PluginProbe
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI / 28.5
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI v28.5
28.5 28.4 28.3 28.2 28.1 28.0 27.9 27.8 27.7 27.6 27.5 trunk 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.4.1 18.5 18.5.1 18.6 18.7 18.8 18.9 19.0 All 129 releases
← All changes | readme.txt +151 -155 28.0 → 28.5 View file →
@@ -3,84 +3,95 @@
3 3 Donate link: https://yoa.st/1up
4 4 License: GPLv3
5 5 License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html
6 6 Tags: SEO, XML sitemap, Content analysis, Readability, Schema
7 -Tested up to: 7.0
8 -Stable tag: 28.0
7 +Tested up to: 7.1
8 +Stable tag: 28.5
9 9 Requires PHP: 7.4
10 10
11 -Improve your SEO with real-time feedback, schema, and clear guidance. Upgrade for AI tools, Google Docs integration, and 24/7 support, no hidden fees.
11 +Real-time SEO guidance, schema, and AI built in. Help search engines and AI systems understand your content. All AI tools included, no hidden fees.
12 12
13 13 == Description ==
14 14
15 -## Yoast SEO: The #1 WordPress SEO Plugin
15 +## Yoast SEO: the #1 WordPress SEO plugin
16 16
17 -Since 2008, **Yoast SEO** has helped millions of websites worldwide improve their visibility and SEO performance.
18 -Our mission is **SEO for Everyone** — from small local businesses to some of the most visited sites on the web.
17 +Since 2008, Yoast SEO has helped site owners get their content found. More than 10 million websites now run it, from small local businesses to some of the most visited sites on the web.
19 18
20 -Yoast SEO gives you everything you need to manage your on-site SEO effectively.
21 -The [Yoast SEO Premium](https://yoa.st/1v8) plugin and its extensions unlock even more advanced and AI-powered tools.
19 +Our mission is SEO for everyone. You should not need a specialist, a big budget, or a technical background to give your content a fair chance of being discovered.
22 20
21 +Yoast SEO gives you everything you need to manage your on-site SEO. The [Yoast SEO Premium](https://yoa.st/1v8) plugin and its extensions unlock more advanced and AI-powered tools.
22 +
23 23 ---
24 24
25 -### Handing you the competitive edge
25 +### Ready for search, and ready for AI
26 +People no longer only type queries into Google. They ask AI assistants, and those answers are built from content the AI has crawled, understood, and trusted. Yoast SEO helps you prepare for both.
26 27
27 -SEO is the most consistent and cost-effective source of website traffic — but it can be complex. Whether you're just starting out or an advanced user, Yoast SEO helps you handle SEO confidently and efficiently.
28 +- **Schema.org structured data**, so search engines and AI systems can understand what your content is actually about. Premium outputs significantly more schema types, including the E-E-A-T signals (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness) that help AI systems understand who you are.
29 +- **Schema aggregation for NLWeb** (Premium), which combines your site's structured data into a single, deduplicated graph, so AI agents get a complete picture of your content in one request. Turn it on with a single toggle.
30 +- **LLMs.txt management**, to guide how large language models interact with your content, including manual control over which pages are included.
31 +- **Bot blocker** (Premium), to control which AI crawlers can use your content for training, including GPTBot, CCBot, and Google-Extended.
32 +- **Abilities API**, so AI tools, dashboards, and automated workflows can read your SEO, readability, and inclusive language scores directly.
28 33
29 -Don't have time to stay on top of AI search and best practices? Keeping Yoast SEO updated means you automatically benefit from ongoing technical improvements, schema updates, and AI advancements — all guided by our signature traffic light approach.
34 +Algorithm changes have been arriving for over 15 years, and Yoast has tracked every one of them. Keeping the plugin updated means you benefit from ongoing technical improvements, schema updates, and AI advancements automatically, all guided by our signature traffic light approach.
30 35
31 -Empower search engines to better understand your website using **Schema.org structured data integration**, and access in-depth content and readability analysis tools that help you create content designed to perform well in search.
36 +---
32 37
38 +### Real-time guidance while you write
39 +
40 +SEO is one of the most consistent and cost-effective sources of website traffic, though it can be complex. Whether you are just starting out or you have done this for years, Yoast SEO tells you what to fix before you publish, not after.
41 +
42 +Red, orange, green. That is the whole idea. You get in-depth content and readability analysis that helps you create content designed to perform well in search, without needing to learn a new discipline first.
43 +
33 44 ---
34 45
35 46 ### Quick and easy setup
36 47
37 -Setting up Yoast SEO is quick and straightforward — no technical background required.
38 -Our step-by-step configuration wizard walks you through essential setup details so Yoast SEO can generate accurate **structured data** that helps search engines understand your site.
48 +Setting up Yoast SEO is quick and straightforward. No technical background required.
39 49
40 -Switching from another SEO plugin like Rank Math or AIOSEO? Migration is seamless.
41 -Import your existing SEO data and settings safely with our built-in import/export tools.
50 +Our step-by-step configuration wizard walks you through the essentials, so Yoast SEO can generate accurate structured data that helps search engines understand your site.
42 51
52 +Switching from another SEO plugin? Migration is seamless. You can import your existing SEO data and settings safely with our built-in import and export tools.
53 +
43 54 ---
44 55
45 -### Content and AI features
56 +### AI tools built into your workflow
46 57
47 -Unlock your content's full potential with Yoast SEO's **advanced content analysis** and **AI-powered tools**.
58 +Yoast's AI tools come with Yoast SEO Premium, and they sit inside the editor you already use. There is no separate AI subscription, no extra login, and no credit top-up to buy. Every suggestion waits for your approval before anything saves.
48 59
49 -**Content optimization features:**
50 -- Detailed **SEO analysis** to guide keyword targeting and site performance.
51 -- **Readability analysis** for clear, engaging, and user-friendly writing.
60 +- **[Yoast AI Generate](https://yoa.st/51c)**: creates five SEO-friendly titles and meta descriptions instantly, with one-click regeneration for more options.
61 +- **Yoast AI Optimize**: suggests improvements to keyphrase placement, including introduction, distribution, and density, with the option to apply or dismiss each edit.
62 +- **Yoast AI Summarize**: generates a quick summary of your post to place anywhere in the block editor, so readers grasp the value fast.
63 +- **Yoast AI Content Planner** (Premium): suggests five site-specific post ideas and builds a structured starter draft the moment you open a new post. Ideas are grounded in your own site, not generic topics, so your team never begins from a blank page.
64 +- **Bulk editor with AI drafts**: review and fix titles, meta descriptions, and focus keyphrases across your whole site from one workspace, with search and status filters and a dedicated view per content type. The bulk editor is free. With Premium, select what needs work and AI drafts the metadata, including social sharing titles and descriptions, for you to approve.
65 +- **All AI tools included**: no extra accounts, no separate credit purchase, no hidden costs.
66 +
67 +---
68 +
69 +### Content analysis and optimization
70 +
71 +- **SEO analysis** to guide your keyword targeting, with up to 5 keyphrases in Premium and support for 20+ languages.
72 +- **Readability analysis** for clear, engaging, user-friendly writing.
73 +- **Inclusive language analysis**, so your content is more considerate and accessible.
52 74 - **SERP previews** for both desktop and mobile results.
53 75 - **HowTo and FAQ blocks** with built-in schema support.
54 76 - **Breadcrumbs block** for improved navigation.
55 -- **Inclusive Language Analysis** to make your content more considerate and accessible.
56 -- **Semrush integration** for keyword research directly in Yoast SEO.
57 -- **Wincher integration** to track keyword performance inside your dashboard.
58 -- **Elementor integration** for seamless optimization within your favorite builder.
77 +- **Semrush integration** for keyword research directly inside Yoast SEO.
78 +- **Wincher integration** to track keyword performance from your dashboard.
79 +- **Elementor integration** for optimization inside your favorite builder.
59 80
60 -**AI features (included in Premium):**
61 -- **[Yoast AI Generate](https://yoa.st/51c)** – Instantly create five SEO-friendly titles and meta descriptions, with one-click regeneration for more options.
62 -- **Yoast AI Optimize** – Improve keyphrase placement (introduction, distribution, density) automatically.
63 -- **Yoast AI Summarize** *(New 2025)* – Generate quick content summaries for briefs or social posts.
64 -- **All AI tools included** – No extra accounts, limits, or hidden costs.
65 -
66 -These tools help you craft optimized, helpful content that resonates with readers and performs strongly across search platforms.
67 -
68 81 ---
69 82
70 -### Taking care of your technical SEO
83 +### Technical SEO, handled for you
71 84
72 -Yoast SEO automatically handles much of your site's technical SEO, freeing you to focus on your content.
85 +Yoast SEO takes care of much of your site's technical SEO automatically, which frees you to focus on your content.
73 86
74 -**Key technical SEO features:**
75 -- Automated **meta tag optimization** right out of the box.
87 +- **Automated meta tag optimization** right out of the box.
76 88 - **Canonical URLs** to prevent duplicate content issues.
77 89 - **Advanced XML sitemaps** for clear site indexing.
78 -- **Best-in-class Schema.org integration** to improve search understanding and appearance.
79 -- Complete **breadcrumb control** for visitors and crawlers.
90 +- **Deep Schema.org integration** to improve how search engines and AI systems understand your site.
91 +- **Complete breadcrumb control** for visitors and crawlers.
80 92 - **Performance improvements** that help reduce load times.
81 -- **Crawl settings** to manage how bots access your site and reduce environmental impact.
82 -- **LLMs.txt management** to guide how large language models interact with your content.
93 +- **Crawl settings** to manage how bots access your site and reduce unnecessary server load.
83 94
84 95 Every update delivers ongoing technical SEO enhancements automatically.
85 96
86 97 ---
@@ -86,98 +97,102 @@
86 97 ---
87 98
88 99 ### Keep your website in perfect shape
89 100
90 -Whether you're a creator, business owner, or developer, Yoast SEO helps maintain your website's SEO health:
101 +Whether you are a creator, a business owner, or a developer, Yoast SEO helps you maintain your site's SEO health:
91 102
92 -- **Cornerstone content tools** to organize and prioritize key pages.
103 +- **Cornerstone content tools** to organize and prioritize your key pages.
93 104 - **Front-end SEO inspector** to view and edit titles, descriptions, and schema live.
94 -- **SEO roles** to delegate plugin access securely across teams.
95 -- **Regular 2-week update cycle** to ensure compatibility with the latest SEO standards and search engine changes.
105 +- **SEO roles** to delegate plugin access securely across your team.
106 +- **Regular 2-week update cycle**, so you stay compatible with the latest SEO standards and search engine changes.
96 107
97 108 ---
98 109
99 110 ### Powerful integrations
100 111
101 -Yoast SEO works seamlessly with popular WordPress tools to enhance your workflow and results:
112 +Yoast SEO works seamlessly with popular WordPress tools:
102 113
103 -- **[Google Site Kit](https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/google-site-kit/):** Access insights from Search Console, Analytics, and PageSpeed directly inside WordPress.
104 -- **[Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-custom-fields/):** Combine with [ACF Content Analysis for Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/acf-content-analysis-for-yoast-seo/) for advanced field optimization.
105 -- **[Elementor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/elementor/):** Use full Yoast SEO functionality inside Elementor's editor.
106 -- **[Algolia](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-search-with-algolia/):** Enhance internal search accuracy and performance.
107 -- **[Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/):** Discover and optimize for high-value keywords.
108 -- **[Wincher](https://wincher.com/):** Track keyword positions and trends in Google Search.
109 -- **[Jetpack](https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/):** Manage SEO and social previews all in one place.
110 -- **[Easy Digital Downloads (EDD)](https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/easy-digital-downloads/):** Improve digital product visibility with integrated schema.
111 -- **[Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/):** Verify your website on Mastodon with Yoast SEO Premium.
112 -- **[WooCommerce](https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce/):** Optimize ecommerce SEO with the dedicated WooCommerce extension.
114 +- **[Google Site Kit](https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/google-site-kit/):** access insights from Search Console, Analytics, and PageSpeed inside WordPress.
115 +- **[Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-custom-fields/):** combine with [ACF Content Analysis for Yoast SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/acf-content-analysis-for-yoast-seo/) for advanced field optimization.
116 +- **[Elementor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/elementor/):** use full Yoast SEO functionality inside Elementor's editor.
117 +- **[Algolia](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-search-with-algolia/):** improve internal search accuracy and performance.
118 +- **[Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/):** discover and optimize for high-value keywords.
119 +- **[Wincher](https://wincher.com/):** track keyword positions and trends in Google Search.
120 +- **[Jetpack](https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/):** manage SEO and social previews in one place.
121 +- **[Easy Digital Downloads (EDD)](https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/easy-digital-downloads/):** improve digital product visibility with integrated schema.
122 +- **[Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/):** verify your website on Mastodon with Yoast SEO Premium.
123 +- **[WooCommerce](https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce/):** optimize ecommerce SEO with the dedicated WooCommerce extension.
113 124
114 125 ---
115 126
116 -## Yoast SEO Premium – AI-powered SEO for WordPress
127 +## Yoast SEO Premium: AI-powered SEO for WordPress
117 128
118 -[Yoast SEO Premium](https://yoa.st/1v8) enhances everything in Yoast SEO with advanced automation, AI tools, and professional support.
119 -Trusted by millions, it helps you optimize efficiently for both traditional and AI-driven search.
129 +[Yoast SEO Premium](https://yoa.st/1v8) builds on everything above with advanced automation, AI tools, and professional support. It helps you optimize efficiently for both traditional search and AI-driven discovery.
120 130
121 -**Tackle your SEO challenges:**
122 -- Keep pace with algorithm and AI search updates.
123 -- Target the right audience effectively.
124 -- Automate redirects, crawl controls, and internal linking.
125 -- Identify orphaned content and improve site structure.
126 -- Get support when you need it.
131 +**What it helps you tackle:**
127 132
133 +- Keeping pace with algorithm changes and AI search.
134 +- Reaching the right audience.
135 +- Automating redirects, crawl controls, and internal linking.
136 +- Finding orphaned content and improving your site structure.
137 +- Getting expert help when you need it.
138 +
128 139 **Premium highlights:**
129 -- AI-generated titles and meta descriptions.
130 -- Smart internal linking suggestions.
131 -- Social previews for Facebook and X.
132 -- **Redirect Manager** with bulk tools and automatic prompts.
133 -- **Bot Blocker** for AI crawlers (GPTBot, CCBot, Google-Extended).
134 -- **IndexNow** integration for fast content updates.
135 -- **Front-end SEO Inspector** for real-time editing.
136 -- **SEO Workouts** to improve orphaned and cornerstone content.
137 -- [**Google Docs add-on**](https://yoa.st/52u) for seamless SEO writing in Docs.
140 +
141 +- **AI-generated titles and meta descriptions**, page by page or in bulk.
142 +- **AI Content Planner**, so you never open a blank page.
143 +- **Smart internal linking suggestions** to strengthen your site structure.
144 +- **Social previews** for Facebook and X.
145 +- **Redirect manager** with bulk tools, CSV import and export, and automatic prompts when you move or delete content.
146 +- **Bot blocker** for AI crawlers, including GPTBot, CCBot, and Google-Extended.
147 +- **Schema aggregation for NLWeb**, plus significantly more schema types than free.
148 +- **IndexNow** integration, so search engines hear about your updates the moment you publish.
149 +- **Front-end SEO inspector** for real-time editing.
150 +- **SEO workouts** for orphaned and cornerstone content.
151 +- **Task list**, unlocked in full, showing what to work on next with priority levels and time estimates.
152 +- **[Google Docs add-on](https://yoa.st/52u)**, so writers can run the full Yoast analysis before content ever reaches WordPress. One seat included.
138 153 - **24/7 premium support** from SEO specialists.
139 154
140 -**Includes at no extra cost:**
141 -- [Yoast Local SEO](https://yoa.st/1uu): Optimize for local audiences and Google Maps.
142 -- [Yoast Video SEO](https://yoa.st/1uw): Ensure Google understands your videos with video sitemaps and schema.
143 -- [Yoast News SEO](https://yoa.st/1uv): Increase visibility in Google News and Top Stories.
155 +**Included at no extra cost:**
144 156
157 +- [Yoast Local SEO](https://yoa.st/1uu): help nearby customers find you, with local schema, a store locator, and opening hours management.
158 +- [Yoast Video SEO](https://yoa.st/1uw): help Google understand your videos, with video sitemaps and schema.
159 +- [Yoast News SEO](https://yoa.st/1uv): help your news content get discovered in Google News and Top Stories.
160 +
145 161 ---
146 162
147 -## Yoast WooCommerce SEO – Advanced SEO for Online Stores
163 +## Yoast WooCommerce SEO: advanced SEO for online stores
148 164
149 -**Yoast WooCommerce SEO** builds on Yoast SEO Premium with ecommerce-specific tools to improve your store's visibility and conversion potential.
165 +Yoast WooCommerce SEO builds on Yoast SEO Premium with ecommerce-specific tools for your store's visibility.
150 166
151 -**Key ecommerce SEO features:**
152 -- **WooCommerce-specific XML sitemap** excluding non-shopping content.
153 -- **Product structured data** for enhanced rich results (price, reviews, availability).
167 +**Key ecommerce features:**
168 +
169 +- **WooCommerce-specific XML sitemap** that excludes non-shopping content.
170 +- **Product structured data** for rich results, including price, reviews, and availability.
154 171 - **Canonical URL management** to prevent duplicates.
155 172 - **Ecommerce-focused content analysis** for GTINs, SKUs, and short descriptions.
156 -- **AI Generate for ecommerce** – Instantly create optimized titles and meta descriptions for product and category pages.
173 +- **AI Generate for ecommerce**: optimized titles and meta descriptions for product and category pages, at page level or drafted in bulk for products and categories.
157 174
158 -**Benefits:**
159 -- Improve product visibility with automated structured data.
160 -- Enhance crawl efficiency for large catalogs.
161 -- Save time through metadata templates and automation.
162 -- Increase engagement with AI-optimized ecommerce metadata.
175 +**What that gets you:**
163 176
177 +- Better product visibility through automated structured data.
178 +- More efficient crawling for large catalogs.
179 +- Time saved through metadata templates and automation.
180 +- Metadata across your whole catalog without editing rows one at a time.
181 +
164 182 Built for WooCommerce, trusted by thousands of online stores worldwide.
165 183
166 184 ---
167 185
168 -## For Developers
186 +## For developers
169 187
170 188 Yoast SEO is built with developers in mind. With modern APIs, hooks, and a unified indexables system, you can extend or integrate SEO functionality across custom themes, plugins, or headless setups.
171 189
172 190 ### REST API
173 -Retrieve SEO metadata for any post or URL, including meta tags, Open Graph, Twitter Cards, and Schema.org data.
174 -[Learn more about the REST API](https://yoa.st/53l).
191 +Retrieve SEO metadata for any post or URL, including meta tags, Open Graph, Twitter Cards, and Schema.org data. [Learn more about the REST API](https://yoa.st/53l).
175 192
176 193 ### Surfaces API
177 -Access SEO data directly in code via `YoastSEO()->meta->for_current_page()`.
178 -Supports titles, descriptions, canonicals, and schema.
179 -[Read the Surfaces API documentation](https://yoa.st/53m).
194 +Access SEO data directly in code via `YoastSEO()->meta->for_current_page()`. Supports titles, descriptions, canonicals, and schema. [Read the Surfaces API documentation](https://yoa.st/53m).
180 195
181 196 ### Metadata API
182 197 Use the [Metadata API](https://yoa.st/53n) to filter, override, or extend meta tags with WordPress hooks such as `wpseo_title`, `wpseo_metadesc`, and `wpseo_canonical`.
183 198
@@ -183,12 +198,14 @@
183 198
184 199 ### Schema API
185 200 The [Schema API](https://yoa.st/53o) lets you modify or extend Schema.org graph pieces, including Article, Organization, Person, Breadcrumb, and WebPage entities.
186 201
187 -### Block Editor compatibility
188 -Yoast SEO integrates directly with the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg).
189 -It outputs schema for HowTo and FAQ blocks by default, and developers can extend schema for custom blocks.
202 +### Abilities API integration
203 +Let AI tools, dashboards, and automated workflows read Yoast SEO data programmatically, including SEO, readability, and inclusive language scores for recent posts.
190 204
205 +### Block editor compatibility
206 +Yoast SEO integrates directly with the WordPress block editor. It outputs schema for HowTo and FAQ blocks by default, and you can extend schema for custom blocks.
207 +
191 208 ### Indexables
192 209 At the core of Yoast SEO lies the [indexables system](https://yoa.st/53q), unifying all SEO data for faster queries and consistent metadata across outputs.
193 210
194 211 ---
@@ -194,50 +211,37 @@
194 211 ---
195 212
196 213 ## Ongoing support and education
197 214
198 -Yoast is powered by expert developers, testers, and SEO specialists who keep improving the plugin.
199 -We're committed to helping users grow their SEO skills with resources such as:
215 +Yoast is powered by expert developers, testers, and SEO specialists who keep improving the plugin. We are committed to helping you grow your SEO skills:
200 216
201 -- [Yoast SEO Academy](https://yoa.st/3ri): Free and premium SEO courses (included in all paid plans).
217 +- [Yoast SEO Academy](https://yoa.st/3ri): free and premium SEO courses, included in all paid plans.
202 218 - [Yoast SEO blog](https://yoast.com/seo-blog/), newsletter, and webinars.
203 219 - [Yoast SEO Update podcast](https://yoa.st/53i) for the latest SEO insights.
204 -- [Bug reports on GitHub](https://github.com/Yoast/wordpress-seo) (for issue tracking, not support).
220 +- [Bug reports on GitHub](https://github.com/Yoast/wordpress-seo), for issue tracking rather than support.
205 221
206 -**Yoast SEO** — built to make search optimization accessible, reliable, and ready for the future of AI search.
222 +Yoast SEO: built to make search optimization accessible, reliable, and ready for the future of AI search.
207 223
208 224 == Installation ==
209 -Starting with Yoast SEO consists of just two steps: installing and setting up the plugin. Yoast SEO is designed to work with your site’s specific needs, so don’t forget to go through the Yoast SEO first-time configuration as explained in the ‘after activation’ step! For the most up-to-date guidance on how to install Yoast SEO products, [please visit our help center](https://yoast.com/help/yoast-installation-manuals/#h-yoast-seo-and-yoast-seo-premium-for-wordpress).
225 +Starting with Yoast SEO consists of just two steps: installing and setting up the plugin. Yoast SEO is designed to work with your site's specific needs, so do not forget to go through the Yoast SEO first-time configuration as explained in the 'after activation' step. For the most up-to-date guidance on how to install Yoast SEO products, [please visit our help center](https://yoast.com/help/yoast-installation-manuals/#h-yoast-seo-and-yoast-seo-premium-for-wordpress).
210 226
211 227 == Frequently Asked Questions ==
212 228
213 -= How do the XML Sitemaps in the Yoast SEO plugin work? =
229 += Is Yoast SEO ready for AI search? =
214 230
215 -Having an XML sitemap can be beneficial for SEO, as Google can retrieve essential pages of a website very fast, even if the internal linking of a site isn’t flawless.
216 -The sitemap index and individual sitemaps are updated automatically as you add or remove content and will include the post types you want search engines to index. Post Types marked as noindex will not appear in the sitemap. [Learn more about XML Sitemaps](https://yoa.st/3qt).
231 +Yes. Yoast SEO helps you prepare for discovery in AI-driven search as well as traditional search results. Schema.org structured data helps AI systems understand what your content is about, schema aggregation gives AI agents a complete picture of your site in one request, LLMs.txt management lets you guide how large language models interact with your content, and the bot blocker in Premium lets you control which AI crawlers can use your content for training. Nobody can guarantee that an AI assistant will mention your site, however you can make sure it understands your content correctly.
217 232
218 -= How can I add my website to Google Search Console? =
233 += How do the XML sitemaps in the Yoast SEO plugin work? =
219 234
220 -It is straightforward to add your website to Google Search Console.
221 -1. Create a Google Search Console account and login into your account.
222 -2. Click ‘Add a property’ under the search drop-down.
223 -3. Enter your website URL in the box and click ‘Continue’.
224 -4. Click the arrow next to ‘HTML tag’ to expand the option.
225 -5. Copy the meta tag.
226 -6. Log in to your WordPress website.
227 -7. Click on ‘SEO’ in the dashboard.
228 -8. Click on ‘General’.
229 -9. Click on the ‘Webmaster Tools’ tab.
230 -10. Paste the code in the Google field and click ‘Save Changes’.
231 -11. Go back to Google Search Console and click ‘Verify’.
235 +Having an XML sitemap can be beneficial for SEO, as Google can retrieve essential pages of a website very fast, even if the internal linking of a site is not flawless.
236 +The sitemap index and individual sitemaps are updated automatically as you add or remove content, and will include the post types you want search engines to index. Post types marked as noindex will not appear in the sitemap. [Learn more about XML sitemaps](https://yoa.st/3qt).
232 237
233 -If you want more details steps, please visit [our article on our help center](https://yoa.st/3qu).
234 238
235 239 = How do I implement Yoast SEO breadcrumbs? =
236 240
237 -The steps below are a temporary solution as manual edits made to theme files may be overwritten with future theme updates. Please contact the theme developer for a permanent solution. We’ve written an article about the [importance of breadcrumbs for SEO](https://yoa.st/3qv).
241 +The steps below are a temporary solution, as manual edits made to theme files may be overwritten with future theme updates. Please contact the theme developer for a permanent solution. We have written an article about the [importance of breadcrumbs for SEO](https://yoa.st/3qv).
238 242
239 -To implement the [breadcrumbs](https://yoa.st/3qw) function in Yoast SEO, you will have to edit your theme. We recommend that prior to any editing of the theme files, a backup is taken. Your host provider can help you take a backup.
243 +To implement the [breadcrumbs](https://yoa.st/3qw) function in Yoast SEO, you will have to edit your theme. We recommend that a backup is taken prior to any editing of the theme files. Your host provider can help you take a backup.
240 244 Copy the following code into your theme where you want the breadcrumbs to be. If you are not sure, you will need to experiment with placement:
241 245
242 246 <code>
243 247 <?php
@@ -246,46 +250,46 @@
246 250 }
247 251 ?>
248 252 </code>
249 253
250 -Common places where you could place your breadcrumbs are inside your `single.php` and/or `page.php` file just above the page’s title. Another option that makes it really easy in some themes is by just pasting the code in `header.php` at the very end.
254 +Common places to put your breadcrumbs are inside your `single.php` or `page.php` file, just above the page's title. Another option that is easy in some themes is pasting the code at the very end of `header.php`.
251 255
252 256 In most non-WooTheme themes, this code snippet should not be added to your `functions.php` file.
253 257 Alternatively, you can manually add the breadcrumb shortcode to individual posts or pages: `[wpseo_breadcrumb]`
254 258
255 -If you need more details or a step by step guide, read our [Implementation guide for Yoast SEO breadcrumbs](https://yoa.st/3qx).
259 +If you need more details or a step-by-step guide, read our [implementation guide for Yoast SEO breadcrumbs](https://yoa.st/3qx).
256 260
257 -= How do I noindex URLS? =
261 += How do I noindex URLs? =
258 262
259 263 Yoast SEO provides multiple options for setting a URL or group of URLs to noindex. [Read more about how to do this in this guide](https://yoa.st/3qy/).
260 264
261 265 = Google shows the wrong description, how do I fix this? =
262 266
263 -If you’ve crafted nice meta descriptions for your blog posts, nothing is more annoying than Google showing another description for your site completely in the search result snippet.
267 +If you have crafted nice meta descriptions for your blog posts, nothing is more annoying than Google showing a completely different description in the search result snippet.
264 268
265 -Possible causes could be:
266 -1. wrong description in code
267 -2. Google cache is outdated
268 -3. Search term manipulation
269 -4. Google ignored the meta description
269 +Possible causes include:
270 +1. the wrong description in your code
271 +2. an outdated Google cache
272 +3. search term manipulation
273 +4. Google ignoring the meta description
270 274
271 275 You can [read more here on how to solve the issue with the wrong description](https://yoa.st/3qz).
272 276
273 277 = How often is Yoast SEO updated? =
274 278
275 -Yoast SEO is updated every two weeks. If you want to know why, please read [this post on why we release every two weeks](https://yoa.st/3q-)!
279 +Yoast SEO is updated every two weeks. If you want to know why, please read [this post on why we release every two weeks](https://yoa.st/3q-).
276 280
277 281 = How do I get support? =
278 282
279 -As our free plugin is used by millions of people worldwide, we cannot offer you all one on one support. If you have trouble with the Yoast SEO for WordPress plugin, you can get help on the support forums here at [wordpress.org](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wordpress-seo/) or by checking out our help center at [yoast.com/help/](https://yoa.st/3r1).
283 +Our free plugin is used by millions of people worldwide, so we cannot offer one-to-one support to everyone. If you have trouble with the Yoast SEO for WordPress plugin, you can get help on the support forums here at [wordpress.org](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wordpress-seo/) or by checking out our help center at [yoast.com/help/](https://yoa.st/3r1).
280 284
281 -The plugins you buy at Yoast are called ‘premium plugins’ (even if Premium isn’t in its name) and include a complete year of free updates and premium support. This means you can contact our support team if you have any questions about that plugin.
285 +The plugins you buy at Yoast are called 'premium plugins' (even if Premium is not in the name) and include a complete year of free updates and premium support. This means you can contact our support team if you have any questions about that plugin.
282 286
283 287 [Read more on how to get support](https://yoa.st/3r2)
284 288
285 289 = What happens to my data if I enable usage tracking? =
286 290
287 -[This page on yoast.com explains what data we collect to improve Yoast SEO](https://yoa.st/4w7). We only collect data when you explicitly opt in. Read more about how we handle your data in [our Privacy Policy](https://yoa.st/4w8).
291 +[This page on yoast.com explains what data we collect to improve Yoast SEO](https://yoa.st/4w7). We only collect data when you explicitly opt in. Read more about how we handle your data in [our privacy policy](https://yoa.st/4w8).
288 292
289 293 = I have a different question than listed here =
290 294
291 295 Your question has most likely been answered on our help center: [yoast.com/help/](https://yoa.st/1va).
@@ -302,43 +306,35 @@
302 306 8. The inclusive language analysis in Yoast SEO.
303 307
304 308 == Changelog ==
305 309
306 -= 28.0 =
310 += 28.5 =
307 311
308 -Release date: 2026-07-06
312 +Release date: 2026-09-15
309 313
310 -Yoast SEO now works smoothly with Elementor's version 4 release. [Read the full release post here](https://yoa.st/578).
314 +Yoast SEO 28.5 brings more enhancements and bugfixes. [Find more information about our software releases and updates here](https://yoa.st/releases).
311 315
312 -#### Enhancements
313 -
314 -* Improves the compatibility with the atomic editor in Elementor V4.
315 -
316 316 #### Bugfixes
317 317
318 -* Fixes a bug where raw `type` and `id` attributes were written on a link instead of `data-type` and `data-id`, when the link was added by selecting a suggestion in the block editor link popover.
318 +* Fixes a bug where the SEO data optimization would loop endlessly when an indexing batch was repeatedly returned without being processed.
319 319
320 320 #### Other
321 321
322 -* Updates the guzzlehttp/guzzle and guzzlehttp/psr7 dependencies to patched releases that address known security advisories.
322 +* Adds a link with more information about social previews to the social appearance sections of the editor.
323 +* Updates the plugin's app URL and logo that are used when initiating the MyYoast connection.
323 324
324 -= 27.9 =
325 += 28.4 =
325 326
326 -Release date: 2026-06-22
327 +Release date: 2026-09-01
327 328
328 -Yoast SEO 27.9 brings more enhancements and bugfixes. [Find more information about our software releases and updates here](https://yoa.st/releases).
329 +Yoast SEO 28.4 makes the Bulk editor easier to access by adding a Bulk edit option to the Posts and Pages sections of the WordPress dashboard. This allows you to quickly access the Bulk editor after selecting the posts or pages you want to optimize. [Read the full release post here](https://yoa.st/57m).
329 330
330 331 #### Enhancements
331 332
332 -* Improves the performance of the content analysis by reusing previously built HTML trees across assessor runs, related-keyphrase passes and research calls instead of rebuilding the tree for each.
333 -* Passes shortcodes to the Insights analysis data for more consistent analysis result across application.
333 +* Adds an option to access the Yoast SEO Bulk editor from the Bulk actions menu in the Posts and Pages sections of the WordPress dashboard.
334 334
335 335 #### Bugfixes
336 336
337 -* Fixes a bug where the recently modified posts were fetched twice when using the Content Planner.
338 -
339 -#### Other
340 -
341 -* Adds the web-server family to the server data collected for opt-in tracking.
337 +* Fixes a bug where the AI generator's tip to write more content was not shown for posts whose content consisted mostly of block markup, because the markup was counted as content.
342 338
343 339 = Earlier versions =
344 340 For the changelog of earlier versions, please refer to [the changelog on yoast.com](https://yoa.st/yoast-seo-changelog).