WordPress powers over 40% of websites globally – and why would it not? It is relatively easy to use and has expansive options when it comes to plugins and pre-built themes.
But even though WordPress has been in active development and use for more than 20 years, misconceptions about WordPress SEO are rampant and many site owners are confused about what truly drives rankings.
Because I can’t respond to every single misconception that pops up on X (Twitter) or Reddit, I would like to clear up some of the confusion by busting the more pervasive myths and sharing actionable insights based on my experience.
Whether you’re an old pro or running your first site, I hope you leave with clarity and confidence in your WordPress SEO strategy.
Myth #1: WordPress Is Going Away Or Shutting Down
The Reality: Despite the current public debate about governance, I *assure* you – WordPress isn’t going anywhere.
It remains a robust, community-driven platform with a massive global user base.
WordPress’ open-source nature makes it incredibly flexible and free to use, but open-source also means that discussions about its future direction happen publicly and, sometimes, loudly.
Here’s what you need to know:
WordPress Isn’t Going Away Anytime Soon: The core functionality of WordPress remains stable and widely supported. The infrastructure is backed by millions of contributors, developers, and users.
What If There’s a Fork? Forks happen in open-source projects more often than you might think. Some are a bigger deal than others. If you’ve heard this mentioned and it made you nervous because you don’t really know what it means, please be assured there is no reason for panic. A fork happens when developers create a new version by branching off from the original project. While this sounds dramatic, forks typically prioritize compatibility to retain users. Most plugins will remain compatible in the early stages, and developers often create tools to make transitions seamless.
The Bottom Line: There’s no immediate reason to leave WordPress. Any major changes will take time, and you’ll have plenty of notice. Whether the ecosystem stays unified or forks, your investment in WordPress remains secure.
Focus on what matters: a solid SEO strategy, fast performance, and user-centric content. These fundamentals will serve you well no matter what.
Myth #2: WordPress Is SEO-Friendly By Default
The Reality: WordPress gives you a strong foundation, but it’s not set-it-and-forget-it. Even out of the box, there are configurations to set.
Some SEO needs may require a plugin if your theme doesn’t offer built-in support and you’re not comfortable modifying the code yourself.
Once you’ve got all of the configurations set, and you’ve set up your plugins and configured those, there will still be on-page and content SEO that is done as you’re writing the content.
You can’t install WordPress and then stop thinking about SEO forever.
Permalinks And Metadata: I always update permalinks to create clean, descriptive URLs. Titles, meta descriptions, and alt text for images need to be provided and optimized, too.
Plugins Are Helpful, Not Magical: I use Yoast to handle metadata defaults and sitemaps efficiently, but even the best plugin is only as good as the strategy behind it. Anything can be misconfigured, so make sure you understand the settings you’re being asked to define.
Content Structure Matters: High-quality content and a logical site architecture remain crucial.
Themes Can Make or Break SEO: A poorly coded theme can undo the built-in SEO advantages WordPress provides. Many users choose WordPress for the variety of prebuilt themes, but picking one that supports your SEO efforts is critical. A bad theme can tank your rankings – and that’s not WordPress’s fault.
Myth #3: An SEO Plugin Will Guarantee High Rankings
The Reality: SEO plugins are like a compass – they point the way, but you still have to do the hiking.
Know The Basics: Plugins can’t replace good keyword research or content strategy. Are you targeting keywords just because they have high search volume, or because they’re terms your users are actually searching for? Most sites make money on conversions, not raw traffic, so attracting the right traffic is essential.
Answer User Questions: Do you know what questions your users are asking? Is your content helping them make decisions, use your product, or solve their problems? If not, your content strategy needs work – and that’s not WordPress’s fault.
Use Suggestions Wisely: Just because a plugin gives you a green light doesn’t mean your content will automatically rank. Think of the green light as a progress indicator, not a guarantee of success. I use these recommendations as helpful guidelines, but they don’t replace solid market research or a content strategy tailored to your audience. Without that foundation, you could end up with a grammatically correct, SEO-optimized article about a topic no one cares about – or one that blends into an already saturated space. That’s not the plugin’s fault; it’s a reminder that SEO tools support your efforts but can’t create demand or originality for you.
Ultimately, there’s no magic SEO bullet – not in plugins, not in content management systems, and certainly not in shortcuts.
Myth #4: Performance And Speed Don’t Matter That Much
The Reality: Core Web Vitals are an indication of performance, and page speed itself significantly affects user experience and the ability of bots and crawlers to access your site.