Do Genesis theme framework users need to install a SEO plugin?
You may want to check out the built in SEO settings included with the default Genesis settings before installing a SEO plugin.
You may also want to consider what other plugins you have installed and what SEO settings and tags they include.
Why duplicate SEO settings and tags?
Genesis SEO Settings
Lets take a look at what SEO settings are included in Genesis by default.
There’s 2 pages of settings included in the Genesis SEO settings.
- Genesis SEO Settings
- Theme SEO Settings
We’ll start with the Genesis SEO settings which you’ll find under the Genesis menu in your dashboards sidebar.
These are similar to the Yoast’s WordPress SEO settings which also include other settings you may want listed below.
These other settings may or may not be included in other plugins as well which may or may not cause duplication of settings and meta tags.
- Facebook OpenGraph
- Twitter card meta data
- Author Meta Data
- Webmaster Tools Authentication
- XML Sitemap
- Breadcrumbs
- RSS Feed Links
Titles
Most important settings where you can also choose to display your site title to the left or right of your unique post/page titles using a separator.
This may help build up your domains ranking for the keywords you include in your site title as they’ll be included at the start or end of all your titles.
Read more about creating titles and meta descriptions.
Home Page Title & Meta Description
You can add some text here describing the overall content of your site.
Document Head Settings
Should you install additional plugins which already include these settings built into the Genesis theme framework?
Robots Meta Settings
Here you can no archive your archive pages.
Archive Settings
Great for use when you break up long posts into multiple pages using the page break or more tag.
Genesis Theme SEO Settings
These settings are added below all posts and pages.
- Custom Document Title
- Custom Post/Page Meta Description
- Custom Post/Page Meta Keywords, comma separated
- Custom Canonical URI
- Custom Redirect URI
- Robots Meta Settings
- Custom Tracking/Conversion Code
Genesis SEO Settings Vs WordPress SEO by Yoast
If you have Yoast’s SEO plugin installed or are considering installing it, you’ll already know or find out about the theme SEO settings added to each page and post.
These settings are similar to the Genesis theme SEO settings however they also include what i call on page or theme SEO settings similar to what the Copybloggers Scribe SEO plugin includes.
The on page or theme SEO settings included in Yoast’s SEO plugin enable you to complete on page SEO without the need to use a plugin like Scribe.
But are these on page, theme SEO settings included in Yoast’s plugin better than what Scribe provides?
Only you can be the judge of that.
Which Way To Go
Personally, i think Yoast’s plugin is the best all in one solution if your theme doesn’t already include SEO settings.
As you would most likely be aware, most themes now include SEO settings.
Questions To Ask Yourself
- Do you need or use Yoast’s on page SEO settings?
- Is Scribe’s SEO service better than Yoast’s on page, theme SEO settings?
- Do you use other plugins which may conflict and/or cause duplication with Yoast’s or the Genesis SEO settings and features?
Why I Now Use Genesis SEO Settings
I used the SEO Data Transporter plugin to Convert WordPress SEO Settings To Genesis SEO and then deleted Yoast’s SEO plugin.
The reasons for this are as follows:
- Google Web Master Tools displayed hundreds of url errors which i have been told where caused by the sitemap.
- There are also posts written about sitemap errors experienced when using Yoasts sitemap which i read about on the forum and other blogs about WordPress.
- Jetpack includes meta tags which can duplicate what Yoast’s plugin was also adding so i had to make a choice.
- Over the last 2 years, i have found the support better at StudioPress than Yoast’s forum on WordPress.org probably because its a premium product compared to a free plugin. Another valid reason in defence of Yoast is the fact its a free plugin with over 10 million users so impossible for him to support every user for free.
- StudioPress tend to work in well with the WordPress core on an ongoing basis.
My Opinion on SEO
The reason i wrote this post is because i believe far too many bloggers focus on SEO and search engine traffic. My suggestion to bloggers is to focus on the real needs, challenges, frustrations and goals of your readers and the people in your niche.
With all the Yoast SEO/Genesis SEO conflict recently, do you still recommend Genesis SEO instead of Yoast SEO?
Thanks,
RObin
Genesis includes support for Yoast built inside 3 files https://wpsites.net/seo/yoast-seo-support-for-genesis/
Yoast SEO includes features you may find help increase your search rankings.
You could install the plugin and see whether it increases your rankings over a 1 month or longer period, if not, you can remove it.
When i tested Yoast, it didn’t seem to make any difference however that ay not be the case for others.
Does any one know if Genesis SEO eliminates the need create a site map because I tried to use a sitemap plug in and it did not seem to work.
Thanks!
i don’t think it effects a sitemap
Hi Brad, I need some major help! I’m so new to WordPress. I have Genesis and I used to be able to see on Google my blog name as the first website. It was just yesterday when I was able to see it in #1. I’m not sure if I have touched something today, but NOW it shows up in the second page in the last link. What did I do? How could I fix this?
I don’t know. what did you do?
Another thing to consider against using Yoast is the fact that his on-page seo recommendations are outdated. Does anyone think targeted a 1% to 2% exact match keyword density is good advice in 2014? But that is still what Yoast’s plugin recommends. Hardly wise to do that now.
Good point.
Thanks for the feedback Carmela.
Hi there, Recently I got Genesis theme , I’m bit confused which between Genesis SEO or Yoast SEO . Which one should I use ? Need your guidance
Thanks is advance
I think the Genesis SEO is sufficient and thats what i use.
Hi Brad, I am building my site using the Genesis Framework and a compatible theme. I am glad I saw this post because I spent most of today trying to decide whether or not to stay with the Genesis SEO settings or install the Yoast WordPress SEO plugin. You are right in that the Yoast plugin does duplicate much of what can already be done in the Genesis SEO settings within WordPress. In relation to the XML Sitemap issue I was thinking of not enabling this feature, and using the Google XML Sitemap plugin instead. I also like the Scribe Content Marketing platform, which I currently use as a desktop application…. it has always produced good results for me in the past…. especially within relation to blog posts I write on other sites. Choosing plugins is a time consuming process… but you have got me thinking now. Great post and good timing. 🙂
Hello Brad,
When you write “I used the SEO Data Transporter plugin to Convert WordPress SEO Settings To Genesis SEO and then deleted Yoast’s SEO plugin.”
are you saying to load the Yoast plugin first, then run the “Convert WP SEO Settings to Genesis SEO” plugin, then delete both of these plugins?
What is the advantage of this approach, rather than use the Genesis built in SEO in the first place? Is it to capture features of the Yoast plugin, such as on page or theme SEO settings, that the Genesis SEO doesn’t have?
Thanks.
I would test this first locally to make sure you get it right first before you try it on a live site.
Personally, i don’t think there is any advantage using a SEO plugin as what works now may not work in the future.
Brad, Here’s the most recent update for Yoast’s premium version of the WordPress SEO and support:
Looks pretty pricy to me…single site $89, 5 sites $169, 20 sites, $329.
I’m thinking Genesis SEO + Google Sitemaps is looking pretty good.
Thanks for the update Jeff.
I think time will tell how good the support is and if it offers enough value to people that’s worth paying for.
I know the StudioPress package offers enormous value, only time will tell if Yoast’s premium SEO plugin does as well.
Brad: I’ve been a Yoast WordPress SEO user for some time now. I am interested by this post and your decision to move away from Yoast and back to native Genesis SEO. Thanks for the perspective. By the way, how recent is this post? Curious if Yoast may have addressed some of the “flaws” you mention.
Hi Jeff
I think its a great all in one SEO plugin however the support is very poor because of the volume of users making it impossible to support properly.
I know Yoast is considering a premium version which i believe will be very well supported if that happens.
Not sure if the issues have been fixed but i do know they don’t effect everyone and its still been hugely popular.
A real review includes the Pro’s and Con’s and there’s many Pro’s for this plugin as well.