When launching a new WordPress website or refreshing an existing one, the first step is always to establish a solid SEO foundation. We recommend the SEOPress plugin for its comprehensive, clean, and non-intrusive approach to on-site optimization.
Think of an SEO plugin as the instructions manual you give Google. If the instructions are clear, complete, and correct, Google rewards you with better visibility.
Here is the essential, five-step guide we use for our clients to get their basic SEOPress settings locked in for maximum impact.
Step 1: Run the Setup Wizard and Configure Your Identity (Knowledge Graph)
After installing and activating the free SEOPress plugin, you’ll be prompted to run the setup wizard. Do not skip this! It’s the fastest way to lay the groundwork.
⚙️ What to Focus On:
- Import Settings: If you are migrating from another SEO plugin (like Yoast or Rank Math), this wizard will safely import your existing titles and descriptions, preventing a loss of rankings.
- Your Site: This is critical for the Google Knowledge Graph. You must tell Google whether your site represents an Organization (a business) or a Person (a blogger/individual).
- Action: Select your type, input your official Business Name and upload your Logo. This data is sent to Google using Schema Markup, helping establish your brand identity in search results.
- Social Profiles: Link all your official social media pages (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.). This ties your social presence directly to your website in Google’s eyes.
Step 2: Configure Global Titles and Metas (The Blue Links)
The Titles and Metas section dictates how your pages will look in search results (the clickable blue link and the description snippet).
Go to SEO > Titles & Metas and focus on the following tabs:
| Tab | Key Action | Why it Matters |
| Home Page | Manually Write Title and Meta Description | Your homepage is your most important page. Avoid using only dynamic variables (like %%sitetitle%%). Write a compelling, unique title (under 60 characters) and description (under 160 characters) that includes your primary business keywords and a call to action. |
| Post Types | Set Template for Posts and Pages | Use the available dynamic variables (e.g., `%%post_title%% |
| Archives | No-Index the Junk | By default, WordPress creates many unnecessary archive pages (Author, Date, Format). We strongly recommend setting these to noindex, follow to prevent duplicate content issues and force Google to focus its crawl budget on your valuable pages. |
Step 3: Set Up Your XML Sitemaps (The Map for Google)
An XML Sitemap is a complete list of all the URLs on your site that you want search engines to crawl and index.
Go to SEO > XML / HTML Sitemap.
- Action 1: Enable XML Sitemap. Make sure the main XML Sitemap is enabled.
- Action 2: Configure Post Types. Make sure Pages and Posts are included. If you have a WooCommerce site, ensure Products are included. Exclude low-value pages like your ‘Media’ attachments.
- Action 3: Submit to Google Search Console. Once the sitemap is enabled, copy the URL of your XML sitemap (e.g.,
yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml) and submit it to Google Search Console. This is how you formally tell Google your site is ready for indexing.
Step 4: Integrate Analytics and Search Console
You can’t optimize what you don’t measure. SEOPress makes connecting your tracking tools simple.
- Google Analytics / Matomo: Go to SEO > Analytics and integrate your tracking code (or the connection API). This lets you see valuable traffic data and ensures you are tracking every visitor.
- Google Search Console: While you should always verify your site directly with GSC, SEOPress Pro allows you to pull key performance data (like impressions and clicks) directly into your WordPress dashboard, making monitoring easier.
Step 5: On-Page Optimization with the Universal SEO Metabox
The final step is applying these global settings to your individual pages.
When you edit any Page or Post, scroll down to the bottom (or look for the floating SEOPress icon). This area—the Universal SEO Metabox—is where you perform the final optimization checks.
- Snippet Preview: Use the preview tool to see exactly how your Title and Meta Description will look on Google (desktop and mobile).
- SEO Title/Meta Description: Override the global template (from Step 2) and write a unique, compelling title and description for this specific piece of content, using your primary target keyword.
- Content Analysis: Input your target keyword and use the green/yellow/red indicators to check for basic on-page SEO errors, such as keyword density, missing images, and title length.
By completing these five steps, your WordPress site will move from having a blank, generic SEO profile to one that is structured, compliant, and ready to compete in search results.
