Search engine optimization is a technique used by digital marketing experts to increase the visibility of websites on different search engines. It involves numerous theories, tricks, and rules. The worse thing about this technique is that new SEO updates keep rolling out on a regular basis. So, people involved in SEO often find it difficult to keep themselves up-to-date with the latest trends in SEO and optimize their site accordingly to have better results.
If you have to optimize WordPress websites, you have the luxury of using WordPress SEO plugins. For your convenience and ease, you can utilize All in one SEO plugin.
Therefore, we shall discuss how to install and configure this useful plugin to your WordPress site and use it properly in your optimization efforts. Let’s start.
In order to comprehend the settings of this plugin, you should have at least the basic understanding of WordPress SEO checklist. It helps you to add the plugin easily and quickly to your WordPress site.
1. Install All-in-One SEO Plugin On Your Site
First of all, you need to install All-in-One SEO Plugin on your site. To do so, go to WordPress plugin directory and type All-in-One SEO Plugin in the search bar. Choose the plugin from the displayed results and click on the download button.
When the plugin is fully downloaded, you need to go to the admin area of your site > Add New > Plugins and click on the upload button available on right side of the page.
Once this installation is over, the plugin will start getting displayed in your site’s admin area.
2. Common Settings
In this section, you need to navigate All in one SEO > General settings and arrange the following:
Canonical URLS: It helps you to deal with the duplication issues on your site. Activate this option.
No Pagination for Canonical URLs: It lets you arrange the canonical URLs of paginated content available on your site. It notifies search engines that paginated pages are not duplicate content, but the copies of the content available on the main page of your site. Based on your needs, you can activate or deactivate this option.
Enable Custom Canonical URLs: You can add canonical URLs using this option. In most of the cases, you would not need this option. So, don’t activate this option.
Use Original Title: Don’t activate this option as it may cause several issues related to the title tag output.
Use Schema.org Markup: It determines how your site’s pages are displayed in the SERPs of search engines. So, you should activate this option.
3. Homepage Settings
In this section, you can arrange the homepage of your WordPress site/blog.
Homepage Title: In this section, you need to have a title for your site’s homepage. You can use your main keywords to make it appealing.
Home Description: Here, you need to write a short introductory note of your website. It can be stretched up to 156 characters. You can use your keywords in the description.
Use Static Front Page Instead: If you want to use a static front page on your site, then you can activate this option.
4. Title Settings
You can set title tags for pages generated by your website/blog in this section:
Rewrite Titles: It helps the plugin to rewrite all title tags. So, you must leave it enabled.
Capitalize Titles & Capitalize Category Titles: It should also be enabled.
Title Formats: In most of the cases, you would not need this option. So, you should leave this option.
5. Custom Post Type Settings
SEO for Custom Post Types: You should keep this option in enabled mode.
SEO on only these post types: If additional post types are used by the theme you are using on your website, then they are shown here.
Enable Advanced Options: This option lets you add custom title tags for post types. Activate this option if you need to use it.
6. Display Settings
You can display the title and description of posts under this section. You must not change its default setting.
7. Webmaster Verification
You need to insert webmaster verification code to the confirm that you are the proprietor of your website. Different webmaster tools let you have a detailed report on the performance of your website. It helps you to launch SEO activities accordingly for gaining the desired output.
8. Google Settings
In this section, you have to add Google+ account details.
Google Plus Default Profile: Add your Google+ profile link.
Disable Google Plus Profile: You can use this option if you run a multi-author WordPress website.
Display Sitelinks Search Box: Use this option if you operate the website of a big/recognized brand and wish that Google should show a search box in your search listing when users look for your site.
Set Preferred Site Name: Using this option, you can create a site name for your website/blog, that will get shown in your site/blog’s markup for the homepage.
Advanced Authorship Options: You can control the appearance of Google Authorship tag on your site using this option.
Google Analytics ID: This option allows you to add Google Analytics to your website.
9. Noindex settings
You can use this section if you don’t want certain pages/sections of your website/blog to be indexed by search engines.
Default to NOINDEX: Use this section if you don’t want the media attachment pages to be indexed by search engines.
Default to NOFOLLOW, Default to NOODP and Default to NOYDIR: Leave all these options as it is.
Use noindex for Categories: Use this option in case you want to stop the indexing of all category pages. Don’t make any change in this option.
Use noindex for Date Archives: To stop the indexing of yearly, monthly and daily archive pages.
Use noindex for Author Archives: Use this option if you operate a single author WordPress website. It helps you to shun the content duplication problems.
Use noindex for Tag Archives: In order to avoid content duplication problem, you can add noindex to tag archives.
Use noindex for the Search page: This option can be used to stop the indexing of auto-generated pages.
Use noindex for the 404 page: You may use this option to prevent the indexing of pages that display 404 errors.
Use noindex for paginated pages/posts: Use this option if you don’t want paginated pages/posts to be indexed by search engines.
Use nofollow for paginated pages/posts: You can use this option if you want to keep paginated pages/posts in nofollow category.
Note: You should use all the above-mentioned options carefully. Generally, the nonindexing option is used by web developers when they are in the initial stage of website design and development. Once the website design work is completed, they should revert noindex options before launching the site. Even webmasters must also check this before optimizing websites as there is no benefit of website optimization if noindexing settings are activated.
10. Keyword Settings
In this section, you can use keywords settings and “use tags for Meta keywords” to ensure the high performance of your keywords.
11. Advanced Settings
Avoid Using The Excerpt In Descriptions: Don’t use this option.
Autogenerate Descriptions: Use this option as it automatically propagates meta description tags by making use of the content.
Remove Descriptions For Paginated Pages: Use this option to eliminate the duplication issues of Paginated pages.
Never Shorten Long Descriptions: Use this option if you want to stop the plugin from shortening your custom meta descriptions.
Unprotect Post Meta Fields: Don’t use this option.
Redirect Attachments to Post Parent: When you upload images to WordPress media library, WordPress automatically creates a separate page for the uploaded images. Such pages are inferior for search engines and users, so you can redirect them to the original posts for which they have been uploaded. But, this is not an appropriate way to deal with this issue. So, you should not use this option.
Exclude Pages: Use this option if you want to stop the certain pages of your site from being affected by the activities of the plugin.
12. Bad Bots Blocker:
The plugin has a built-in bad bots blocker. You can activate this option to stop silly bots from sending automated requests to your website and save your bandwidth.
13. Social Settings:
In this section, you need to add the social profiles of your websites.
Final Words
Install All in One SEO plugin on your website and use all these important settings. It will help you in your website optimization efforts and increase the visibility of your site.
I hope you liked this guide. Please share it with your friends on social sites and leave your comments below if you’ve any question or want to suggest something else. Also, I’d like to know which SEO plugin do you use on your WordPress site and how it helps your site to rank better in search engines?
Author Bio:
Tracey Jones is a proficient web developer and her passion revolves around creating cool websites for businesses. She loves writing informational blogs and sharing her in-depth knowledge with others. If you need to hire a WordPress developer or check out her more publications, follow Tracey on twitter.
Leave a Reply