Optimize your WordPress Website, Increase Organic Traffic

Building a WordPress website is one thing. But it’s quite another to make meaningful SEO changes that will help your WordPress site rank in Google Search results and drive organic traffic to your content.

Fortunately, much of what you can do to optimize your site and increase traffic organically is relatively straightforward. You do not necessarily need to be a web guru to start taking these measures today. In addition to having a strong web hosting provider in your corner, understanding a few SEO-friendly WordPress optimizations will improve the overall performance of your website, in addition to driving traffic.

How to Optimize WordPress SEO

The following search engine optimization best practices will go a long way in making your website more SEO-friendly. Best of all, you don’t have to become a Google Analytics expert to implement these optimizations on your existing or new website.

1. Optimize File Sizes

When uploading images, videos, and other media assets directly to your website, keep in mind the size of each file. The bigger the size, the longer it will take for your site load. This also negatively impacts the server that is running your website because it requires more resources. By being conscious of this and optimizing your files, you can help improve the speed of your site. A slow site will frustrate your visitors!

2. Get Help From an SEO Plugin

Want to get page by page SEO help for your WordPress site? There are several plugins specifically tailored to SEO, with Yoast being one of the easiest solutions for evaluating your on-page SEO.

With a plugin like Yoast, simply enter your target keyword, and the plugin will offer a list of suggestions for how you can further optimize your page. Maybe you need to add internal links to other pages on your site or backlinks to third-party websites. Or maybe you need to add another heading to improve your page’s readability. Yoast SEO makes it easy to understand how to optimize for users and search engines every time you post new content.

3. Do Your Keyword Research

Of course, an SEO plugin will be most helpful when you know what keywords you need to target in the first place. This way, when you appear in search engines, you’ll be showing up for searches that are relevant to your business. Google Trends and Google Keyword Planner are helpful free resources to get started with, though there are also paid tools you can use for all-in-one SEO support.

Once you’ve identified a list of keywords that matter most for your WordPress site, you can begin incorporating them naturally throughout your content. Aside from the main content, strategic keyword use in areas like meta descriptions and image alt text can help search engines understand your site’s content and subsequently boost organic traffic. Just be sure to avoid keyword stuffing! If your content starts reading like you’re trying to stuff keywords instead of help your audience, you may actually lose visibility.

4. Prioritize Website Organization

There should be a method to your madness, regardless of how many posts or pages your WordPress website has. It should be relatively easy for end users to find the content they are looking for — and when they find it, your content should be easy to read and follow. Make sure your website’s main menu doesn’t have too many submenus or links. A well-structured site should make it easy for visitors to find the information they need.

A well-defined site structure can also help search engines understand your content. For example, defining the schema for each page in the site will establish a clear, organized sitemap for indexing. Similarly, the URL for each page should be simple and clear. Search engines use this information to understand your website architecture, which will directly influence your search engine ranking and how different pages are listed in search results.

Pair Your WordPress Site With Solid SEO Strategies

It’s not enough anymore to simply set up a landing page, throw some images and other content on it, and then call it a day. WordPress sites should not only be up-to-date and graphically appealing, but should also be designed in a way that is easy for both users and search engines to understand.

In addition to regularly maintaining your website, taking steps to optimize the overall health and appearance of your site will improve your organic traffic. At Site Rockstar, we have experience with technical SEO improvements that will bring more visitors to your website. Let us get you on the right track. Contact us today to get started.