WordPress SEO without Plugins (Complete Guide)

Ever wondered how to do WordPress SEO without plugins?

Manual SEO requires expertise, A/B testing, and SEO monitoring. Once you’ve traveled a path, you can better decide what can positively affect outcomes.

In this resource, we help you understand the basics of manual SEO in WordPress. Stop using plugins and join the manual arsenal.

Let’s start.

WordPress SEO without Plugins

Before diving deep, here is what you should consider first.

Things to consider

Search Intent

Regardless of SEO plugins, you should have learned how search intent works in SEO.

Search Intent in SEO shows the reason, purpose, and end destination of search queries on Google.

It helps you understand what type of content to create and if targeting a specific audience is necessary.

The point of effect is that if you can’t correctly/adequately satisfy users’ intent, you can’t do business on search pages. Readers will never convert from subscribers to customers. There will be no rankings on search pages, simple.

Keyword Research

The process of keyword research is crucial. It can make or break your SEO game. Period.

Here is what you should have considered.

1. The keywords you find should be relevant.
2. Find easy-to-rank keywords if you want search visibility – well enough; if not, what’s the point of doing Keyword Research?
3. The keywords you find should convert readers into paying customers.

Indeed, if the keyword research process doesn’t address the factors above, you’re not lucky enough to proceed. Think again.

SEO Content

At least, you should’ve learned how to create SEO-optimized content.

In terms of On-page SEO, the content that satisfies SEO rules falls under SEO content.

This includes content optimization, internal links, headings, keywords across a page’s content, and content optimization for search intent.

SEO Monitoring

You’ve published a piece of content, so you shouldn’t overlook SEO monitoring.

It helps you forecast future outcomes after you have created and published content.

It enables you to improve your SEO knowledge, no doubt.

So, regardless of everything you consider, don’t overlook the power of monitoring SEO campaigns.

Reasons why You should stop using SEO Plugins

Duplicated features

Sometimes, WordPress’ default infrastructure favors SEO tasks. If you install an SEO plugin, it creates a useless duplication of feature availability.

For example, WordPress generates a default Sitemap. If you install a sitemap plugin, what’s the point?

Unnecessary features

You may need a specific SEO tweak; the plugin overcomes your site with useless, unnecessary features.

For example, if you’ve installed a plugin for On-page SEO, which includes redirect options, you may never need to set redirects in WordPress.

Plugin conflicts

More plugins in WordPress mean more chances of instability.

SEO plugins are candidates, just like other plugins. It can cause conflicts, too.

Manual Knowledge wins

Don’t rely on plugin SEO. Manual SEO helps you understand SEO workflows and sets you apart from the crowd.

If a plugin does an SEO job, you don’t know what is happening in the background. In this case, if a plugin can’t help, you are left empty-handed if the only option left is manual procedure.

On the other hand, if you know how to perform something manually, you don’t need an SEO plugin.

Money

Using premium plugins costs money.

Trial versions provide fewer options, making life much more complicated if you’re addicted to plugins.

You can’t learn SEO manually if you depend on SEO plugins.

Reasons why Manual SEO matters

1. You know what you Do; manual routines help you understand your limits, precautions, and strengths perfectly.
2. Plugins can put you in the wrong direction if you want to do SEO in the long run. How? Instead of manual Knowledge, you become a slave of official suggestions.
3. Relevancy, Search Intent, and On-page SEO matter. The building blocks in SEO – plugins do not teach these factors, but manual understanding can help.
4. Things you can do without SEO Plugins: build your Knowledge, portfolio, and career. Simple.

SEO Tasks You Can Do Without Plugins

On-page SEO

On-page SEO helps you improve a page’s relevancy.

If you install an SEO plugin while editing a page or post, the plugin’s SEO suggestions help you optimize your page for on-page SEO.

There is an alternate way.

You don’t need to install an SEO plugin manually if you know how to do on-page SEO.

Here is what you should have considered for on-page SEO.

1. Optimized Title and Meta descriptions
2. Internal links
3. SEO-friendly page URLs
4. Keywords – spread across a page’s content
5. Images
6. Headings

Keep in mind that manually performing on-page SEO requires proven expertise in SEO, content creation, and SEO monitoring.

Sitemaps

An XML file—called a Sitemap, as its name suggests—helps search engines understand your site’s URL map. Once a sitemap is created in WordPress, the URLs of new pages or posts are automatically included.

Creating an on-site sitemap is crucial if you want better indexing and ranking.

Fortunately, WordPress helps you create one automatically. The WordPress default sitemap is accessible at /wp-sitemap.xml.

Now, as described, don’t bother to install an SEO plugin for Sitemap.

Next, pick your sitemap URL, as described above, and submit it to Google Search Console. This tool helps you quickly scan your site for new pages, making indexing, ranking, and improvements possible – quickly.

Optimize Images

Optimizing images for SEO helps you improve page speed.

In this case, compressing images to reduce size is preferred for image optimization.

In WordPress, users have relied on plugins for image optimization.

The game has changed now.

There are tools online that help you quickly optimize images for WordPress SEO. Yes, you don’t need to use plugins anymore. However, image optimization requires more effort for more significant, big sites.

For example, scaling the process requires tools if you have an established site with hundreds of images. In this case, online tools can also help you bulk-optimize images.

Once you’ve images to upload, online tools help you upload, compress, and download resultant images, clicks away. An example of an image compression tool is Image Compressor.

Keyword Optimization

To increase a page’s relevancy, spreading keywords across a page’s content is called Keyword or Content optimization. In simple words, the process refers to Content updating.

Tools like Surfer SEO help users optimize content. The tools allow you to enter a seed keyword, fetch results from Google SERPs in the background, and show keyword suggestions.

Here is the deal.

If you know how search intent works in SEO – manually, you can better optimize WordPress content for on-page SEO. Indeed, people who do manual SEO have left plugins far behind.

You can start naturally. Use keywords wisely in the content—the keywords people search for on Google.

Second, Google SERPs-related suggestions can help you taste what related search queries people search for on Google. In this case, pay attention to the “related section” on Google pages.

Pick some keywords, and naturally spread out through a page’s content.

If you’ve integrated Google Search Console, keyword suggestions in GSC can help you manually optimize content. In this scenario, you need to be patient. Use filters to pick a list of related keywords, causing your page to rank higher on search pages. In this case, pick associated keywords that rank between 3 and 5 positions. Add more content accordingly.

Interlinking

As its name suggests, Interlinking connects relevant pages across a website. It helps you increase page relevancy. It also allows users to map topic clusters in WordPress.

Plugins like Link Whisper help users create Interlinks in WordPress.

The plugin shows link suggestions automatically once you start populating the WordPress editor.

Although Interlinking is crucial for SEO, you don’t have to use WordPress plugins for the purpose.

You should know how interlinking works in SEO if you don’t use plugins.

Fortunately, here is the formula for manual Interlinking in WordPress.

1. Using the SITE operator in Google, find relevant pages on the site.
2. The host page should link to a relevant page that helps users read more, obtain more information, and fix problems.
3. You should include a proper, relevant contextual paragraph in the content. The section should address the hyperlink’s target content. According to Google, it helps search engines understand a link’s context, relevancy, and purpose.

The point of impact is that a link should improve how users experience the page’s relevancy.

Automated link suggestions via plugins can sometimes cause conflicts. If a conflict occurs, it distracts from how the WordPress editor keeps content organized and can create formatting problems.

Page Speed

Speed is a ranking factor that Google prefers.

WordPress plugins can help you improve page speed, no doubt. However, there is a problem in the trade.

More plugins mean more errors, conflicts, and issues in WordPress. It doesn’t make sense.

Although manually improving page speed – without plugins—is tedious, it can help you speed up WordPress in the long run.

Here is what makes manual routine possible.

1. Compress images
2. Resize images, screenshots, and featured images – ensure the photos have a proper aspect ratio.
3. Use the correct file type for images. JPEG is ideal for photos, and PNG is perfect for graphics.

In this regard, a Google search can help you list possible candidates instead of using WordPress plugins.

Optimizing images for page speed shouldn’t cost money – manual routines can help.

SEO-friendly URL structure

After you’ve installed WordPress, setting a Permalink structure is crucial.

You can set how WordPress should generate URLs on the Settings -> Permalinks page in the dashboard.

In this scenario, WordPress offers several link structures. The “post name” structure, helping you embed keywords in URLs, is ideal for SEO.

Choose the “post name” structure and save changes at the end.

Remember, setting a Link structure requires immediate action after installing WordPress.

Conversely, changing the permalink structure on established, old sites can create problems. If you do, make sure to check proper redirects.

Here, instead of using plugins to change the Link structure, setting one at the start helps you win. However, if your site is old enough to change, you may need to use a plugin, so be careful.

After all, if changing the permalink structure is problematic, it would be good to leave things for now. Focus on SEO, and forget about changing permalinks.

Titles and Meta Descriptions

The essential ingredients of SEO are meta titles and descriptions.

A page’s title and description help users understand what the page is about on a Google search page.

In case you’re lucky, search engines can automatically set tags for a page. However, you need a plugin to put tags in WordPress.

However, we can manually set meta tags in WordPress without a plugin.

Redirects

Proper redirects help you improve SEO.

If a page can pass link juice to another, redirects can help boost SEO.

There are other cases, too.

If a page is partially relevant, redirecting to a masterpiece helps. You got the idea.

Plugins, in this case, help you set redirects. You don’t have to go through manual routines.

However, if we don’t want to use plugins, here is what needs attention.

Placing redirect code snippets in the HTaccess file helps.

1. First, access the HTaccess file in the site’s root. Yes, you should have the cPanel login.
2. Second, use the “Edit” option to proceed. You should have opened the HTaccess file in a web editor, which is perfect.
3. Third, place the following code for a redirect.

Redirect 301 /old-page/ https://www.yourdomain.com/new-page/

Content structure (Headings)

In WordPress, headings are automatically adjusted using the “outlines plugin”.

Things have changed, my friend.

For outlines, you don’t need to use WordPress plugins. It helps you keep WordPress clean, healthy, and error-free.

Here is what to do.

To proceed further, you should be using the WordPress Gutenberg Editor.

In the content, locate where you’d like to create and display a section for outlines.

Then, create a list of links in the outline section. Make changes to each link and link to page sections.

First, you should have created an anchor target for sections where you’d like to jump.

In simple words, locate the sections and go into Settings at the right panel. There, you can see adjustments to set anchor text IDs. Once created, you can develop outlines for sections’ anchor IDs.

If, for example, you’re using the Classic Editor in WordPress, here is what you need to do.

First, you must create the link to jump to specific sections.

Second – you’ll need to create target attribute IDs. For more information, visit this detailed tutorial on WordPress jump links.

Responsiveness

If you’re using a custom application, you should have faced issues in responsiveness.

Instead of fixing responsiveness issues later, here is what needs your attention.

Install a responsive theme. It helps you reduce costs, effort, and page speed.

A responsive theme is continually optimized for screens like desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, so you need no extra precautions.

Of course, you’ll have to spend money to use a robust theme.

There are free candidates, too, such as WordPress default themes.

If you can use a page builder, such as Divi Builder, you can create custom templates without learning how to code—a flexible option.

SSL

SSL installation on WordPress helps rankings.

My personal story is that once we renewed a site’s SSL, Google immediately improved its rankings on search pages. It happens.

People use Really Simple SSL in WordPress for SSL installation, configuration, and proper redirection.

However, we don’t have to use the Really Simple SSL plugin.

First, make sure your domain is eligible for an SSL certificate, of course. If you’re confused, talk to support agents.

Second, the cPanel interface should indicate whether your site’s SSL has been installed correctly.

Third, check your site’s SSL installation with online tools. Enter your site’s address and analyze the results.

Fourth – check your site’s redirects, such as domain redirection from HTTP to HTTPs.

Proper SSL installation should have no problems. If you need assistance, don’t make changes in WordPress.

Google Search Console

One of Google’s free tools for SEO experts is Google Search Console, which helps users optimize pages for search engines.

If you’re using an SEO plugin, here is where GSC can help instead.

1. GSC can help you optimize content by showing related search queries a page should rank for on Google.
2. GSC suggestions can help you fix structural errors, site navigational issues, and indexing issues. You don’t need to use a plugin or ask developers for assistance.
3. GSC is free to use. Other tools cost money in most cases. If you can use GSC for free, don’t spend money on content optimization, on-page SEO, and technical auditing.

There is a separate interface for GSC. Use your Gmail address to log into the GSC dashboard.

Site Audit

A site audit helps users improve the site’s stats, such as speed, errors, crawling status, and site structure.

Again, SEO tools or plugins can help you identify errors; however, there is a better alternative.

Google Search Console, as discussed above, can help you identify errors.

You can use 3rd party tools for a site audit, such as Screaming Frog.

The tool helps you scan your site, identify errors, and proceed further for a fix.

However, how can you do site audits manually?

Start from the basics. Here is what needs your attention.

Target low-hanging fruits, the keywords you can quickly rank for on Google. See Google Search Console’s stats for more information.

Similarly, see GSC page stats, technical issues, and crawling stats. This will help you quickly determine if an error, such as a 404, needs your attention.

Image SEO

In WordPress, doing image SEO is simple.

Once you’ve uploaded an image, the screen helps you quickly adjust SEO settings. This includes setting the image’s ALT text, title, and description.

First, you should have resized, compressed, and checked your image for aspect ratio.

For now, the basics we mentioned fall under image SEO. So far, the basics don’t need SEO plugins; they help you understand manual SEO routines.

Fix Broken Links

Broken links can hurt user experience.

Here is what happens.

If a user clicks a link that doesn’t load a page successfully – the hyperlink is called a broken link. Broken links can appear anywhere.

So, what to do next?

There are tools – that help users identify, fix, and monitor broken links.

We recommend avoiding tools to find broken links if your site is not too big.

For small sites, running a link audit seems promising.

In simple words, find and fix the broken links. You can also take notes from Google Search Console.

Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are Google’s benchmarks for checking a site’s health.

This includes errors, technical gaps, and structural issues in a site.

The online tool helps you scan your site for free. The results screen enables you to understand what areas need your attention.

Improving Core Web Vitals helps you improve SEO stats, no doubt.

To proceed further, you don’t need to use a plugin—you need to understand how to interpret Google’s suggestions, fix things accordingly, and validate once the work has been done.

Examples of similar tools include GT Metrix.

Key Points

1. Remember, always ensure to take site backups before making any changes. It helps you recover from disasters, such as data loss.
2. Doing WordPress SEO without plugins requires manual expertise. If you’ve passed a decade in SEO, for example – doing manual SEO makes you more confident. Conversely, if you’re a beginner, you must learn how to start SEO. It also costs time and effort and requires patience. You can outsource manual routines instead.
3. Consider building a staging site for SEO practices. It will help you safely carry out SEO maneuvers, monitor campaigns, and make progress accordingly. Simply put, a staging environment is a site built for experimental purposes.
4. Start from basics, such as content optimization. It doesn’t require extensive Knowledge of SEO, let’s say. On the other hand, if you step into technical SEO, things will start hurting you soon, keep in mind.

Conclusion

Possibilities are unlimited.

Depending on intentions, SEO can yield different results.

The purpose of this post was to help you stay equipped and motivated and move your SEO career clearly – manually. Don’t sign up for SEO tools, especially if you’re a beginner. Even using SEO tools requires manual expertise. If you don’t know how SEO works, you can’t understand how SEO tools can help.

In this article, you learned how to cover SEO manually without using a plugin or SEO candidates.

For more information, consult us for WordPress maintenance, technical SEO, and error removal to improve search rankings.