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.