Why It Was Chosen
The goal was to establish consistent on-page SEO standards across WordPress sites without relying on manual checks. Yoast was chosen because it provides structured guidance for content optimization while remaining accessible to non-technical contributors.
How It Was Implemented
Yoast was configured to support site-wide SEO governance rather than one-off optimization. Templates and standards were applied to ensure consistency across pages and posts.
Key areas of use included:
- Title and meta description structure
- Readability and content clarity checks
- Indexing and sitemap management
- Canonical and basic schema control
What Worked Well
- Clear guardrails for on-page SEO best practices
- Helpful for maintaining consistency across large sites
- Reduces missed optimization basics
- Easy for content contributors to follow
What Did Not Work
- Optimization scores can be misinterpreted as performance indicators
- Limited value beyond on-page fundamentals
- Can encourage keyword-focused writing if not governed
- Advanced SEO still requires manual expertise
Outcome and Impact
Yoast helped enforce consistent on-page SEO standards and reduced basic optimization errors. It functioned best as a governance and quality-control tool rather than a complete SEO solution.
Would I Use It Again?
Yes, as a foundational on-page SEO tool for WordPress. It should support, not replace, broader SEO strategy and technical analysis.