SEO or Search Engine Optimization is an absolutely necessary component of modern online marketing. We will not go into details about what an SEO campaign entails, because it is a topic that has already been intensively debated on many sites and in many tutorials. In this article we will discuss in detail what SEO optimization means for websites built in WordPress. I chose WordPress because it is the most used content management system platform used today. Statistics show that over 70% of the websites available on the internet are built in WordPress.
WordPress itself is an optimized platform from the start and provides users with a series of options and configurations that can substantially improve the site’s visibility in most search engines. However, it is important to remember that an optimal configuration or the contracting of professional SEO services can bring added value.
From the beginning, the site must be installed and set correctly. The next step consists in submitting the site for indexing to various search engines. In parallel, the traffic analysis tools (Analytics, Webmaster Tools, etc.) must be set and configured. These are absolutely necessary to calculate the yield of a site according to the number of visitors, region, age, interests and other criteria and can help to substantially improve traffic. These settings and configurations require somewhat more advanced technical knowledge.
A first option available is the use of intuitive URLs. Intuitive URLs follow the title of a certain website page or a blog post, specifying from the start what the content is about, without adding special characters or server-generated codes, which are mostly unnecessary. Intuitive URLs can be activated using the Permalink Settings option available in the settings section. This option allows organizing the URL structure of a site as efficiently as possible.
Websites built in WordPress offer a very good exposure of the content. A key component of SEO optimization techniques is represented by carefully chosen keywords and an original and attractive content. A well-written article, a well-crafted description of a product or service, an interesting blog post can attract a large number of visitors and, implicitly, potential customers. SEO specialists collaborate with editors and copywriters to create and promote quality content and increase the number of visitors and sales of a certain business. Note that WordPRess provides special fields for tags and keywords, as well as for meta-descriptions that help online promotion.
Generating a valid XML sitemap is also very important. A well-organized sitemap helps the search engine robots to go through the entire site efficiently, for a quick indexing in order to display the most relevant results in relation to the searches performed by users in real time. There are various plugins for WordPress that can generate a correct sitemap. What must be remembered is that the sitemap of a site is dynamic and must be updated as often as needed. It is recommended that the sitemap contain only pages with relevant content, without duplicates, which can be accessed by search engines quickly. Once generated, the sitemap must also be submitted to search engines.
If the site is available in several languages, special settings must be implemented. It is important to set the hreflang option. This will help Google to display relevant pages from the site for searches in different languages, made by users from different countries. In this case, it is also necessary for the website to be translated correctly in all the languages it uses.
The tools for analyzing the traffic and performance of a site (usually Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools) must also be configured in the case of using several languages. This is done through the International Targeting setting. In this way, the correct display of the pages of a site is ensured depending on the location and the target language.
WordPress also has a series of plugins dedicated to SEO. They must be downloaded and installed separately from the initial installation. In principle, these plugins check the effectiveness of the content from the point of view of optimization. They provide useful information about keywords, tags, text organization and others. They are very useful, but sometimes the indications they give are not very clear. In this case, it is advisable to contact an SEO specialist to optimize the content and internal structure of the site for the best possible visibility.
It should be noted that the technical options presented above are part of the so-called WordPress on-page SEO, which is related to the internal structure of the site. This technique must be completed with off-page SEO, related to “external” promotion, through blogs, social networks, articles and others for increased visibility. Optimization is a long-term process, but one that offers satisfaction in the medium and long term.
Websites built in WordPress are very attractive from a visual point of view for visitors. They also have the advantage of being easily adapted for mobile and tablet. When they also offer quality, well-structured content and are optimized for SEO, they can easily ensure the success of a business in the online environment.
You can watch below a small explanatory video on how to use WordPress.https://videopress.com/embed/AHz0Ca46?hd=1&defaultLangCode=ro
