WordPress is the most popular CMS, and it runs 43.1% of the entire internet. This platform’s SEO-friendly feature is one of the core reasons for its massive success. 

But you can’t magically rank on the first page of search engines by simply launching a WordPress website. 

So, to save you from the pitfalls, we have gathered the best WordPress SEO tactics. 

Tips to Improve Your WordPress SEO Ranking 

1. Pick An Authentic Web Hosting Provider 

Hosting directly impacts your site’s security and performance and is the platform base where your website building will stand. 

Consider these three vital features carefully before choosing your host — security, uptime, and site speed.

According to a Google study, 53% of mobile visitors will bounce back if the site takes more than 3 seconds to load. These bounce-back rates harm the site’s SEO and can drastically decrease your ranking.

Another essential element is to get an SSL certification.

Having an SSL certification adds a padlock at the beginning of your URL and converts HTTP to HTTPS. It improves your site’s SEO and makes it appear trustworthy. 

If you are unsure about the hosting, go with the one suggested by WordPress. 

2. Domain Setup (WWW V/S Non-WWW)

While launching your website, you can go for — www, non-www, or both domains. 

However, choosing www or non-www won’t have any impact on SEO. So, select the one that works best for your audience. 

The key point here is to be consistent with your choice. In a simple sentence — don’t change the URL for experimentation. 

If you want to use both, set one as a primary domain. 

Setting a primary domain informs Google that all other domains are identical, halting any SEO complication due to self-competition. 

From a technical view, www is preferred over non-www websites. Why? Because www domains have better DNS flexibility, the potential to restrict cookies, and more. 

Again, the technical side is not associated with SEO. However, the technical aspect is handy when your site receives millions of views daily. 

Hover over Setting > General and then select your preferred domain. 

3. Permalinks Are The Cornerstone 

Permalinks are the permanent full URLs of a site. Think of it as our physical address but in the virtual world.

As Google considers them a strong ranking factor, permalinks are a cornerstone of SEO. 

Have a look here:

http://readeryourwebsite.example/2022/21/sample-post/

http://readeryourwebsite.example/sample-post/

Which one looks more SEO-friendly? The second one.

You will find six permalink structures but you need the best one for SEO. 

So, you can either go with the “Post name” option or “Custom Structure.” 

We will recommend putting effort into customizing your URL for better results. 

Here are a few points that you should acknowledge while using a customized URL: 

• Make the link keyword-rich.
• Stick to a proper structure.
• Keep it concise yet relevant.
• Drop dates or numbers.
• Use SSL certification (HTTPS).

4. Submit Your Site To Google Search Console 

Google offers a free potent tool to measure your SEO and appearance in search engines. You can see deep insights — including core web vitals, visibility, stability, searches to rank higher, and much more.  

To add your website to the search console (previously known as the webmaster tool), follow the below steps:

• First, go to the official website of Google Search Console.
• Click on “Start now” or log in using your Google account.
• Then, add a property (limited up to 1000 properties). 
• Select property type, Domain, or URL prefix.
• Complete the site ownership verification. 

5. Install SEO Suitable Theme

By default, WordPress provides a beige background theme called “ty-Twenty.” But tons of brands are already using it, which may lose your originality. 

It would be best if you had something that simultaneously stands out but comes with an SEO-friendly structure. 

WordPress has a diverse collection of paid and free themes. But be extra fussy when it’s about theme selection. 

Some key details to consider while finalizing your theme are:  

• Functionality: Your website theme should include all the desired features. It can be social media symbols, comment forums, side shops, etc. 

• Builders: Many themes have page builders compacted with unnecessary codes that can slow down your site. So, double-check the details. 

• Responsiveness: Your website should be identical to different screen sizes. 

• Browser Compatibility: All themes may not be compatible with every browser, so make sure it’s in tune. 

6. Utilize SEO Plugins

SEO plugins are packages loaded with features that are used for SEO purposes. But you can’t expect them to generate sensational results without establishing strong roots. 

Remember that your site won’t perform well without following basic rules and settings.

However, optimizing your site and content with these plugins is a cinch. 

Even though we have several quality options, stick to a single plugin. Multiple plugins cause plugin conflicts and can slow down your website. 

7. Optimize Your Site Media

Including infographics, pictures, videos, audio, and GIFs can make your site visually engaging. 

However, these files are heavy and can slow your website — ultimately affecting SEO. To avoid this issue, media optimization should be performed. 

Below are three practices you can follow to optimize site media:

• Compress The File: Compressing the file will remove unnecessary data and shrink the file size. Also, you can even pick a plugin to minimize the efforts.

• Use Alt Text: Alt text explains the image, which helps visually challenged people understand the content. Even search engines use these alt texts to know if the image is relevant to the content. In a nutshell, alt text helps you rank better.  

• Use YouTube Videos: As per the Moz survey, 94% of the web ranking videos are on YouTube. So, embedding your YouTube videos in WordPress can increase your rankings. 

8. Update Regularly And Show “Last Updates”

Search engines prefer the latest information, and fresh is always better. If you are not consistently updating the data, you harm the authority. 

Prioritize the following points while updating your site for better SEO:

• Fulfill Searchers’ Expectations: Does the post have the proper formatting that searchers want? Are the searchers getting the required information they want?

• Update Data And Facts: If your information is not updated, it appears incorrect, and you might lose audience trust. 

• Refurbish The Headlines: Make your headlines “click-worth” and better than your competitors.  

• Remove Or Fix Broken Links: Broken links are damaging to SEO and frustrating to the readers. So, keep checking and fixing the link issues. 

• Update Images: Update old images and consider adding a new one. Also, add visually appealing graphics for better performance.  

9. Take Charge Of The Comments

“Spam comments are terrible for your website’s ranking, and those unsolicited comments bloated with links and keywords fudge the search engines”, says Dodson of San Diego SEO.

People often post unnecessary comments with their site links to use as backlinks, and this tactic is dead and can only cause plague. 

As a result, search engines drop the rankings to maintain search quality.

The solution is to vent the comments by enabling manual approval. 

To enable this, click Settings > Discussion and tick the “Comment must be manually approved” option.

Pay attention to these three elements of a comment before approving it:

• Site URL: Using the WordPress default comment feature provides an option to include commenters’ site URLs. Don’t allow comments with patchy or irrelevant links. 

• Username: The name of commenters becomes the anchor text of their URL. So avoid any user with an inappropriate username. 

• Message: Disapprove any comment with vague or out-of-contest messages. 

10. Include Schema Markup

Schema markup is a special code that enhances your site’s SEO by providing better information to search engines. 

Search engines often display special results containing elements like carousels, ratings, etc. These are called “rich results” and rank on top of general websites. 

Including schema markup requires coding skills. However, plugins like Yoast SEO or Schema (by Hesham) can take extra effort. 

You can implement schema markup by following three basic steps:

• Create Schema: You can generate schema markup from generator websites like “Google Structured Data Markup Helper” or create customized codes. 

• Test The Code: Check your codes before implementing them to avoid errors. 

• Integrate The Schema: Once tested, integrate it into your webpage. 

11. Focus on On-page SEO 

On-page SEO simply refers to optimizing page content to rank on search engines. Generally, it includes writing SEO content, internal linking, and keyword use. 

Proper Use of Keywords

Keywords are the terms that users search on the web, and including those terms can display your website in the SERP. 

In addition, these keywords inform the search engines that your content is relevant to the searched phrase. 

Here are a few tips to consider:

• Avert keyword stuffing.
• Target long-tail Keywords.
• Notice the competition and search volume.
• Integrate keywords naturally in the content.

Generate SEO-friendly content

Quality articles with proper optimization play a key role in ranking. Once you have decided on the keyword, go through the checklist before writing your article: 

• Prohibit duplicate content. 
• Include Internal Links.
• Keep paragraphs short and simple. 
• Make it visually appealing and well-structured.
• Craft in-depth posts that can satisfy the readers. 

Apply Internal Linking

Connecting one page to another on your website is known as internal linking. Internal links can benefit your SEO from link juice, interconnection, and effective navigation. 

When search engine bots (crawlers) visit your website, these internal links help pass the authority from one page to another — resulting in better ranking. 

Key Takeaways

• Select a decent hosting service for a magnificent web experience. 
• Choose between www and non-www, or set one as the primary domain. 
• Use an SEO-friendly permalink and theme.
• Utilize the Google Search Console and plugins to avoid extra effort.
• Keep your site updated and free from spam. 
• Include schema markup to provide better information to search engines. 
• Emphasize content quality and on-page optimization.