WordPress is one of the best SEO friendly content management systems today. If you have a WordPress website, there are many things you can do to improve your SEO. But if you’re not careful, you could be hurting your site’s ranking without even knowing it.
In this post, you will discover 12 settings to consider if you want your WordPress website to reach its full SEO potential.
In SEO, security is often overlooked but an important consideration. After general SEO settings, we will review some important security settings that can help prevent malicious SEO attacks.
SEO settings for WordPress
Below are simple settings that should be the foundation for all WordPress sites looking to optimize their SEO efforts.
1. Set up homepage and blog settings
Before you start building pages and posts, you must make sure that your home page and pages are set up and ready to go. This may seem like a small detail, but it is important. Your home page is the first thing people will see when they visit your site, so you want to make sure it looks good.
Likewise, your blog is a great way to connect with your audience and build a following. By setting up these important pages before you start adding content, you can end up with a successful website that people will enjoy visiting.
By default, WordPress has your new posts page as the home page. You need to select the ‘Static Page’ option and choose which page is the home page and which is your website page.
2. Optimize permalinks
When you set up your blog, one of the first things you need to decide is how you want your URL to be structured.
A premium URL taxonomy will make it easier for search engines to crawl and index, and it will be safer for the user. As a result, it is worth taking the time to choose a permalink system that will work well for your blog in the long run. There are a few different options, so take some time to experiment and find the one that works best for you and your blog.
You can choose whatever format works best for your site, but I recommend using a custom format and staying away from date-based formats. A permalink format that uses month and day or day and name can create site architecture.
3. Dynamic sitemap
A powerful sitemap is an essential tool for any website. It helps search engines rank your site and makes it easier for users to find the information they are looking for.
On the other hand, a sitemap is much less effective, can be difficult to keep up to date, and doesn’t offer the same level of value.
Many plugins offer powerful sitemap options with various customizations. So if you’re looking for the best way to improve your website’s SEO, a dynamic sitemap is the way to go.
4. Set up an automated image optimizer
To maintain a fast WordPress site, you need to have quality images. The SEO benefits of having quality images are many, from increasing website speed to improving search engine rankings. The easiest way to improve your images is to use a plugin.
Most WordPress plugins will automatically optimize images as you upload them. While some are paid, most free options work just as well.
5. Set up default title and meta descriptions
Many SEO plugins provide default settings for titles and meta descriptions, guaranteeing that all new pages are optimized for search. This is a lifesaver for large websites with many pages or organizations that are unfamiliar with SEO best practices. By using these tools, you can help ensure that your website is visible and easily found by visitors.
In the image below, I’m using Yoast to set up custom content for my blog post. In my title, I put the system in place to make it easy to use.
For a meta comparison, I’m pulling an excerpt from the beginning of the blog post. This is a simple default setting that anyone can deploy.
Protect your SEO with these WordPress security settings
SEO has become an important aspect of website security. Website security has always been important, but it is becoming more so as the web becomes more and more a part of our daily lives.
Websites are now used for everything from online shopping to online banking, and if a website is not secure, the consequences can be serious.
Google has penalties for websites infected with malware and those that may be practicing social engineering. If your website is not secure, you could lose potential customers and rank in the Google search engine. Website security is, therefore, an important part of SEO and should not be neglected.
Here are some simple steps to optimize your WordPress website.
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While the SEO value of comment sections has been debated, there is no doubt that they can be a security risk.
Bloggers often use comment sections to add links to their websites, which may contain bad code. Hackers can also attempt SQL injection and XSS attacks through online forms.
As a result, it is important to be aware of the risks associated with comment sections. If you choose to use a comment section on your WordPress site, carefully monitor and delete any hidden comments or comments.
You should consider turning off the comments section if you don’t want to put in the extra effort to maintain it. Below is a screenshot that shows how to turn off the content section.
7. Deactivate and remove XML-RPC
One of the most common security vulnerabilities in WordPress is brute force attacks on XML-RPC files. By default, this file is enabled and can be used to access WordPress sites remotely.
However, it provides a perfect target for hackers using automated tools to determine username and password. Once they gain access, they can wreak havoc by deleting files, installing malware, or even taking over the site entirely.
A simple way to protect against these attacks is to disable the XML-RPC file. Doing so will prevent remote access to the site and disable other features such as pingbacks and tracking.
SEO experts believe that increased security outweighs the negative. So if you’re worried about brute force attacks on your WordPress site, disable the XML-RPC file.
There are three ways to disable the xmlrpc.php file on a WordPress site.
8. Set user permissions
As a WordPress site administrator, you have to make sure that the site is running smoothly and that all stakeholders have the right access. That said, not all stakeholders need access to every part of the site.
Setting user permissions allows you to give each stakeholder access to only the sections they need – keeping the site safe and preventing unauthorized changes.
In addition, you should regularly review user permissions to make sure they are still correct.
WordPress provides a brief summary of what each role can do.
9. Ensure all users have secure passwords with 2FA
Having strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) are effective ways to make a WordPress site more difficult to hack.
Hackers who attempt brute force attacks use large password lists that contain millions of commonly used passwords. Having a complex password can help make these password lists ineffective.
If a hacker has access to your password, 2FA access can help act as a way to prevent hackers from gaining access to your site.
Many security plugins offer 2FA settings.
10. Set up limit login attempts
A brute force attack occurs when an attacker tries to guess a user’s password by repeatedly entering different characters. One way to prevent brute force attacks is to configure your WordPress site to limit login attempts.
This security measure will block an attacker’s IP address after a certain number of unsuccessful login attempts, making it more difficult for them to gain access to your site.
11. Auto-update plugins
Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that their plugins can be a security risk. If the plugin is old, it may be vulnerable to popular usage. This is why it is better to go with auto-updating plugins.
12. Set up recurring backups
Don’t forget a good web security plan in today’s digital age. One of the best ways to protect your site is to make sure you have regular backups. If your site is hacked or suffers a security breach, you’ll have a recent copy of your site that you can restore.
While many plugins offer this service, it’s often best to find a WordPress host to handle backups. This way, you can make sure that your savings are always taken care of.
Wrapping up
As your site gets more visitors, making sure its base is strong will be important. Applying the settings mentioned in this article is essential to start SEO on WordPress. By following these tips, you are taking an important step toward creating a responsive website that will grow with your business.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and are not necessarily those of Search Engine London. Staff writers are listed here.
John McAlpin leads the SEO strategy for Cardinal Digital Marketing, an Atlanta SEO agency that focuses on serving commercial healthcare companies throughout the United States. Currently based in Colorado Springs, McAlpin is deeply involved in the local and national SEO communities and has a strong background in technical SEO, web development, and digital marketing strategies. McAlpin also offers freelance web development services for WordPress sites.
How can I increase SEO traffic?
12 Important SEO Tips for Beginners to increase traffic
- Relevant Primary and Secondary keywords. …
- Write an Effective Original Content. …
- Organize Your Content for Search Engines & Target Outputs. …
- Improve your Page Title and Meta Description. …
- Use short and descriptive URLs.
What drives SEO traffic? They use many killer SEO factors and signals, including: Links to your Websites (from high authority websites) Strong social presence (publish your content and links & lots of interaction with and fans, followers, engagement is key) Reviews from Customers (from Google, Yelp!, Amazon, BBB, etc.)
Why is WordPress so popular?
The best part about WordPress is that it is easy to use and easy to make different types of websites. This is the main reason why WordPress has grown so much in popularity. In fact, according to a recent study, WordPress powers 43% of all websites on the internet.
Why are so many companies using WordPress? Big companies use WordPress because they know their website will be 100% mobile responsive and anyone can use it. An affordable – large corporate website will require a lot of customization to meet the needs of the brand.
What is WordPress and why it is popular?
WordPress is a content management system (CMS), software used to build, edit, and maintain websites. It is also the most popular CMS on the market, powering 65.2% of the websites that we know of as a CMS. This translates to 42.4% of all websites – almost half of the internet.
Is WordPress the most popular?
WordPress Statistics 2020 (Juiciest Only) WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world that powers 34% of all websites on the internet. On top of that: WordPress has a 60.8% market share in the CMS market. WordPress powers 14.7% of the world’s largest websites.
What is WordPress and why it is used?
What is WordPress? WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that allows you to host and build websites. WordPress includes built-in plugins and templates, so you can customize any website to suit your business, blog, portfolio, or online store.
Why WordPress is the best option?
It is the most popular content management system and the fact that it has a standard WordPress dashboard makes it a universal platform that anyone can use effectively. Its functions are easy to understand and it comes with a lot of themes, tools and plugins, which help to make a beautiful website.
Why is WordPress the most popular?
1. It’s open source and free. This is probably the main reason why WordPress is the most popular CMS. First of all, it’s free to download and free to use, so you save money from the get-go.
Is WordPress the most popular?
WordPress Statistics 2020 (Juiciest Only) WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world that powers 34% of all websites on the internet. On top of that: WordPress has a 60.8% market share in the CMS market. WordPress powers 14.7% of the world’s largest websites.
When did WordPress become popular?
| Promoter(s) | WordPress Foundation |
|---|---|
| The first release | May 27, 2003 |
| A permanent divorce | 6.0.2 / 30 August 2022 |
| Storage space | core.trac.wordpress.org/browser |
| It’s written in | PHP |
Why is WordPress better than others?
Summary. The WordPress platform is the most popular because it is the easiest for non-developers to use to build a professional website. It is faster to master than most CMS; without much effort, anyone can build a powerful website that is above and beyond easy to manage.
Is WordPress good for website?
If you are looking for a platform where you want to build your website, WordPress is one of the best in the business. Not just free – yes, free! —but it’s also one of the most powerful website builders you’ll find.
Are people still using WordPress for websites? WordPress is used by 42.9% of all websites About 42.9% of all websites on the Internet use WordPress. This number is amazing when you think about it. More than one in every four websites you come across uses WordPress. There’s a reason all these sites choose WordPress, too!
Is WordPress still the best website builder?
For all the reasons above, our experts rate WordPress as the #1 website builder and content management system for business owners, bloggers, web developers, and web designers. Cons: You have to manage your own website, which means you need to familiarize yourself with the new system.
Are WordPress websites outdated?
For now, at least, WordPress isn’t going anywhere. With the aging technology of WordPress, it will become obsolete at some point in the future.
Is there a better website builder than WordPress?
Wix. Wix is a popular website builder platform that is the leading alternative to WordPress. It offers a limited free plan for personal or small business website use. Both free and paid plans come with pre-designed templates that users can edit using a drag and drop page builder.
Is WordPress still worth?
WordPress is absolutely worth learning in 2022. In fact, WordPress is more popular than ever! As of January 2022, WordPress powers nearly 40% of all websites on the internet. It is also up 5% since this time last year.
Do professional website builders use WordPress?
Yes, most professional web developers use WordPress to build websites, BUT not all websites. Only an experienced web developer knows when to use it.
What type of websites is WordPress good for?
WordPress is still the most popular blogging platform in the world used by small websites as well as large publications. Because of its flexibility, WordPress is perfect for personal blogs and multi-author sites. It allows you to create content-rich websites that can be easily promoted to businesses.
Can I make any type of website with WordPress?
WordPress.com gives you all the building blocks to create a website for any type of business. Choose from 60 styles based on the content and functionality you want – and the needs of your website.
What are WordPress websites used for?
What is WordPress? WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that allows you to host and build websites. WordPress includes built-in plugins and templates, so you can customize any website to suit your business, blog, portfolio, or online store.
Why is WordPress good for websites?
Pros Unique design, features, and functionality. You get full access to WordPress codes so you can use and customize any of the pre-made themes and designs. And, with many WordPress plugins and theme options, you can add any features or functions to your website whenever you want.
Is it worth making website in WordPress?
Overall assessment. WordPress is a popular website building tool that allows you to create any type of website you can think of. It’s very flexible, meaning you have complete control over the design and functionality of your website. You need coding skills, however, to set up, use and manage WordPress.
Is WordPress still good 2022?
WordPress is absolutely worth learning in 2022. In fact, WordPress is more popular than ever! As of January 2022, WordPress powers nearly 40% of all websites on the internet. It is also up 5% since this time last year.
Is it better to use WordPress or HTML?
If your site does not need updates, regular changes, or any additional content, HTML is the best choice because it will make your website faster. If you want to develop your business website, and always update it, then WordPress is the best choice.
Are WordPress websites worth it?
How much you get free and how much you pay is up to you. But given that the software itself is free, a WordPress website still represents incredible value for money. And it’s worth paying less for a high-performance, professional website.
Can I make money building WordPress websites?
Making money from a WordPress site is completely possible. It usually takes people a little time and effort to get the hang of it, but there’s almost no better feeling than getting your first income from a website you own.
Is WordPress development profitable? WordPress development is a very lucrative field, especially when businesses need websites to compete in their industry. If you want to get involved in WordPress development, knowing the average salary of WordPress developers is an important step to help you increase your income.
Can you make money making websites on WordPress?
There are hundreds of different ways to monetize a WordPress website and earn money from it. But the easiest for most people who are just starting out is AdSense advertising and Amazon affiliate programs. AdSense, run by Google, allows you to place ads on your website and get paid when people click on the ad.
How much can you make from WordPress?
Put these numbers together, and you get an average salary of $63,348 for full-time WordPress developers in the US as a whole.
Can you make money building WordPress themes?
Current Market Conditions for WordPress Themes Selling premium WordPress themes has been a very profitable business over the years. If you manage to develop good, stable and reliable products, while making sure that providing great customer support will not be a burden, these businesses can grow significantly.
How much do WordPress theme developers make?
According to ZipRecruiter, the annual salary for a WordPress theme developer is $135,000 and less than $25,000.
How much money can you make selling WordPress themes?
According to Nanda, there have been many development teams making money selling WordPress themes that “make around $500K/year with around $200-$250K†in HR and tech costs.
How much can you make on selling themes?
On average, Shopify themes earn about $11,000 per year for their creators. It’s a great way to make money, because you can earn 100% of your income until you make your first million dollars. After you make your first million then you will earn 85% on your Shopify theme store.