One of the greatest benefits of using WordPress as a CMS is that there are so many free plugins available for WordPress that will totally beef up and streamline the SEO of any site. When looking for plugins to boost your SEO, it can be a bit overwhelming because of the sheet amount of free plugins available. If you need help narrowing down the options in terms of which SEO plugins to add to your site, take a look at this list we’ve curated of 5 of the absolute best WordPress plugins for SEO.
Yoast is one of the most popular (if not THE most popular) WordPress plugin for improving your SEO. It’s popular for a reason…this plugin is packed with features and is completely free. Yoast does so much more than allow you to input keywords and meta details. It gives you a rundown of the SEO quality of each page and post that you publish, it allows you to set social media sharing settings (how you want it to look on Facebook or Twitter when your content is shared, etc), and generates XML sitemaps and so, so much more.
If for whatever reason you don’t want all of the extra features that come with Yoast and are just looking for a plugin that allows you to optimize your pages and posts with keywords and meta descriptions, then All in One SEO Pack is a great option. If it weren’t for Yoast, it would probably be the most popular SEO plugin available for WordPress. It’s easy to use even if you don’t have any knowledge or expertise in coding.
Again, if you don’t have Yoast and need to generate a sitemap, this plugin is a great way to do it. Sitemaps optimize your SEO because it makes it easier for search engines like Google to index your site because they can plainly see and access the way that content is structured on your site. A sitemap is pretty much mandatory if you want to have great SEO, and Google XML Sitemaps will generate one for you without you having to do anything other than install and activate the plugin.
This one’s not technically a plugin, but it’s an undeniably valuable resource when it comes to SEO. This is a great tool to use to find which keywords have the highest search volume, which keywords advertiser’s are interested in, and which keywords you can use to outrank other sites, so you can try to tailor your content to fit within these parameters.
If you’re a web developer or work in SEO, then you probably know that broken links are not great for your search engine rankings. This plugin, the Broken Link Checker, checks all your content — posts, pages, even comments — for broken links an alerts you to them so that you can either delete the broken link or change it from a broken link to a live link. It also gives you the option to have broken links show up differently (usually with a line through the link, crossing out the text) within your content, signaling to your user that the link is bad in the hopes that they won’t try to use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top 5 WordPress plugins for SEO?
Some of the top 5 WordPress plugins for SEO include Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, Google XML Sitemaps, and more. These plugins help improve and streamline the SEO of any WordPress site.
Why is Yoast SEO considered one of the best SEO plugins for WordPress?
Yoast SEO is popular for its features like providing SEO quality analysis for each page, setting social media sharing settings, generating XML sitemaps, and more. It is user-friendly and completely free, making it a favorite among WordPress users.
How does All in One SEO Pack differ from Yoast SEO?
All in One SEO Pack focuses on optimizing pages and posts with keywords and meta descriptions, without the extra features that Yoast offers. It is a great option for users who prefer a simpler SEO plugin for WordPress.
What is the purpose of Google XML Sitemaps plugin in WordPress?
Google XML Sitemaps plugin helps WordPress users generate sitemaps, especially useful for websites that do not have Yoast SEO installed. Sitemaps help search engines crawl and index website content more efficiently.
How can WordPress plugins enhance SEO for a website?
WordPress plugins like Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, and Google XML Sitemaps help optimize website content, improve meta details, generate sitemaps, and provide SEO analysis, ultimately boosting the site's search engine visibility.
Are all the recommended SEO plugins for WordPress free to use?
Yes, plugins like Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, and Google XML Sitemaps mentioned in the article are free to use. They offer advanced SEO features without any cost, making them popular choices among WordPress users.
Can beginners with no coding knowledge use WordPress SEO plugins effectively?
Yes, both Yoast SEO and All in One SEO Pack are designed to be user-friendly, even for beginners with no coding experience. These plugins offer intuitive interfaces for easy optimization of website content.
Do SEO plugins like Yoast SEO provide social media sharing settings?
Yes, Yoast SEO allows users to set social media sharing settings, specifying how content should appear on platforms like Facebook and Twitter when shared. This feature helps enhance the social visibility of website content.