How to Efficiently Use Yoast WordPress SEO Plugin?

Optimized your website content with Yoast WordPress SEO plugin

If you are a content marketer, you will agree to the fact that content optimization is always a work in progress and that having the right optimization tools means the difference between ranking high on search pages and being toast into oblivion.

For WordPress.org users, Yoast SEO plugin is the most complete tool for optimizing your content and ultimately enhancing your website visibility online. But unless you know how to effectively use it, Yoast plugin will just be another fancy plugin on your site.  But it doesn’t have to be.

Here in are tips on how to configure the Yoast WordPress SEO plugin for efficient use.

Installing the plugin

If you have been using other variations of SEO plugins, you only need to import the existing settings into this Yoast SEO plugin. Ensure you delete older data once you have imported the settings to eliminate chances of conflicts. Your plugin is now ready for configuration.

Webmaster tools

1. The essential XML Sitemaps

This feature creates XML sitemaps used by search bots for indexing. It also notifies Bing and Google that such sitemaps exist on your site. The fact that this feature is automated means it can be used by even the novice WordPress users.

2. Titles and Meta descriptions feature

The feature allows webmasters to add title and Meta description templates to a site automatically rather than working on every page manually. For better results, leverage on the Yoast help function to explore the feature to the fullest.

3. The Robots Meta configuration

Uncompleted webpages can hamper your ranking when indexed. The robots Meta configuration tool helps keep the files hidden till they are complete. The feature works for custom taxonomies, categories and tags in your site giving you control over what is indexed for users’ view.

4. Permalink clean up feature

This feature minimizes the chances of broken links unwarranted page redirects on your site. You will simply on the permalink clean up button to activate this feature.

5. The RSS enhancements

As an improvement on the basic RSS Footer plugins that only worked on either the header or footer sections at a time, Yoast SEO plugin allows you to add text on both sections at a go. Additionally, you can add backlinks to your blog or even specific blog posts of interest.

6. The File editor

This feature helps you check, edit and even update .htaccess and robots.txt files. This way, you can keep content on your site clean, organized and up to date.

7. The clean-up feature

Thanks to the versatility that comes with WordPress, many webmasters end up messing the head section making it bloated and disorganized. For WordPress.org users, the clean-up feature is the ideal tool to clean the mess up.



Yoast WordPress SEO Plugin should be every webmaster’s best friend. It’s powerful, easy to use and affordable.