If you’ve just launched a WordPress site or you’ve had one sitting around for a while, chances are SEO wasn’t your first priority. And that’s OK. Most people focus on design, layout, maybe some content, and hit publish. But if you want your site to be found—by real people, on Google—then you need to get your SEO in order.
That’s where this guide comes in. I’ve pulled together a quick but practical introduction to WordPress SEO based on years of building, fixing, and optimising websites for clients in Mauritius and abroad. I’ll show you the essential tools, walk you through a simple setup flow, and give you enough to make real improvements today.
This isn’t an exhaustive SEO checklist. It’s your jump-start. Just enough to get you ranking and curious for more.
Why WordPress SEO matters from day one
Google’s algorithm doesn’t care that your site looks nice. It cares about speed, structure, content relevance, crawlability, and signals like bounce rate and mobile friendliness. WordPress, out of the box, gives you a solid foundation—but it’s what you do with it that makes the difference.
A site that’s well-optimised for SEO will:
- Rank higher on search engines
- Load faster and perform better
- Be easier for users to navigate
- Convert better, whether you want leads, calls, or sales
And let’s be honest: if you’re investing in your website, why not make sure people can actually find it? WordPress SEO doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Start with the basics and let your content do the heavy lifting.
Step 1: Get your basics sorted with Site Kit by Google
One of the first plugins I install on every site is Site Kit by Google. It connects your website to Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and PageSpeed Insights in one place.
Once installed, Site Kit gives you real-time performance data: how many people are finding your site, what they’re searching for, which pages are doing well, and where you’re losing traffic. You’ll also see if any pages aren’t indexed or have speed issues.
For local businesses in Mauritius especially, this data is pure gold. You’ll start spotting quick wins, like improving page load times or updating titles for keywords people are already searching.
If you haven’t connected your site to Google Search Console, do it now. It’s the first sign to Google that your site exists.
Step 2: Install and configure Rank Math SEO
Next up: you need a proper SEO plugin. I use Rank Math Pro, and I recommend it to all my clients because it’s lightweight, intuitive, and powerful. It replaces several bloated plugins and handles on-page SEO, meta tags, schema, and redirects with ease.
The setup wizard will guide you through key steps:
- Connecting your site to Google services
- Defining your site type (blog, portfolio, small business, etc.)
- Enabling essential modules like sitemaps, 404 monitoring, and redirection
Once that’s done, take a moment to review your homepage and key pages. Make sure each has:
- A clear focus keyword (e.g. “WordPress maintenance Mauritius”)
- A unique meta title and description
- A logical URL slug (no weird numbers or dates)
- One H1 heading and a strong intro paragraph
If you’re writing blog articles, Rank Math also gives you a handy checklist in the sidebar to make sure you’ve hit your SEO basics. But don’t just write for the plugin—write for people first, then optimise naturally.
Step 3: Understand what you’re ranking for with Ubersuggest
When it comes to keyword research, Ubersuggest hits the sweet spot for simplicity and practicality. You don’t need to become an SEO guru to get value from it.
Pop in your domain or a competitor’s URL and you’ll instantly see:
- Which keywords your site is ranking for
- Keyword ideas with search volume and difficulty scores
- Content ideas and top-performing blog titles
This is how I often find quick opportunities for clients. Maybe your homepage is ranking for “eco website Mauritius” but stuck on page two. That’s a cue to tweak the wording, add internal links, and beef up your content.
It’s also a great way to see what your competition is doing—especially other freelancers or agencies offering SEO in Mauritius.
Step 4: Fix what’s broken with Screpy
Screpy is one of those underrated tools that quietly saves the day. I use it to monitor Core Web Vitals, broken links, missing tags, and other on-site SEO issues.
The real-time audits highlight things like:
- Slow-loading pages
- Images without alt tags
- Pages without meta descriptions
- Heading structure problems
What makes Screpy even more useful is that it tracks your progress over time. You’ll know if things are getting better or worse, and where to focus next.
Combined with Rank Math and Site Kit, it creates a solid feedback loop—your fixes actually start making a visible difference.
Step 5: Keep your content structure clean
No SEO tool will save a messy content strategy. WordPress gives you Posts and Pages for a reason. Use them intentionally.
Your core services (like web design in Mauritius, carbon-neutral hosting, or WordPress maintenance) should live on well-written Pages with internal links and strong CTAs. Blog Posts are for topical content—answers to client questions, case studies, guides like this one.
Use category pages wisely. Tagging every blog post with 10 random tags isn’t helping your SEO. A focused category structure helps both users and search engines make sense of your site.
Step 6: Performance and mobile experience still matter
SEO isn’t just about keywords. It’s about experience. Google’s algorithm now includes performance signals like:
- Time to First Byte
- Largest Contentful Paint
- Cumulative Layout Shift
That’s why I host my own site and client sites on a fast, carbon-neutral WordPress server with no cPanel clutter and no bloated software. It’s bloat-free, secure, and optimised specifically for WordPress.
If you’re already using tools like Hummingbird Pro or WP Rocket, keep an eye on your caching, CSS/JS minification, and lazy loading. But often, the best performance gains come from simplification—not plugins.
Step 7: monitor and iterate, don’t guess
SEO isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s ongoing.
Check your Site Kit dashboard weekly. Run Screpy audits monthly. Use Ubersuggest to refine your keywords every quarter. And if you’re writing blog posts, don’t forget to go back and update them as rankings shift or your services evolve.
When something is working, double down. When it isn’t, dig deeper. Sometimes the fix is as simple as rewriting a headline or changing a slug.
When done right, WordPress SEO can give you long-term traffic without paying for ads.
Ready to take your WordPress SEO seriously?
This guide only scratches the surface, but it’s enough to move you out of beginner mode and into confident territory. I’ve seen clients go from invisible to first-page rankings in weeks just by applying these fundamentals consistently.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want someone to do it for you, contact me today—I offer tailored SEO services for WordPress sites in Mauritius and beyond. Or if you’d rather keep going on your own, I’ve got something for you.
👉 Download the free WordPress SEO Quickstart guide (PDF)
It’s packed with even more insights, checklists, and a step-by-step flow to follow.
Let’s make your website work harder. It deserves to be found.