoid cluttering the homepage with too many options; instead, use a clear menu and breadcrumbs to help users find their way around.

 

3.2. Use Contextual Internal Linking

Internal linking within your content helps users find related articles and assists search engines in understanding the relationship between pages. For example, linking from a keyword research post to an SEO copywriting article is useful for both users and search engines. Ensure that the number of internal links to a page reflects its importance, and use descriptive anchor text for clarity. Yoast SEO Premium can suggest relevant internal links to improve content connectivity.

 

3.3. Manage Categories and Tags

WordPress offers categories and tags for content organisation. Categories provide a broad structure, while tags offer more specific details. For example, “pasta” could be a category on a cooking site, while “dinner party themes” could be a tag. Choose a few main categories and consider adding them to your menu. Ensure categories are balanced in size, and use subcategories if needed. Tags should be used sparingly to avoid overcomplication.

If you need a different content structure, WordPress allows custom taxonomies. Make sure these custom taxonomies improve content grouping and user experience.

 

3.4. Manage Archive Pages

Archive pages, created by categories, tags, dates, and authors, list posts and pages but can pose SEO challenges. Use the Yoast SEO plugin to manage these archives and prevent search engines from indexing irrelevant ones. Disable date-based archives if not used, and ensure author archives are set to “noindex, follow” if not needed. Internal search result pages should also be set to “noindex, follow” as recommended by Google.

 

3.4.1. Pagination

If your site has many posts, manage pagination to ensure important content isn’t buried. Customise pagination to enhance user and search engine experience.

 

3.5. Configure Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs are navigational links that appear above the post title, showing the page hierarchy (e.g., “Home > SEO blog > WordPress SEO”). They help users navigate your site and allow search engines to understand its structure. Ensure breadcrumbs link to the homepage and the relevant category. You may need to modify your theme’s `single.php` and `page.php` files to include breadcrumbs using the Yoast SEO plugin.

 

3.6. Manage XML Sitemaps

XML sitemaps help search engines discover updates to your site. Yoast SEO generates and manages sitemaps for different content types, including images, ensuring they load quickly. The plugin splits sitemaps into smaller sections, making it easier for Google to process updates. Manage which content types appear in your sitemaps through the Yoast SEO settings, and use the plugin’s API for custom functionality.

 

4. Speed up your WordPress website

 

4.1. Measure Your Site Speed

A slow website can frustrate users, leading to lower engagement, fewer conversions, and reduced chances of return visits. This can also affect how often your content is shared, linked to, or recommended. Speed is a crucial element of WordPress SEO and overall user experience, particularly for mobile and slower connections.

With Google’s Page Experience update, page speed and user experience are increasingly important. Ensuring your site performs well is essential.

Measuring site speed can be tricky, as different tools may provide varying or conflicting results. Our guide explains how to effectively measure site speed, choose the right metrics, and use the appropriate tools to identify and address performance issues.

 

4.2. Improve Your Site Speed

Once you’ve pinpointed performance issues, the next step is to make adjustments to your hosting, theme, plugins, and overall performance to improve speed.

Optimising page speed involves more than just WordPress SEO. The best solutions will differ depending on the site. For some, changing hosting or using a CDN might be effective, while others might benefit from reviewing plugin use or adjusting how CSS and JavaScript are loaded.

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a guide with page speed tools and practical tips for initial improvements.

 

5. Secure your WordPress website

WordPress powers nearly 42% of the web, making it a prime target for hackers. While WordPress has basic security measures, there are additional steps you should take to enhance your site’s security.

Start with your login credentials. The default WordPress username is “admin,” which is easily guessed by hackers. Change it to something unique. Similarly, avoid weak passwords like “123456” or “welcome01.” Use a password manager such as 1Password or LastPass to generate a strong, 20+ character password. Also, consider adding two-factor authentication using WordPress plugins to bolster security.

 

5.1. Regular Backups

Create regular backups of your site to quickly recover from any issues, whether due to hacking or problems during plugin or theme updates. Numerous WordPress plugins can automate this process, simplifying backup management.

 

5.2. Hardening Your Setup

Choose a reliable hosting provider as a starting point for securing your WordPress site. After that, take additional steps to harden your setup:

– Limit Login Attempts: Restrict the number of login attempts to prevent brute force attacks. For example, you can lock the login form after five failed attempts.  

– Keep Software Updated: Regularly update WordPress, including plugins and themes, to address security vulnerabilities.

– Manage User Permissions: Be cautious when assigning user roles. Only grant necessary permissions and avoid giving administrative rights to guest contributors.

– Change Authentication Keys and Salts: Update these keys during the WordPress installation to protect cookies and passwords.

– Disable Theme File Editing: Prevent the editing of theme files through the WordPress backend by adjusting settings in your `wp-config.php` file.

 

5.3. Monitoring and Logging

Security is an ongoing effort. Use monitoring tools to stay alert for breaches. Services like Sucuri can provide support in case of a hack and offer site check tools for regular scans. Plugins such as WordFence, iThemes, or Sucuri can monitor server files for security threats.

Also, track site activity, including file changes and logged-in users, with plugins like WP Security Audit Log. This helps identify irregularities and respond promptly to potential security issues.

 

6. Cater to your mobile visitors

Mobile devices are now the primary way people browse the web, even when they’re at home. Therefore, your mobile and desktop sites should be considered as a single entity. As a website owner, you need to ensure that your site caters effectively to all visitors, regardless of their device.

The shift in market share from desktop to mobile happened some time ago. If you’re focusing only on desktop optimization, you’re missing out on most of your audience. The exact distribution of visitors can vary by niche, so use Google Analytics to get specific insights for your site.

Given the dominance of mobile usage, mobile SEO is essential.

 

6.1. Ensure Your Theme is Mobile-Friendly

After ensuring your site is fast, the next step is to make sure your theme is mobile-friendly. This involves:

– Links and Buttons: Ensure links are not too close together and buttons are easy to click.

– Font Size: Use a consistent font size that is readable on smaller screens.

– Images: Optimize image size and dimensions to fit mobile screens without affecting performance.

 

6.1.1. Use a Responsive Design

In 2022, responsive design is crucial. This means your website should adjust to fit the screen size of the device being used. Implement responsive design using CSS media queries to cater to different screen widths. Most modern WordPress themes are responsive, but ensure yours is set up correctly.

Depending on your target audience’s location and mobile internet speed, you may need to adjust elements like images and text. Responsive design helps create a more focused and user-friendly site.

 

6.1.2. Prioritize Mobile User Needs

Examine your website from a mobile user’s perspective. Identify the main tasks users perform on your site—such as calling your business or finding directions—and make these tasks easily accessible. For instance, if you run a local business, include prominent call-to-action buttons for calling or getting directions in your mobile menu.

To determine these key tasks, ask your visitors and review Google Analytics to see which pages are most frequently visited on mobile devices. This will help you prioritise essential features for a better mobile user experience.

 

7. Analyze and improve your performance

A successful SEO campaign involves not just making changes but also tracking their impact to see what works best. Google offers two key tools for analysing your website’s performance and finding new opportunities: Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

 

7.1. Set Up and Integrate Google Analytics

To start with Google Analytics, you need to create an account. Click the ‘Start for free’ button and set up your account by entering an Account Name. This can be your company name, but if you plan to add other websites later, a more general name might be better. You can always change this later if needed.

Next, add a property for your website by entering the Website Name and URL. Ensure the URL includes the correct format: http:// or https:// and with or without www to collect accurate data.

Once your account and property are set up, choose to enable data-sharing settings as needed. 

The final step is to add the tracking code to your website. After creating your account and property, you’ll receive a Google Analytics tracking code. To add this to your WordPress site, you can use a plugin like MonsterInsights. This plugin allows you to connect to Google Analytics without editing your website’s code. Simply install and activate the plugin, enter your tracking ID, and you’re set. Alternatively, you can use Google’s Site Kit plugin for integrating both Analytics and Search Console data into your WordPress backend.

For those comfortable with technical details, you can manually add the tracking code to each web page’s header or use Google Tag Manager.

Once connected, Google Analytics will start collecting user data. Explore the data to understand user behaviour or refer to our blog for tips on using Google Analytics effectively.

 

7.2. Set Up Google Search Console

Google Search Console is another crucial tool. To set it up:

  1. Create or sign in to your Google Search Console account.
  2. Click ‘Add a property’ from the search dropdown.
  3. Enter your website URL and click ‘Continue’.
  4. Verify your site, often by copying and pasting a meta tag provided by the Yoast SEO plugin.

After connecting, Google Search Console will begin collecting data on your website’s performance in search results.

 

7.3. Additional Useful Tools

Several other tools can offer valuable insights and help you find SEO opportunities:

– Microsoft Clarity: Provides insights into user behaviour on your site through features like session replays and heat maps. Useful for improving user experience by understanding how visitors interact with your site.

– Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools: Similar to Google Search Console but for Bing. It helps you monitor your site’s performance in Bing search results.

Semrush: An SEO suite that offers a range of tools for internet marketing and SEO, including keyword research. It powers features in Yoast SEO for finding effective keyphrases.

– Google Lighthouse: A Chrome extension that generates reports on Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices, and SEO. Use it to get a quick overview of your site’s performance and identify areas for improvement.

Hotjar: Provides insights into how visitors interact with your site through heat maps and session recordings. It also allows you to add polls and surveys for user feedback. 

Explore these tools to enhance your SEO efforts and improve your website’s performance.

 

8. Promote your site

Creating valuable content for your WordPress site is just the beginning. To attract and expand your audience, you need to actively promote your site. Here are some effective strategies to help you achieve this:

 

8.1. Encourage Engagement

Engaging with your readers is crucial. To increase interaction, encourage readers to comment, share your posts on social media, or take other actions. 

Ask for feedback directly in your posts and respond to comments to keep the conversation going. This not only builds relationships with your audience but also signals to search engines that your site is active, which can benefit your SEO.

 

8.2. Grow Your Reach

Social media is a powerful tool for expanding your blog’s audience. Be active on platforms where your target audience is present, such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. 

 

8.3. Build a Mailing List

In addition to social media, a newsletter can be a valuable tool for promoting your blog. Allow visitors to subscribe and send regular updates featuring your latest posts and other interesting content.

Place a subscription form in prominent locations on your site and ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. Make your newsletter engaging and worthwhile to keep subscribers interested.

 

8.4. Amplify Your Content

With the vast amount of content published daily, making your posts stand out can be challenging. To help your content reach more people, consider amplifying it.

Explore ways to extend your reach beyond organic traffic. Paid advertising on platforms like Facebook or Instagram can help you target new audiences. Evaluate your current channels and look for opportunities to broaden your reach.

 

Conclusions

This guide covers various aspects of WordPress SEO for your site, including technical SEO, content strategies, and conversion tips. However, to rank for competitive terms, you’ll need to implement most of these strategies and produce high-quality, engaging content.

 

 

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