The WordPress website system is the most widely used website building platform on the internet and these basic search engine optimization tips for WordPress websites will come in handy if you are in the process of setting up an online business or already have a WordPress website online.
WordPress websites are easy to use and set up for any type of online business. But just creating content and putting it onto your website does not mean that your website will be seen by the search engines. As a website owner, whether you sell your own products or promote someone else’s, it’s important that you know how to use WordPress SEO.
1. There are 2 ways search engines can find your website
There are two key forms of search engine optimization (SEO). The first is called On Page SEO and this is applicable to your WordPress website because it is about the content, internal links, navigation, keyword density, page framework and any images, videos or audio on your website. The second is called Off Page SEO and this is practice of building links back to your website from other websites.
This article is about On Page SEO tips for WordPress websites because it concerns everything that is actually on your website. Even if a search engine does find your website page via Off Page SEO, if there is nothing relevant on the page in relation to the search it will not rank your website in its listings.
2. Index your website
Firstly, ensure that your website settings allow search engines to index you. In the WordPress dashboard, you have the choice to block access to your website by the search engines. You’ll find this in the Settings section under the Reading option. On the Reading Settings page you’ll see a box that will say “Discourage search engines from indexing this site”. Make sure that this box is not ticked!
3. Give your website a title and tagline
Under the Settings tab again, you want to go into the General section. Here it says Site Title and Tag Line. Complete these areas with relevant, keyword-based content that tells people what your website is all about.
4. Provide good website navigation system
Categorize your blogs and deliver a good navigation system. When a visitor lands on your website, you want it to be sticky. Sticky means they stay around for awhile, not clicking out after they read one blog post. With good navigation, like a list of categories and recent or popular posts in your sidebar (all done with widgets), you can let the visitors know that there is more good content they might like.
5. Check the permalinks
The Permalinks are also in the Settings section. You want the option here to be Post Name. This means that after your domain, the page or post title will be in the URL. For instance, yourdomain.com/post-title. Ensure that your blog post titles and page headings use relevant keywords.
6. Don’t forget to use keywords
Use both broad and longtail keywords in your posts and pages. It is much easier to rank well in search engines when you use longtail keywords. A longtail keyword phrase would be something like this: “the best diet after pregnancy” rather than a broad keyword like “diet”.
7. Use a Google sitemap plugin
Rather than having to manually create a sitemap, this plugin quickly helps to guide the Google robots and spiders around your domain.
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