Yoast SEO and All in one – comparison of SEO plugins for WordPress.

The optimization of processes has led to the creation of many plugins for WordPress. The need to be on the front pages of search engines in the easiest way possible has led to creating such plugins as Yoast SEO and All in One SEO, among others. The easiest, of course, depends on whether we can properly use what they offer us. In this article, we want to take a closer look at the activities of the two leaders in the SEO plugin category in WordPress. The comparison will be on the basic (free) versions.

First-steps-that-is-installation-and-configure

Both plugins are available in the plugins directory, which is located in the cockpit (admin panel). All you need to do is enter the appropriate names, install and enable. Remember to keep your installed plugins up to date – in addition to the obvious new features that may come with new versions, an important consideration is that outdated versions of plugins can lead to attacks on the site.

YOAST SEO

After finding the plugin in the directory and enabling it, you need to do some basic configuration. The plugin is available in a polished version, and even though some functions are not translated, it is easy to guess what they are all about. Besides, the text can be highlighted and translated with publicly available translators.

After installing and enabling the plugin, you will find it in the grey bar in the admin panel, which should be on the left side. The first tabs to click through and complete are First Configuration, Features and Tools. The last one allows you to connect your site to Google Search Console, among other things. The first configuration will allow you to fill in the basic data – site type, logo, types of posts you want to be visible, and site title, which will default to each new page.

When enabled, the plugin will make a window appear while editing each page, allowing you to add meta tags and perform text analysis for key phrases or length. If you want to populate the meta tags in bulk under Yoast SEO>Settings, you can set the meta title and meta description schema once globally. However, remember that setting the meta description schema is just the beginning of the work in the optimization area of the individual tab page.

In the Tools>File Editor tab, we can edit files such as robots.txt and .htaccess. When editing, in particular, the .htaccess file from the position of the Yoast SEO plugin, you need to be extremely careful not to cause errors in the site area that will lead to a lack of performance. We definitely do not recommend editing the .htaccess file through the said plug-in. Editing this file is best done through an FTP client, having a backup of the said file prepared.

All-in-One SEO Pack

As in the previous example, after finding AIOSEO in the plugins directory, installing it, and enabling it, we proceed to the configuration, which should run automatically once enabled. Here, you will similarly see the category/type of site to choose from and the title and description of the homepage. The first configuration does not require technical knowledge. The information for this plugin is provided in English.

Functions-only-on-Yoast SEO

The great value of Yoast SEO in the basic version is content analysis with suggestions, especially for beginners. Configuration of crumb navigation (breadcrumbs) and editing of direct links are also features of this plugin.

• analysis of the readability of posts, with suggestions
• analysis of key phrases
• ability to edit internal link structure
• configuration wizard
• edit direct links

Functions Only in All-in-One SEO

This plugin offers options that may be useful to more advanced users, even in the basic version. For beginners, site performance data or duplication may be too demanding.

• block malicious robots
• advanced authoring option settings
• possibility to connect to Google Analytics
• management of site performance

Functions common to both plugins

Both plugins include basic functions useful for optimizing your site, such as generating a site map, connecting to Google Search Console, or managing content indexing and metadata, which is important especially for larger sites.

Common features for both plugins are:

• ability to generate a sitemap.xml file
• management of indexation of content, subpages and media
• connection with Google Search Console
• ability to add metadata (meta title, meta description) collectively and individually
• management of social media meta tags
• editing robots.txt and .htaccess files

Summary of Yoast SEO and All-in-One SEO Comparison

Both plugins have their pros and cons. Yoast SEO seems to be the best choice for beginners on the path of SEO, who so far have not had much to do with positioning pages in organic search results and do not have much knowledge on the subject. Its intuitiveness, which All in One SEO sometimes lacks, is also an undeniable advantage. However, this is not an argument to abandon this plugin – many options and settings make it the first choice for those who are more advanced and familiar with the technical side of website operation. In particular, it suits the needs of online stores.
Which plugin to choose? The answer to this question will be to determine the type of site and the requirements to be met.