As a longtime SEO Yoast user, I was pretty comfortable with it, but I always felt like something was missing. At that point, I came across The SEO Framework.
At first, I was hesitant to make the switch, but I’m glad I did. This plugin has been a game-changer for my website’s online presence. It’s simpler and faster, and I saw better results pretty quickly.
In this review, I’ll walk you through why I switched from Yoast to The SEO Framework on one of my blogs. I’ll explain how it’s easier to use and why I think it does a better job of helping your website get noticed on Google.
Whether you’re a beginner or someone who’s been around the block with SEO tools, I’m here to share my honest experience.
Let’s get started and see what makes The SEO Framework stand out!
What is SEO Framework?
The SEO Framework is a really helpful tool for anyone using WordPress. It’s a tool that automatically sets up things to make your website more popular on Google.
When you first add it to your WordPress, it does a lot of the work for you, but you can also configure it yourself to make it even better. This includes setting up titles, descriptions, and other techy stuff that helps your site get noticed.
As of today, SEO Framework is being used by over 100,000 websites. That’s a lot! And that’s not it, but what’s cool about the SEO Framework is that almost everyone who uses it loves it.
It has really high ratings, almost perfect, which makes it the top-rated SEO plugin you can find for WordPress.
How to use SEO Framework?
To start using this SEO plugin, The SEO Framework, on your WordPress site, it’s really easy. Just follow these steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard, where you manage your website.
- Look for the section called “Plugins” and then click on “Add New.” This is where you can add new tools to your website.
- There’s a search bar on this page. Type in “The SEO Framework.“
- You’ll see the plugin come up in the search results. Now, just click “Install” and then “Activate” it.
- And that’s it! Once you’ve done this, The SEO Framework will be ready to use on your site to help with your SEO.
After you’ve activated The SEO Framework plugin on your WordPress site, you’ll see something new. In the sidebar on the left side of your WordPress dashboard (that’s the screen where you manage your website), you’ll find a new menu item labeled “SEO.” This is like a special control panel just for this plugin.
From this “SEO” menu, you can get to all the settings and features of The SEO Framework.
This is where you can adjust and customize how the plugin works on your site, making sure it’s doing exactly what you need for your website’s SEO.
It’s like having a control center for making sure your site shows up well in Google searches.
In The SEO Framework plugin for WordPress, everything is super simple and easy to find. Unlike other plugins, there’s just one main menu labeled “SEO” and no complicated submenus to navigate through.
All the settings you need are on one single page. There are 10 different sections, kind of like little boxes, and you can easily move them around just by dragging and dropping. This means you can organize them in the way that works best for you.
For example, there’s a section called “General Settings” with 5 tabs inside it for different options. It’s all very straightforward.
The best part? You won’t get lost looking through tons of menus on the left or right side of the screen. Everything you need is in one place. Just scroll up or down on the same page, and you’ll find all the settings right there.
Also, The SEO Framework is different because it doesn’t use a setup wizard like many other plugins. It’s ready to go right after you activate it.
Many options are already turned on for you, which you can tell by the checkboxes that are already marked. This makes it really user-friendly, especially if you’re new to SEO or just prefer a more straightforward approach.
Now, you can start using this plugin to optimize all your blogs and articles.
Features of The SEO Framework
1. Smart SEO Meta Tag Generation
The SEO Framework is unique because it can automatically create important SEO tags by understanding your WordPress site.
This means it’s really smart to figure out what’s best for your site’s SEO without having to do much. This makes your site more likely to show up on Google searches.
2. Protection from SEO Attacks
Websites are vulnerable to hackers who try to remove them from search results.
The SEO Framework helps protect your site by making sure only the best version of your pages gets noticed by search engines. This keeps your site safe and visible online.
3. No Unnecessary SEO Tricks
With The SEO Framework, you won’t waste time on fake SEO strategies.
It gives you exactly what you need, letting you focus on making your website more user-friendly and attractive instead of worrying about complicated SEO tactics.
4. Comprehensive SEO Check
The plugin checks your pages and terms for over 70 different issues. These are shown in a simple way through the SEO Bar, so if there’s a problem, you’ll see it right away.
This means you can quickly spot and fix issues, keeping your site’s SEO top-notch.
5. Real-Time Caching for Efficiency
It includes a caching system that saves time and reduces strain on your website’s database.
This means your site runs faster and smoother, providing a better experience for visitors and saving your computer’s battery life.
6. Compatibility and Coverage
No matter what your WordPress site looks like, with over 16 page-types, 50,000 plugins, and 4,000 themes, The SEO Framework has got you covered.
It’s designed to work with any WordPress setup, ensuring that your entire website benefits from effective SEO, no matter how it’s built.
My Experience with The SEO Framework Plugin
When I started using the SEO Framework plugin on my WordPress site, I was amazed at how fast and comprehensive it was. It’s designed to follow all the rules set by WordPress and search engines, making it super reliable.
One of the first things that struck me was how easy it was to get started. Just by activating the plugin, my site was immediately safeguarded against common SEO attacks.
Plus, it automatically filled in all those crucial SEO tags for me – a huge time saver!
I discovered that The SEO Framework is incredibly well-thought-out. It’s the only SEO tool I’ve found that intelligently generates SEO meta tags in any language by reading my WordPress setup.
This automation means I can spend more time on content creation or other tasks instead of fiddling with SEO settings.
The plugin came preconfigured, which was a great help. It optimized all my pages from the start, but I also had the freedom to tweak settings to my liking. For someone not super experienced in SEO, this was a big relief.
Its approach to optimizing metadata is spot-on, following Google’s guidelines to the letter. I could optimize my pages without worrying about making critical mistakes.
The color-coded guidelines on the post overview pages are a neat feature. They show me how to improve my pages with simple hover-over tips. Here’s what each color means:
Red: This color indicates an error. It’s something important that needs your immediate attention and fixing.
Yellow: Yellow is like a friendly warning. It’s not critical, but it’s something you might want to look into.
Green: Green means everything is good.
Blue: This color is used for informational and situational messages.
Gray: When you see gray, it indicates something is undefined or can’t be processed.
By using these colors, The SEO Framework makes it really straightforward for you to quickly see what parts of your SEO are fine, what needs your attention, and where you might need to dig a little deeper.
This plugin focuses on what you need without overcomplicating things.
It’s fast, accurate, and nearly bug-free. Plus, it helps ensure that my content stays natural and that I don’t inadvertently trick search engines.
The integration with social media is another big plus. The SEO Framework automatically supports Open Graph and Twitter Cards, making my posts more shareable and noticeable on social networks.
In terms of security and compatibility, The SEO Framework sets a high bar. The team’s focus on security is evident, and the plugin works seamlessly with other WordPress plugins that follow best practices.
For developers, the plugin is a gem. It encourages enhancements and additional functionality, with a well-documented API available for use.
Lastly, its respect for privacy is commendable. The plugin doesn’t send user information or create cookies, aligning with strict privacy policies.
The SEO Framework Pricing
The SEO Framework offers different pricing plans, each designed to fit various needs and stages of your website or business. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Free Plan
Cost: $0/month, absolutely free.
Best for: People just starting out or those not ready to invest in SEO yet.
What You Get: Unlimited basic SEO features and access to free extensions. You also get free updates and public level-2 support.
Why Choose This: It’s perfect if you want to start improving your SEO without any costs. You can make money first, then consider upgrading.
2. Pro Plan
Cost: $7/month, billed yearly.
Best for: Individuals or small businesses starting to make money from their website.
What You Get: Everything in the Free plan, plus all extensions unlocked on 2 sites, 500 API requests per month, and private level-1 support.
Why Choose This: Ideal if your website is starting to generate income and you want more advanced SEO tools to grow further.
3. Business Plan
Cost: $17/month, billed yearly.
Best for: Larger businesses or websites with more traffic and needs.
What You Get: Includes everything in the Pro plan but expands support to 20 sites, increases API requests to 5,000 per month, and offers private level-2 support.
Why Choose This: Great for businesses where the SEO needs have grown and there’s a budget allocated for managing multiple websites.
4. Agency Plan
Cost: $27/month, billed yearly.
Best for: SEO agencies or professionals managing multiple clients’ websites.
What You Get: Everything in the Business plan, but supercharged for up to 200 sites, 50,000 API requests per month, and private priority level-2 support.
Why Choose This: If you’re managing clients’ websites and need extensive SEO capabilities and support, this is the go-to plan.
There are a variety of plans available, tailored to the needs of a business or website at various stages of growth, from a beginner to a large agency.
I strongly recommend you start for free and upgrade as your website grows and your SEO needs become more complex.
How is customer support by SEO Framework?
The SEO Framework offers a range of support options to cater to different needs, and here’s how they work:
1. Custom Expert Development
If you need custom work on your website, you can get a quote from their partners at Codeable.
The pricing for this service ranges from $80 to $120 per hour. This is ideal if you have specific, unique requirements that go beyond standard plugin functionalities.
2. Feature Requests
If you have an idea or a request for a new feature in The SEO Framework, you can submit it on GitHub. Before you do, it’s good to check if someone else has already requested the same feature.
3. Public Support for The SEO Framework
For general queries, you can ask questions on the WordPress plugin support forum. Volunteers aim to reply within 72 hours, but they often respond faster, typically within 24 hours.
4. Support for Extension Manager
If you use their Extension Manager, you can get support publicly via GitHub issues or privately by email. This is helpful for specific issues or questions about the Extension Manager.
5. Billing Support
For any billing-related queries or issues, you can contact them anytime. They usually resolve billing issues within 24 hours, ensuring smooth and hassle-free service.
6. Private Support
If you have questions about Extension Manager, legal matters, billing, privacy, or business-related issues, you can send them an email. This private support is more tailored and is ideal for more specific or sensitive inquiries.
Each of these support options is designed to ensure that you get the help you need, whether it’s for general usage, billing, or more specialized development needs.
I really liked the support system, and it’s like they always have your back in case of any issue that might arise.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Activates essential settings automatically upon installation.
- All settings are conveniently located on one page.
- Offers quick loading times, enhancing user experience.
- Clean interface without distracting advertisements.
- Respects user privacy and doesn’t create cookies.
- Uses colors to easily show SEO status on mouse-over.
Cons
- Some settings may be too complex for SEO novices.
- The single-page layout can be confusing with many tabs.
- Basic free extensions; essential features like data migration require an add-on.
Conclusion
After trying out The SEO Framework plugin without much prior expectation, I found myself pleasantly surprised.
The plugin is straightforward to use, doesn’t bombard you with ads, and comes with really smart default settings and some impressive automated features.
However, my experience also showed that The SEO Framework can be technical and cumbersome at times.
But as you know, SEO is now more technical, and this plugin ticks off all the boxes that are required these days to rank on major search engines.
To sum it up, The SEO Framework has a solid foundation as a product. It showed noticeable improvements on my site, which is a big plus.
I recommend you try this plugin with its free plan, and then later, you can use the pro version. Also, there is 30 30-day money-back guarantee, thus, there is nothing to lose!
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