The digital landscape is in constant flux, and in 2017, a robust Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy was no longer optional for WordPress website owners – it was essential for survival. A beautifully designed website with compelling content meant little if potential customers couldn’t find it amidst the vastness of the internet. This guide delves into the core WordPress SEO techniques of 2017, providing a detailed roadmap for boosting traffic, improving rankings, and establishing a strong online presence. While technology has advanced since then, the foundational principles remain remarkably relevant, offering valuable insights for modern SEO efforts.
The State of SEO in 2017: A Shifting Paradigm
In 2017, the effectiveness of SEO strategies was a significant concern. While a substantial 76% of businesses were actively employing SEO and content marketing, a surprisingly low 37% felt their efforts were truly yielding results. This disparity highlighted a critical need for a structured, data-driven approach. Simply “winging it” was no longer sufficient. The rise of mobile browsing also demanded attention, with a growing number of users accessing the internet via smartphones. This shift necessitated website compatibility across various devices and platforms. Furthermore, page loading speed and user-friendliness were becoming increasingly important ranking factors, as Google prioritized delivering a positive user experience. SEO wasn’t just about keywords anymore; it was about providing value to the user.
Laying the Foundation: Analytics and Theme Optimization
Before diving into plugins and content strategies, establishing a solid foundation was paramount. This began with understanding your website’s performance through tools like Google Analytics. Google Analytics provided invaluable data on traffic sources, popular landing pages, and potential issues like broken links. This data-driven insight allowed website owners to make informed decisions and refine their SEO strategies.
Alongside analytics, optimizing your WordPress theme was crucial. Themes weren’t merely aesthetic choices; they were integral to SEO. Utilizing keywords strategically within meta tags, headings, and HTML code within the theme itself could significantly boost search engine visibility. This involved understanding how search engines crawled and indexed website content, and tailoring the theme to facilitate that process.
The Power of WordPress SEO Plugins: A Comparative Look
WordPress plugins offered a streamlined way to implement various SEO techniques. In 2017, a plethora of options were available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a comparison of some of the leading plugins:
| Plugin Name | Key Features | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Yoast SEO | Meta description editing, keyword optimization, XML sitemap generation, readability analysis | All-in-one SEO solution |
| AMP for WP | Mobile optimization, accelerated mobile pages (AMP), Google Analytics integration | Mobile-first indexing |
| Premium SEO Pack | Advanced SEO features, content monetization, 404 error detection, 301 redirect management | Established websites needing advanced solutions |
| All In One Schema Rich Snippets | Rich snippet customization, enhanced search result appearance | Improving click-through rates |
| SEOPressor | Content optimization, meta description control, open-graph customization, auto-linking | Content-focused SEO |
| W3 Total Cache | Website caching, page loading speed optimization | Technical SEO & User Experience |
These plugins weren’t mutually exclusive; many website owners utilized a combination of tools to address specific needs. For example, Yoast SEO provided a comprehensive suite of features, while AMP for WP focused specifically on mobile optimization. Choosing the right plugins depended on the website’s size, complexity, and target audience.
Content is King: Creating Shareable, High-Quality Material
Even with optimized themes and powerful plugins, content remained the cornerstone of any successful SEO strategy. In 2017, the emphasis was on creating high-quality, engaging content that resonated with the target audience. This meant going beyond simply stuffing keywords into articles.
Several key elements contributed to content effectiveness:
- Shareability: With nearly 30 million new social media accounts created in the past year, making content easily shareable was vital. Integrating social sharing buttons and crafting compelling hashtags encouraged wider distribution.
- Professional Writing: If writing wasn’t a strength, investing in professional writers to seamlessly incorporate keywords was a smart move.
- Multimedia Integration: Breaking up walls of text with videos and images not only enhanced engagement but also provided alternative ways for users to consume information. Videos, in particular, were highly shareable and effective at conveying complex ideas quickly.
- Solid Links: Strategic linking – both internally (to other pages on your site) and externally (to reputable sources) – boosted credibility and improved rankings. However, linking to competitors was strongly discouraged.
- Fact-Checking & Sourcing: Backing up claims with data from reputable sources was essential for establishing trust and authority.
The Importance of Technical SEO: Sitemaps and Website Speed
Beyond content and plugins, technical SEO played a critical role in ensuring search engines could effectively crawl and index a website. Creating a sitemap was a frequently overlooked but vital step. A sitemap provided Google with a clear roadmap of the website’s structure, facilitating faster indexing and improved rankings.
Website speed was another crucial technical factor. Slow loading times led to frustrated users and higher bounce rates, negatively impacting SEO. Plugins like W3 Total Cache helped improve website performance by implementing caching mechanisms and optimizing code. Minification – reducing the size of code files – was another technique used to boost speed and user-friendliness.
Beyond the Basics: Advanced Techniques for 2017
While the core principles outlined above formed the foundation of WordPress SEO in 2017, several advanced techniques could further enhance results:
- Schema Markup: Utilizing schema markup (through plugins like All In One Schema Rich Snippets) allowed website owners to customize the appearance of their search results, adding details like star ratings, pricing, and author information.
- Mobile-First Indexing: With the increasing prevalence of mobile browsing, Google was beginning to prioritize mobile-first indexing, meaning the mobile version of a website was used for ranking purposes. Plugins like AMP for WP helped ensure websites were optimized for mobile devices.
- Keyword Research: Meticulous keyword research was essential for identifying the terms and phrases that potential customers were using to search for relevant products or services.
- Content Audits: Regularly auditing existing content to identify areas for improvement – such as outdated information or weak keyword targeting – was crucial for maintaining SEO performance.
Monitoring and Adapting: The Ongoing SEO Journey
SEO wasn’t a one-time fix; it was an ongoing process of monitoring, analyzing, and adapting. Tools like Rankie provided valuable feedback on website performance, tracking keyword rankings, traffic sources, and overall exposure. This data allowed website owners to identify areas for improvement and refine their strategies accordingly. Staying abreast of the latest SEO trends and algorithm updates was also essential for maintaining a competitive edge.
The Bottom Line: A Proactive Approach to WordPress SEO
The WordPress SEO landscape of 2017 demanded a proactive, data-driven approach. Simply having a website wasn’t enough; it needed to be actively optimized for search engines and users alike. By focusing on foundational elements like analytics, theme optimization, and high-quality content, and by leveraging the power of WordPress plugins, website owners could significantly improve their online visibility and attract a steady stream of targeted traffic. The principles outlined in this guide, while rooted in the context of 2017, continue to serve as a valuable framework for building a successful SEO strategy in the ever-evolving digital world.