WordPress SEO checklist
- Settings → Reading: make sure "Discourage search engines from indexing this site" is unticked.
- Settings → Permalinks: use "Post name" for clean URLs.
- Install one SEO plugin (Yoast SEO, Rank Math or All in One SEO).
- Set your site title, logo and organisation details in the plugin for schema.
- Submit the plugin's XML sitemap (usually
/sitemap_index.xml) to Google Search Console. - Write a unique SEO title and meta description for every important page.
- Use a fast, lightweight theme; avoid bloated page builders where possible.
- Add a caching plugin and compress images (WebP).
- Noindex thin archive pages (tags, author archives) if they add no value.
- Keep WordPress, themes and plugins updated; hacked sites lose rankings.
Yoast vs Rank Math vs All in One SEO
| Plugin | Strengths | Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Yoast SEO | Most widely used, simple traffic-light guidance, reliable | Some features (redirects, multiple keyphrases) are Premium only |
| Rank Math | Many features free, including redirects and schema options | More settings to configure |
| All in One SEO (AIOSEO) | Beginner-friendly setup wizard, good local SEO add-ons | Advanced features are paid |
All three do the job. The plugin matters less than the content and technical set-up. Never run two SEO plugins at once.
How to use Yoast SEO
- Open a page or post and scroll to the Yoast box.
- Enter your focus keyphrase.
- Edit the SEO title, slug and meta description in the snippet preview.
- Work through the SEO analysis and readability suggestions. Green is a guide, not a guarantee of rankings.
- Use the Schema tab to set the page type (e.g. FAQ page, article).
WooCommerce SEO
For WooCommerce stores, write unique product descriptions, optimise category pages (they often rank best), add product schema with price and availability, and keep filter URLs out of the index. See our e-commerce SEO guide.
Questions answered
Is WordPress good for SEO?
Yes. WordPress produces clean HTML, supports SEO plugins and is flexible, but rankings still depend on content, speed and links.
What is the best SEO plugin for WordPress?
Yoast SEO, Rank Math and All in One SEO are all good. Choose one, set it up properly, and focus on content.
Is Yoast SEO free?
Yes, Yoast SEO has a free version that covers titles, meta descriptions, sitemaps and schema. Yoast Premium adds features such as redirects and multiple keyphrases.
Is Rank Math better than Yoast?
Rank Math includes more features in its free version; Yoast is simpler and more established. Neither ranks a site on its own.
How do I do SEO on WordPress without a plugin?
You can set titles and meta tags in your theme, write a sitemap and add schema manually, but a plugin is far easier and less error-prone.
What is a slug in Yoast SEO?
The slug is the URL part for the page, editable in Yoast's snippet editor. Keep it short and descriptive.
What is a focus keyphrase in Yoast?
The focus keyphrase is the main keyword you want the page to rank for; Yoast checks how well the page uses it.
Why does Yoast say my SEO is good but I don't rank?
Yoast checks on-page basics only. Rankings also depend on competition, content depth, backlinks and technical health.
How do I add a meta description in WordPress?
Install an SEO plugin like Yoast or Rank Math, open the page, and edit the meta description in the plugin's snippet box.
How do I submit my WordPress sitemap to Google?
Copy the sitemap URL from your SEO plugin (for example /sitemap_index.xml) and add it under Sitemaps in Google Search Console.
Does Elementor hurt SEO?
Elementor can add extra code that slows pages, but with good hosting, caching and restraint it can rank well.
Why is my WordPress site not showing on Google?
Check that "Discourage search engines" is unticked, that the SEO plugin isn't set to noindex, and submit your sitemap in Search Console.