This is how to install and setup Squirrly SEO for WordPress sites in easy to follow phases. Also, it’s a part of my WordPress Search Optimization & “WordPress Plugins” categories. Also, it’s referenced in my “Rebuild Website Guide“, “Blog Post Checklist for SEO“, “My WP Plugin List” posts. Keep reading to see settings and features I use. Also, see my review near the end.
Phase 1. Install Squirrly SEO Plugin & Activate
After you’ve performed a full site backup, you can install and activate the Squirrly SEO plugin like any other plugin. I use the paid plugin version. See their WordPress SEO Pricing page. Also, here’s the free Squirrly SEO plugin location.
Phase 2. Follow Squirrly SEO Setup Wizard Steps
For ease and speed, I follow the setup wizard in “Expert” mode until this initial setup phase is done. In Expert mode, more settings and options will appear and all are mentioned here.
Enter SEO EXPERT Mode
- In upper right corner, tap <SEO Expert> to reveal more settings during the Wizard’s Initial Configuration steps. Then, proceed to start the wizard steps.
Step 1: SEO Automation
Select all items except for the following changes.
- Extra Options: unselect “E-commerce” and select “Personal Brand Rich Snippets”. I don’t use the other 2 options.
- Tap to <Save & Continue>.
Step 2: Add a Page
All my site’s posts and pages are available for choosing a few to be designated as “Focus Pages” (for later seeing more advanced SEO details of them). If I have a site that doesn’t have much yet, I can skip this and go to the next step of this phase. Below is an example if I have some content published.
- Change heading filters to be “Post” and “Publish”.
- Then, for posts needing detailed SEO info later, tap “Set Focus Page” on each. Note: there’s a license limit per site for Focus page quantities.
- Tap to <Save & Continue>.
Step 3: Complete SEO Info
- Populate “Social Media” URLs
- Populate “Rich Snippets: JSON-LD Schema”. The Personal Brand/Author logo should be your personal brand or your picture. I name mine “jeff baygents seo image.jpg”. You can also populate the Business section as well with SEO named site logos, etc.
- Tap to <Save & Continue>.
Step 4: Your Site’s Topic
- Populate VERY briefly (2-3 words) what this site is about with no expanded details, e.g., cleaning services, food recipes, website development, etc.
- Tap to <Save & Continue>.
Step 5: Post Wizard Steps
- Initial basic wizard setup is done! Watch introductory training video. This plugin usage requires this video’s knowledge.
- Proceed to manual steps as described here next.
- Go to Squirrly SEO menu “HOME” and ensure you’re still in “Expert” mode.
- Tap to install “Advanced Pack” (free).
- After that, know that you can always return to its HOME menu to select the free training by tapping <I’m Ready to Start the Journey to Better Ranking>.
- Also, you can see the company’s training videos on tons of their features and functions. I recommend you subscribe to it at: Get Growth TV – by Squirrly: AISQ – YouTube
Phase 3. Apply ALL FEATURES Final Settings Manually
- From “Squirrly SEO”, go to “All Features”. I proceed with the following steps for each section.
Section 1. Main Features (heading of All Features)
- no changes
Section 2. Assistants Features
- no changes
Section 3. Import Features
- no changes
Section 4. Integration Features
- Google Search Console: activate
- Note: Webmaster Tools will later allow you to apply Google, Bing, & Yandex connections as desired. This is an important SEO item for expanding indexing.
- AMP Support: deactivate
Section 5. Keywords Features
- no changes
Section 6. Links Features
- SEO Links: activate
- 404 URLs Redirects:
- Can’t deactivate (use a plugin already for this) but, tap to see the feature. Then, scroll down to disable 404 redirects.
Section 7. Metas Features
- no changes
Section 8. Miscellaneous Features
Features can be setup now or later.
- Redirects: deactivate (I use a redirects plugin)
- No Category Base: activate (then, for any changed URLs, apply changes site-wide, add redirection plugin rules, & update their URL history file).
- Favicon Site Icon: activate
- Then, for “Favicon Site Icon”, tap “start feature setup”. During this process, also select the option to create Apple related icons. Then, upload the same site’s icon (used by theme “Site Identity”) but name it “my site seo icon.png” file that’s 512×512 px. Apply descriptive text to be “my site seo icon png”. INFO: For this SEO icon procedure, it will upload it into a separate SquirrlySEO folder so the image won’t “collide” with the one shown in Media Library already in use by the theme. It will create multiple sized icons to be used for Apple sources.
Section 9. Social Media Features
- no change
Section 10 Unique SEO Features
- no changes
Phase 4. Backup Squirrly SEO Settings
Go to “Technical SEO | Import & Data | Backup Settings & SEO”. Tap each section referenced here to backup each one, even if not using function.
- Backup Settings
- Backup SEO
- Backup Briefcase
- Backup Redirects
- Backup Schemas
You’re now ready to improve each post and other items for stable and improved SEO purposes.
Squirrly Reviews
I moved over to Squirrly SEO in late 2024. For years, I had tried all the popular names like Yoast, RankMath, SEOPress, and lastly tried the pricey AIOSEO Pro Plan. In late 2024, AppSumo showed 4.7/5 with over 550 reviews and WordPress displayed 4.7/5 of 481 reviews
SEOPress vs Squirrly SEO
SEOPress was a more affordable approach compared to RankMath at the time. During my first few months, in learning their newer features, I did utilize several support requests. All but 1 solution required a bug fix. Eventually, with static growth, I changed to AIOSEO and then, ultimately to Squirrly SEO. Read my post on “How to Remove SEOPress Cleanly“.
AIOSEO vs Squirrly SEO
AIOSEO Plus tier did originally salvage things from going to nearly zero after SEOPress. However, after over a year, I started to see 6 months of flatlining, even with the AIOSEO Pro license (2nd from highest tier). For several months, I lost Bing from 1 site and lost Google from another.
With little to lose, I looked for a better solution for me and discovered Squirrly SEO had extremely high score reviews from leading tech sources. I changed to Squirrly SEO and, within 2 months, traffic showed increases. After 4 months, I doubled traffic and it continues to grow. 1 site even regained its lost Google search traffic.
Finally, to hear more, watch this video of Squirrly SEO Testimonials.
Conclusion
Now you’ve seen Squirrly SEO plugin setup procedures that were an easy-to-follow set of steps in 4 phases. Also, you found there were some options to take reminder notes and complete later. Finally, you learned that there is a lot of training available (and recommended) for understanding more about the vast, several hundred features and functions. And, search their “Newton’s Knowledge Base” for their vast system of “How To” guides.