Why choosing a WordPress Plugin for SEO is probably wrongSearch Engine RankingWordPress PluginExpert AdviceProfessional ProductAutorespondersWordPress PluginExpert AdviceProfessional ProductDoing it All Yourself
It costs $9. Really? They would sell the golden goose for $9? WordPress plugins do add essential functionality to those of us who have WordPress websites. Many free plugins do a great job, but can they compare to the professional services that they purport to replace? Let’s see.
Search Engine Ranking
This is the Holy Grail. The biggie that every blogger, every business wants, so there are many products to choose from and many experts’ opinions to listen to.
WordPress Plugin
You might have seen the ad for WPAnalyst
Screenshot – source The headline promises are impressive, “Analyze, inspect, track, share and rank entire WordPress sites. Get complete metrics for page 1 rankings”. The optimist reads that as promising Google page 1 ranking. When you read it closely, you find that all the WPanalyst does not promise anything. Did you see the p-word? All this plugin does is to add social media sharing icons to your site, check for broken links, track Google rankings and check Moz scores for DA/PA/Links. That’s it. You probably do all that already, so, even at $9, WPAnalyst is a waste of money. Not only that, but you have to ask yourself how much support is going to be available to maintain security when weaknesses are found.
Expert Advice
There are many self-proclaimed “experts” who are generous with their advice. There are some people who walk the walk though, who offer good advice for free. Neil Patel is one of the people you should listen to.
Screenshot – source Neil does not promise the impossible “page 1 rankings today” but rather guides you through everything you need to do to get Google to index your site. And getting indexed is a good start. It is all stuff you can do yourself, and Neil’s advice is free.
Professional Product
There are SEO agencies that will promise page 1 results, but it is like promising the Moon. Nobody knows exactly how Google’s algorithm works, so nobody can promise to get you Page 1 results. Yes, your search ranking will improve, as long as the agency you hire is not bending the rules. Reputable SEO agencies will emphasize the importance of superb content that reputable sites will link to. They will help you build the links you need. For a fee. Professional SEO is not free, or cheap. Think hundreds or thousands of dollars per month.
Autoresponders
We all know that we need a large list of subscribers who love us and what we do. Building that list is the secret and, again, you have a wide range of options to choose from.
WordPress Plugin
Almost all the reviews you will find of List-building plugins are by affiliates, and most fail to tell you that the links in their reviews are affiliate links. By this logic, all reviews are probably biased towards products that pay the highest commission. You need to list the features you need and then find a plugin that provides all those features at a cost you can afford. You will need multiple plugins to handle signup forms, landing pages, list management and autoresponder. There are free options available in the WordPress repository. Remember though, that every plugin increases your security risk and slows down your site.
Expert Advice
Autoresponder reviews are all by affiliates, most of whom fail to declare that they are affiliates, so independent experts are impossible to find. Every expert agrees that an autoresponder program is a must-buy. Software is the only way to perform this task.
Professional Product
There are companies that have made it their business to offer all the list-building functionality anyone could ever need. GetResponse is one that offers everything from landing pages to autoresponders and from A/B testing to lightbox signup forms.
Screenshot – source There is a monthly cost, but there is almost no impact on your website’s speed. The interface is clean, there are zero site security issues, and support is first-class.
Doing it All Yourself
Yes, that’s what most bloggers end up doing. We all have multiple roles and hundreds of time-crucial tasks to do every week. We all need project management tools just to keep half-way up-to-date with everything we need to do. If you are serious about managing your work better, then this Techworm post will help you to find the most appropriate project management tool for your situation. WordPress plugins do help, but at a cost. They cost in terms of site speed and security, as well as money. We need to listen to experts and learn to do what we can ourselves and only use plugins where they are absolutely essential. Every plugin adds another channel for hackers to use to access your WordPress site, so the fewer plugins you have, the safer your site will be.
