SEO in 2026: Key predictions from Yoast experts

/0 Comments/in , /by

If there’s one takeaway as we look toward SEO in 2026, it’s that visibility is no longer just about ranking pages, but about being understood by increasingly selective AI-driven systems. In 2025, SEO proved it was not disappearing, but evolving, as search engines leaned more heavily on structure, authority, and trust to interpret content beyond the click. In this article, we share SEO predictions for 2026 from Yoast SEO experts, Alex Moss and Carolyn Shelby, highlighting the shifts that will shape how brands earn visibility across search and AI-powered discovery experiences.

Key takeaways

  • In 2026, SEO focuses on visibility defined by clarity, authority, and trust rather than just page rankings
  • Structured data becomes essential for eligibility in AI-driven search and shopping experiences
  • Editorial quality must meet machine readability standards, as AI evaluates content based on structure and clarity
  • Rankings remain important as indicators of authority, but visibility now also includes citations and brand sentiment
  • Brands should align their SEO strategies with social presence and aim for consistency across all platforms to enhance visibility

Table of contents

A brief recap of SEO in 2025: what actually changed?

2025 marked a clear shift in how SEO works. Visibility stopped being defined purely by pages and rankings and began to be shaped by how well search engines and AI systems could interpret content, brands, and intent across multiple surfaces. AI-generated summaries, richer SERP features, and alternative discovery experiences made it harder to rely solely on traditional metrics, while signals such as authority, trust, and structure played a larger role in determining what was surfaced and reused.

As we outlined in our SEO in 2025 wrap-up, the brands that performed best were those with strong foundations: clear content, credible signals, and structured information that search systems could confidently understand. That shift set the direction for what was to come next.

By the end of 2025, it was clear that SEO had entered a new phase, one shaped by interpretation rather than isolated optimizations. The SEO predictions for 2026 from Yoast experts build directly on this evolution.

2026 SEO predictions by Yoast experts

The SEO predictions for 2026 shared here come from our very own Principal SEOs at Yoast, Alex Moss and Carolyn Shelby. Built on the lessons SEO revealed in 2025, these predictions focus less on reacting to individual updates and more on how search and AI systems are evolving at a foundational level, and what that means for sustainable visibility going forward.

TL;DR

SEO in 2026 is about understanding how signals such as structure, authority, clarity, and trust are now interpreted across search engines, AI-powered experiences, and discovery platforms. Each prediction below explains what is changing, why it matters, and how brands can practically adapt in the coming year.

Prediction 1: Structured data shifts from ranking enhancer to retrieval qualifier

In 2026, structured data will no longer be a competitive advantage; it will become a baseline requirement. Search engines and AI systems increasingly rely on structured data as a layer of eligibility to determine whether content, products, and entities can be confidently retrieved, compared, or surfaced in AI-powered experiences.

For ecommerce brands, this shift is especially significant. Product information such as pricing, availability, shipping details, and merchant data is now critical for visibility in AI-driven shopping agents and comparison interfaces. At the enterprise level, the move toward canonical identifiers reflects a growing need to avoid misattribution and data decay across systems that reuse information at scale.

What this means in practice:

Brands without clean, comprehensive entity and product data will not rank lower. They will simply not appear in AI-driven shopping and comparison flows at all.

Also read: Optimizing ecommerce product variations for SEO and conversions

How to act on this:

Treat structured data as part of your SEO foundation, not an enhancement. Tools like Yoast SEO help standardize the implementation of structured data. The plugin’s structured data features make it easier to generate rich, meaningful schema markup, helping search engines better understand your site and take control of how your content is described.

A smarter analysis in Yoast SEO Premium

Yoast SEO Premium has a smart content analysis that helps you take your content to the next level!

Get Yoast SEO Premium Only $118.80 / year (ex VAT)

Prediction 2: Agentic commerce becomes a visibility battleground, not a checkout feature

Agentic commerce marks a shift in how users discover and choose brands. Instead of browsing, comparing, and transacting manually, users increasingly rely on AI-driven agents to recommend, reorder, or select products and services on their behalf. In this environment, visibility is established before a checkout ever happens, often without a traditional search query.

This shift is becoming more concrete as search and commerce platforms move toward standardised ways for agents to understand and transact with merchants. Recent developments around agentic commerce protocols and Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) highlight how AI systems are being designed to access product, pricing, availability, and merchant information more directly. As a result, platforms such as Shopify, Stripe, and WooCommerce are no longer just infrastructure. They increasingly act as distribution layers, where agent compatibility influences which brands are surfaced, recommended, or selected.

What this means in practice:

In 2026, SEO teams will be accountable for agent readiness in much the same way they were once accountable for mobile-first readiness. If agents cannot consistently interpret your brand, product data, or availability, they are more likely to default to competitors that they can understand with greater confidence.

How to act on this:

Focus on making your brand legible to automated decision systems. Ensure product information, pricing, availability, and supporting metadata are clear, structured, and consistent across your site and feeds. This is not about optimising for a single platform or protocol, but about reducing ambiguity so AI agents can accurately interpret and act on your information across emerging agent-driven discovery and commerce experiences.

Prediction 3: Editorial quality becomes a machine readability requirement

In 2026, editorial quality is no longer judged only by human readers. AI systems increasingly evaluate content based on how efficiently it can be parsed, summarized, cited, and reused. Verbosity, fluff, and circular explanations do not fail editorially. They fail functionally.

Content that is concise, clearly structured, and well-attributed has higher chances of performing well. Headings, lists, definitions, and tables directly influence how information is chunked and reused across AI-generated summaries and search experiences.

Must read: Why is summarizing essential for modern content?

What this means in practice:

“Helpful content” is being held to higher editorial standards. Content that cannot be summarized cleanly without losing meaning becomes less useful to AI systems, even if it remains readable to human audiences.

How to act on this:

Make editorial quality measurable and machine actionable. Utilize tools that assist you in aligning content with modern discoverability requirements. Yoast SEO Premium’s AI features, AI Generate, AI Optimize, and AI Summarize, help you assess and improve how content is structured and optimized, supporting both search engines and AI systems in understanding your intent.

Prediction 4: Rankings still matter, but as training signals, not endpoints

Despite ongoing speculation, rankings do not disappear in 2026. Instead, their role changes. AI agents and search systems continue to rely on top-ranked, trusted pages to understand authority, relevance, and consensus within a topic.

While rankings are no longer the final KPI, abandoning them entirely creates blind spots in understanding why certain brands are included or ignored in AI-driven experiences.

What this means in practice:

Teams that stop tracking rankings altogether risk losing insight into how authority is established and reinforced across search and AI systems.

How to act on this:

Continue to use rankings as diagnostic signals, but don’t treat them as the sole indicator of success in 2026. Alongside traditional performance metrics for SEO in 2026, look at how often your brand is mentioned, cited, or summarized in AI-generated answers and recommendations.

Tools like Yoast AI Brand Insights, available as part of Yoast SEO AI+, help surface these broader visibility signals by showing how your brand appears across AI platforms, including sentiment, citation patterns, and competitive context.

See how visible your brand is in AI search

Track mentions, sentiment, and AI visibility. With AI Brand Insights and Yoast SEO AI+, you can start monitoring and improving your performance.

Prediction 5: Brand sentiment becomes a core visibility signal

Brand sentiment increasingly influences how search engines and AI systems assess credibility and trust. Mentions, whether linked or unlinked, contribute to a broader understanding of how a brand is perceived across the web. AI systems synthesize signals from reviews, forums, social platforms, media coverage, and knowledge bases to form a composite view of legitimacy and expertise.

What makes this shift more impactful is amplification. Inconsistent messaging or negative sentiment is not smoothed out over time. Instead, it becomes more apparent when systems attempt to summarize, compare, or recommend brands across search and AI-driven experiences.

What this means in practice:

SEO, brand, PR, and social teams increasingly influence the same visibility signals. When these efforts are misaligned, credibility weakens. When they reinforce one another, trust becomes easier for systems to establish and maintain.

How to act on this:

Focus on consistency across owned, earned, and shared channels. Pay attention not only to where your brand ranks, but also to how it is discussed, described, and contextualized across various platforms. As discovery expands beyond traditional search results, reputation and narrative coherence become essential inputs into how brands are surfaced and understood.

Prediction 6: Multimodal optimization becomes baseline, not optional

Search behavior is no longer text-first. Images, video, audio, and transcripts now function as retrievable knowledge objects that feed both traditional search and AI-powered experiences. In particular, video platforms continue to influence how expertise and authority are understood at scale.

Platforms like YouTube function not only as discovery engines, but also as training corpora for AI systems learning how to interpret topics, brands, and creators.

What this means in practice:

Brands with strong written content but weak visual or video assets may appear incomplete or “thin” to AI systems, even if their articles are well-optimized.

How to act on this:

Treat multimodal content as part of your SEO foundation. Support written content with relevant visuals, video, and transcripts. Clear structure and readability remain essential, and tools like Yoast SEO help ensure your core content remains accessible and well-organized as it is reused across formats.

Prediction 7: Social platforms become secondary search indexes

Discovery will increasingly happen outside traditional search engines. Platforms such as TikTok, LinkedIn, Reddit, and niche communities now act as secondary search indexes where users validate expertise and intent.

AI systems reference these platforms to verify whether a brand’s claims, expertise, and messaging are substantiated in public discourse.

What this means in practice:

Presence alone is not enough. Inconsistent or unclear messaging across platforms weakens trust signals, while focused, repeatable narratives reinforce authority.

How to act on this:

Align your SEO strategy with social and community visibility to enhance your online presence. Ensure that your expertise, terminology, and positioning remain consistent across all discussions about your brand.

Must read: When AI gets your brand wrong: Real examples and how to fix it

Prediction 8: Email reasserts itself as the most controllable growth channel

As discovery fragments and platforms increasingly gate access to audiences, email regains importance as a high-signal, low-distortion channel. Unlike search or social platforms, email offers direct access to users without algorithmic mediation.

In 2026, email plays a supporting role in reinforcing authority, engagement, and intent signals, especially as AI systems evaluate how audiences interact with trusted sources over time.

What this means in practice:

Brands that underinvest in email become overly dependent on platforms they do not control, which increases volatility and reduces long-term resilience.

How to act on this:

Focus on relevance over volume. Segment audiences, align content with intent, and use email to reinforce expertise and trust, not just drive clicks.

Prediction 9: Authority outweighs freshness for most non-news queries

For non-news content, AI systems increasingly prioritize credible, historically consistent sources over frequent updates or constant publishing. Freshness still matters, but only when it meaningfully improves accuracy or relevance.

Long-standing domains with coherent narratives and well-maintained content benefit, provided their foundations remain clean and trustworthy.

What this means in practice:

Scaled/programmatic content strategies lose effectiveness. Publishing frequently without maintaining quality or consistency introduces noise rather than value.

How to act on this:

Invest in maintaining and improving existing content. Update thoughtfully, reinforce expertise, and ensure that your most important pages remain accurate, structured, and authoritative.

Prediction 10: SEO teams evolve into visibility and narrative stewards

In 2026, SEO will extend far beyond search engines. SEO teams are increasingly influencing how brands are perceived by both humans and machines across search, AI-generated answers, and discovery platforms.

Success is measured not only by traffic alone, but also by inclusion, citation, and trust. SEO becomes a strategic function that shapes how a brand is represented and understood.

What this means in practice:

SEO teams that focus solely on production or technical fixes risk losing influence as visibility becomes a cross-channel concern.

How to act on this:

Shift focus toward clarity, consistency, and long-term trust. The most effective teams help define how a brand is understood, not just how it ranks.

What SEO is no longer about in 2026 (misconceptions to discard)

As SEO evolves in 2026, many long-standing assumptions no longer reflect how search engines and AI-driven systems actually determine visibility. The table below contrasts common SEO myths with the realities shaped by recent changes and expert insights from Yoast.

Diminishing relevance What actually matters in 2026
SEO is mainly about ranking pages Rankings still matter, but they serve as signals for authority and relevance, rather than the final measure of visibility
Structured data is optional or a ranking boost Structured data is now a baseline requirement for eligibility in AI-driven search, shopping, and comparison experiences
Publishing more content leads to better performance Authority, clarity, and maintenance of fewer strong assets outperform high-volume publishing
Editorial quality is subjective Content quality is increasingly evaluated by machines based on structure, clarity, and reusability
Brand reputation is a PR concern, not an SEO one Brand sentiment directly influences how AI systems interpret, trust, and recommend brands
Search is still primarily text-based Images, video, audio, and transcripts are now core retrievable knowledge objects
SEO can be measured only through traffic Visibility spans AI answers, social platforms, agents, and citations, requiring broader performance signals

Looking ahead: what will shape SEO in 2026

The focus is no longer on isolated tactics or short-term wins, but on building visibility systems that search engines and AI platforms can reliably understand, trust, and reuse.

Clarity and interpretability matter more than clever optimization. Content, products, and brand narratives need to be easy for machines to interpret without ambiguity. Structured data has become foundational, not optional, determining whether brands are eligible to appear in AI-powered shopping, comparison, and answer-driven experiences.

Authority is built over time, not manufactured at scale. Search and AI systems increasingly favor sources with consistent, well-maintained narratives over those chasing volume. Visibility also extends beyond the SERP, spanning AI-generated answers, citations, recommendations, and cross-platform mentions, making it essential to look beyond traffic as the sole measure of success.

Finally, SEO in 2026 demands alignment. Brand, content, product, and platform signals all contribute to how systems interpret trust and relevance.

The post SEO in 2026: Key predictions from Yoast experts appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

New: Track brand visibility in Gemini with Yoast AI Brand Insights

/0 Comments/in , /by

Yoast AI Brand Insights now lets you track how your brand appears in Google’s Gemini. You can see your Gemini data alongside ChatGPT and Perplexity, all in one dashboard. 

With a single analysis, you can see how different AI platforms describe your brand with the Yoast SEO AI+ plan. You’ll see which sources they use and how sentiment compares across the tools your customers use most. 

Why this matters 

AI platforms use different methods to answer questions about your brand, often leading to different results. Seeing these results side-by-side helps you spot gaps or missed opportunities in your brand’s AI presence. 

  • ChatGPT is designed as a conversational assistant, focusing on natural dialogue and using multi-step reasoning to explain complex topics. 
  • Perplexity positions itself as an “answer engine”, emphasizing transparency by grounding every response in cited web sources. 
  • Gemini presents itself as a search-driven LLM, leveraging Google’s vast index to show how your brand appears in real-time search contexts.

As these tools frame your brand differently, from conversational reasoning to source-heavy citations, you need a single dashboard which covers all to see which sources they rely on and how their sentiment compares. 

What’s new 

You can now: 

  • Run brand visibility analyses in Gemini, in addition to ChatGPT and Perplexity. 
  • Compare results across all three platforms with the added benefit of a built-in historical view. 
  • Track brand mentions, sentiment, and citations in one place. 
  • Monitor changes over time in your AI Visibility Index. 

How to get started 

If you’re already using Yoast SEO AI+, nothing changes in how you work. Log in and at your next analysis, Gemini data is now included automatically at no extra cost. You can select the AI platform from the dropdown, and your dashboard will show a broader view of how your brand appears across AI search and chat. 

To upgrade

If you don’t yet have Yoast SEO AI+, you’ll need to upgrade to access the Yoast AI Brand Insights tool. The AI+ plan brings brand visibility tracking together with on-page SEO tools, content optimization, and AI-powered insights in one package, so you can analyze how your brand is mentioned and act from the same workflow. 

Upgrade to Yoast SEO AI+ to start scanning your brand across Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. 

The post New: Track brand visibility in Gemini with Yoast AI Brand Insights appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

Site Kit by Google integration available for all Yoast customers 

/0 Comments/in , /by

This first release of 2026 brings Site Kit by Google insights into your Yoast SEO Dashboard. After introducing the integration in phases throughout 2025, we are pleased to share that the rollout is now complete and available to all Yoast customers using WordPress. 

What you can see in your Yoast SEO Dashboard 

You can now view key performance data from Google Search Console and Google Analytics via Site Kit in your Yoast SEO Dashboard, without changing tools or tabs. These insights include search impressions, clicks, average click through rate, average position, and organic sessions, which are combined with your Yoast SEO and readability scores so you can better understand how content quality relates to real search performance. 

Find opportunities faster 

The integration also surfaces your top performing content and search queries, helping you quickly spot which pages and topics are driving results and where improvements may have the most impact. Connecting Site Kit by Google is straightforward. Once connected, insights become available immediately, giving you faster access to the data you need to guide your SEO work. 

If you are interested in the technical background of this integration and our collaboration with Google, we share the full story on our developer blog. 

Get started 

Update to Yoast SEO 26.7 to start using Site Kit by Google insights in your Dashboard and streamline your workflow with key performance data in one place. For step by step guidance on enabling the integration, see our help center guide. 

If you would like to share your experience, you can provide feedback through our survey to help guide future improvements.  

The post Site Kit by Google integration available for all Yoast customers  appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

How to craft great page titles for SEO?

/0 Comments/in , /by

Writing strong page titles is one of the simplest and most impactful SEO optimizations you can make. The title tag is often the first thing users see in search results, and it helps search engines understand the content of your page.

In this article, you’ll learn what SEO page titles are, why they matter, and how to write titles that improve visibility and attract clicks.

Key takeaways

  • Crafting a strong page title is vital for SEO; it attracts clicks and helps search engines understand your content
  • An SEO page title appears in search results and browser tabs, serving as the first impression for users
  • To optimize your page title, include relevant keywords and ensure it aligns with the content to improve your ranking
  • Yoast SEO provides tools to help check title width and keyword usage, and includes an AI-powered title generator
  • You can change the page title after publication, and doing so may significantly improve click-through rates

Table of contents

What is an SEO page title?

Let’s start with the basics. If you look at the source of a page (right-click on the page, then choose View Page Source), you find a title in the head section. It looks like this:

This is an example SEO title - Example.com

This is the HTML title tag, also called the SEO title. When you look something up in a search engine, you get a list of results that appear as snippets. The part that looks like a headline is the SEO title. The SEO title typically includes the post title but may also incorporate other elements, such as the site name. Or even emojis!

An example of a Google snippet with a favicon, site name, URL, meta description, and title in the largest font

In most cases, the SEO title is the first thing people see, even before they get on your site. In tabbed browsers, you will usually also see the SEO title in the page tab, as shown in the image below.

An SEO title in a browser tab

What’s the purpose of an SEO title?

Your SEO title aims to entice people to click on it, visit your website, read your post, or purchase your product. If your title is not good enough, people will ignore it and move on to other results. Essentially, there are two goals that you want to achieve with an SEO title:

  1. It must help you rank for a keyword
  2. It must make the user want to click through to your page

Google uses many signals when deciding your relevance for a specific keyword. While click-through rate is not a direct ranking factor, user interaction with search results can be a signal that a result matches search intent.

If your page ranks well but attracts few clicks, that may indicate your title doesn’t resonate with searchers. Improving your SEO title can increase clicks and help you perform better over time.

Additionally, as mentioned earlier, Google uses the SEO title specified for your website as a ranking input. So, it’s not just about those clicks; you also need to ensure that your title reflects the topic being discussed on your page and the keyword that you’re focusing on. The SEO title you use has a direct influence on your ranking.

Now that you know the importance of SEO titles, let’s look at how to evaluate and improve them. Tools like Yoast SEO (Free) can help by checking key elements such as title width and keyword usage. Yoast SEO Premium uses generative AI to create titles.

A smarter analysis in Yoast SEO Premium

Yoast SEO Premium has a smart content analysis that helps you take your content to the next level!

Get Yoast SEO Premium Only $118.80 / year (ex VAT)

Yoast SEO Premium includes an AI-powered title generator that can help you create SEO-friendly page titles based on your content and focus keyphrase. This can be useful for inspiration or for quickly generating alternatives when you’re unsure how to phrase a title.

As with any AI-generated content, it’s best to review and refine the suggested titles to ensure they align with your page’s intent, brand voice, and audience expectations.

In addition, if you use Yoast SEO Premium, you get various other AI features, like Yoast AI Optimize, that help you do the hard work.

Simply hit the Use AI button to have Yoast SEO Premium generate great titles for you

What does the empty title check in Yoast SEO do?

The empty title check in Yoast SEO Premium is self-explanatory: it checks whether you’ve filled in any text in your post’s ‘Title’ section. If you haven’t, you’ll see a red traffic light reminding you to add a title. Once this is filled in, the post title can be automatically added to the SEO title field using the ‘Title’ variable.

You can edit your titles in the Search appearance section of Yoast SEO

Note that your post title is output as an H1 heading. A clear H1 helps users quickly understand what a page is about, improves accessibility for screen readers, and aids search engines in interpreting the page structure. You should only use one H1 heading per page to avoid confusing search engines. Don’t worry; we’ve got a check for multiple H1 headings in Yoast SEO!

What does the SEO title width check in Yoast SEO do?

You will find this check in the SEO tab of the Yoast SEO sidebar or meta box. If you haven’t written an SEO title yet, this will remind you to do so. Additionally, Yoast SEO verifies the width of your SEO title. When it is too long, you will get a warning.

We used to warn you if your SEO title was too short, but we’ve changed that since our Yoast 17.1 release. A title with an optimal width gets you a green traffic light in the analysis. Remember that we exclude the separator symbol and site title from the title width check. We don’t consider these when calculating the SEO title progress bar.

You can find the SEO title width check in the Yoast SEO sidebar or the meta box

How to write an SEO title with an optimal width

If your SEO title doesn’t have the correct width, parts of it may be cut off in Google’s search results. The result may vary, depending on the device you’re using. That’s why you can also check how your SEO title will look in the mobile and desktop search results in the Search appearance section of Yoast SEO. The tool defaults to the mobile version, but you can also switch to view it in the desktop version.

Here’s a desktop result:

The Search appearance in Yoast SEO lets you switch between the mobile and desktop results

And here’s the mobile result for the same URL:

A mobile preview for this particular page

As a general guideline, aim for a title that fully displays on mobile search results, clearly communicates the main topic, and avoids unnecessary filler words. If your title fits visually and still reads naturally, you’re on the right track.

Width vs. Length

Have you noticed that we talk about width rather than length? Why is that? Rather than using a character count, Google has a fixed width for the titles counted in pixels. While your title tags can be long, and Google doesn’t have a set limit on the number of characters you can use, there is a limit on what’s visible in the search results. If your SEO title is too wide, Google will visually truncate it. That might be different from what you want. Additionally, avoid wasting valuable space by keeping the title concise and clear. Additionally, the SEO title often informs other title-like elements, such as the og:title, which also has display constraints.

Luckily, our Search appearance section can help you out! You can fill in your SEO title; our plugin will provide you with immediate feedback. The green line underneath the SEO title turns red when your title is too long. Keep an eye on that and use the feedback to create great headlines.

The Search appearance section in the Yoast SEO for WordPress block editor
The Google preview in Yoast SEO for Shopify

What does the keyphrase in the SEO title check in Yoast SEO do?

This check appears in the SEO tab of the Yoast SEO sidebar in WordPress and Shopify, as well as in the meta box in WordPress. It checks if you’re using your keyphrase in the SEO title of your post or page. This check is intentionally strict because the SEO title plays an important role in signaling a page’s topic to both search engines and users. Since Google uses the title to figure out your page’s topic, not having the focus keyphrase in the SEO title may harm your rankings. Additionally, potential visitors are more likely to click on a search result that matches their query. For optimal results, try to include your keyphrase at the beginning of the SEO title.

This check finds out if you’ve used your focus keyphrase in your SEO title

How to use your keyphrase in the SEO title

Sometimes, when optimizing for a highly competitive keyword, everyone will have the keyword at the beginning of the SEO title. In that case, you can try making it stand out by putting one or two words before your focus keyword, thereby slightly “indenting” your result. In Yoast SEO, if you start your SEO title with “the”, “a”, “who”, or another function word followed by your keyphrase, you’ll still get a green traffic light.

At other times, such as when you have a very long keyphrase, adding the complete keyphrase at the beginning doesn’t make sense. If your SEO title looks weird with the keyphrase at the beginning, try to add as much of the keyphrase as early in the SEO title as possible. But always keep an eye on the natural flow and readability.

How to reduce the chance of Google rewriting your SEO title

Google may rewrite titles when they are overly long, stuffed with keywords, misleading, or inconsistent with the page’s main heading.

To reduce the likelihood of rewrites:

  • Make sure your SEO title closely matches your page’s H1
  • Avoid excessive separators, repetition, or boilerplate text
  • Ensure the title accurately reflects the page content

While rewrites can still happen, clear and concise titles are more likely to be shown as written.

Want to learn how to write text that’s pleasant to read and optimized for search engines? Our SEO copywriting course can help you with that. You can access this course and our other SEO courses with Yoast SEO Premium. This also gives you access to extra features in the Yoast SEO plugin.

Are you struggling with more aspects of SEO copywriting? Don’t worry! We can teach you to master all facets, so you’ll know how to write awesome copy that ranks. Take a look at our SEO copywriting training and try the free trial lessons!

Crafting SEO-friendly page title: FAQs

Are the SEO title and the H1 heading the same?

To be clear, you should not confuse the SEO title with the post title; both serve different purposes and do not have to be the same.

The post title, also known as the H1 heading, is the main heading users see on the page. Its primary role is to help readers understand what the page is about and to add structure to your content. You should always write your H1 with users in mind.

The SEO title is the title that appears in search results and in the browser tab. This title helps search engines understand the topic of your page and influences whether users click on your result.

While the SEO title and H1 can be similar, they do not need to be identical. In WordPress, tools like Yoast SEO allow you to set a separate SEO title, giving you more control over how your page appears in search results without changing the on-page heading.

Should you add your brand to the SEO title?

For quite some time, it was a common practice among some SEOs to omit the site name from the SEO title. The idea was that the “density” of the title mattered, and the site name wouldn’t help with that. Don’t do this. If possible, your SEO title should include your brand, preferably in a recognizable way. If people search for a topic and see your brand several times, even if they don’t click on it the first time, they might click when they see you again on their next page of results.

However, with the site name and favicon updates, be sure to fill in the site settings, upload a favicon, and make general changes to the design of the snippets. This will increase your brand’s visibility in search results. Today, you’ll notice that Google hardly shows your brand name in the snippet’s title. However, Google often has a mind of its own when generating titles to change them for any given reason. The design and function of the SERPs can change at any moment, so we still recommend adding your brand to your titles.

Can you change the SEO title after a page is published?

Yes. You can change the SEO title even after a page has been published, and doing so can improve performance.

At Yoast, we once noticed that although we ranked well for “WordPress security,” the page was not getting as much traffic as expected. We updated the SEO title and meta description to make them more engaging and relevant. As a result, traffic to that page increased by over 30 percent.

The original SEO title was:

WordPress Security • Yoast

We changed it to:

WordPress Security in a few easy steps! • Yoast

This change did not significantly affect rankings, but it did improve click-through rates. The keywords stayed largely the same, but the title became more compelling for searchers.

This shows that optimizing SEO titles after publication can be an effective way to increase traffic, especially if your page already ranks well but receives fewer clicks than expected.

Does Google always use the SEO title you set?

No. Google does not always display the exact SEO title you set in search results.

That said, the HTML title tag is still the most common source Google uses for generating title links. Google Search uses the following sources to automatically determine title links:

  • The <title> tag
  • The main visible heading on the page, such as the
  • Other headings on the page
  • Prominent text styled to stand out
  • Anchor text from internal or external links
  • Structured data related to the website

Google typically selects one title per page and does not change it for different queries.

What does this mean for you? The SEO title you set remains important for ranking and relevance. Even if Google sometimes displays a different version, your title still helps search engines understand the content of your page.

To stay on top of changes, monitor your key pages in Google Search Console, check how titles appear in search results, and watch for shifts in click-through rates.

Can you use the same title for SEO and social media?

You can, but it is often better not to.

What might be a good SEO title isn’t necessarily a good title for social media. In social media, keyword optimization is less important than creating a title that entices people to click. You often don’t need to include the brand name in the title. This is especially true for Facebook and X if you include some branding in your post image. Our social media appearance previews in Yoast SEO Premium and Yoast SEO for Shopify can help you.

If you use Yoast SEO, you can set different titles for Google, Facebook, and X. Enter your SEO title in the snippet editor, then customize the social media titles in the social tab. If you do not set a specific X title, X will use the Facebook title by default.

This flexibility allows you to optimize your titles for both search engines and social platforms without compromise.

The post How to craft great page titles for SEO? appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

The 2025 SEO wrap-up: What we learned about search, content, and trust

/0 Comments/in , /by

SEO didn’t stand still in 2025. It didn’t reinvent itself either. It clarified what actually matters. If you followed The SEO Update by Yoast monthly webinars this year, you’ll recognize the pattern. Throughout 2025, our Principal SEOs, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss, cut through the noise to explain not just what was changing but why it mattered as AI-powered search reshaped visibility, trust, and performance. If you missed some sessions or want the full picture in one place, this wrap-up is for you. We’re looking back at how SEO evolved over the year, what those changes mean in practice, and what they signal going forward.

Key takeaways

  • In 2025, SEO shifted its focus from rankings to visibility management, as AI-driven search reshaped priorities
  • Key developments included the rise of AI Overviews, a shift from clicks to citations, and increased importance of clarity and trust
  • Brands needed to prioritize structured, credible content that AI systems could easily interpret to remain visible
  • By December, SEO transformed to retrieval-focused strategies, where success rested on clarity, relevance, and E-E-A-T signals
  • Overall, 2025 clarified that the fundamentals still matter but emphasized the need for precision in content for AI-driven systems

Table of contents

SEO in 2025: month-by-month overview

Month Key evolutions Core takeaways
January AI-powered, personalized search accelerated. Zero-click results increased. Brand signals, E-E-A-T, performance, and schema shifted from optimizations to requirements. SEO expanded from ranking pages to representing trusted brands that machines can understand.
February Massive AI infrastructure investments. AI Overviews pushed organic results down. Traffic dropped while brand influence and revenue held steady. SEO outcomes can no longer be measured by traffic alone. Authority and influence matter more than raw clicks.
March AI Overviews expanded as clicks declined. Brand mentions appeared to play a larger role in AI-driven citation and selection behavior than links alone. Search behavior grew despite fewer referrals. Visibility fractured across systems. Trust and brand recognition became the differentiators for inclusion.
April Schema and structure proved essential for AI interpretation. Multimodal and personalized search expanded. Zero-click behavior increased further. SEO shifted from optimization to interpretation. Clarity and structure determine reuse.
May Discovery spread beyond Google. AI Overviews reached mass adoption. Citations replaced visits as success signals. SEO outgrew the SERP. Presence across platforms and AI systems became critical.
June – July AI Mode became core to search. Ads entered AI answers. Indexing alone no longer offers guaranteed visibility. Reporting lagged behind reality. Traditional SEO remained necessary but insufficient. Resilience and adaptability became essential.
August Visibility without value became a real risk. SEO had to tie exposure to outcomes beyond the number of sessions. Visibility without value became a real risk. SEO had to tie exposure to outcomes beyond sessions.
September AI Mode neared default status. Legal, licensing, and attribution pressures intensified. Persona-based strategies gained relevance. Control over visibility is no longer guaranteed. Trust and credibility are the only durable advantages.
October Search Console data reset expectations. AI citations outweighed rankings. AI search became the destination. SEO success depends on presence inside AI systems, not just SERP positions.
November AI Mode became core to search. Ads entered AI answers. Indexing alone is no longer a guarantee of visibility. Reporting lagged behind reality. Clarity and structure beat scale. Authority decides inclusion.
December SEO fully shifted to retrieval-based logic. AI systems extracted answers, not pages. E-E-A-T acted as a gatekeeper. SEO evolved into visibility management for AI-driven search. Precision replaced volume.

January: SEO enters the age of representation

January set the tone for the year. Not through a single disruptive update, but through a clear signal that SEO was moving away from pure rankings toward something broader. The search was becoming more personalized, AI-driven, and selective about which sources it chose to surface. Visibility was no longer guaranteed just because you ranked well.

Do read: Perfect prompts: 10 tips for AI-driven SEO content creation

From the start of the year, it was clear that SEO in 2025 would reward brands that were trusted, technically sound, and easy for machines to understand.

What changed in January

Here are a few clear trends that began to shape how SEO worked in practice:

  • AI-powered search became more personalized: Search results reflected context more clearly, taking into account location, intent, and behavior. The same query no longer produced the same result for every user
  • Zero-click searches accelerated: More answers appeared directly in search results, reducing the need to click through, especially for informational and local queries
  • Brand signals and reviews gained weight: Search leaned more heavily on real-world trust indicators like brand mentions, reviews, and overall reputation
  • E-E-A-T became harder to ignore: Clear expertise, ownership, and credibility increasingly acted as filters, not just quality guidelines
  • The role of schema started to shift: Structured data mattered less for visual enhancements and more for helping machines understand content and entities

What to take away from January

January wasn’t about tactics. It was about direction.

SEO started rewarding clarity over cleverness. Brands over pages. Trust over volume. Performance over polish. If search engines were going to summarize, compare, and answer on your behalf, you needed to make it easy for them to understand who you are, what you offer, and why you are credible.

That theme did not fade as the year went on. It became the foundation for everything that followed.

Do check out the full recording of The SEO update by Yoast – January 2025 Edition webinar.

February: scale, money, and AI made the shift unavoidable

If January showed where search was heading, February showed how serious the industry was about getting there. This was the month where AI stopped feeling like a layer on top of search and started looking like the foundation underneath it.

Massive investments, changing SERP layouts, and shifting performance metrics all pointed to the same conclusion. Search was being rebuilt for an AI-first world.

What changed in February

As the month unfolded, the signs became increasingly difficult to ignore.

  • AI Overviews pushed organic results further down: AI Overviews appeared in a large share of problem-solving queries, favoring authoritative sources and summaries over traditional organic listings
  • Traffic declined while brand value increased: High-profile examples showed sessions dropping even as revenue grew. Visibility, influence, and brand trust started to matter more than raw sessions
  • AI referrals began to rise: Referral traffic from AI tools increased, while Google’s overall market share showed early signs of pressure. Discovery started spreading across systems, not just search engines

What to take away from February

February made January’s direction feel permanent.

When AI systems operate at this scale, they change how visibility works. Rankings still mattered, but they no longer told the full story. Authority, brand recognition, and trust increasingly influenced whether content was surfaced, summarized, or ignored.

The takeaway was clear. SEO could no longer be measured only by traffic. It had to be understood in terms of influence, representation, and relevance across an expanding search ecosystem.

Catch the full discussion in The SEO Update by Yoast – February 2025 Edition webinar recording.

March: visibility fractured, trust became the differentiator

By March, the effects of AI-driven search were no longer theoretical. The conversation shifted from how search was changing to who was being affected by it, and why.

This was the month where declining clicks, citation gaps, and publisher pushback made one thing clear. Search visibility was fragmenting across systems, and trust became the deciding factor in who stayed visible.

What changed in March

The developments in March added pressure to trends that had already been forming earlier in the year.

  • AI Overviews expanded while clicks declined: Studies showed that AI Overviews appeared more frequently, while click-through rates continued to decline. Visibility increasingly stopped at the SERP
  • Brand mentions mattered more than links alone: Citation patterns across AI platforms varied, but one signal stayed consistent. Brands mentioned frequently and clearly were more likely to surface
  • Search behavior continued to grow despite fewer clicks: Overall search volume increased year over year, showing that users weren’t searching less; they were just clicking less
  • AI search struggled with attribution and citations: Many AI-powered results failed to cite sources consistently, reinforcing the need for strong brand recognition rather than reliance on direct referrals
  • Search experiences became more fragmented: New entry points like Circle to Search and premium AI modes introduced additional layers to discovery, especially among younger users
  • Structured signals evolved for AI retrieval: Updates to robots meta tags, structured data for return policies, and “sufficient context” signals showed search engines refining how content is selected and grounded

Also read: Structured data with schema for search and AI

What to take away from March

March exposed the tension at the heart of modern SEO.

Search demand was growing, but traditional traffic was shrinking. AI systems were answering more questions, but often without clear attribution. In that environment, being a recognizable, trusted brand mattered more than being the best-optimized page.

The implication was simple. SEO was no longer just about earning clicks. It was about earning inclusion, recognition, and trust across systems that don’t always send users back.

Watch the complete recording of The SEO Update by Yoast – March 2025 Edition.

April: machines started deciding how content is interpreted

By April, the focus shifted again. The question was no longer whether AI would shape search, but how machines decide what content means and when to surface it.

After March exposed visibility gaps and attribution issues, April zoomed in on interpretation. How AI systems read, classify, and extract information became central to SEO outcomes.

What changed in April

April brought clarity to how modern search systems process content.

  • Schema has proven its value beyond rankings: Microsoft has confirmed that schema markup helps large language models understand content. Bing Copilot used structured data to generate clearer, more reliable answers, reinforcing the schema’s role in interpretation rather than visual enhancement
  • AI-driven search became multimodal: Image-based queries expanded through Google Lens and Gemini, allowing users to search using photos and visuals instead of text alone
  • AI Overviews expanded during core updates: A noticeable surge in AI Overviews appeared during Google’s March core update, especially in travel, entertainment, and local discovery queries
  • Clicks declined as summaries improved: AI-generated content summaries reduced the need to click through, accelerating zero-click behavior across informational and decision-based searches
  • Content structure mattered more than special optimizations: Clear headings that boost readability, lists, and semantic cues helped AI systems extract meaning. There were no shortcuts. Standard SEO best practices carried the weight

What to take away from April

April shifted SEO from optimization to interpretation.

Search engines and AI systems didn’t just look for relevance. They looked for clarity. Content that was well-structured, semantically clear, and grounded in real entities was easier to understand, summarize, and reuse.

The lesson was subtle but important. You didn’t need new tricks for AI search. You needed content that was easier for machines to read and harder to misinterpret.

Want the full context? Watch the complete The SEO Update by Yoast – April 2025 Edition webinar.

May: discovery spread beyond search engines

By May, it was no longer sufficient to discuss how search engines interpret content. The bigger question became where discovery was actually happening.

SEO started expanding beyond Google. Visibility fractured across platforms, AI tools, and ecosystems, forcing brands to think about presence rather than placement.

What changed in May

The month highlighted how search and discovery continued to decentralize.

  • Search behavior expanded beyond traditional search engines: Around 39% of consumers now use Pinterest as a search engine, with Gen Z leading adoption. Discovery increasingly happened inside platforms, not just through search bars
  • AI Overviews reached mass adoption: AI Overviews reportedly reached around 1.5 billion users per month and appeared in roughly 13% of searches, with informational queries driving most of that growth
  • Clicks continued to give way to citations: As AI summaries became more common, being referenced or cited mattered more than driving a visit, especially for top-of-funnel queries
  • AI-powered search diversified across tools: Chat-based search experiences added shopping, comparison, and personalization features, further shifting discovery away from classic result pages
  • Economic pressure on content ecosystems increased: Industry voices warned that widespread zero-click answers were starting to weaken the incentives for content creation across the web
  • Trust signals faced stricter scrutiny: Updated rater guidelines targeted fake authority, deceptive design patterns, and manufactured credibility

What to take away from May

May reframed SEO as a visibility problem, not a traffic problem.

When discovery happens across platforms, summaries, and AI systems, success depends on how clearly your content communicates meaning, credibility, and relevance. Rankings still mattered, but they were no longer the primary measure of success.

The message was clear. SEO had outgrown the SERP. Brands that focused on authenticity, semantic clarity, and structured information were better positioned to stay visible wherever search happened next.

Watch the full The SEO Update by Yoast – May 2025 Edition webinar to see all insights in context.

June and July: SEO adjusted to AI-first search

By early summer, SEO entered a more uncomfortable phase. Visibility still mattered, but control over how and where content appeared became increasingly limited.

June and July were about adjustment. Search moved closer to AI assistants, ads blended into answers, and traditional SEO signals no longer guaranteed exposure across all search surfaces.

What changed in June and July

This period introduced some of the clearest operational shifts of the year.

  • AI Mode became a first-class search experience: AI Mode was rolled out more broadly, including incognito use, and began to merge into core search experiences. Search was no longer just results. It was conversation, summaries, and follow-ups
  • Ads entered AI-generated answers: Google introduced ads inside AI Overviews and began testing them in conversational AI Mode. Visibility now competes not only with other pages, but with monetized responses
  • Measurement lagged behind reality: Search Console confirmed AI Mode data would be included in performance reports, but without separate filters or APIs. Visibility changed more rapidly than reporting tools could keep pace.
  • Citations followed platform-specific preferences: Different AI systems favored different sources. Some leaned heavily on encyclopedic content, others on community-driven platforms, reinforcing that one SEO strategy would not fit every system
  • Most AI-linked pages still ranked well organically: Around 97% of URLs referenced in AI Mode ranked in the top 10 organic results, showing that strong traditional SEO remained a prerequisite, even if it was no longer sufficient
  • Content had to resist summarization: Leaks and tests showed that some AI tools rarely surfaced links unless live search was triggered. Generic, easily summarized modern content became easier to replace
  • Infrastructure became an SEO concern again: AI agents increased crawl and request volume, pushing performance, caching, and server readiness back into focus
  • Search moved beyond text: Voice-based interactions, audio summaries, image-driven queries, and AI-first browsers expanded how users searched and consumed information

What to take away from June and July

This period forced a mindset shift.

SEO could no longer assume that ranking, indexing, or even traffic guaranteed visibility. AI systems decided when to summarize, when to cite, and when to bypass pages entirely. Ads, assistants, and alternative interfaces now often sit between users and websites more frequently than before.

The conclusion was pragmatic. Strong fundamentals still mattered, but they weren’t the finish line. SEO now requires resilience: content that carries authority, resists simplification, loads fast, and stays relevant even when clicks don’t follow.

By the end of July, one thing was clear. SEO wasn’t disappearing. It was operating under new constraints, and the rest of the year would test how well teams adapted to them.

Missed the session? You can watch the full The SEO Update by Yoast – June 2025 Edition recording here.

August: the gap between visibility and value widened

By August, SEO teams were staring at a growing disconnect. Visibility was increasing, but traditional outcomes were harder to trace back to it.

This was the month when the mechanics of AI-driven search became more transparent and more uncomfortable.

What changed in August

August surfaced the operational realities behind AI-powered discovery.

  • Impressions rose while clicks continued to decline: AI Overviews dominated the results, driving exposure without generating traffic. In some cases, conversions still improved, but attribution became harder to prove
  • The “great decoupling” became measurable: Visibility and performance stopped moving in sync. SEO teams saw growth in impressions even as sessions declined
  • Zero-click searches accelerated further: No-click behavior climbed toward 69%, reinforcing that many user journeys now ended inside search interfaces
  • AI traffic stayed small but influential: AI-driven referrals still accounted for under 1% of traffic for most sites, yet they shaped expectations around answers, speed, and convenience
  • Retrieval logic shifted toward context and intent: New retrieval approaches prioritized meaning, relationships, and query context over keyword matching

Must read: On-SERP SEO can help you battle zero-click results

What to take away from August

August made one thing unavoidable.

It reinforced the reality that SEO could no longer rely on traffic as the primary proof of value. Visibility still mattered, but only when paired with outcomes that could survive reduced clicks and blurred attribution.

The lesson was strategic. SEO needed to connect visibility to conversion, brand lift, or long-term trust, not just sessions. Otherwise, its impact would be increasingly hard to defend.

Didn’t catch the live session? You can still watch the full The SEO Update by Yoast – August 2025 Edition webinar.

September: control, attribution, and trust were renegotiated

September pushed the conversation further. It wasn’t just about declining clicks anymore. It was about who controlled discovery, attribution, and access to content.

This was the month where legal, technical, and strategic pressures collided.

What changed in September

September reframed SEO around governance and credibility.

  • AI Mode moved closer to becoming the default: Search experiences shifted toward AI-driven answers with conversational follow-ups and multimodal inputs
  • The decline of the open web was acknowledged publicly: Court filings and public statements confirmed what many publishers were already feeling. Traditional web traffic was under structural pressure
  • Legal scrutiny intensified: High-profile settlements and lawsuits highlighted growing challenges around training data, summaries, and lost revenue
  • Licensing entered the SEO conversation: New machine-readable licensing approaches emerged as early attempts to restore control and consent
  • Snippet visibility became a gateway signal: AI tools relied heavily on search snippets for real-time answers, making concise, extractable content more critical
  • Persona-based strategies gained traction: SEO began shifting from keyword targeting to persona-driven content aligned with how AI systems infer intent
  • Trust eroded around generic, formulaic, AI writing styles: Formulaic, overly polished AI content raised credibility concerns, reinforcing the need for editorial judgment
  • Measurement tools lost stability again: Changes to search parameters disrupted rank tracking, reminding teams that SEO reporting would remain volatile

What to take away from September

September forced SEO to grow up again.

Control over visibility, attribution, and content use was no longer guaranteed. Trust, clarity, and credibility became the only durable advantages in an ecosystem shaped by AI intermediaries.

The takeaway was sobering but useful. SEO could still drive value, but only when it is aligned with real user needs, strong brand signals, and content that earned its place in AI-driven answers.

Want to dig a little deeper? Watch the full The SEO Update by Yoast – September 2025 Edition webinar.

October: AI search became the destination

October marked a turning point in how SEO performance needed to be interpreted. The data didn’t just shift. It reset expectations entirely.

This was the month when SEO teams had to accept that AI-powered search was no longer a layer on top of results. It was becoming the place where searches ended.

What changed in October

October brought clarity, even if the numbers looked uncomfortable.

  • AI Mode reshaped user behavior: Around a third of searches now involve AI agents, with most sessions staying inside AI panels. Clicks became the exception, not the default
  • AI citations increasingly rivalled rankings: Visibility increasingly depended on whether content was selected, summarized, or cited by AI systems, not where it ranked
  • Search engines optimized for ideas, not pages: Guidance from search platforms reinforced that AI systems extract concepts and answers, not entire URLs
  • Metadata lost some direct control: Tests of AI-generated meta descriptions suggested that manual optimization would carry less influence over how content appears
  • Commerce and search continued to merge: AI-driven shopping experiences expanded, signaling that transactional intent would increasingly be handled inside AI interfaces

What to take away from October

October reframed SEO as presence within AI systems.

Traffic still mattered, but it was no longer the primary outcome. The real question became whether your content appeared at all inside AI-driven answers. Clarity, structure, and extractability replaced traditional ranking gains as the most reliable levers.

From this point on, SEO had to treat AI search as a destination, not just a gateway.

November: structure and credibility decided inclusion

If October reset expectations, November showed what actually worked.

This month narrowed the gap between theory and practice. It became clearer why some content consistently surfaced in AI results, while other content disappeared.

What changed in November

November focused on how AI systems select and trust sources.

  • Structured content outperformed clever content: Clear headings, predictable formats, and direct answers made it easier for AI systems to extract and reuse information
  • Schema supported understanding, not visibility alone: Structured data remained valuable, but only when paired with clean, readable on-page content
  • AI-driven shopping and comparisons accelerated: Product data quality, consistency, and accessibility directly influenced whether brands appeared in AI-assisted decision flows
  • Citation pools stayed selective: AI systems relied on a relatively small set of trusted sources, reinforcing the importance of brand recognition and authority
  • Search tooling evolved toward themes, not keywords: Grouped queries and topic-based insights replaced one-keyword performance views

What to take away from November

November made one thing clear. SEO wasn’t about producing more content or optimizing harder. It was about making content easier to understand and harder to ignore.

Clarity beats creativity. Structure beat scale. Authority determined whether content was reused at all.

This month quietly reinforced the fundamentals that would define SEO going forward.

For a complete breakdown, check out the full The SEO Update by Yoast – October and November 2025 Edition recording.

December: SEO moved from ranking to retrieval

December tied the entire year together.

Instead of introducing new disruptions, it clarified what 2025 had been building toward all along. SEO was no longer primarily about ranking pages. It was about enabling retrieval.

What changed in December

The year-end review highlighted the new reality of SEO.

  • Search systems retrieved answers, not pages: AI-driven search experiences pulled snippets, definitions, and summaries instead of directing users to full articles
  • Literal language still mattered: Despite advances in understanding, AI systems relied heavily on exact phrasing. Terminology choices directly affected retrieval
  • Content structure became mandatory: Front-loaded answers, short paragraphs, lists, and clear sections made content usable for AI systems
  • Relevance replaced ranking as the core signal: Being the clearest and most contextually relevant answer mattered more than traditional ranking factors
  • E-E-A-T acted as a gatekeeper: Recognized expertise, authorship, and trust signals determined whether content was eligible for reuse
  • Authority reduced AI errors: Strong credibility signals helped AI systems select more reliable sources and reduced hallucinated answers

What to take away from December

December didn’t declare the end of SEO. It defined its next phase.

SEO matured into visibility management for AI-driven systems. Success depended on clarity, credibility, and structure, not shortcuts or volume. The fundamentals still worked, but only when applied with discipline.

By the end of 2025, the direction was clear. SEO didn’t get smaller. It got more precise.

Missed the session? You can watch the full The SEO Update by Yoast – December 2025 Edition recording here.

SEO evolved into visibility management for AI-driven search. Precision replaced volume.

2025 didn’t rewrite SEO. It clarified it.

Search moved from ranking pages to retrieving answers. From rewarding volume to rewarding clarity. From clicks to credibility. And from optimization tricks to systems-level understanding.

The fundamentals still matter. Technical health, helpful content, and strong SEO foundations are non-negotiable. But they are no longer the finish line. What separates visible brands from invisible ones now is how clearly their content can be understood, trusted, and reused by AI-driven search systems.

Going into 2026, the goal isn’t to outsmart search engines. It’s to make your expertise unmistakable. Write for humans, structure for machines, and build authority that holds up even when clicks don’t follow.

SEO didn’t get smaller this year. It got more precise. Stay with us for our 2026 verdict on where search goes next.

The post The 2025 SEO wrap-up: What we learned about search, content, and trust appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

What is a redirect? Types, how to set them up, and impact on SEO 

/0 Comments/in , /by

Ever clicked a link and landed on a “Page Not Found” error? Redirects prevent that. They send visitors and search engines to the right page automatically. Redirects are crucial for both SEO and user experience. For SEO, they preserve link equity and keep your rankings intact. Additionally, it enhances the user experience, as no one likes dead ends. 

Table of contents

Key takeaways

  • A redirect automatically sends users and search engines from one URL to another, preventing errors like ‘Page Not Found.’
  • Redirects are crucial for SEO and user experience, preserving link equity and maintaining rankings.
  • Different types of redirects exist: 301 for permanent moves and 302 for temporary ones.
  • Avoid client-side redirects, such as meta refresh or JavaScript, as they can harm SEO.
  • Use Yoast SEO Premium to easily set up and manage redirects on your site.

What is a redirect? 

A redirect is a method that automatically sends users and search engines from one URL to another. For example, if you delete a page, a redirect can send visitors to a new or related page instead of a 404 error. 

How redirects work

  1. A user or search engine requests a URL (e.g., yoursite.com/page-old).
  2. The server responds with a redirect instruction.
  3. The browser or search engine follows the redirect to the new URL (e.g., yoursite.com/page-new).

Redirects can point to any URL, even on a different domain. 

Why redirects matter 

Redirects keep your website running smoothly. Without them, visitors hit dead ends, links break, and search engines get lost. They’re not just technical fixes, because they protect your traffic, preserve rankings, and make sure users land where they’re supposed to. Whether you’re moving a page, fixing a typo in a URL, or removing old content, redirects make sure that nothing gets left behind. 

When to use a redirect 

Use redirects in these scenarios: 

  1. Deleted pages: Redirect to a similar page to preserve traffic. 
  2. Domain changes: Redirect the old domain to the new one. 
  3. HTTP→HTTPS: Redirect insecure URLs to secure ones. 
  4. URL restructuring: Redirect old URLs to new ones (e.g., /blog/post → /articles/post). 
  5. Temporary changes: Use a 302 for A/B tests or maintenance pages. 

Types of redirects 

There are various types of redirects, each serving a distinct purpose. Some are permanent, some are temporary, and some you should avoid altogether. Here’s what you need to know to pick the right one. 

Not all redirects work the same way. A 301 redirect tells search engines a page has moved permanently, while a 302 redirect signals a temporary change. Client-side redirects, like meta refresh or JavaScript, exist because they’re sometimes the only option on restrictive hosting platforms or static sites, but they often create more problems than they solve. Below, we break down each type, explain when to use it, and discuss its implications for your SEO. 

Redirect types at a glance 

Redirect type  Use case  When to use  Browser impact  SEO impact  SEO risk 
301  Permanent move  Deleted pages, domain changes, HTTP→HTTPS  Cached forever  Passes (almost) all link equity  None if used correctly 
302  Temporary move  A/B testing, maintenance pages  Not cached  May not pass link equity  Can dilute SEO if used long-term 
307  Temporary move (strict)  API calls, temporary content shifts  Not cached  Search engines may ignore  High if misused 
308  Permanent move (strict)  Rare; use 301 instead  Cached forever  Passes link equity  None 
Meta Refresh  Client-side redirect  Avoid where possible  Slow, not cached  Unreliable  High (hurts UX/SEO) 
JavaScript  Client-side redirect  Avoid where possible  Slow, not cached  Unreliable  High (hurts UX/SEO) 

301 redirects: Permanent moves 

A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines that a page has moved permanently. Use it when: 

  • You delete a page and want to send visitors to a similar one.
  • You change your domain name.
  • You switch from HTTP to HTTPS.

SEO impact: 301 redirects pass virtually all link equity to the new URL. But be sure to never redirect to irrelevant pages, as this can confuse users and hurt SEO. For example, redirecting a deleted blog post about “best running shoes” to your homepage, instead of a similar post about running gear. This wastes link equity and frustrates visitors. 

Example HTTP header: 

HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently 
Location: https://example.com/new-page

302 redirects: Temporary moves 

A 302 redirect tells browsers and search engines that a move is temporary. Use it for: 

  • A/B testing different versions of a page.
  • Temporary promotions or sales pages.
  • Maintenance pages.

SEO impact: 302 redirects typically don’t pass ranking power like 301s. Google treats them as temporary, so they may not preserve SEO value. For permanent moves, always use a 301 to ensure link equity transfers smoothly. 

Examples of when to use a 301 and 302 redirect:  

Example 1: Temporary out-of-stock product (302): An online store redirects example.com/red-sneakers to example.com/blue-sneakers while red sneakers are restocked. A 302 redirect keeps the original URL alive for future use. 

Example 2: A permanent domain change (301): A company moves from old-site.com to new-site.com. A 301 redirect makes sure visitors and search engines land on the new domain while preserving SEO rankings. 

307 and 308 redirects: Strict rules 

These redirects follow HTTP rules more strictly than 301 or 302: 

  1. Same method: If a browser sends a POST request, the redirect must also use POST. 
  2. Caching: 
    • 307: Never cached (temporary). 
    • 308: Always cached (permanent). 

When to use them: 

  • 307: For temporary redirects where you must keep the same HTTP method (e.g., forms or API calls). 
  • 308: Almost never, use a 301 instead. 

For most sites: Stick with 301 (permanent) or 302 (temporary). These are for specific technical cases only. 

What to know about client-side redirects:

Client-side redirects, such as meta refresh or JavaScript, execute within the browser instead of on the server. They’re rarely the right choice, but here’s why you might encounter them: 

  • Meta refresh: A HTML tag that redirects after a delay (e.g., “You’ll be redirected in 5 seconds…”).
  • JavaScript redirects: Code that changes the URL after the page loads.

Why should you avoid them? 

  • Slow: The browser must load the page first, then redirect.
  • Unreliable: Search engines may ignore them, hurting SEO.
  • Bad UX: Users see a flash of the original page before redirecting.
  • Security risks: JavaScript redirects can be exploited for phishing. 

When they’re used (despite the risks): 

  • Shared hosting with no server access. 
  • Legacy systems or static HTML sites.
  • Ad tracking or A/B testing tools.

Stick with server-side redirects (301/302) whenever possible. If you must use a client-side redirect, test it thoroughly and monitor for SEO issues. 

How redirects impact SEO 

Redirects do more than just send users to a new URL. They shape how search engines crawl, index, and rank your site. A well-planned redirect preserves traffic and rankings. A sloppy one can break both. Here’s what you need to know about their impact. 

Ranking power 

301 redirects pass most of the link equity from the old URL to the new one. This helps maintain your rankings. 302 redirects may not pass ranking power, especially if used long-term. 

Crawl budget 

Too many redirects can slow down how quickly search engines crawl your site. Avoid redirect chains (A→B→C) to save crawl budget. 

User experience 

Redirects prevent 404 errors and keep users engaged. A smooth redirect experience can reduce bounce rates. 

Common redirect mistakes 

Redirects seem simple, but small errors can cause big problems. Here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them. 

Redirect chains 

A redirect chain happens when one URL redirects to another, which redirects to another, and so on. For example:  

  • old-page → new-page → updated-page → final-page

Why it’s bad: 

  • Slows down the user experience. 
  • Wastes crawl budget, as search engines may stop following the chain before reaching the final URL. 
  • Dilutes ranking power with each hop. 

How to fix it: 

  • Map old URLs directly to their final destination. 
  • Use tools like Screaming Frog to find and fix chains. 

Redirect loops 

A redirect loop sends users and search engines in circles. For example:  

  • page-A → page-B → page-A → page-B...

Why it’s bad: 

  • Users see an error page (e.g., “Too many redirects”). 
  • Search engines can’t access the content, so it won’t rank. 

How to fix it: 

  • Check your redirect rules for cblonflicts. 
  • Test redirects with a tool like Redirect Path (Chrome extension) or curl -v in the terminal. 

Using 302s for permanent moves 

A 302 redirect is meant for temporary changes, but many sites use it for permanent moves. For example: 

  • Redirecting old-product to new-product with a 302 and leaving it for years. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Search engines may not pass link equity to the new URL. 
  • The old URL might stay in search results longer than intended. 

How to fix it: 

  • Use a 301 for permanent moves. 
  • If you accidentally used a 302, switch it to a 301 as soon as possible. 

Redirecting to irrelevant pages 

Redirecting a page to unrelated content confuses users and search engines. For example: 

  • Redirecting a blog post about “best running shoes” to the homepage or a page about “kitchen appliances”. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Users land on content they didn’t expect, increasing bounce rates. 
  • Search engines may ignore the redirect or penalize it for being manipulative. 
  • Wastes ranking power that could have been passed to a relevant page. 

How to fix it: 

  • Always redirect to the most relevant page available. 
  • If no relevant page exists, let the old URL return a 404 or 410 error instead. 

Ignoring internal links after redirects 

After setting up a redirect, many sites forget to update internal links. For example: 

  • Redirecting old-page to new-page but keeping links to old-page in the site’s navigation or blog posts. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Internal links to the old URL force users and search engines through the redirect, slowing down the experience. 
  • Wastes crawl budget and dilutes ranking power. 

How to fix it: 

  • Update all internal links to point directly to the new URL. 
  • Use a tool like Screaming Frog to find and fix outdated links. 

Not testing redirects 

Assuming redirects work without testing can lead to surprises. For example: 

  • Setting up a redirect but not checking if it sends users to the right place. 
  • Missing errors like 404s or redirect loops. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Broken redirects frustrate users and hurt SEO. 
  • Search engines may drop pages from the index if they can’t access them. 

How to fix it: 

  • Test every redirect manually or with a tool. 
  • Check Google Search Console for crawl errors after implementing redirects. 

Redirecting everything to the homepage 

When a page is deleted, some sites redirect all traffic to the homepage. For example: 

  • Redirecting old-blog-post to example.com instead of a relevant blog post. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Confuses users who expected specific content. 
  • Search engines may see this as a “soft 404” and ignore the redirect. 
  • Wastes ranking power that could have been passed to a relevant page. 

How to fix it: 

  • Redirect to the most relevant page available. 
  • If no relevant page exists, return a 404 or 410 error. 

Forgetting to update sitemaps 

After setting up redirects, many sites forget to update their XML sitemaps. For example: 

  • Keeping the old URL in the sitemap while redirecting it to a new URL. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Sends mixed signals to search engines. 
  • Wastes crawl budget on outdated URLs. 

How to fix it: 

  • Remove old URLs from the sitemap. 
  • Add the new URLs to help search engines discover them faster. 

Using redirects for thin or duplicate content 

Some sites use redirects to hide thin or duplicate content. For example, redirecting multiple low-quality pages to a single high-quality page to “clean up” the site. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Search engines may see this as manipulative. 
  • Doesn’t address the root problem, which is low-quality content. 

How to fix it: 

  • Improve or consolidate content instead of redirecting. 
  • Use canonical tags if duplicate content is unavoidable. 

Not monitoring redirects over time 

Redirects aren’t a set-it-and-forget-it task. For example: 

  • Setting up a redirect and never checking if it’s still needed or working. 

Why it’s bad: 

  • Redirects can break over time (e.g., due to site updates or server changes). 
  • Unnecessary redirects waste crawl budget. 

How to fix it: 

  • Audit redirects regularly (e.g., every 6 months). 
  • Remove redirects that are no longer needed. 

How to set up a redirect 

Setting up redirects isn’t complicated, but the steps vary depending on your platform. Below, you’ll find straightforward instructions for the most common setups, whether you’re using WordPress, Apache, Nginx, or Cloudflare.  

Pick the method that matches your setup and follow along. If you’re unsure which to use, start with the platform you’re most comfortable with. 

WordPress (using Yoast SEO Premium) 

Yoast SEO Premium makes it easy to set up redirects, especially when you delete or move content. Here’s how to do it: 

Option 1: Manual redirects 

  1. Go to Yoast SEO → Redirects in your WordPress dashboard. 
  2. Enter the old URL (the one you want to redirect from). 
  3. Enter the new URL (the one you want to redirect to). 
  4. Select the redirect type: 
  • 301 (Permanent): For deleted or permanently moved pages. 
  • 302 (Found): For short-term changes. 
  1. Click Add Redirect. 
Manually redirecting a URL in Yoast’s redirect manager

Option 2: Automatic redirects when deleting content 

Yoast SEO can create redirects automatically when you delete a post or page. Here’s how: 

  1. Go to Posts or Pages in your WordPress dashboard. 
  2. Find the post or page you want to delete and click Trash. 
  3. Yoast SEO will show a pop-up asking what you’d like to do with the deleted content. You’ll see two options: 
    • Redirect to another URL: Enter a new URL to send visitors to. 
    • Return a 410 Content Deleted header: Inform search engines that the page is permanently deleted and should be removed from their index. 
  4. Select your preferred option and confirm. 

This feature saves time and ensures visitors land on the right page. No manual setup required. 

Need help with redirects? Try Yoast SEO Premium

No code, no hassle. Just smarter redirects and many other invaluable tools.

Get Yoast SEO Premium Only $118.80 / year (ex VAT)

Apache (.htaccess file) 

Apache uses the .htaccess file to manage redirects. If your site runs on Apache, this is the simplest way to set them up. Add the rules below to your .htaccess file, ensuring it is located in the root directory of your site. 

Add these lines to your .htaccess file: 

# 301 Redirect 
Redirect 301 /old-page.html /new-page.html
# 302 Redirect 
Redirect 302 /temporary-page.html /new-page.html

Nginx (server config) 

Nginx handles redirects in the server configuration file. If your site runs on Nginx, add these rules to your server block and then reload the service to apply the changes. 

Add this to your server configuration: 

# 301 Redirect 
server { 
    listen 80; 
    server_name example.com; 
    return 301 https://example.com$request_uri; 
}
# 302 Redirect 
server { 
    listen 80; 
    server_name example.com; 
    location = /old-page { 
        return 302 /new-page; 
    } 
}

Cloudflare (page rules) 

Cloudflare allows you to set up redirects without modifying server files. Create a page rule to forward traffic from one URL to another, without requiring any coding. Simply enter the old and new URLs, select the redirect type, and click Save. 

  1. Go to Rules → Page Rules. 
  2. Enter the old URL (e.g., example.com/old-page). 
  3. Select Forwarding URL and choose 301 or 302. 
  4. Enter the new URL (e.g., https://example.com/new-page). 

Troubleshooting redirects 

Redirects don’t always work as expected. A typo, a cached page, or a conflicting rule can break them, or worse, create loops that frustrate users and search engines. Below are the most common issues and how to fix them.  

If something’s not working, start with the basics: check for errors, test thoroughly, and clear your cache. The solutions are usually simpler than they seem. 

Why isn’t my redirect working? 

  • Check for typos: Ensure the URLs are correct. 
  • Clear your cache: Browsers cache 301 redirects aggressively. 
  • Test with curl: Run curl -v http://yoursite.com/old-url to see the HTTP headers. 

Can redirects hurt SEO? 

Yes, if you: 

  • Create redirect chains (A→B→C) 
  • Use 302s for permanent moves 
  • Redirect to irrelevant pages 

How do I find broken redirects? 

  • Use Google Search Console → Coverage report. 
  • Use Screaming Frog to crawl your site for 404s and redirects. 

What’s the difference between a 301 and 308 redirect? 

  • 301: Most common for permanent moves. Broad browser support. 
  • 308: Strict permanent redirect. Rarely used. Same SEO impact as 301. 

What is a proxy redirect? 

A proxy redirect keeps the URL the same in the browser but fetches content from a different location. Used for load balancing or A/B testing. Avoid for SEO, as search engines may not follow them. 

Conclusion about redirects

Redirects are a simple but powerful tool. A redirect automatically sends users and search engines from one URL to another. As a result, they keep your site running smoothly and preserve SEO value and ranking power. Remember: 

  • Use 301 redirects for permanent moves. 
  • Use 302 redirects for temporary changes. 
  • Avoid client-side redirects, such as meta refresh or JavaScript. 

Need help? Try Yoast SEO Premium’s redirect manager.  

The post What is a redirect? Types, how to set them up, and impact on SEO  appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

The December 2025 edition of the SEO Update by Yoast: AI search, publisher deals & more

/0 Comments/in , /by

Missed the final SEO Update by Yoast of 2025? Our in-house principal SEOs, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss, broke down December’s biggest search shifts, from Gemini’s integration to Google’s publisher deals, and answered your burning questions. Don’t forget to watch the replay and sign up for the next edition!

Watch the full replay below (or read on for the highlights).

2025 in a nutshell: The three biggest SEO shifts

2025 was the year AI officially took over search. Here’s what mattered most:

  1. From rankings to retrieval: AI overviews and chat interfaces made being cited more important than ranking #1.
  2. EEAT became non-negotiable: Google (and users) demanded real expertise, not just keyword-stuffed content.
  3. Publishers vs. AI: Lawsuits and deals reshaped how content is licensed and monetized.

Want the full breakdown? Our in-depth 2025 SEO recap post will be released next week. Also, hear Carolyn and Alex share their insights in the December SEO Update by Yoast on YouTube.

Key takeaways from the episode

AI search isn’t coming, because it’s already here

Action: Audit your content for retrieval (not just rankings). Use tools like Yoast’s Brand Insights AI visibility tracker to see where you’re cited in AI responses in LLMs like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Google’s publisher deals: A band-aid or the future?

  • Google struck deals with major publishers (e.g., news sites) to license content for AI training. This is to avoid lawsuits and maintain ad revenue.
  • The catch: This doesn’t solve the long-term problem. Publishers still rely on traffic, and AI overviews are siphoning clicks.

Action: If you’re in publishing, diversify traffic sources (email, social, direct). For everyone else, monitor how these deals affect your niche.

Shopify’s AI UX agent: A glimpse of the future

  • Shopify’s SimGym simulates user behavior to identify UX issues, without skewing analytics.
  • Why it matters: AI-driven CRO tools are getting smarter. If you’re not testing UX with AI, competitors will.

Action: Experiment with AI UX tools (even free ones like Hotjar’s AI insights).

Google Search Console gets smarter

  • AI-powered insights: Search Console now suggests questions to analyze your data (e.g., “Why did impressions drop for X query?”).
  • Social channel tracking: YouTube, Reddit, and other social traffic now appear in Search Console.

Action: Use these tools to spot trends before they become problems.

llms.txt: Worth the 5 minutes?

Action: Add llms.txt if you’re curious, but don’t expect miracles.

Q&A highlights

Carolyn and Alex answered live questions during the webinar. Here are the top three:

1. Should we stop using background images to improve load speed?

  • Carolyn: “Optimize them, but don’t stress. Focus on non-blocking load times. If the image is lazy-loaded and doesn’t delay interactivity, it’s fine.”
  • Alex: “Test it. If your audience cares about visuals (e.g., fashion, design), keep them. If not, simplify.”

2. Can we make big changes during a Google core update?

  • Carolyn: “Act like there’s no update. If you need to make changes, make them. Google’s updates are continuous, so they’re not a deadline.”
  • Alex: “Worst case? You’ll see fluctuations. But if your site’s broken, fix it now.”

3. FAQ pages or FAQs on every page?

  • Alex: “Both. Put unique FAQs on product/service pages. Use a central FAQ for shared questions (e.g., shipping, returns).”
  • Carolyn: “Avoid hiding answers in toggles, because AI won’t read them.”

Stay ahead in 2026

The news in this December edition of the SEO Update by Yoast proves one thing: SEO is changing faster than ever. Whether it’s AI-driven search, publisher deals, or smarter tools, the rules are being rewritten at a rapid pace.

Here’s how to keep up:

  • Join us for the next SEO Update by Yoast on January 27, 2026. We’ll dive into the latest trends and explore their implications for your strategy. Sign up now.
  • Missed the 2025 recap? Our in-depth post will be released next week; don’t forget to read it!

The post The December 2025 edition of the SEO Update by Yoast: AI search, publisher deals & more appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

Why you should use synonyms and related keywords

/0 Comments/in , /by

Search engines have become significantly more intelligent than they were in the past. You no longer need to repeat the same keyword a dozen times to be noticed. Google’s AI models, as well as large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini, now understand meaning, intent, and context. So, does that mean you don’t need to use synonyms and related keywords? Of course not, and to avoid any confusion, you should definitely. Using synonyms and related keywords isn’t just about improving your writing style. It also helps both people and search engines interpret what your page is about.

Table of contents

Key takeaways

  • Search engines now understand context, making it essential to use synonyms and related keywords for improved clarity.
  • Using synonyms enhances readability and helps both people and search engines understand the content’s meaning more effectively.
  • Tools like Yoast SEO Premium can suggest related keywords, making the writing process easier.
  • Focus on natural language rather than keyword density to enhance your SEO strategy.
  • Writing for readers and AI involves selecting word choices that create engaging and informative content.

What are synonyms and related keyphrases?

A synonym is a word that shares the same or a very similar meaning as another. For example, “fast” and “quick” are synonyms.

A related keyphrase, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily a direct synonym; it’s a word or phrase connected to the same topic. If your main keyphrase is chocolate candy, then sweets, dessert, or sugary treats could all be related keyphrases.

When you use synonyms and related keywords, you make your writing more natural to read and more informative. You also help search engines understand your topic in greater depth, which improves your chances of appearing in relevant searches.

Why variation matters for SEO and readability

Modern SEO copywriting and readability are all about helping people and search engines understand the context of your writing. When you vary your word choice and use synonyms and related keywords, you make your text more engaging for readers and clearer for algorithms.

If you’ve ever read a page that repeats the same keyword endlessly, you know how mechanical it feels. Years ago, that might have worked. Today, it can frustrate readers and even harm your SEO.

Using synonyms and related keywords also improves your readability score, a ranking factor that reflects how easy your text is to follow. When your content is varied, visitors stay longer, bounce less, and gain a better understanding of you.

How search engines and AI understand language today

Search engines rely on natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to interpret meaning. Instead of simply counting keywords, they analyze how words relate to each other in context.

That’s why a post about AI copywriting tools can appear in searches for AI content writing software. Google understands those terms belong to the same topic. This is part of semantic SEO, which involves optimizing content so that search engines can grasp its overall context rather than just individual words.

By naturally incorporating synonyms and related keywords, you help Google recognize that your content addresses a broader range of questions related to your topic.

Understanding search intent is crucial here. Once you know what users expect to find, you can use language that naturally fits their intent while still covering your main keyphrases.

Keyword density versus natural language

In early SEO, keyword density, or the percentage of times a keyword appeared in your text, was seen as a signal of relevance. But search engines have outgrown that. Today, keyword density has little to no impact on search engine rankings.

Still, using your synonyms and related keywords naturally throughout your text can help clarify context. The key is balance: write as if you’re explaining the topic to a colleague or client.

Yoast SEO’s readability and SEO guidelines highlight why tone, pacing, and sentence length are now essential parts of optimization. The goal isn’t to count words, it’s to communicate clearly.

If you remember the candy shop analogy from before, let’s look at a real-world example. If you type in ‘best candy store New York’ on Google, the results will show pages about ‘candy stores’ and ‘candy shops’. Google understands that ‘store’ and ‘shop’ are synonyms and treats them as such. 

example of a google search showing results for both candy stores and shops in new york as it is a synonym
Snippets from the search result page for the search ‘best candy store New York’

This doesn’t detract from the fact that you should still incorporate your focus keyword a few times throughout your post. After all, the focus keyword is still the word or phrase your audience was searching for. These are the words your audience uses and will expect to find in your text. That exact match remains important. However, to avoid using your keyword too many times, also known as keyword stuffing, you can use synonyms and related keywords to achieve a more natural flow of language. That way, you can rank on these keywords while keeping your text attractive and readable.

Find related keyphrases using our Semrush integration

Yoast SEO can help you find related keyphrases based on your focus keyword, saving you time and hassle. All you need to do is click the button to ‘Get related keyphrases’; you’ll find it right underneath your focus keyword in the Yoast SEO sidebar. You’ll see a list of related keywords and search trend data when you click that button.

the related keyphrases feature in yoast seo showing results related to backpack essentials
This is how the related keyphrases feature looks in Yoast SEO

As a Yoast SEO Premium or Yoast SEO for Shopify user, you can add up to five related keyphrases to your SEO analysis. This lets you optimize your text for these additional terms similarly to your focus keyphrase. As always, you’ll see our familiar feedback bullets to guide you. If you’re a Yoast SEO Free user, you can explore related keyphrases using the tool, but you won’t be able to add these to your SEO analysis.

Yoast SEO can help you balance the use of your keywords, synonyms, and related keywords by recognizing word forms in different languages. If you want to know more, you can read about the related keywords feature in Yoast SEO for WordPress and the related keywords featured in Yoast SEO for Shopify.

How often should you use synonyms and related keywords?

The use of synonyms versus the use of focus keywords is not an exact science. The most important criterion is the way readers will experience your text. So, read and re-read it. Is it engaging and easy to read? Or are you getting annoyed by the constant use of a certain term? Be critical of your writing and ask others for feedback on your text. 

As mentioned earlier, you can add your related keywords to the analysis in Yoast SEO Premium and Yoast SEO for Shopify. By adding these, the plugin can check whether you’re using them in your text. Your focus keyword remains the most important keyword, though, and that’s why the plugin is less strict in its analysis of your related keyphrases.

related keyphrases in yoast seo expand the terms you are ranking for
You can add keyphrases that are related to your focus keyphrase in Yoast SEO Premium and Yoast SEO for Shopify

You’ll also be able to add synonyms of your focus and related keywords when you use our Premium SEO analysis or Yoast SEO for Shopify. These analyses include checks to ensure you’ve used these synonyms in your text and your meta description, introduction, subheadings, or image alt text. Moreover, our keyphrase distribution check will reward you for alternately using your keyphrase and its synonyms throughout your text.

synonyms in yoast seo help expand the vocabulary in the article
You can add multiple synonyms for your focus keyphrase in Yoast SEO Premium and Yoast SEO for Shopify

Make those related keyphrases and synonyms work for you

As we mentioned earlier, Google has come a long way since its early days in the field of SEO. It can understand texts, consider related concepts and synonyms, and recognize related entities. This enables it to serve its users with the best results. And part of being the best result is ensuring your texts are easy to read. Google wants to serve readable texts.

So make sure you deliver! Consider synonyms for your keyword or keyphrase and utilize them to your advantage. Take a moment to come up with a few alternatives for your keyword. Additionally, consider topics closely related to your keyword. You’ll notice that writing a naturally flowing text becomes much easier when you don’t have to use your focus keyword in every other sentence. Using synonyms and related key phrases helps Google understand the context of your text, which increases your chances of ranking.

In conclusion

Using synonyms and related keywords isn’t about tricking algorithms. It’s about writing naturally for humans while helping machines interpret meaning. When you vary your word choice, your writing becomes clearer, richer, and more engaging. That’s what today’s search engines reward: real content that genuinely helps users and shows topical depth.

Read more: Does readability rank? On ease of reading and SEO »

The post Why you should use synonyms and related keywords appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

What are permalinks? How to optimize them for SEO

/0 Comments/in , /by

If you’re planning to build a website or publish a blog post, you’ve probably heard the word permalink pop up. But what is a permalink, really? In simple words, it’s the permanent link to a page on your website, like the official street address of your house. No matter how many times you update your content, this link remains the same and tells people (and Google) exactly where that page is located. In this blog, we’ll break down what a permalink is, why it matters, how to pick the right permalink structure, and how Yoast SEO helps you manage everything easily.

Quick note: If your website is already established, changing existing permalinks can cause broken links and SEO issues. Don’t worry, we’ll show you how to do it safely later in this guide.

Table of contents

Key takeaways

  • A permalink is a permanent link to a specific page on your website, ensuring a stable URL even when content updates occur
  • Choosing the right permalink structure improves SEO by creating clean, readable, and memorable URLs
  • Changing existing permalinks can result in broken links; always set up redirects when updating them to maintain SEO value
  • Best practices include keeping permalinks short, using hyphens, and avoiding dates unless necessary for clarity
  • Tools like Yoast SEO help manage permalinks effectively and prevent 404 errors during changes

What is a permalink?

Before we go any deeper, let’s start with the basics: what is a permalink? A permalink (short for “permanent link”) is the stable URL that points to a specific page or post on your website. Think of it as the forever address of a piece of content. Even if you update the page, the permalink remains the same, ensuring that people and search engines can always find it.

💡 Fun fact:

Permalinks gained popularity around the early 2000s, when bloggers sought clean, permanent URLs instead of long, messy links filled with numbers and symbols. The idea quickly spread across blogging platforms, and that’s how permalinks became a standard part of the web.

A permalink is usually made up of two main parts:

  • Your domain name (like yourdomain.com)
  • The slug, which is the last part of the URL, tells people what the page is about

So a clean permalink might look like:

→ https://yourdomain.com/sponsored-tweets-guide

And it will always lead to that exact guide.

Compare that to a messy, auto-generated URL like:

→ https://yourdomain.com/post-id?=5726fjwenfkd

The first one is easier to read, easier to remember, more suitable for sharing, and more beneficial for SEO. That’s precisely why understanding what the permalink in WordPress is so important, especially when your site grows, and you want your content to be easy to find.

Permalinks can also include categories or subfolders depending on your structure. For example:

→ https://yourdomain.com/blog/best-yoga-poses

No matter how your website changes on the backend, a permalink should always point to the same page. However, if you ever update your URL structure or change the slug, you’ll need to set up redirects; otherwise, the original permalink won’t work. We will discuss it further later in this blog post.

Clear, simple permalinks make your content easier to read, index, and trust. That’s why choosing a proper permalink structure early on matters so much.

A brief overview of permalink anatomy

Now that you know what a permalink is, let’s quickly break down what it’s actually made of. A permalink may seem simple on the outside, but each part of it has a specific purpose. Think of it like a small puzzle; every piece helps your browser understand exactly where to take you.

Let’s use a sample URL to make things easy:

Here’s a brief overview of each element in a permalink:

Protocol (or scheme) This is the beginning of every URL, the http:// or https:// part. It tells your browser how to connect to a website.

→ http:// is the old, not-so-secure version
→ https:// is the secure, modern version that protects your data

Today, https:// is a must, especially if you care about trust, SEO, and safety.
Subdomain This is the little prefix that comes before your main domain. In our example, it’s www. You can also use subdomains like shop.example.com or blog.example.com when you want to separate different sections of your website.
Root domain (or hostname) This is your main website address, the part you buy, like example.com.

It has two pieces:

→ The name you choose (example)
→ The extension that follows (.com, .org, .net, etc.)

Together, they form the foundation of your website’s identity.
Path (or slug) Everything that comes after the domain is usually the part WordPress users think of as the permalink.

In our example: /blog/my-first-post

→ The path (/blog/) shows the section or folder
→ The slug (my-first-post) is the unique part that describes the page

In WordPress, you can easily edit the slug for every post or page to make your permalink clean and SEO-friendly.
Parameters and anchors (optional extras) These parts don’t appear in every permalink, but when they do, they provide additional information.

Parameters come after a question mark, like ?page=2 or tracking codes like ?utm_source=email

Anchors are denoted by a hash (#), such as #comments, and direct the visitor to a specific section on the same page

Difference between permalinks and URLs

You may wonder how a URL differs from a permalink. They look similar, they point to web pages, and they both live in your browser’s address bar, so what sets them apart? The easiest way to understand it is this: every permalink is a URL, but not every URL is a permalink.

Must read: Best practices for SEO-friendly URLs

Static URLs vs. dynamic URLs

To understand the difference better, URLs can be split into two types:

Static URLs:

These remain the same and always direct you to the same page. Example: yourdomain.com/blog/how-to-bake-sourdough. This is a static URL, and yes, it’s also a permalink.

Dynamic URLs:

These changes depend on user actions and typically include additional parameters, such as ?page=2 or ?color=blue. Example: yourdomain.com/products/shirt?color=blue&size=large. Dynamic URLs are not considered permalinks because search engines treat each version with different parameters as separate pages.

Examples of URLs that are not permalinks

Not every URL qualifies as a permalink. Here’s why:

Dynamic URLs containing parameters

These URLs load content, but the added parameters make them temporary and subject to change. For example, yourdomain.com/blog?page=2 and yourdomain.com/best-yoga-poses?source=email.

Static URLs that don’t point to a specific page

These are still URLs, but they direct you to the homepage, root domain, or a general section, rather than a specific piece of content. So they aren’t considered permalinks. For example, yourdomain.com, www.yourdomain.com, and shop.yourdomain.com.

The importance of permalinks in your digital presence

Now that you know what a permalink is and how it’s built, let’s talk about why it actually matters. Many people think permalinks are just tiny technical settings inside a content management system CMS, but they play a much bigger role in how your website looks, feels, and performs on the SERPs.

Do check out: Features of the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

Why permalinks matter for SEO

Search engines, such as Google, pay close attention to your URLs. A clean permalink clearly indicates what your page is about, making it easier for your content to rank high on Google.

For example: yourdomain.com/blog/what-is-a-permalink vs. yourdomain.com/?p=123. The first one clearly explains the topic. The second one tells Google nothing.

A strong permalink structure helps with:

  • Keywords: If your slug includes your main keyword, Google gets instant context
  • Crawlability: Clear folders, such as /services/web-design/, help search engines understand your site’s hierarchy
  • Link equity: People are far more likely to link to clean URLs than long, confusing ones. More links = stronger SEO

How permalinks shape the user experience

Permalinks aren’t just for search engines; they also affect how real people feel when they visit your website.

Clean, readable URLs make your site look professional and trustworthy. When someone sees a link like /contact-us/ or /shop/, they instantly know where they’re going. However, when they encounter something like /c/post?id=72, it appears suspicious and difficult to understand.

Good permalinks help with:

  • Clarity: Users can guess the topic from just the URL
  • Confidence: A neat URL feels more trustworthy than a random string of numbers
  • Memorability: Simple slugs are easy to remember or type again later

In short, clean permalinks create a smoother, friendlier experience for every visitor.

How permalinks support your site structure

Your permalink structure is basically the map of your website. It shows how your content fits together, and it helps both users and search engines move around your site easily.

For example, a URL like: yourdomain.com/services/web-design/.

Immediately tells someone:

  • They’re in the Services section
  • They’re looking at the Web Design page

This clear parent–child relationship makes your site feel more organized. And when your site structure is clean, Google can crawl and understand your content much faster.

Choosing the right permalink structure early on keeps your website simple, safe, and easy to manage as it grows.

Configuring permalinks in WordPress

When you publish a new page or post in WordPress, the platform automatically creates a permalink for you. The problem? The default permalink isn’t great for SEO or user experience. The good news is that WordPress makes it super easy to change your permalink settings and choose a structure that works better for your website.

Changing your WordPress permalink structure is a simple three step process, here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: Log in to your WordPress dashboard and look for the Settings option on the left-hand menu

Step 2: Click on the ‘Permalinks.’ option to open the page permalink settings.

Lastly, select your desired permalink format as per your needs.

WordPress permalink options

Recommendations for each WordPress configuration

Each structure has its own purpose, so the best one for you depends on your SEO goals and the kind of content you publish. Here’s a quick and friendly breakdown:

Permalink settings Setting recommendations
Day and name
[https://example.com/2025/10/27/sample-post/]		 Good for news-heavy sites.

Ideal for publishers who post multiple updates daily. However, for most websites, adding the full date makes your content appear outdated too quickly.
Month and name
[https://example.com/2025/10/sample-post/]		 The verdict is the same as above. Slightly shorter, but it still adds a timestamp that most businesses might not need.
Numeric
[https://example.com/archives/123]		 Skip this one.

Just another version of an unclear, non-descriptive link. It provides readers and search engines with no indication of what the page is about.
Post name
[https://example.com/sample-post/]		 The best option for 99% of websites.

Clean. Short. Easy to read. Keyword-friendly. Perfect for SEO. If you’ve ever searched for ‘what is a permalink in WordPress’ or ‘what is a WordPress permalink’, this is the recommended format.
Custom structure This allows you to create your own format using tags like /%category%/, /%postname%/, or /%author%/.

Changing permalinks without ending up in 404

Although we refer to them as permalinks or permanent links, there may be instances when you need to update them. Maybe a page title has changed, maybe you’re fixing your site structure, or maybe you’re cleaning up old URLs. Whatever the reason, changing a permalink isn’t something you should do casually; one wrong move can lead to 404 errors.

So before we talk about how to change a permalink in WordPress, it’s important to understand when you should change it, why it matters, and what the possible impact might be.

When should you change a permalink?

Even though permalinks are meant to stay the same, there are situations where changing them makes sense. Here are the most common use cases where updating a permalink is not only acceptable, but sometimes necessary.

When your current permalink isn’t SEO-friendly

If your site started with WordPress’s default “plain” URLs (like /?p=123), you’ll quickly realize they don’t describe the content, which makes ranking harder. Switching to a clean, keyword-rich structure helps search engines better understand your page.

Example:

❌ yourdomain.com/?p=245

✔ yourdomain.com/how-to-start-a-blog

If your permalink doesn’t reflect your topic, fixing it may be a smart move.

When you’re improving user experience

Sometimes, older permalink formats are confusing or too long. Updating them to something short and clear makes URLs easier for people to read, remember, and share.

Users are much happier to click something like yourdomain.com/blue-dress instead of yourdomain.com/products/?id=blue&ref=123.

Clean permalinks help establish trust, which in turn leads to more clicks.

Also read: SEO Basics: What are user signals?

When your content feels “dated” because of the URL

If your permalink includes the year or full date (like news-style URLs), users may assume the content is outdated, even if the blog post remains relevant. Switching to a timeless structure can improve click-through rates; for example, use yourdomain.com/best-seo-tips/ instead of yourdomain.com/best-seo-tips-2025/.

When you’re rebranding or restructuring your site

If you are rebuilding your website, changing domain names, or reorganizing categories, ensure that your permalinks align with your new structure. This keeps your content consistent and prevents confusion.

When you’re moving to HTTPS

Switching from HTTP to HTTPS is a major security upgrade, and it affects your permalinks. It requires redirects to make sure your old links still work.

Also read: HTTP status codes and what they mean for SEO

When you inherit or audit an old website

If the previous owner used messy or unclear permalinks, updating them can help you improve SEO, rebuild trust, and create a more organised structure.

The impact of changing permalinks (and why you must be careful)

Changing permalinks without a plan can cause serious problems, especially for SEO. Since permalinks function like permanent addresses, updating them incorrectly can break links throughout your entire website.

Here’s what can go wrong:

  • You may trigger 404 errors: This happens when the old URL no longer exists, and you haven’t added a redirect. Too many 404s hurt both user experience and SEO
  • You can lose rankings: If you change a permalink without a 301 redirect, Google treats the new URL as a brand-new page, causing drops in traffic and lost link value
  • Internal links can break: Any links inside your own site that point to the old URL will stop working unless they’re updated or redirected
  • External links stop sending traffic: Backlinks from other websites, emails, or social posts will lead to broken pages if redirects aren’t in place

Also read: Clean up your bad backlinks

How to safely change permalinks in WordPress (without breaking your site)

If you ever need to update a permalink, you shouldn’t jump straight in. There’s a simple three-step process that keeps your website safe, your rankings stable, and your visitors away from 404 errors. Think of it as your mini checklist for making permalink changes the right way.

Step 1: Back up your website (just to be safe)

Before touching your URL structure, always create a full backup. If anything goes wrong, you can restore your site in seconds, rather than trying to fix broken links one by one.

Step 2: Set up a 301 redirect for the old URL

This is the most important step. A 301 redirect informs Google and your visitors that your page has been permanently moved. It redirects everyone to the new permalink and retains nearly all of your SEO value.

Without a 301 redirect With a 301 redirect
Your old link becomes a 404 Your traffic stays safe
Your new link loses rankings Your SEO strength moves with the new URL
Any backlinks pointing to the old URL lose their power Google updates the new permalink over time

You can set up redirects manually, but this usually requires knowledge of databases or cPanel. Thankfully, WordPress plugins make it easy, and this is where Yoast SEO Premium becomes incredibly helpful.

The plugin’s redirect manager feature automatically creates a 301 redirect every time you change a URL or move/delete a page. So even if you forget to set up a redirect, Yoast handles it for you and protects your SEO behind the scenes.

Here’s how the Yoast SEO Premium plugin takes the stress out of the process:

  • Automatically creates redirects when you change or delete a URL
  • Prevents 404 errors by forwarding visitors to the correct page
  • Let you choose the right redirect type (301, 302, 307, 410, etc.)
  • Organises all redirects in one clean dashboard
  • Supports advanced options like REGEX redirects and import/export

With Yoast SEO Premium, you don’t have to remember any of these steps. You change the permalink, and the plugin handles the redirect instantly, keeping your SEO, structure, and user experience intact.

A smarter analysis in Yoast SEO Premium

Yoast SEO Premium has a smart content analysis that helps you take your content to the next level!

Get Yoast SEO Premium Only $118.80 / year (ex VAT)

Step 3: Change your permalink structure

Once your redirects are ready, you can safely update your permalink in the WordPress editor or change the global permalink settings. At this point, you won’t break any links because your redirects are already in place.

Permalink best practices to prevent frequent changes

A well-structured permalink saves you from future headaches. Here are the best practices to follow every time you create a new permalink on your WordPress site.

Keep your permalink short, simple, and descriptive

A slug should not look like a full sentence. It should act like an address that clearly tells users and search engines what the page is about. Shorter permalinks are easier to read, share, and understand. For example, /improve-seo-2025/

Use your target keyword naturally

Your main keyword should appear in the slug, but only once. This helps search engines identify the topic without making your URL look spammy. For example, /what-is-a-permalink/.

Use hyphens to separate words

Hyphens are the correct standard for URLs. Search engines read them as natural separators between words.

Avoid:

  • Underscores (my_post)
  • Spaces (my%20post)
  • Words combined without separation (mypost)

Always write them like this: yourdomain.com/chocolate-cake

Use dates with care

As mentioned earlier, dates can be particularly helpful for news sites or when covering strictly time-sensitive topics. However, for most blogs and business websites, dates in permalinks can make your content appear outdated, even when it remains relevant. Therefore, when possible, choose evergreen URLs, such as /best-yoga-poses/.

Use lowercase letters in all URLs

Since URLs can be case-sensitive, uppercase and lowercase versions of the same slug may be treated as distinct pages. This can cause duplicate content issues. Always stick to lowercase, such as: yourdomain.com/types-of-tea.

Encode special characters and emojis

If your slug includes accented characters (ä, å, ö) or emojis (which you should avoid using), they must be encoded using UTF-8. Without encoding, browsers may break the URL or cause crawl errors.

Encoding ensures the permalink displays correctly and remains accessible to search engines.

Stay consistent with your permalink structure

Whether you are using /blog/%postname%/ or placing all service pages under /services/%postname%/, choose one approach and follow it for the entire site; consistency improves navigation, user experience, and SEO.

Your permalinks are your digital foundation

Your permalink structure may appear simple on the surface, but it silently supports the way users and search engines interact with your site. A clear and consistent URL helps readers understand your content, builds trust, reduces confusion, and prevents the need for constant changes later. It also provides search engines with a clear path to follow, which enhances your overall SEO performance.

By keeping permalinks short, descriptive, and keyword-focused, avoiding unnecessary stop words, choosing hyphens, maintaining consistency in formats, and using lowercase letters, you create a structure designed to last. These small choices make your URLs easy to share, maintain, and understand by Google.

With the right permalink strategy and the help of tools like Yoast SEO for managing redirects and site structure, you can build a solid foundation that supports your content for years to come.

Your URLs are not just technical details. They are part of your site’s identity. Treat them with care, and they will continue to guide search engines and users to the right place every time.

The post What are permalinks? How to optimize them for SEO appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More

Introducing the new SEO Task List in Yoast SEO

/0 Comments/in , /by

Doing SEO well often means knowing what to focus on and when to do so. That is not always easy, especially when you are juggling content, updates, and day-to-day site management. That is why we are introducing a new SEO task list in the Yoast plugin. 
 
The Task List helps you improve your SEO step by step, directly inside your dashboard. It turns best practices into clear, actionable tasks, so you can make progress with confidence and without second-guessing your work. 
 

task list on Yoast SEO

Why the SEO checklist matters: 
Turn SEO advice into clear actions 

Instead of vague recommendations or long documentation, the Task List shows you exactly what to do next. Each item focuses on a crucial SEO fundamental, helping you take meaningful action rather than getting lost in details that don’t move the needle. 
 
This makes SEO more approachable, especially if you are not an expert. You do not need to keep up with every update or technique. The Task List guides you through what matters most. 

Build better SEO habits over time

The Task List is not just about finishing tasks. By following it regularly, you start to recognize patterns and best practices that lead to stronger content and a healthier site. Over time, this helps you build better SEO habits that carry over into everything you publish. 
 
For teams, the Task List also brings consistency. It helps everyone follow the same SEO standards, regardless of skill level or experience. 

SEO guidance where you already work 

Because the Task List lives inside Yoast SEO, you can improve your SEO without switching tools or breaking your workflow. It supports you where the work happens, making SEO a natural part of creating and maintaining your content. 
 
The foundational version of the SEO Task List is available in Yoast SEO, and a more comprehensive list is available for Yoast SEO Premium users.

The post Introducing the new SEO Task List in Yoast SEO appeared first on Yoast.

Read more at Read More