Using SEO Yoast to Make Search Engine Optimization Easier
Everyone who runs a website should know at least a little bit about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It is not totally necessary, but without it you will basically only have word-of-mouth referrals to drive traffic to your website. But the world of SEO is huge and complex, understanding all of it requires that a person dedicate a lot of time. For most people running websites, they don’t have that kind of time. Instead, they turn to tools that are designed to make the job easier. Enter WordPress SEO by Yoast.
Who is Yoast?
Yoast is most likely the last name of whoever founded the web optimization site Yoast.com. Or maybe it is a first name, or a nickname, nobody really knows. The important thing to know is that this website has an entire wealth of information on how to optimize your website.
They have articles upon articles relating to using social media, search engine optimization, how to attract customers, using WordPress and more. But what this company is really known for is their fantastic WordPress plugins and themes.
For those just starting out on their web adventure, or for those who want to revamp their website, Yoast has a lot of WordPress themes that will help maximize their desired niche. They also have a number of SEO plugins that you can use on your existing WordPress site, all designed around search engine optimization.
Enough of sales pitch, that’s not what we are here for.
WordPress SEO by Yoast, the Free Edition
Yoast puts out a free edition of their basic SEO plugin that will suit most people’s needs. This plugin is easy to use, easy to install, and can help you move from knowing nothing about SEO, to making sure your site is search engine optimized beyond belief. The concept relies on red, yellow, and green; like a stoplight.
Once you get the Yoast plugin installed, you create a new post. Scrolling down you will see where you can add in your keyword. Yoast will then analyze your page, and give you pointers where you can optimize it further.
For instance, suppose your keyword density is just .5%, then Yoast will give you a red light saying you either need a new keyword, or you need to mention the concept more often. If you have no picture uploaded, Yoast will give you a red light suggesting you need a picture (and then again if you don’t have an appropriate alt tag). The plugin does the same thing for headers, tags, length, and the Flesch-Kincaid score.
You can take the time to make sure you have green lights all around, or you can save a draft, and then hit the button that says “check” near your SEO score (it’s in the upper right, near the button where you save a draft). If your overall page gets a green, you are good to go.
Search Engine Optimization Made Easy
SEO has a lot of parts to it. There are entire companies that are entirely dedicating to mastering the art, but the fact is the algorithms change so much that it is hard to keep up. Want to make sure your website is optimized? It comes down to three basic steps: create high quality unique content (regularly), tag and otherwise internally optimize (using the Yoast plugin of course), and get backlinks. If you do those three things, your site will move up and up passing by the competitors. Of course, if your website is an online presence for your business, you may not want to worry about that stuff. Skypoint Web Design knows you’re busy, and we can help to keep your site fresh and search engine optimized. Contact us for more details.
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