Tomi Tapio K via CompfightAh, the thorny subject of WordPress SEO. When it comes to websites, there are few areas where there is less confusion, poppycock and opportunity for money-grabbing scams than “search engine optimisation”.
And I have to admit, it is an area that really doesn’t excite me. With recent Google algorithm updates (buzzwords: Panda and Penguin!) I’ve been so pleased to see more and more emphasis on sites having good content and good social reputations. When I search for something on Google, I want relevant and useful results, and the death of keyword stuffing and link farms has made the results much better.
So now, when clients come to us asking if we can “sort out their WordPress SEO”, we’re happy to tell them that we ensure our websites have no barriers to good ranking – but it’s all about their content.
Sure, we can help. We usually install the famous Yoast plugin but recently we’ve had our heads turned by a newcomer. We’ve been playing with Squirrly.
Squirlly WordPress SEO
So what’s so good about Squirrly, apart from the cute squirrel motif?
It’s easy to use – as simple as that.
When you start a new post, some new boxes appear to help you select your keywords. You are helped to pick keywords that are popular but with low competition.It will help you find pictures to use and other blogs to read for research.
Then, as you type, the boxes ensure your article is optimised for those keywords. If you’ve got everything right, there is a satisfying set of green boxes down the side of your screen. If you’ve missed something out, you’ll spot the red box with simple to understand tips on how to fix it.
So you concentrate on writing good quality content and, when the boxes have ticked themselves, you get a nice, reassuring green bar appear at the top of your WordPress screen:
Meanwhile, off your blog, you can receive some excellent daily coaching tips to help you get more from the system and support is excellent.
Yes, it costs money. But it’s a fraction of the cost of something like Scribe Content. It’s also a monthly subscription model, which effectively forces the authors to keep their users happy and their plugin up-to-date, otherwise they don’t get paid. There’s a 14 day free trial and if you want to stick with free, you can use it on one blog for writing up to two posts a month.
Ultimately, only you can judge the value of sorting your WordPress SEO, so try it out – Squirrly website – Squirrly on WordPress
A Microsoft Certified Professional with many years of large corporate experience and training, he now focuses on helping small businesses make the most of their IT.
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