There is no surprise why WordPress has become the most popular website platform to boost your search rankings. It is ridiculously simple content management system to install and use!
However, just installing a WordPress site will not perform miracles for your search rankings. When it comes to optimising your WordPress SEO, all it takes is a bit of elbow grease and a few simple, but very powerful tools.
Follow these tips and you will see your ranking elevating within a few upcoming months! ( Always remember that these things take time and be patient! Good SEO results will take at least 6 months to show- and don’t believe anyone who tries to sell you a quick solution. They do not exist!)
SEO plugins:
The two “Big Daddys” here are, of course, All in One SEO Pack and WordPress SEO by Yoast. Each is an excellent plug in, guaranteed to increase your organic search rankings in Google.
However, WordPress SEO by Yoast has, in our opinion, better and easier guidelines for page optimisation. Using a “traffic light” indicator, you can see whether the page is properly optimised and their Page Analysis tool covers all aspects of correct optimisation.
Plus it is easy to understand and follow, even for beginners.
Code Inserter plug-in:
One of the good practices for search rankings is to ensure you have presence on as many popular Social media platforms as possible.
However some of them will require placing a snippet of code into every page of your site for verification (Google plus and Pinterest will ask you for it). The easiest way to achieve this is via a code inserter tool. Such tool comes as a part of All in One SEO Pack, but doesn’t come with WordPress SEO by Yoast.
We recommend a handy Embed Code plugin. It can be used for Google Analytics, other tracking code, favicons, meta tags, or any 3rd-party embed code.
Google Analytics Plugin:
Even though the SEO plug-ins usually allow you to enter your Google Analytics property ID, we highly recommend installing a proper full Google Analytics Universal tracking script. It is available in your Google Analytics property admin section. Installing is easy with the Embed Code plug-in).
But you might need something “stronger” if your site is a WooCommerce site. You must install a separate plug-in to track your conversions, such as Enhanced E-commerce Google Analytics Plugin for WooCommerce. And don’t forget to activate your e-commerce traffic in Google Analytics- (under Admin ->property settings).
Find An SEO-Ready Theme:
With so many free themes available, WordPress site can look stunning with a minimum investment. (By the way, all the plugins mentioned in this article are free). But there is a catch: some of those themes can damage your search rankings if not used correctly or overloaded.
So make sure you read the small print and choose an SEO-ready theme. A good pro version of a theme can be purchased very reasonably, so do shop around. Always run a quality check on the demo site to ensure that the page is mobile friendly and meets Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, otherwise you run the risk of not showing up in SERPs.
The Do’s and Don’ts:
Do check that the plugins you are using are compatible with your WordPress version and has been tested. If not, this could potentially cause many annoying technical glitches and annoyances. Do not install too many plugins either, as they might overburden your site.
Boost Your Search Rankings with SEO Widgets:
Wordpess is packed with great widgets, but did you know they help your search rankings too? Widgets can make the page look very cluttered, so choose carefully. Base your selection on obvious value. Stay focused on relevant topics and try to sway the user to view other pieces of content on your site, as well as increase engagement.
Try Shareaholic, an amazing all-in-one content amplification platform that takes your content to the next level (just as it “says on the tin”). On top of simple sharing options ( see funky buttons on the left?), it features recommendations & related content (see below the article) which inspires users to remain on your site for longer periods of time.
Provide Amazing Content
Lastly, do not forget that SEO is all about your content. Write about things that can be of value and use sharp videos and images. Always fill the alt tags using your keywords, relevant to that image or post- these will most definitely be picked up by Google bots. Consistency and frequency are the magic key to excellent SEO, so make a posting schedule and stick to it. Do your keyword research and select keyword phrases to write your articles about.
So if you are using WordPress as your website’s platform, rest assured is a powerful and easy way to generate great search rankings. But it needs to be set up properly. Install just a couple of these widgets and plugins, post regularly and you will notice the improvement in your rankings within just a few months!