• Sunday, December 7, 2025

Introduction: What is SEO and why WordPress?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving the visibility, relevance, and performance of your website so it appears higher in Google’s search results. WordPress is ideal for SEO because of its modularity, control over the HTML structure, rich plugin ecosystem, and easy content management.

Goals of this guide

  • Practical steps that bring immediate results.

  • Solid technical foundation (CWV, indexing, sitemap).

  • Consistent on-page process for all pages/posts.

Quick Wins in 1 Day

  • Activate HTTPS (valid SSL) and check the canonical version (https://).

  • Set permalinks to Post name.

  • Install and configure one SEO plugin (Yoast or Rank Math).

  • Enable XML Sitemap and add it to Google Search Console.

  • Optimize H1–H3 on your most important pages; add clear CTAs.

  • Compress the 10 heaviest images (WebP/AVIF) and enable lazy-load.

  • Install a cache plugin/solution based on the server (LiteSpeed Cache or WP Rocket).

  • Fill in meta title/description for the homepage and services pages.

  • Upload robots.txt and check that global noindex is NOT enabled.

  • Add business data (NAP) in the footer and on the “Contact” page.

Basic WordPress Settings for SEO

  • Settings → General: Site Title (brand + key term), Tagline (short UVP).

  • Settings → Reading: Turn off “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” (it should NOT be checked).

  • Settings → Permalinks: Post name (/sample-post/).

  • Users → Profile: Author social links, bio (for Author Snippets).

  • Media: Define default sizes; avoid automatically generating too many variants.

Choosing an SEO Plugin (Yoast vs Rank Math)

Use one SEO plugin to avoid conflicts.

Yoast SEO (stable choice)

  • Built-in readability and on-page analysis.

  • XML sitemap, breadcrumbs, crawl optimizations (Premium), integrations.

  • Yoast SEO – Configuration Guide

Rank Math (comprehensive alternative)

  • Easy onboarding wizard, Schema, redirects, 404 monitor, sitemap.

  • Rich modules, breadcrumbs, WooCommerce/Local SEO options.

  • Rank Math – How to Setup

Recommendation:
For classic sites/blogs – Yoast or Rank Math Free.
For e-commerce/advanced Schema and redirects – Rank Math Pro or Yoast Premium + a redirects add-on.

Content Strategy and Keyword Research

  • Define pillar pages (e.g. “Website Development”, “SEO Optimization”).

  • For each pillar – create cluster posts (subtopics) and interlink them.

  • Use local variations: “in Skopje”, “Macedonia”, “price”, “example”.

  • Intent mapping: informational vs transactional keywords.

  • Publishing calendar: 2–4 posts per month + updates to evergreen content.

On-Page SEO: How to Optimize Each Page/Post

  • URL: short and descriptive (/wordpress-seo-guide).

  • Title: include the main keyword near the beginning (H1 ≠ Title Tag is allowed).

  • Meta Description: 120–155 characters, benefit + CTA.

  • H2/H3 structure: logical flow with keyword variations.

  • First 100 words: explicitly state what the page is about.

  • Internal links: 2–4 relevant; External links: 1–2 authoritative.

  • Images: descriptive filename, alt text, WebP, responsive sizes.

  • FAQ section: 2–5 questions + FAQ Schema.

  • CTA: clear next step (contact/quote/demo).

  • E-E-A-T signals: author bio, credible sources, contact/policies in the footer.

Internal Linking and Information Architecture

  • Keep navigation shallow: key pages should be reachable in ≤ 3 clicks.

  • Enable breadcrumbs for context and SERP enhancement.

  • Build topic silos: Pillar → Clusters (Parent → Children).

  • Regularly review orphan pages and create Content Hub pages.

SEO Optimization Library (5 Key Links)

  • Google Search Central – SEO Starter Guide

  • web.dev – Learn Core Web Vitals (CWV)

  • Google Search Central – Build & Submit a Sitemap

  • Yoast SEO – Configuration Guide (WordPress)

  • Rank Math – How to Setup Rank Math Properly

Final Review (Short Recommendation)

For a solid SEO foundation, start with the Google SEO Starter Guide to understand concepts and best practices. Then focus on Core Web Vitals via web.dev – performance strongly affects UX and rankings. For WordPress, pick a single SEO plugin: Yoast (simpler flow, stable choice) or Rank Math (more built-in modules like redirects/Schema). Finish by creating a sitemap and submitting it in Search Console for proper indexing. With this order, you get quick wins and a scalable framework for continuous improvement.

Professional WordPress Hosting: gohost.mk

For stable CWV results and speed, hosting makes a big difference. gohost.mk is a professional provider with practices tailored for WordPress (modern server stack, caching and security), which helps sites load faster and pass CWV checks more easily.

 

Note: always align the hosting plan with the real traffic volume and resource needs.

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