This is my Pubcon Las Vegas 2014 slide deck for configuring the Yoast WordPress SEO plugin...

1. Yoast’s WordPress SEO Plugin
October 9, 2014
Scott Hendison

2. Scott Hendison
• Started selling software online in 1997.
• Went to my first Pubcon in 2004.
•• SSttaarrtteedd UUssiinngg WWoorrddPPrreessss iinn 22000055..
• Used All in One SEO & Headspace
• 400th user of YWPSEO, and haven‘t looked back

4. Defaults Are Terrible

5. Activation

6. Dashboard

7. Dashboard
• Not much to change there
• Default settings are fine
• You can reset all defaults after config
•• DDeecciiddee iiff eeddiittoorrss aanndd aauutthhoorrss sshhoouulldd hhaavvee
access to the advanced plugin features
for their content
• I wish we could input Google Analytics

8. Dashboard

9. Dashboard

10. Titles and Metas

11. Titles and Metas
• This is the meat of the plugin
• Set global preferences
• Not bad out of the box
• I prefer a lot of changes
• Different sites have different needs

14. •• RReeaallllyy SSiimmppllee DDiissccoovveerryy
• Windows Live Writer
• Shortlink for posts are pointless
• Hide RSS only if you have no blog

16. Variables

17. Variables
• Define sectional page characteristics
•• DDiiffffeerreenntt ccrriitteerriiaa // ddiiffffeerreenntt sseeccttiioonnss
• Mix and Match - Be creative
• No definitive ‘right‘ or ‘wrong‘
• The goal is to be 100% unique sitewide

18. Variables Are Listed in Help

19. Variables Are Listed in Help

21. Default

24. • Enter variables for every different
type of content. (Varies by site)
•• UUssee ‘‘nnooiinnddeexx,, ffoollllooww‘‘ ffoorr ppaaggeess yyoouu
don‘t want to be indexed, but still
want to get the benefit of any inbound
links.

26. • Taxonomies are for sectional structure
• Categories, tags, format (?)
•• UUssee %%%%ppaaggee%%%% ttoo uunniiqquuiiffyy
• Fill out all sections completely
• Use noindex, follow where applicable
• There‘s no absolute right or wrong

29. Social

30. Social

31. Social

32. Social

33. XML Sitemaps

34. • Oddly named sitemap_index.xml
• Creates multiple xml sitemaps
• Delete your old sitemap.xml file
• SSuubbmmiitt ssiitteemmaapp__iinnddeexx..xxmmll ttoo GGWWMMTT
• Disable author map for single authors
• No need to submit the others

38. PPeerrmmaalliinnkkss

39. • Permalinks are still set normally
• Plugin supplements WP settings
•• MMoosstt ssiitteess bbeesstt sseerrvveedd bbyy %%ppoossttnnaammee%%
• News sites need dates for Google news
• Don‘t choose to redirect ugly URLs

42. IInntteerrnnaall LLiinnkkss

43. • Breadcrumbs are good for users
• Breacrumbs are good for crawlers
•• TThheeyy uussuuaallllyy ggoo aabboovvee tthhee ccoonntteenntt
• Won‘t work w/o a theme edit
• Default settings are usually fine
• LOOK to ensure they make sense

46. RSS

47. RSS
• Scrapers will steal your content
• Cane from his old plugin ‘RSS footer‘
•• AAlllloowwss yyoouu ttoo pprreeppeenndd oorr aappppeenndd ppoossttss
• Sites that scrape you, then give you links
• Might not be a good thing anymore?

49. Import / Export

50. • Time this saves is astounding
• Imports info from other SEO plugins
•• EExxppoorrtt sseettttiinnggss ffoorr uussee eellsseewwhheerree
• Include or exclude taxonomy data
• Check your settings after an import!

53. Bulk Editor

54. • Change titles
• Change descriptions
• Does not pull in defaults ;(
•• SSttiillll sseemmii uusseeffuull ffoorr ttiittllee ttaaggss
• Better off doing them at page level

57. Edit Files

58. • An often used feature
• Another huge time saver
• Edit the robots.txt file
•• EEddiitt tthhee ..hhttaacccceessss ffiillee
• Be careful / make a backup - one misplaced
.htaccess character can kill your site ;(

59. • An often used feature
• Another huge time saver
• Edit the robots.txt file
•• EEddiitt tthhee ..hhttaacccceessss ffiillee
• Be careful / make a backup - one misplaced
.htaccess character can kill your site ;(

61. Extensions

62. Extensions

63. Granular On Page SEO

64. • Scroll beneath any content
• Box should be visible for admins
•• FFoouurr ttaabbss ooff iinnffoo aanndd ttoooollss
• Can‘t see it? Check your screen options
• Page Analysis requires a ‘focus keyword‘
• Use it to improve the on page SEO, & more.

65. Every Page / Post Offers More:

66. General Tab

67. Type in a Focus KW to see the magic

68. Page Analysis Tab

69. Page Analysis Tab

70. Advanced Tab

71. Advanced Tab

72. Social Tab Options

73. Other “Yoast Enhanced“ Areas

74. Media Files

75. Individual Categories

76. Individual Author Profiles

77. Take Aways
• Out of the box configuration needs tweaking
• Use %%page%% to uniquify everything
•• NNooiinnddeexx,, bbuutt ‘‘ffoollllooww‘‘ wwhheerree aapppprroopprriiaattee
• Export your settings for easy use elsewhere
• Import my config file at SearchCommander.com

78. Thank You
Scott Hendison
scott@SearchCommander.com