WordPress is currently the most popular CMS (Content Management System), used by 30.4% of all websites, up from 13.1% seven years ago. The wide range of plugins you can use for nearly everything contributes to its popularity. One of the most famous is Yoast SEO, which helps you optimise your website so it can rank better on search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and Yandex. Today we want to help the beginner users understand how to use Yoast SEO in WordPress, for content optimisation DIY.
(For a whole on-page SEO checklist, check out this free guide).
Even though Yoast has a premium version, the free one is a very good start for any beginners.
Yoast SEO has several configurations that need to be set up. While this may worry some beginners with limited tech knowledge, it’s a very common situation, so don’t worry! In this case, the Yoast SEO configuration wizard is of great help. Once you’ve opened it, it will guide you through the steps via a few questions. The right settings for your website will be based specifically on your answers.
Once the Wizard has configured the Yoast SEO, it is time to start using it on your website’s content.
For every post and page of your website, you will have to strategically choose the best keyword to target. This is no easy choice, and possibly the most important you can make. By performing a professional Keyword Search we can help you find the ones with the best ratio between the highest average monthly volume of search and the lowest competition.
Once you’ve chosen your focus keyword, place it in the “Focus keyword” field.
Now, write your content, with your keyword in mind. Make sure your content includes your keyword in a very natural way. Your text shouldn’t sound artificial or “keyword-stuffed”. Check this article for some SEO copywriting best practices on how to balance SEO and good copy to avoid sacrificing your content for keyword stuffing.
Remember the quote that was (wrongly?) attributed to Ernest Hemingway “Write drunk, edit sober“. We don’t really suggest you writing drunk but do find a way to let words flow out of your mind in a natural and relaxed way. Imagine you’re talking about these topics. If writing feels difficult to you, in our SEO training sessions we suggest you try voice typing to help you “break the ice” with blogging. Then, check the page the following day or a few days later, with a fresh pair of eyes (and hopefully, an unbiased opinion). If at al possible, ask for feedback. Is the content clear, jargon-free, and intuitive enough?
Make sure you use your keyword or keyphrase in the subheadings or subtitles. Think of your article or page as if it were a book. To find out what it is about, you usually check its title and subtitles, then the content, but only if you found them of interest. People will read the article if they find the subheadings interesting. Evidence-Based User Experience Research proved that we don’t actually read a page, we scan it. We only actually read if the “scanning” process was interesting enough. Google bots check subheadings to understand what that page is about, too. So start writing your main ideas in the subheadings and fill them with content.
Click to open then the “Edit Snippet” button. Here you will be able to fill some fields, which are vital for the SEO of your page or post:
Make sure you include the focus keyword in all three.
The content analysis is a collection of content checks that analyse the content of your page.
It displays a visual checklist appearing as red or green points showing you whether those checks have failed or passed.
In this second article, we are explaining how to use Yoast SEO in WordPress, specifically: the “Readability” test for beginners. You will learn what they are, why they exist, and how to get all those dots green, too.
Now try and optimise the content of (at least) the most important pages and posts of your site! Then, if you are curious to start tracking how they improve their ranking on Google as a result, our affordable Membership Plans are what you need. We will also provide you with SEO Training, Keyword Search, Site Audits, https super fast SEO hosting, and much more!
We hope this guide helped you understand how to use Yoast SEO in WordPress. If you have any doubts, please let us know. Comment on the article, on our social media or directly contact us.
Your questions will be helpful for other users, too!
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