Introduction:
Squirrly SEO is a WordPress plugin designed to help businesses optimize their websites for search engines. With features like real-time SEO assistance, keyword research tools, and comprehensive site audits, it aims to simplify the SEO process for both beginners and advanced users. However, some users report issues when running SEO tests, where the analysis process gets stuck during the "checking the website" phase. This article examines the potential causes of these stuck tests and provides troubleshooting steps based on the available information about Squirrly SEO's functionality.
Overview of Squirrly SEO Features and Capabilities
Squirrly SEO is positioned as a comprehensive WordPress plugin suitable for both non-SEO experts and more advanced users. The plugin offers a setup wizard that guides users through the entire process of setting up their site and creating optimized pages, making it particularly accessible for beginners.
Key features of Squirrly SEO include:
- Real-time SEO assistant that provides step-by-step guidance while creating content
- Built-in keyword research tools to identify relevant keywords for a brand
- Competitor analysis capabilities to improve SEO strategy
- Site audit functionality that tracks over 500 SEO factors
- "Focus Pages" feature to help optimize older content
- Content optimizer in the WordPress editor for adjusting titles, meta descriptions, rich snippets, and social appearance
- AI research tool that identifies matching keywords and suggests placement locations
The plugin operates as both a WordPress plugin and a SaaS solution, with the company rebranding to AISQ.com (AI Squirrly). Since its launch in 2012, Squirrly has developed 29 different products and claims to have 23,000+ paid clients including Microsoft, BBC, ElegantThemes, CreativeMarket, and various influencers.
Notably, Squirrly SEO introduced what it claims was the world's first AI SEO Consultant in 2020. The platform utilizes two different AI technologies: proprietary Ranking Vision AI and a keyword research technology that leverages the OpenAI API to help clients access better keywords.
Understanding the Website Testing Process
When users run SEO tests in Squirrly SEO, the system analyzes various aspects of their website to identify optimization opportunities. According to the provided information, this process involves tracking over 500 SEO factors through detailed site audits.
The testing process typically includes:
- Analyzing on-page SEO elements like titles, meta descriptions, and headings
- Evaluating keyword usage and placement throughout the content
- Checking for technical SEO issues
- Assessing content quality and relevance
- Identifying opportunities for competitor outperformance
- Detecting potential duplicate content issues
The Meta Assistant feature in Squirrly SEO specifically helps users fix and avoid duplicate-meta issues by checking each page's metadata and providing recommendations for optimization.
For agencies and larger organizations, Squirrly offers a Web Dev Kit with special plans that allow customization of the SEO experience for end-users, including different packages with varying levels of access to SEO tools based on client needs.
Common Causes of Squirrly SEO Tests Getting Stuck
Based on the available information, several factors may contribute to Squirrly SEO tests getting stuck during the "checking the website" phase:
Website Size and Complexity: Larger websites with numerous pages and complex structures may take longer to analyze, potentially causing the test to appear stuck.
Server Response Time: The source data mentions that Squirrly SEO runs on "high usage servers available" using "mulch on high capacity servers which are fairly new." However, if the user's website has slow server response times, this could affect the testing process.
Plugin Conflicts: Squirrly SEO may encounter conflicts with other WordPress plugins, particularly other SEO tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math, which are mentioned in the source data as alternatives.
Insufficient Resources: The source notes that Squirrly SEO "tracks over 500 SEO factors with detailed site audits," which requires significant processing power. If the hosting environment lacks sufficient resources, the test may stall.
Website Accessibility Issues: If search engine crawlers cannot access certain parts of the website, the analysis process may hang while attempting to collect data.
Large Media Files: Websites with numerous or large media files may cause the testing process to slow down or get stuck during the analysis phase.
Database Optimization: Poorly optimized databases can slow down the process of analyzing website content and metadata.
It's worth noting that the source data specifically mentions duplicate content as a concern for SEO testing, suggesting that websites with significant duplicate content issues may experience testing complications.
Troubleshooting Steps to Resolve Stuck Tests
When Squirrly SEO tests get stuck during the website checking process, users can try several troubleshooting approaches:
Check Server Resources: Ensure that the hosting environment has sufficient resources to run comprehensive SEO audits. The source data mentions that Squirrly SEO requires "half-decent hosting" to function properly.
Deactivate Other Plugins: Temporarily deactivate other WordPress plugins, particularly other SEO tools, to identify potential conflicts. The source specifically mentions Yoast SEO and Rank Math as alternatives that might conflict.
Optimize Database: Clean up and optimize the WordPress database to improve the speed of content analysis.
Break Down the Audit: Instead of running a full site audit, analyze smaller sections of the website to isolate problematic areas.
Check for Blocked Resources: Verify that search engine crawlers can access all parts of the website, including CSS and JavaScript files that may be needed for proper analysis.
Update Squirrly SEO: Ensure that the plugin is updated to the latest version, as updates may include fixes for known issues that cause tests to get stuck.
Contact Support: The source data indicates that Squirrly offers "live chat" support where users can request recommendations and assistance with SEO testing.
Review Content for Duplicate Issues: Use Squirrly's Meta Assistant to identify and fix duplicate-meta issues that might be causing the testing process to hang.
Test on Different Environments: If possible, run the SEO test on a staging environment to isolate issues related to the live website.
Check Website Speed: The source data mentions that split testing can have a "tiny hit" on website speed (50-100 milliseconds), suggesting that speed optimization may also improve the testing process.
Alternative SEO Tools When Squirrly Tests Fail
When Squirrly SEO tests consistently get stuck and cannot be resolved, users may consider alternative SEO tools:
Yoast SEO: Mentioned in the source data as a popular alternative with similar functionality for on-page SEO optimization.
Rank Math: Another alternative mentioned in the source data that offers comprehensive SEO features.
Surfer SEO: According to the source data, Surfer SEO is a popular tool that analyzes SERPs for target keywords to provide optimization suggestions. It offers a WordPress plugin and features like content editor, keyword research, and Surfer AI for generating optimized articles.
NytroSEO: Described in the source data as an automated SEO tool that generates optimized meta tags aligned with keyword search terms and user intent. It focuses on dynamic optimization of titles, descriptions, image alt texts, anchor texts, and automatic addition of conversational questions to webpages.
Traditional SEO Agencies: For complex issues, businesses may consider working with SEO agencies that offer white-label services through Squirrly's Web Dev Kit, which allows customization of the SEO experience for end-users.
Conclusion
Squirrly SEO offers a comprehensive suite of tools for WordPress website optimization, including real-time SEO assistance, keyword research, and detailed site audits. However, users sometimes encounter issues when running SEO tests, where the analysis process gets stuck during the "checking the website" phase.
Common causes for these stuck tests include website size and complexity, server response times, plugin conflicts, insufficient resources, website accessibility issues, large media files, and database optimization problems. Troubleshooting steps involve checking server resources, deactivating other plugins, optimizing databases, breaking down audits, checking for blocked resources, updating the plugin, reviewing content for duplicates, testing on different environments, and optimizing website speed.
When Squirrly SEO tests consistently fail, users may consider alternative tools like Yoast SEO, Rank Math, Surfer SEO, or NytroSEO. For complex issues or agency needs, Squirrly's Web Dev Kit offers customized solutions.
By understanding the potential causes of stuck tests and implementing appropriate troubleshooting steps, users can ensure they get the full benefit of Squirrly SEO's comprehensive optimization capabilities.