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WordPress SEO is the process of optimizing a website built on WordPress to rank higher in search results and get more organic traffic from searches.
Whether you are a Nigerian business owner wondering why your website is not ranking high and getting organic traffic, or a WordPress website developer who wants to design websites that are optimized to get organic traffic.
Then this article is for you. I am going to explain each of the tactics above, so you can optimize any WordPress website for searches.
Steps to Perfect WordPress SEO Optimization
Below are the crucial process to optimize your wordpress website for SEO
1. Hosting your website properly
Your hosting provider can impact your website’s search performance, no one wants to visit a website that loads slowly or is down, hence search engines and AI chatbots don’t recommend websites like that.
Hence, you should use a reliable hosting providers in Nigeria or West Africa, like:
- Host Africa
- Smartweb Nigeria
Ensure they offer your website features like SSL certificates, regular backups, and 24/7 support. Poor hosting can be painful and stressful. Avoid this stress.
2. Installing the right theme and plugin
Most WordPress websites are built on a theme; hence, picking a WordPress seo friendly theme will make your other SEO efforts seamless.
You should consider factors like fast loading, SEO plugin compatibility, clean code structure, and responsive design.
Use any of these WordPress SEO-friendly themes for your Nigerian website:
- Astra (Free & Paid)
- Hello Elementor
- OceanWP
- Generatepress
- Kadence (Free & Paid)
After installing your theme, install and activate a wordpress seo optimization plugin.
- Yoast
- RankMath
- All in One SEO
With any one of these plugins, you will be able to implement the ideas I am sharing with you below.
3. Optimizing your URL structure
Start by configuring permalink structures for better readability and indexing. Follow these steps.
- On your WordPress Dashboard, scroll down to settings and hover over it.
- Now, click on the permalink
- On this page, click “Post name”, and save changes below.
Avoid having unnecessary numbers on your URL, except when they buttress the content of the page.
Ensure your URLs always follow a clear hierarchy when needed, like: mysite.com.ng/blog/SEO-tips.
Ensure you group your blog posts under categories; this makes it easy for your website visitors to find the right content and for search engines to understand your website better.
Your URLs should be as short as possible and be descriptive. This means incorporating the primary keyword in a way that aligns with user search intent.
4. Securing your website
If your hosting or domain name provider didn’t provide your domain with an SSL certificate, you can use a plugin like Really Simple Security to set up the security of your website in just a few steps.
5. Submitting your website to Google Search Console and Bing Webmasters
If you use WordPress SEO optimization plugins like RankMath and AIOSEO, they will help you easily verify your Nigerian website on Google and even create and submit your sitemaps.
After verifying your website on Google, you should do 2 things;
- Visit Google Search Console and ensure your sitemaps have been properly submitted.
- Head on to Bing Webmasters and verify your website there also; all you need to do is import your data from Google Search Console.
6. Set up your WordPress SEO optimization plugin
The process of setting up the various SEO plugins is quite similar. Ensure you do the following:
- Verify your website on Google if you haven’t done so, then enable and submit your sitemap.
- Configure your Titles and Meta, use dynamic variables like %title% | %sitename%, then
- Add schema markups
- Fill in the right details of your business at places where they are required.
This is just an overview; each of these SEO plugins would have its peculiarities in the setup process, but stick to SEO fundamentals.
7. Conducting Keyword Research
You need to target the right keywords Nigerians are searching the internet with, which will ensure your webpages rank higher.
Use tools like;
- Ahrefs
- SEMrush
- Ubersuggest
- Google Keyword Planner
- Google trends
To discover the right keywords. Now, start to pair keywords with similar search intent together while you avoid keywords with higher search difficulty.
It is important you focus on long-tail keywords with a decent amount of organic traffic, as they usually have low search difficulty.
You can start by analyzing local search trends using Google Trends, focusing on Nigeria-specific data.
Put in your seed keyword in the search box, and analyze the data it spits out.
Pay attention to related queries and rising search terms that might indicate new opportunities.
Now, head on to tools like Ubersuggest or Ahrefs to get more keywords, ensure you save all of them in a spreadsheet, and don’t forget to incorporate Nigerian English variations into your keyword research.
For example, Nigerians might search for “POS business” instead of “payment processing,” or “tokunbo cars” rather than “used cars.”.
Finally, use tools like AnswerThePublic to discover question-based keywords common in Nigerian searches.
Nigerians frequently use mobile voice search, leading to more conversational, question-based queries like “where can I buy quality shoes in Kano?” or “how much does web design cost in Nigeria?”.
You will target these keywords in the FAQ section of your pages or articles.
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8. Optimize your Meta title and description
For each of your webpages, include a compelling title tag that includes your primary keyword while staying under 60 characters. For Nigerian businesses, include location-specific terms when relevant. A title like “Best Web Design Services in Lagos | Your Company Name” clearly communicates both service and location.
The meta descriptions on the page should be concise, compelling summaries of your page content, while they incorporate relevant keywords naturally. Keep descriptions under 160 characters and include a clear call-to-action that encourages clicks from search results.
9. Optimizing Heading Tags on your website properly
Ensure webpages and blog posts are all well-structured by using proper header tags (H1, H2, H3) to create a logical hierarchy.
Your H1 tag should contain your primary keyword and indicate the page’s topic, while other headers should organize the information and incorporate related keywords naturally.
10. Internal Linking webpages properly
Now, interlink the various pages on your WordPress website strategically page authority and helping search engines understand your content structure.
From 1 blog post, you can link to related blog posts, service pages, and important business information using descriptive anchor text.
For Nigerian businesses, create topic clusters around services or locations to boost local search visibility (this is referred to as Local SEO)
11. Adding Alt Text to Images
Optimize images on your WordPress website by using descriptive, keyword-rich alt text and appropriate file names.
You should also compress the images to reduce loading times, which is crucial for Nigerian users due to slower internet connections.
Tools like TinyPNG or WordPress plugins like Smush can automatically optimize images without quality loss.
12. Leveraging Schema Markup for your website
Implement schema markup on your webpages so you provide search engines with structured data about your content.
You can use Rank Math or Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP
For adding schema.
For your Nigerian business, use the local business schema because it is particularly valuable, and provide search engines with information about business hours, location, contact details, and services.
13. Optimizing your website for Mobile searches
Mobile responsiveness is non-negotiable in Nigeria’s mobile-first environment.
Use the WordPress SEO friendly themes I list above and test your sites across various devices and screen sizes.
Mobile-Friendly Test tool helps identify and resolve mobile usability issues that could harm your search rankings.
14. Ensuring Your Website Loads Fast
Optimizing your WordPress website to load fast will directly impact both your website visitor’s experience and search rankings.
Nigerian internet users often experience slower connection speeds, making fast-loading websites crucial for retaining visitors.
Implement caching solutions like W3 Total Cache or WP Rocket to reduce server response times and improve page loading speeds.
Use a CDN like cloudflare for your website if it is not hosted with a server in West Africa.
15. Creating Quality Optimized Content
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Creating content that ranks well for Nigerian audiences requires balancing SEO optimization with local relevance.
1 hack that works well with most wordpress websites I have worked with is creating comprehensive, problem-solving content between 1,500-3,000 words for important topics, and structure them as pillar posts while supporting articles will link back to it.
You also incorporate Nigerian English naturally with terms like “ginger” (encourage) or “hammer” (money).
It improves relatability and captures unique search queries.
Structure content with short paragraphs and clear subheadings for mobile users who represent 80% of Nigerian traffic.
Develop location-specific content for regional differences and build content calendars around Nigerian holidays and cultural events for higher engagement.
Include FAQ sections addressing Nigerian-specific questions like “How much does business registration cost in Nigeria?” to capture featured snippet opportunities.
The WordPress SEO Summary is as follows:
- Hosting your website properly
- Installing one of the right WordPress SEO friendly themes and wordpress seo optimization plugin
- Optimizing your URL structure. (Configuring permalink structures).
- Ensuring your WordPress website is secured.
- Submitting your website to Google Search Console and Bing Webmasters.
- Setting up your SEO plugin
- Conducting effective keyword research
- Optimizing your webpages’ Meta Titles and Descriptions
- Optimizing Heading Tags on your website properly
- Internal Linking webpages properly
- Adding Alt Text to Images
- Leveraging Schema Markup for your website
- Optimizing your website for Mobile searches
- Ensuring Your Website Loads Fast
- Creating Quality Optimized Content
Best WordPress SEO Strategies – Conclusion
Getting consistent organic traffic to your WordPress website in Nigeria requires combining proven SEO strategies with an understanding of local search behavior.
Whether you’re a business owner looking to attract more customers online or a web developer serving Nigerian clients, success comes from implementing these targeted optimization techniques consistently.
The strategies in this WordPress SEO guide provide a clear roadmap for increasing your website’s visibility in Nigerian search results.
SEO is an ongoing investment that builds momentum over time.
While you may not see immediate results, consistent application of these techniques will gradually increase your organic traffic and bring more potential customers to your business.
Monitor your progress monthly and adjust your approach based on what’s working for your specific market.
Start with the basics, optimize your site speed, create quality content around topics your Nigerian customers search for, and ensure your website works perfectly on mobile devices.
These fundamental improvements alone can significantly increase your organic traffic and help your business compete effectively in Nigeria’s growing digital marketplace.
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