Ranking higher on Google is important for any website. If your website doesn’t appear on the first page of search results, you’re missing out on valuable traffic and potential customers. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your website rank better, attract more visitors, and improve user experience.
WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for building websites. It offers great flexibility and a wide range of SEO tools to help you optimize your site. However, just installing WordPress is not enough—you need to follow a proper SEO strategy to rank higher on search engines like Google.
In this article, we’ll go through a complete WordPress SEO checklist to help you improve your website’s ranking and visibility. Let’s get started!
1. Install an SEO Plugin
The first step to optimizing your WordPress site is to install an SEO plugin. These plugins make it easy to manage key SEO elements like titles, meta descriptions, sitemaps, and more.
Best SEO Plugins for WordPress:
- Yoast SEO – One of the most popular SEO plugins with advanced features.
- Rank Math – A user-friendly option with extra schema markup options.
- All in One SEO – A reliable plugin that covers all basic SEO needs.
✅ Example:
If you install Yoast SEO, go to SEO → General → Features and enable options like XML sitemaps, breadcrumbs, and readability analysis. This will help search engines better understand your site.
2. Set a Proper Permalink Structure
Permalinks are the URLs of your posts and pages. A clean and structured permalink improves user experience and makes it easier for search engines to crawl your site.
Best Practices:
- Use a simple URL format that includes the post name.
- Avoid symbols, numbers, and random characters in the URL.
- Go to Settings → Permalinks and select Post Name format.
✅ Example:
Instead of this:https://yourwebsite.com/?p=123
Use this:https://yourwebsite.com/seo-checklist/
3. Do Keyword Research
Keyword research helps you understand what your target audience is searching for. It allows you to create content that matches their search intent.
Best Tools for Keyword Research:
- Google Keyword Planner – Free tool from Google for finding search volumes and competition levels.
- Ahrefs – Provides in-depth keyword research and backlink analysis.
- SEMrush – A comprehensive tool for finding keyword opportunities.
- Ubersuggest – Easy-to-use tool for finding long-tail keywords.
✅ Example:
Instead of using a competitive keyword like “SEO tips,” try using a long-tail keyword like “SEO tips for WordPress websites in 2025.”
4. Optimize Your Titles and Meta Descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are the first things users see in search results. A well-optimized title and description will improve your click-through rate (CTR).
Best Practices:
- Include your target keyword at the beginning of the title.
- Keep the title under 60 characters.
- Write a meta description under 160 characters.
- Add a call to action (CTA) to encourage clicks.
✅ Example:
Title: “WordPress SEO Checklist: 10 Easy Steps to Rank Higher on Google”
Meta Description: “Follow this detailed WordPress SEO checklist to improve your search rankings. Easy-to-follow steps for better visibility and more traffic!”
5. Improve Website Speed
Page speed is a key ranking factor. A slow website leads to poor user experience and a higher bounce rate, which negatively affects SEO.
Best Practices:
- Use a caching plugin like WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache.
- Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel.
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to serve your content faster worldwide.
✅ Example:
Run your site through Google PageSpeed Insights. Aim for a score of 90+ on both mobile and desktop.
6. Optimize for Mobile
More than 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Google follows a mobile-first indexing policy, which means your website must be responsive.
Best Practices:
- Use a responsive WordPress theme.
- Test your website on different devices.
- Avoid using pop-ups that block content on mobile.
✅ Example:
Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to see if your website is optimized for mobile. Fix any issues it highlights.
7. Use Headings and Subheadings Properly
Headings (H1, H2, H3) help structure your content and make it easier for search engines and users to understand.
Best Practices:
- Use a single H1 tag for the main title.
- Use H2 and H3 tags to organize subtopics.
- Include keywords naturally in headings.
✅ Example:
Instead of:
“How to Improve SEO”
Use:
“How to Improve SEO: 10 Steps for Better Rankings”
8. Add Internal and External Links
Internal links help search engines understand your site structure. External links improve your site’s credibility.
Best Practices:
- Add 3-4 internal links per post.
- Link to high-authority external sources.
- Use descriptive anchor text.
✅ Example:
Instead of:
“Click here for more”
Use:
“Check out our WordPress SEO guide for more tips.”
9. Add Alt Text to Images
Alt text helps search engines understand your images and improves accessibility.
Best Practices:
- Describe the image accurately.
- Include your target keyword naturally.
✅ Example:
Instead of:
“Image123.jpg”
Use:
“WordPress SEO checklist infographic for 2025”
10. Submit an XML Sitemap to Google
A sitemap helps search engines crawl and index your site more effectively.
Best Practices:
- Use Yoast or Rank Math to generate a sitemap.
- Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console.
✅ Example:
Submit the URL like this:https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml
11. Remove Broken Links and 404 Errors
Broken links harm your SEO and lead to poor user experience.
Best Practices:
- Use a tool like Broken Link Checker.
- Fix or redirect broken links.
✅ Example:
Redirect broken links using a 301 redirect to a relevant page.
12. Add Schema Markup
Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better.
Best Practices:
- Use Rank Math to add schema.
- Add FAQ schema, How-To schema, and Review schema.
✅ Example:
Adding FAQ schema can help your content appear in Google’s “People Also Ask” section.
Conclusion
Following this WordPress SEO checklist will help you improve your website’s search engine rankings and increase organic traffic. From keyword research to technical SEO, every step matters when it comes to ranking higher on Google.
At XHTMLTEAM, we follow the best SEO practices when coding WordPress websites. Our expert developers ensure that your site is fast, mobile-friendly, and properly optimized for search engines. We focus on clean code, schema markup, fast loading times, and proper content structure to make sure your site ranks higher.
👉 Need an SEO-optimized WordPress website? Contact XHTMLTEAM today and let us help you improve your search rankings!