The WP SEO Show – Demystifying SEO for WordPress Websites

In this episode, Pete and Jeff consider the elements you need to consider when preparing a website for launch.

We're assuming you already have:

• Built the site properly
• Browser-checked it the responsive layouts
• Populated it fully
• Figured out your caching

• Unblock Search Engines
• SEO Plugins & Basic Set Up
• Business Details in Schema / SEO Plugin
• 301 Redirects of old URLs to new URLs
• Site Title / Tagline (remove "Just another WordPress Website", etc)
• Are Web and Home URLs updated to live site
• Remove standard posts / hello world content
• Make sure GA4 is installed
• Make sure tracking codes are copied over from the previous site
• Ensure all plugins / themes / wordpress updates are complete (even if they're not on a maintenance plan, you should hand the site over with 0 updates required).
• Run an SEO Health Audit
• Make sure there is only 1 H1 tag per page
• Run a full check for any placeholder text
• Make sure forms submit
• Take payment gateway of of Test / Dev Mode (if applicable)
• Check load times on all page templates are less than 3 seconds (absolute maximum)
• Check Social Media links are correct
• Confirm 404 page is set correctly
• Ensure Cookies and Privacy Policies are correct / up-to-date
• Install security plugin (like Wordfence of iThemes)
• Check all contact forms go to the clients email address

• Submit to Google Search Console (this might involved submitting a new (different) sitemap.xml URL
• Make sure SSL Certificate is installed
• Set up Instant Indexing for Bing and Google
• Set up maintenance plan (if the client has signed up)
• Send Website Owners Manual (with agreement for maintenance plan if they're not signed up already)
• Ensure all licensed plugins have the new (live) domain authenticated on them

In this episode, Pete and Jeff consider the elements you need to consider when pricing recurring services (such as SEO). 

They talk through the subjects of: 

• Deliverables
• Expenses
• Time
• Profit
• Tax

... and provide a trusted formula for ensuring you are profitable with every service you offer. 

A hugh Shoutout goes to Mike Michalowicz, author of Profit First and Fix This Next (among other titles). 

In the second part of the mini series, Pete and Jeff cover the themes and Plugins they recommend in their 2023 set WordPress set ups. These include: 

• Beaver Builder & Themer
• Kadence 
• SEMRush / Mangools
• GTMetrix
• Inlinks

If you haven't listened to part 1 (all about plugins) check it out here.

In the first episode of a two-part mini series, Pete and Jeff start by chatting through their preferred WordPress SEO plugins for 2023.

These include:

• SEOPress Pro
• WP Rocket
• EWWW / Shortpixel
• Internal Link Juicer

Once you're done, listen to part 2 about themes and software...

In the first ever episode of The WP SEO Show, Pete and Jeff introduce themselves and the concept behind the show.

Giving a brief account of where the inspiration for the podcast came from, Pete and Jeff outline some of what they plan to include in the show as time goes by.