I use Rank Math exclusively now as our SEO plugin for both ours and our clients websites. Here’s how I use it to get real SEO ranking results.

After working with hundreds of WordPress sites over the past 15 years, I’ve learned what really matters when it comes to SEO plugins. Let me share my hands-on experience with Rank Math and how I use it to achieve significant results for my clients.

Why I Made the Switch to Rank Math

I’ll be honest – I was hesitant to switch from Yoast at first. Having used it for years, I was comfortable with its familiar interface. But after testing Rank Math on a few smaller client sites, I noticed immediate improvements in both usability and results.

One of my first test cases was Principal Pools + Landscapes in Perth. They needed better visibility in local searches and more organic traffic. After implementing Rank Math with my optimised settings, their organic traffic increased by 409%.

Even more importantly, they now rank on the first page for 75% of their target keywords.

Getting Started: My Simple Setup Process

The beauty of Rank Math lies in its straightforward installation process. Here’s exactly how I set it up for my clients:

1. First Steps:
   • Back up the website (I always do this before any major changes)
   • If you’re using another SEO plugin, export your settings first
   • Install Rank Math from the WordPress plugin directory
   • Click ‘Activate’ – it’s that simple
2. Initial Configuration:
   • Run through the setup wizard – it takes about 10 minutes
   • Choose ‘Advanced Mode’ to access all features
   • Add your business information
   • Connect Google Search Console (I’ll explain why this is crucial later)

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Automatically redirect 404 errors on your WordPress site with WP 404 Auto Redirect.

Improve user experience, reduce bounce rates, and retain SEO value by guiding users to relevant pages effortlessly.

Quick setup and fully customizable redirects!

WP 404 Auto Redirect: A Coffee-Fuelled Guide to Saving Lost Visitors

Let me tell you about the day I realized how important 404 redirects really are. I was reviewing Principal Pools + Landscapes’ analytics, thinking everything was perfect. Their traffic had grown 409% – I was feeling pretty good about myself. Then Julie from their office called.

“Pete, we’ve got a problem,” she said. “A customer just called complaining they can’t find our pool design gallery. Says all they get is some error page.” My stomach dropped. Their most valuable content was throwing 404 errors, and I hadn’t even noticed.

The Wake-Up Call

That incident changed how I approach WordPress site management. These days, the WP 404 Auto Redirect plugin is one of my first installations on any client site. Though I have to admit, I learned about its importance the hard way.

Last month, Eddie from Brilliance Carpet Cleaning messaged me in a panic. “Pete, people are calling saying our emergency cleaning page isn’t working!” For a business that relies on urgent service requests, this was a nightmare scenario. Turned out their old emergency services URL was giving 404 errors after a recent site update. You can imagine how quickly I jumped on fixing that one.

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I still remember the day I messed up my first Site Kit installation. It was a Tuesday morning in 2019, and I was sitting at my desk, feeling pretty confident about this new Google plugin everyone was talking about.

Three cups of coffee and several hours of frustration later, I realized I’d forgotten to connect Search Console first. These days, I laugh about it with new clients when I’m setting up their analytics.

Learning the Hard Way

Last month, Tom from One Shade called me in a panic. “Pete, this data can’t be right,” he said, his voice filled with concern. “We’re getting way more calls than this shows.” After a quick look, I spotted the issue – we hadn’t set up phone click tracking. It’s funny how often the simple things trip us up, even after years of experience.

That’s actually what I love about Site Kit – it helps prevent these rookie mistakes I used to make. Though I have to admit, Google’s constant updates still drive me nuts sometimes. Just when I think I’ve got everything figured out, they change something. Last month’s Analytics 4 migration had me reaching for the extra strong coffee.

A Game-Changing Project

My perspective on Site Kit completely changed during a project with Seasons Bali late last year. I was sitting in my home office, trying to figure out how to explain complex analytics to a client who needed simple, clear insights. Their previous analytics setup looked like a mathematical puzzle – multiple tools, conflicting data, and a team that was understandably confused.

“I just want to know if our website is actually working,” Rachael, their director, told me during our first video call. She looked tired of dealing with complicated dashboards and contradicting numbers. That conversation stuck with me because it perfectly summed up what most clients really need – clarity, not complexity.

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