How to Fix Duplicate Title Tags in WordPress

Duplicate title tags can be a common issue faced by WordPress website owners. In this blog post, we will explore how to fix duplicate title tags in WordPress. Before diving into it, we will first see what duplicate title tags are and why they are bad for SEO?

Understanding Duplicate Title Tags

Duplicate title tags occur when multiple pages on your website have the same title tag. A title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. It appears as the clickable headline in search engine results. Having duplicate title tags can confuse search engines and impact your website’s ranking.

The Impact of Duplicate Title Tags on SEO

Duplicate title tags can have several negative effects on your website’s SEO. Firstly, search engines may struggle to determine which page is the most relevant for a particular search query, resulting in lower rankings.

Secondly, duplicate title tags can lead to a poor user experience, as users may find it difficult to differentiate between similar pages. Lastly, it can hinder the indexing of your website, making it harder for search engines to crawl and understand your content.

Fixing Duplicate Title Tags with Yoast SEO Plugin

Yoast SEO is a powerful plugin for WordPress that helps optimize your website for search engines. It offers various features to improve your website’s SEO, including the ability to fix duplicate title tags. We will use this plugin to guide you how to fix duplicate title tags in WordPress.

Setting Up Yoast SEO

Installation and Activation

To begin, you need to install the Yoast SEO plugin:

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Click on ‘Plugins’ > ‘Add New’.
3. Search for ‘Yoast SEO’.
4. Click ‘Install Now’ on the plugin.
5. After installation, activate the plugin.

Configuration Wizard

After activation, Yoast SEO will prompt you to run the configuration wizard:

1. Click on the ‘Yoast SEO’ icon on the dashboard.
2. Select ‘General’.
3. Click on ‘Open the configuration wizard’.
4. Follow the steps to configure your website’s basic SEO settings.

Using On-Page SEO to Fix Duplicate Title Tags

Yoast SEO helps you to add unique title tags for each page, ensuring your website stands out in search results.

Edit an Individual Page or Post

1. Edit the page or post where you want to fix the duplicate title tag.
2. Scroll down to the ‘Yoast SEO’ meta box below the post editor.

Set the SEO Title

1. Click on ‘Edit snippet’.
2. Enter a unique, descriptive SEO title that includes your focus keyword.
3. The plugin will provide a preview of how your title will appear in search results.

Focus Keyword Analysis

1. In the ‘Focus keyphrase’ section, input your keyword.
2. When you will enter a focus keyword, it will analyze your content and provides suggestions on how to optimize it for better search engine visibility.

Optimize Content

1. Follow the recommendations provided by Yoast SEO for using the focus keyword appropriately in your content, titles, and meta descriptions.
2. Use the insights for improving the SEO score of your page or post.

Review SEO & Readability Scores

1. Check the SEO and readability scores provided by Yoast SEO.
2. Aim for a green indicator which signifies good optimization.

Update the Page or Post

Once you are satisfied with the changes,

1. Click ‘Update’ to save the optimized title and content of your page or post.
2. Repeat this process for all content with duplicate tags.

Conclusion

Prevent the SEO challenges associated with duplicate title tags by implementing the above steps with the Yoast SEO plugin. Ensure that each page and post features a unique title that reflects the content and includes your specific focus keyword. Regular monitoring and optimization will lead to better rankings and improved visibility for your website on search engines.