Table of Contents
Last update on
If you’re looking for the best free WordPress SEO plugin, chances are you have heard of the All in one SEO plugin.
Its free version lets you add many SEO-specific features to enhance, and compliment the WordPress core.
Here’s a short guide to introduce you to the different features of the All in One SEO WordPress plugin to help you effortlessly optimize your on-site SEO, and rank well in search engines, and especially in Google.
One of the Best Free WordPress SEO Plugin Options
All in one SEO was one of the first plugins available in the WordPress repository. It helps you optimize for on-site SEO, as previously mentioned.
Since its launch in 2007, the plugin has maintained its place on the podium alongside Yoast SEO, its main competitor.
The All in One SEO WordPress plugin has more than 50 million downloads over its 11 years of existence and has more than two million active installations at the time this article was published.
The plugin is translated into 57 languages and receives positive feedback with 78% of it being perfect scores.
It’s still available for free in the WordPress repository so you can download it now if you want to try it out.
The All in One SEO Plugin’s Strengths
Before going into the details of what the plugin provides, it’s important to highlight the real strength of the plugin since it differentiates it from its competitors. It has the ability to add Google Analytics tracking directly to the WordPress admin area.
This is a beneficial strong suit of the plugin since its competitor, Yoast, doesn’t offer this functionality.
There are also other features that this SEO WordPress plugin has that are worth talking about, and they’re outlined in detail below.
Fun for All Ages
When you install All in One SEO, it will be configured and optimized during the installation so it’s ready to be used without having to tweak any settings.
This is what makes this plugin great for beginners.
On the other hand, if you are a seasoned on-site SEO professional, the plugin will also suit you since you will have access to a ton of advanced options. Everything is adjustable for a tailored fit.
So, whether you’re new to SEO, or you’re an experienced user who’s looking for a solid SEO WordPress plugin, you don’t have to look any further. The All in One SEO plugin is certainly a solid option.
Knowledgeable Developers is a Staple
All in one SEO has been offering its services for more than 10 years. In that time, its developers have been keenly aware of the recurring areas in the WordPress core that can be improved for added SEO benefits to your site.
As such, these core features have been made available in the All in One SEO plugin:
- Ability to automatically redirect attached files such as images, PDFs, video, and other media to the parent article
- Sensitivity to the recurring on-site SEO problem on WordPress sites through the prevention of duplicated content
- You can optimize eCommerce sites, especially those using WooCommerce.
- Optimization of on-site SEO for all types of customized content on your WordPress site
For details, check out WooCommerce SEO: The Best Plugin for Your Online Store.
Optimizing Tagging and Indexing in Google
The tagging and indexing of a site is crucial for good SEO. This includes meta title and description tags.
These will influence click throughs from search results. They’re the bits of information displayed to users looking for answers in Google so it’s critical that they’re optimized.
The All in One SEO plugin lets you optimize title and description meta tags.
Here are some of the specific features for optimizing tagging, and indexing:
- Automatically optimized meta title tags for better-displayed results in search engines, particularly in Google
- Automatic production and generation of title and description meta tags
- Customization of canonical tags and advanced options in their configuration
- Management of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) to follow Google’s guidelines, and to appear well in mobile SERPs
- Creation of XML sitemaps for submission to Google Search Console so you can track the correct indexing of your pages, and ensure that Google’s robots are fully aware of their completeness
- Creation of specific sitemaps for files and images, which will also let you track the correct indexing of your images in Google
The All in One SEO plugin also manages the pinging of Google and Bing when new updates to your website become available. This allows robots to be notified of new and updated information automatically and dynamically.
Advanced Features for the Win
If you’re eager to dive deeper into SEO, or if you’re already an expert, there are a few advanced features that cements this plugin as one of the best free WordPress SEO plugin options available.
These features will let you make sure that All in One SEO is compatible with your other plugins and themes:
- An API is integrated into the All in one SEO plugin to allow themes and other extensions to integrate SEO functionality
- Compatibility with many other plugins such as the most popular, and most downloaded ones
- Full compatibility with PHP 7
Room for Improvement
There’s usually room for improvement in even the best plugins, and the All in One SEO plugin is no exception.
With so many options available, it can be a tad difficult to navigate.
When you write a blog post, the plugin also only provides simple options to optimize your post for SEO. While this helps with user experience, it doesn’t provide options and suggestions for improving your content so it ranks better.
While it’s not really a problem with the plugin, it may still be important to note that not all extra options are readily available. If you want to use them, you need to upgrade to the premium version.
In Conclusion
Whether you’re new to SEO, or a seasoned professional, the All in One SEO plugin is certainly one of the best free WordPress SEO plugin options. It’s an SEO WordPress plugin that comes with everything you need for on-site SEO. So, it’s definitely worth considering.
Want More Articles on SEO?
