So, you’ve set up your WordPress site (or maybe you’re planning to) and now you’re wondering how to make sure Google actually notices you, right? I’ve been exactly where you are publishing content, hoping for traffic, and realizing that just writing isn’t enough. You need some solid SEO practices to give your site a real chance to shine.
Let me walk you through the WordPress SEO Checklist I personally follow it’s simple, straightforward, and honestly, it’s made a huge difference for me. No tech jargon, just friendly advice from experience!
Checkout this WordPress SEO Checklist
1. Use an SEO-Friendly Theme
- Choose a lightweight and well-coded theme.
- Speed and clean code matter for both users and search engines.
- I once used a bloated theme that slowed everything down switching to Astra or GeneratePress gave me an instant performance boost.
2. Install an SEO Plugin
- Install a reliable SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
- These plugins help you optimize titles, meta descriptions, and even provide readability tips.
- Think of it as your SEO coach living inside WordPress!
3. Optimize Your Permalink Structure
- Avoid messy URLs like:
yoursite.com/?p=123. - Set your permalink to “Post name” format:
yoursite.com/your-blog-post-title/. - Change this in: Settings > Permalinks.
4. Write SEO-Friendly Titles and Meta Descriptions
- Always include your main keyword naturally.
- Write compelling titles that make people want to click.
- Treat meta descriptions like mini-ads clear, helpful, and honest.
5. Use Heading Tags Properly (H1, H2, H3)
- Use one H1 per page (usually the blog post title).
- Break content into sections using H2 and H3 tags.
- Helps both readers and search engines understand your content structure.
6. Image Optimization is a Must
- Always compress images using tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel.
- Add descriptive alt text for each image.
- Improves accessibility and boosts your chances in Google Image Search.
7. Internal Linking Strategy
- Link your new posts to older related posts.
- Helps visitors explore your site more.
- Google uses internal links to understand page relationships.
8. Mobile Optimization
- Use a mobile-friendly theme.
- Test your pages using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
- Over half of web traffic comes from mobile make sure your site looks great on phones and tablets.
9. Focus on Page Speed
- Use caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache.
- Lazy-load images to improve load times.
- Regularly check your site with Google PageSpeed Insights.
10. Submit Your Site to Google Search Console
- Submitting your sitemap tells Google about your pages.
- Use Yoast or Rank Math to generate a sitemap.
- Check Search Console for crawling issues and performance data.
11. Write Quality Content That Solves Problems
- Focus on creating helpful, problem-solving content.
- Share personal experiences and answer questions.
- Quality content is what Google loves the most.
12. Keep Updating Old Posts
- Refresh old blog posts with new info and links.
- Google sees updated content as more relevant.
- I’ve seen rankings improve just by revisiting and polishing old posts.
Conclusion
SEO isn’t a one time job, it’s more like building a good habit. When I started following this checklist consistently, I saw steady improvements more impressions, better rankings, and more traffic.
I hope this WordPress SEO checklist helps you as much as it’s helped me. If you ever want me to help you fine tune yours, just ask! Happy optimizing!
