Rank Math Plugin Installation Walkthrough

At first glance, it seems that setting up an SEO plugin is simple. Enter the plugin sections through WordPress, select the one you need, and install it, right? Making one installation is actually not enough to achieve good positions in search results though.

From this article you can learn how to install and configure a Rank Math SEO plugin correctly.

How to Use a Rank Math Seo Plugin

The Basic Setup of Rank Math SEO Plugin

• In the “Plugins” section, go to the “add new” page. Find, install, and activate Rank Math.

• After the activation, the automatic configuration window will open. Rank Math will prompt you to quickly make basic edits.

Import

Here you can transfer settings from other plugins if you have used them before. The most popular ones are Yoast and All In One SEO. You can check all of the items to transfer the necessary information.

Tip: If after installing the Rank Math plugin or other SEO plugins (Yoast or All In One) you are having trouble, delete them and try again, as there may be errors.

Your Site Section

Here you need to specify the type of site, logo, and icon for social networks.

1. Site types are divided into:

• Personal blogs;
• Blogs and news sites;
• Portfolio;
• Small business sites;
• Personal business sites;
• Online stores; and
• Business sites.

2. After filling in the panels, you’ll be able to load the logo of a square shape. You should also remember the preview image for social networks.

The boot process in both cases is simple.

• Click “Download File”
• Select the logo/photo in the available WordPress media files or upload it from your computer

Connect to the Google Search Console

The next step is connecting to the Google Search Console. This web-based tool conveys information about various aspects of the site. With its help, information on indexing errors will be displayed directly in the console. The goal of connecting to the Google Search Console is to save time for getting SEO data. To do this, you need an authorization code, which you can receive by clicking on Get Authorization Code.

Then mark the account selected during site registration and allow access for the plugin. For authorization, you must insert the received code in the Search Console field.

Set up a Sitemap with Rank Math

A site map is a set of site links in the form of an .xml file. It tells search engines which pages are in priority and how often they need to be indexed.

Setting up a sitemap is easy enough:

• Sitemaps – on. This is how your sitemap is enabled.
• Include Images – at your discretion. Usually, SEO-specialists do not add images to the site map. They’ll get into the index anyway. You can add pictures if they are really important for your business. For example, for the site of a photographer.
• Public Post Types – on. It allows you to add articles and webpages to the map. On some sites, this section may contain other types of pages. The main thing to remember is not to add pages that are closed from indexing (unnecessary pages).
• Public Taxonomies – on. This is another type of page. Adding them or not depends on the specifics of the business. Blogging sites may not have to add it, but online shopping sites definitely should.

After adding all the points, the map will be available at Yoursite. You can change the settings and delete unnecessary pages in the corresponding section of the plugin. Be sure to check the sitemap for errors (pages closed from indexing, 404 pages, etc.).

After you make sure that there are no errors in the sitemap, send it for indexing in the Search Console.

SEO Optimization with Rank Math

Rank Math optimization takes place according to 3 parameters.

• Noindex Empty Category and Tag Archives – on. In this way, unnecessary pages become closed from indexing.
• Nofollow External Links – on. Your site will not transmit link weight through external links. The reference weight will be stored on the site, which will positively affect its position. This is especially useful for forums and blogs with open comments.
• Open External Links in New Tab/Window – on. External links will open in a new window. The user will not leave the site.

Change the Settings

After adjusting all of your settings, you will see a message that the site is ready for indexing. The plugin will make a certain assessment, but you should not take it seriously as an SEO indicator.

It is always possible to change the settings.

Enabling Rank Math Modules

Modules are a very useful feature of the plugin.

404 Monitor

The function provides information about non-existent pages and allows you to quickly solve problems. Such addresses can be found on the 404 Monitor if you go through the plugin menu. This module should be turned on.

All 404 pages will be displayed in the corresponding section. For each, you can configure a redirect.

AMP

This function is necessary when your site works with the installed AMP or AMP for WP plugin using accelerated mobile page technology. You can enable it if you have these plugins.

bbPress

This is required if the site has a forum. This plugin provides access to the meta tags needed in posts, categories, and even user profiles.

BuddyPress

Activation of BuddyPress is needed if the CMS is already working with this plugin. The module is necessary when creating a social network or forum. Meta tags for site pages are available with it.

Link Counter

Link Counter displays data on the number of links for each article, and it counts external and internal links. They can be seen in the “All Records” section. It should be enabled.

Local SEO & Google Knowledge Graph

These are very useful features for sites that are promoted to a specific region, for example, for restaurants. They should be turned on and configured.

In the “Settings” section you need to enter information about your site.

Redirections

With help from redirections, you can configure redirects 301, 302, and 307 and set the following response codes:

• The page existed but is now unavailable (410); and
• Content not available (451).

Redirects remain working, even after removing Rank Math. This feature is definitely worth turning on.

In the settings of this module, many experts recommend setting a 410 answer for all non-existent pages. This code is better for SEO than 404.

Rich Snippets

Snippets make the site pages visible to search robots. This affects the increase in CTR and traffic. Read more about rich snippets in our article. The module must be enabled.

You can set the type of schema during the mass customization of pages.

Role Manager

When several users will have access to the site, each of them will be given their own role with a list of features. It is the user’s decision whether or not they want to enable it.  

Search Console

This module is activated in the third step of the automatic configuration of the plugin. It connects the module and data from Google to get real information on SEO requests, which helps to save time. It is best to activate it.

In the settings, you can change the code from the Google console and clear the cache.

SEO Analysis

If your website promotion process is complicated for unknown reasons, this module will help. To enable it, you need to register your account at https://rankmath.com/#signup. The received data should be entered in the “Help” tab. You can get here through the Rank Math Console. It is useful if you don’t have your own SEO specialist. If you have time and the desire, you can activate it and create an account.

Sitemap

The extension is activated in the fourth step of automatic configuration. It is used to understand the structure of the site. It’s worth turning it on.

WooCommerce

This is essential for online stores. The module optimizes product pages.

Advanced Rank Math Settings

Now you can move on to more complex settings.

Links

1. Go to the “Links” tab in the “General Settings” section.

2. The section has the following settings:

• Strip Category Base – on. It will remove /category/ from the URL of the pages. This will make your URL shorter and more SEO friendly. Experts recommend using this setting only for new sites. For older sites, this may cause certain errors.
• Redirect Attachments – off. Enabling this may cause some redirect errors. Consult a developer before setting up.
• Removing Stopwords from Permalinks is only for new sites. If the site has a large number of pages, you can try turning it on. If 404 errors occur though, you should turn this setting off.

• Nofollow External Links – on. The reference weight will not be transferred to other domains. You can select or exclude specific domains.

• Nofollow Image File Links – on. 
• Open External Links in New Tab/Window – on.

Images

Here, you can configure a parameter that is absent in the analogs.

• Add missing ALT attributes – on.
• Alt attribute format – on.

You can automatically configure the basic SEO settings for images.

Robots and .htaccess

In these sections, you can configure basic SEO files. Inexperienced users should contact developers and SEO specialists.

• Incorrect .htaccess settings can cause your entire site to crash.
• Incorrect configuration of Robots can lead to your site being closed from indexing.

Breadcrumbs

In this plugin, you can configure breadcrumbs. All functions can be configured for your user’s convenience, but to display them on your site, you need to insert a special code.

SEO Titles & Meta

This is one of the most important sections where you can configure metadata and close pages from indexing.

Global Meta

1. Here, you can configure the standard meta robots. You don’t need to mark anything, otherwise, you can close the entire site from indexing.
2. Noindex Empty Category and Tag Archives – worth turning on.

3. The rest of the parameters are configured individually. Capitalize Titles – enable.

Miscellaneous Pages

This section configures the following:

1. Pagination Pages;
2. Headings of 404 pages; and 
3. You can close unnecessary pages from indexing.

Many experts recommend these settings:

Post Types

Here you can configure metadata, SCHEMA, and meta robots for different types of pages.

• Single Post Title – prescribe a title template for the selected page type. There is a large number of prepared templates.

• Single Post Description – template for descriptions of the selected page type. Specialists recommend short templates with a call to action at the end.

• From Schema Type to Article Type, you can customize the Schema micro-layout template for the selected page type.

• Post Robots Meta – settings of page indexing. The main parameters are no index and no follow. By marking them, your pages will be closed from indexing and search robots will not be able to follow the links. Only experienced users need to configure this. 

Settings to Import from other SEO Plugins into Rank Math

If a plugin has already been installed in WordPress before Rank Math, you can import its settings. This will allow the site to work without losing its position. The comfort of working with Rank Math is that it automatically determines which plugin was used previously.

Settings Import in Rank Math with Yoast

To import Yoast into Rank Math, any of 4 types of settings can be used:

1. Import Settings– This option allows you to move Yoast metadata and settings already installed on your site into Rank Math
2. Import Metadata– Moving metadata from Yoast to Rank Math SEO works for content with SEO titles, descriptions, and OpenGraph data installed
3. Import Term Meta– For moving metadata from the archives section
4. Import Author Metadata– This option allows you to import metadata from copyright pages

These options are selected in Rank Math by default.

Transferring settings from Yoast to Rank Math is available in 2 steps:

1. Start importing from Yoast; or 
2. Confirmation of the selected operation – Import.

This process takes several minutes. After its completion, click the continue button– it is in the lower right.

Settings Import from All in One into Rank Math

If All In One SEO has been installed, then Rank Math SEO will warn of a potential issue.

The plugin will offer to start importing settings for you.

Clicking the “import” button solves the issue of transferring settings to Rank Math. Task execution time does not take more than 30 seconds.

Rank Math Setting for Different Types of Sites

Debugging WordPress Rank Math features allows you to vary tasks for different types of sites.

Local Business

Local SEO allows you to promote the following types of sites:

• Restaurants;
• Food delivery sites;
• Cafes;
• Repair service; and
• Other businesses targeting one specific region.

When installing the Rank Math plugin and making the correct settings, special meta tags will appear. This will improve its ranking. You can put a photo of the owner or logo on your site.

Thanks to the Local SEO module, this is the best SEO plugin for local sites.

Information Sites

Blogs and news sites need the right type of set-up. Setting the image or logo when setting up Rank Math.

For information sites, you can use any SEO plugin. Especially since WordPress is primarily a CMS for blogs.

Service Sites and Shops

Business sites include following directions:

• Small business;
• Services;
• Online stores; and
• Other types of business.

Rank Math offers versatile features for e-commerce business. The WooCommerce module gives Rank Math a small advantage for commercial sites.

WordPress Rank Math is easy to use. The functionality of the plugin is understandable not only to experienced SEO specialists but also to beginners. This tool is considered universal, combining the functions of 5 plugins. Many of the program’s settings are equal to the premium version of Yoast SEO. It is also used for any business. We can say that Rank Math is one of the best plugins for SEO at the moment. But unfortunately, it is not the easiest to figure out.

We hope that this article has helped you to understand the topic!