Let’s talk plugins! These helpful little pieces of software extend a site’s functionality by adding new features. You don’t have to be a coding expert to use them, either—in fact, you don’t need any coding experience whatsoever. Better yet, many of these plugins are designed specifically to help you out with your search engine optimization strategy.
On a platform like WordPress, plugins are a dime a dozen, which can make it tricky to sift through them and pick out the ones that are the most effective. In these cases, it’s key to have the insights of an experienced user—or, at the very least, a handy-dandy guide to the best SEO plugins available to you right now.
The Best SEO Plugins
We’ve compiled a list of the top WordPress plugins for 2020, so that your hard-earned time and money won’t go to waste, and your brand can work to get the organic traffic it deserves. If you’re looking for plugins that will allow you to direct even more users to your site for the new year, look no further.
Google Search Console
It may not surprise you that Google, powerhouse that it is, offers a free tool that helps website owners manage their presence in Google search results. Google Search Console gives you a glimpse of what keywords your website ranks for, and from there, you can use this info to find even better keywords, further boosting your rankings. This makes writing SEO-friendly content, like blog posts and landing pages, easier than ever.
SEOQuake
SEOQuake is a free browser extension that provides SEO-related information on whatever website you choose. At the click of a button, you’ll have access to data that will help influence your brand’s SEO practices, such as a page’s age or Alexa rank. It shows all the same data results when typing in a keyword, which will help you to get a sense of where you’re at in comparison to other brands for different keywords.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a versatile tool for bloggers, marketers, businesses, and anyone else who wants in-depth assistance with keyword rankings and research. Ahrefs features a detailed content analysis tool that will help you shrewdly target the specific keywords that have brought you success in the past. And while it boasts its own site, we love the plugin for doing keyword research right on a page!
SEMRush
Another strong contender for the best content analysis feature is SEMRush, which is used by SEO specialists, bloggers, and brands of all kinds to search for organic keywords and identify content gaps. This plugin will assist you in improving your website content, giving you an edge when it comes to ranking for valuable keywords. Like SEOQuake, SEMRush will help you do competitive research to see where you rank in comparison to similar brands. From there, the plugin will provide you with insights that may ultimately help you surpass your competition.
Some Exceptions to the Rule
There are many SEO plugins out there that are good, but not life-changing. But, depending on your needs, they can still be helpful! Take a peek at the examples below—and keep in mind that while these plugins may have a few flaws, they also offer plenty of useful, comprehensive features.
Yoast SEO
Social media images, graph metadata, and SEO descriptions can all be added to your web page with Yoast SEO, one of the most detailed plugins on the market today. It allows you to both easily import SEO data and generate sitemaps so that search engines have an easier time crawling your content. Yoast is a hugely popular SEO plugin, and with good reason.
It should be noted, however, that Yoast SEO’s content analysis feature doesn’t operate at the same high standard as the rest of its features do. With that in mind, it’s still a plugin with a lot of great features, so don’t hesitate to check it out!
Broken Link Checker
Your site’s organic ranking can be affected by broken links, so Broken Link Checker is a useful tool to have in your back pocket. If your brand has had an online presence for a long period, downloading this plugin and checking for dead-end links is a worthwhile investment.
While this tool is completely free, it can also slow down sites with a lot of content, since it’s so resource-intensive. Some hosting providers are also making efforts to block this plugin.
Talk SEO With Snap!
Here at Snap, we’ve built a talented team of strategists and content writers that know SEO inside and out. We’re dedicated to staying up-to-date on the best SEO practices—including the top tools and plugins to help grow your site and brand. Contact us today to learn more about how we can take your brand to the next level in 2020.