The Best Wordpress SEO Plugin Combination

29 replies
  • SEO
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Hey guys,

I've had the opportunity to build some websites with Wordpress for some resort owners and bloggers and did some SEO in the process. That experience gave me insight into how to set up Wordpress for SEO.

First I'm going to show you some of the plugins I use:

Wordpress SEO by Yoast

Before I used All In One SEO and I have used Headspace 2. One day I came across this website called Yoast.com and I learned about his plugin called Wordpress SEO by Yoast.

What I found is that when using All in One SEO and Headspace 2 I needed to install 2 or 3 more plugins to get the same functionality. So I threw those out the window and now I use Wordpress SEO by Yoast exclusively.

I like the fact that you can set up your webmaster code, your xml sitemap, nofollow settings, breadcrumbs, rss feeds, meta tags (of course) and that you can have a preview of how your post will look in Google before you publish it.

Now all of these SEO plugins work and are good but in my humble opinion Wordpress SEO by Yoast is the best (and I used the other 2 plugins). Now it can be a bit more intimidating to set everything up but once you learn how to do it it's certainly worth it.

W3 Total Cache

I started looking for a caching plugin when I was working on a website for a Resort in Thailand. The owner wanted me to use fancy rotating pictures and the website took like 10 seconds to load.

When your website takes longer then 5 second to load you loose half of your visitors and your ranking will inevitably suffer because the search engine spiders pick up on that.

So I installed this plugin and I must say I was a bit intimidated by all the settings at first. You see W3 Total Cache is the best caching plugin for Wordpress out there and the setting can be a bit overwhelming. Luckily I found a good guide on how to set everything up.

To my surprise the site loaded much faster. It went from 10 seconds to under 5 seconds.

If your interested in using this plugin but feel your are a bit intimidated you can use my settings. Check my sig, if you sign up you get an SEO manual and my W3 Total Cache Settings.

WP Smush.it

So now the website loaded under 5 seconds but that was not fast enough for me. So I found this cool little plugin called WP Smush.it.

What this plugin does is when you upload an image it removes all the garbage and metadate without loss of quality. Some images where now 30% smaller!

The website now loaded in just under 3 seconds.

This plugin should be included in the standard Wordpress installation.

SEO Friendly Images

Optimizes you images for SEO. You can do this manually but when you set up this plugin everything happens on autopilot. I was able to get some images on the first page of Google like that and the site got some good traffic because of it.

Smart 404

I've been using this plugin for as long as I've been using Wordpress. Searches your content and tries to redirect your visitors to relevant content instead of showing them an error page.

YARPP (Yet Another Related Posts Plugin)

Show relevant posts at the end of a post. This is good for many reasons. First of all your visitors might keep on reading, secondly your passing link juice to your content and your site gets crawled more easily.

WP-Paginate

Creates numbered links at the bottom of your blog or category pages.

SEO Smart Links

Interlinks your content which is good for many reasons and a very good plugin for bloggers.

Share and Follow

There are many social plugins out there but I like this one.


Before I even begin I always sit down and think about my site structure. I create categories and tags.

With the Wordpress SEO plugin by Yoast you can create metadata for your category and tag pages. You can do some great stuff with that. I got a free manual on the subject. Check out my signature if you want to know more.

If you have any questions, arguments, feedback, angry comments because I didn't list you favorite plugin. Just let me know

Kind regards,
Timmy
#combination #plugin #seo #wordpress #wordpress seo
  • Profile picture of the author brucekimel
    Thats a nice piece of information. I dint knew about it. Will check it for sure.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sara angel
    great sharing, i have used on my these below blogs thanks friends
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  • Profile picture of the author SEO-Dave
    Don't use the nofollow/noindex features of the Yoast plugin, it deletes/wastes link benefit.

    There's no SEO ranking value in using meta tags either.

    David
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    • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
      Originally Posted by Stalliontheme View Post

      Don't use the nofollow/noindex features of the Yoast plugin, it deletes/wastes link benefit.

      There's no SEO ranking value in using meta tags either.

      David
      I have to disagree, there is value in using nofollow for the admin section of Wordpress but yes in general it's better not to use nofollow.

      The description meta tag has value if only to entice someone in Google to click to your site.

      I agree that the keywords meta tag has no value...
      Signature
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      • Profile picture of the author SEO-Dave
        Originally Posted by Timmy Deleu View Post

        I have to disagree, there is value in using nofollow for the admin section of Wordpress but yes in general it's better not to use nofollow.

        The description meta tag has value if only to entice someone in Google to click to your site.

        I agree that the keywords meta tag has no value...
        Nofollow deletes the link benefit associated with the link, I don't see how deleting link benefit has SEO value? Best not to link to admin pages in the first place so link benefit isn't wasted (possible at theme level) or use the Stallion SEO Plugin to redirect the link benefit back to home.

        The meta description tag has no SEO ranking value, meaning it won't increase a SERP. It can increase click through rates if it reads like an ad and the Google searcher likes what they read.

        David
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        • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
          Originally Posted by Stalliontheme View Post

          Nofollow deletes the link benefit associated with the link, I don't see how deleting link benefit has SEO value? Best not to link to admin pages in the first place so link benefit isn't wasted (possible at theme level) or use the Stallion SEO Plugin to redirect the link benefit back to home.

          The meta description tag has no SEO ranking value, meaning it won't increase a SERP. It can increase click through rates if it reads like an ad and the Google searcher likes what they read.

          David
          I have never used the Stallion SEO plugin before but I do know that with Wordpress SEO by Yoast I have the choice the choose whether or not I want to use nofollow.

          Now in most cases I use DoFollow however I want my login and registration links to be No Follow and Wordpress SEO by Yoast allows me to do that.

          I know that the meta description is not used for ranking but it's still one of the things that will determine whether or not a visitor will click trough to a website. Meta Description Tag - SEO Best Practices | SEOmoz

          That being said, I will try your plugin to see what it has to offer. Deal?
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  • Profile picture of the author seothatworks
    also blogger high seo plugin is very good one for onpage seo
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  • Profile picture of the author tebor79
    A few useful plugins I always use that I didn't see mentioned yet.

    WP Touch- formats your site with a mobile theme for users of iphone, droid, blackberry, etc.

    Easy Privacy Policy- creates privacy policy

    Contact Form 7- creates contact forms

    Wordpress.com Stats- never enough stats

    Remote Database back up- useful backup

    wp typography- makes my text pretty
    Signature

    If you having blog problems I feel bad for you son.
    I got 99 problems but a niche ain't 1.

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    • Profile picture of the author mikest4u
      Originally Posted by tebor79 View Post

      A few useful plugins I always use that I didn't see mentioned yet.

      WP Touch- formats your site with a mobile theme for users of iphone, droid, blackberry, etc.

      Easy Privacy Policy- creates privacy policy

      Contact Form 7- creates contact forms

      Wordpress.com Stats- never enough stats

      Remote Database back up- useful backup

      wp typography- makes my text pretty
      Great List of Innovative Plugins Thanks for Sharing!! Let me add some useful wp based plugin as well!!

      Google XML sitemap generator!

      Feed Burner Plugin!

      Twitter Tools!

      Dynamic Headers!
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    • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
      Originally Posted by tebor79 View Post

      A few useful plugins I always use that I didn't see mentioned yet.

      WP Touch- formats your site with a mobile theme for users of iphone, droid, blackberry, etc.

      Easy Privacy Policy- creates privacy policy

      Contact Form 7- creates contact forms

      Wordpress.com Stats- never enough stats

      Remote Database back up- useful backup

      wp typography- makes my text pretty
      Thank you for sharing this.
      Signature
      Get the ULTIMATE Wordpress SEO Strategy Manual Now - Totally Free (50 pages)
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  • Profile picture of the author SEO-Dave
    I use the plugins listed at WordPress SEO Plugins (many I've SEO'd the code better).

    My site receive around 40,000 to 60,000 unique visitors a day, so reasonably confident they work :-)

    I use other plugins, but not listed above as that list is for plugins with at least a tentative link to SEO improvements. I use Akismet for SPAM, not exactly an SEO plugin :-)

    David
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  • Profile picture of the author guarino1235
    You forgot "all in one seo"? You should include this one
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    • Profile picture of the author Elsoft
      I use All in one SEO for my website.It works well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando1954
    Would like to get your guide on setting W3 Total Cache Settings been trying to make it work on my blogs with no success.

    When i try to register on your signup page keeps telling me name missing theres no box for name if i put it in box with email it still tells me name missing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
      Originally Posted by Fernando1954 View Post

      Would like to get your guide on setting W3 Total Cache Settings been trying to make it work on my blogs with no success.

      When i try to register on your signup page keeps telling me name missing theres no box for name if i put it in box with email it still tells me name missing.
      Hey man, Thanks for telling me I changed it and now it's working again.

      You can download my settings, all you have to do is import them and you're good to go. If not you can always use the guide.
      Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando1954
    Thanks got the downloads,hopefully can get total cache working now.
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    • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
      Originally Posted by Fernando1954 View Post

      Thanks got the downloads,hopefully can get total cache working now.
      Just let me know if you have any problems.
      Signature
      Get the ULTIMATE Wordpress SEO Strategy Manual Now - Totally Free (50 pages)
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando1954
    Now that made setting up yoast really easy with your guide thankyou.

    When setting up WP total cache i uploaded your file as suggested when i click on upload i get a box asking if im sure that i want to move away from this page.

    I click yes then the screen goes blank i'm not sure whether it's uploading your file or not.Is this normal

    Thanks again for this great guide.
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    • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
      Originally Posted by Fernando1954 View Post

      Now that made setting up yoast really easy with your guide thankyou.

      When setting up WP total cache i uploaded your file as suggested when i click on upload i get a box asking if im sure that i want to move away from this page.

      I click yes then the screen goes blank i'm not sure whether it's uploading your file or not.Is this normal

      Thanks again for this great guide.
      Hey man, if it sais something like configuration successfully imported it should have worked. If you're seeing a blank screen that's probably not good. Anyway if it doesn't work you can use the guide from Zemalf, it's not up to date but that's how I configured my settings.

      I think I will create an updated guide for W3 Total Cache and I'll let you know when its done if you still need it. The guide from Zemalf is not completely up to date so there will be some stuff that is different but it is enough to configure W3 Total Cache.
      Signature
      Get the ULTIMATE Wordpress SEO Strategy Manual Now - Totally Free (50 pages)
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      • Profile picture of the author Fernando1954
        [QUOTE=
        I think I will create an updated guide for W3 Total Cache and I'll let you know when its done if you still need it.[/QUOTE]

        Thanks that would be brilliant if you could.
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        • Profile picture of the author wesvista
          Thanks for the great list. Someone else recommmend yoast's too.
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  • Profile picture of the author unkle cortez
    nice peace of work will try it too
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  • Profile picture of the author clature
    Have you tried Automatic Backlink Creator? Quite a useful tool. Been using it for quite some time now.
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    • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
      Originally Posted by clature View Post

      Have you tried Automatic Backlink Creator? Quite a useful tool. Been using it for quite some time now.
      No but I use Bookmarking Demon, Scrapebox, SEOMOZ and Traffic Travis.

      But the only thing I use to automate linkbuilding is Bookmarking Demon. The rest I prefer to do manually.
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  • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
    Hey guys, I just found a new great plugin called the Fuzzy SEO Booster, I still have to test it but it looks nice for improving your long tail keywords.
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  • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
    You guys now Get Clicky? At getclicky.com you can see real time stats of your traffic. Yoast released a Wordpress plugin called Clicky by Yoast. Now you can automatically add your getclicky code to your Wordpress site.
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    • Profile picture of the author RW
      Originally Posted by Timmy Deleu View Post

      You guys now Get Clicky? At getclicky.com you can see real time stats of your traffic. Yoast released a Wordpress plugin called Clicky by Yoast. Now you can automatically add your getclicky code to your Wordpress site.
      Very cool, I haven't used getclicky yet, just plain old google analytics. I like the idea of being able to see traffic in real time.
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      • Profile picture of the author Timmy Deleu
        Originally Posted by RW View Post

        Very cool, I haven't used getclicky yet, just plain old google analytics. I like the idea of being able to see traffic in real time.
        I use both tools, Google analytics and get Clicky. Google Analytics is still vital but it's cool to see some stats in real time, just don't get addicted to them.

        I find myself watching those stats to often.

        Getclicky is totally free so why not give it a try.
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