Search engine optimisation is the practice of making sure a site appears in as many relevant searches as possible, and the reason it matters is blunt: not being on the first page of a search relevant to your business means having no visibility in it. Done properly, content ranks, gets featured by the search engine, and carries an authority that converts.
Making a site attractive to search engines takes changes to design and content, and Rank Math is the tool this team uses to make them on WordPress. This is what it does and what we make of it.
What Rank Math SEO is
Rank Math is an SEO plugin for WordPress that analyses your content and then suggests changes based on optimisation practice. It works across the whole site — the backend architecture, the sitemap and every post — which is where most of the repetitive manual work goes.
It also tracks rankings in real time. When a target keyword starts ranking on Google it tells you, and it keeps watching for position changes afterwards.
- Analytics puts measurement beside the settings that may change in response
- Content analysis checks basic SEO, additional aspects, title readability and content readability before publication
- Configuration lets the plugin adapt to the needs of a particular site
- Local and multi-location tools attach business metadata and produce mapping files
- Schema tools cover standard and custom markup, imports and validation
- The 404 monitor finds broken routes while redirects provide a way to resolve them
Six reasons it is the plugin we use
It connects to Google Analytics
Rank Math has a built-in Analytics Module that connects to Google Analytics, so the metrics you need are in the same place as the settings you would change in response to them.
It grades your content before you publish
Once the content exists, Rank Math evaluates it against Basic SEO, Additional Aspects, Title Readability and Content Readability. The point of that is timing: the changes get made before the post goes out rather than after it has underperformed.
It is configurable rather than opinionated
Rank Math offers many ways to configure a site’s optimisation, so the settings can be tailored to what a particular blog or business needs instead of a default someone else chose.
Local SEO, and multi-location support
Enter your business information and Rank Math attaches the appropriate metadata, which is what makes a local searcher able to find what you offer and how to reach you. It also creates KML files — the format Google Maps, Google Earth and other mapping services read — and uploads them to your site automatically.
For a company with several stores there is a multi-location option, which gives each one a detailed profile so all of them can rank on locally searched keywords rather than one cannibalising the rest.
Schema markup, including custom schema
Rank Math supports schema for articles, products, recipes, events and more, and it lets you build custom schema, import markup from other sites and schema libraries, and validate what you are sending so you can see what Google will show.
A 404 monitor and HTTP redirections
The 404 Monitor detects broken links and alerts you, which is the difference between finding a dead link yourself and a visitor finding it. Rank Math also offers advanced HTTP redirections, so an error can be resolved rather than only reported.
What Rank Math costs
Rank Math sells two plans: PRO, aimed at individuals and solopreneurs, and BUSINESS, aimed at freelancers, businesses and agency owners. What separates them is the number of keywords tracked, the support offered for clients’ sites, and the number of days of Google data preserved. A free version of the plugin is available and covers some of the features above.
The original version of this article pointed at a referral link carrying a 30-day money-back guarantee and the option to upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time. That link is not in this article, so check the terms attached to whichever plan you are considering rather than relying on those.
What we make of it
Rank Math is easy to install and intuitive to use, and on our own experience with it that is most of why it stuck. Global Wizards takes the view that a well-thought-out SEO strategy has a lasting effect on a business, and the tooling matters less than the strategy — but the tooling decides how much of the strategy actually gets executed.
It can be modified to each user’s needs and was designed to be compatible with all plugins without specific configuration. Even so, it is advisable to disable or delete any other SEO plugin for better results. Roles can be set inside both Rank Math and WordPress, which keeps sensitive configuration away from anyone who should not be changing it.
Our own SEO practice is where we apply this, and if you want the version of it written for operators, casino SEO covers the same ground in a regulated market. For anything else, drop us a line — we would like to hear about the project.
Frequently asked questions
What is Rank Math SEO?
Rank Math is an SEO plugin for WordPress that analyses your content and then suggests changes based on optimisation practice. It works across the whole site — the backend architecture, the sitemap and each post — and it tracks rankings in real time, notifying you when a target keyword starts ranking on Google and when its position moves.
What does Rank Math’s content analysis check?
Once content is written, Rank Math evaluates it against Basic SEO, Additional Aspects, Title Readability and Content Readability, so the changes can be made before the post is published rather than after.
Does Rank Math work with Google Analytics?
Yes. Rank Math has a built-in Analytics Module that connects to Google Analytics, so the metrics are visible in real time and changes can be made against them.
What is Rank Math’s Local SEO feature?
Local SEO attaches the appropriate metadata once you enter your business information, so people searching locally can find what you offer and how to contact you. It also creates KML files, which carry your location information into Google Maps, Google Earth and other mapping services. A multi-location option exists for companies with more than one store, giving each a detailed profile so all of them can rank on locally searched keywords.
What are the differences between Rank Math’s PRO and BUSINESS plans?
PRO is aimed at individuals and solopreneurs and BUSINESS at freelancers, businesses and agency owners. The differences are the number of keywords tracked, the support offered for clients’ sites and the number of days Google data is preserved. A free version of the plugin is also available.
Does Rank Math conflict with other SEO plugins?
Rank Math was designed to be compatible with all plugins and needs no specific configuration for them, but it is advisable to disable or delete any other SEO plugin for better results. Roles can be set within both Rank Math and WordPress to keep sensitive configuration away from users who should not change it.
