> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mainwp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Yoast SEO

> The MainWP WordPress SEO Extension simplifies the setup and management process for Yoast SEO across all of your sites and since the Extension also integrates with the Yoast SEO meta box you can customize each Post or Page then publish those custom settings to your Child sites.

## What You'll Learn

* Installing Yoast SEO on Dashboard and child sites
* Exporting and importing SEO settings templates
* Publishing posts and pages with custom SEO settings
* Managing Yoast SEO across your network

***

<div id="addon-data" style={{display: 'none'}} data-title="Yoast SEO" data-purchase-url="https://mainwp.com/add-on/wordpress-seo/" data-pricing-tier="pro" data-bundle="MainWP Pro" data-addon-type="integration" data-version="5.0.1" data-developer="MainWP" data-changelog-url="https://mainwp.com/changelog/mainwp-wordpress-seo-extension/" data-integrates-with="Yoast SEO" data-owned-by="Newfold Capital Inc." data-privacy-url="https://yoast.com/privacy-policy/" />

<Info>
  **Integration Add-on** - This add-on extends MainWP to work with Yoast SEO. Requires Yoast SEO to be installed on your child sites.
</Info>

The [MainWP WordPress SEO Extension](https://mainwp.com/add-on/wordpress-seo/) simplifies the setup and management process for Yoast SEO across all of your sites. Since the Extension also integrates with the Yoast SEO meta box, you can customize each Post or Page then publish those custom settings to your Child sites. **Important Notes:** This Extension requires the Yoast SEO plugin to be installed on your Dashboard and Child sites to function properly.

## Install and Set the WordPress SEO Extension

Installation of the MainWP WordPress SEO Extension requires three important steps:

* Installing the Extension itself on your MainWP Dashboard site
* Installing the Yoast SEO plugin on your MainWP Dashboard site
* Installing the Yoast SEO plugin on Child Sites

### Installing the Extension

The MainWP WordPress SEO Extension needs to be installed only on your MainWP Dashboard site. You can [install it as any other MainWP Add-on.](/dashboard/overview/manage-extensions#install-extensions)

### Installing the Plugin on MainWP Dashboard Site

The Yoast SEO plugin needs to be installed on your MainWP Dashboard site. You can install it like any other WordPress plugin. For additional help with installing WordPress plugins, please review this [help document.](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/manage-plugins/)

### Installing the Plugin on Child Sites

For the proper use of the MainWP Yoast SEO Extension, you need to install the Yoast SEO Plugin on your child sites.

### Install from MainWP Dashboard

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to your MainWP Dashboard" />

  <Step title="Go to the MainWP > Sites > Plugins > Install Plugins page" />

  <Step title="In the Search field, enter the plugin name (Yoast SEO)" />

  <Step title="Press enter on your keyboard" />

  <Step title="After the search results appear, locate the plugin" />

  <Step title="Select the Install this Plugin option" />

  <Step title="Select your child sites">
    [Select your child](/getting-started/mainwp-user-interface) sites
  </Step>

  <Step title="In the Installation Options box, make sure that the Activate after installation option is selected.">
    In the **Installation Options** box, make sure that the **Activate after installation option** is selected.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Complete Installation" />

  <Step title="Once the installation is complete, Sync your MainWP Dashboard" />
</Steps>

### Install directly on Child Site

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to your child site" />

  <Step title="Go to WordPress Admin > Plugins > Add New" />

  <Step title="In the Search field, enter the plugin name (Yoast SEO)" />

  <Step title="After the search results appear, locate the plugin" />

  <Step title="Click the Install button" />

  <Step title="Click the Activate button" />
</Steps>

For additional help with installing WordPress plugins, please review this [help document.](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/manage-plugins/) **Important Notes:** After installing the **Yoast SEO** plugin, it is required to Synchronize your sites so your MainWP Dashboard becomes aware that the plugin has been installed and activated.

## Yoast SEO Dashboard

From the **MainWP > Add-ons > Content Operations > WordPress SEO > Yoast SEO Dashboard** page, you can monitor all of your child sites where the synced plugin inventory includes the Yoast SEO plugin. In the sites list, you will be notified if the plugin has an update available or if the plugin is deactivated.

* In case the plugin is not activated, the **Activate Plugin** action will appear in the corresponding site row.
* If there is a new version of the plugin, the **Update Plugin** action will appear in the corresponding site row.

### Available Actions

From the **MainWP > Add-ons > Content Operations > WordPress SEO > Yoast SEO Dashboard** page, you can open the child site overview, edit the child site, open the child site's WordPress admin, or open Yoast SEO on the child site. Actions are provided in a Child Site row. **Important Notes:** If you know that you have the plugin installed on a child site, but the child site doesn't appear in the list, try to re-sync your sites.

## Manage Yoast SEO Plugin Settings

The MainWP WordPress SEO Extension lets you manage Yoast SEO plugin settings on your child sites. The process of the settings management requires three steps:

1. Exporting Yoast SEO Settings from one of your Websites
2. Importing the Settings Template to your Extension
3. Saving the Template to Child Sites

### Export Yoast SEO Settings

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to one of your WordPress sites where you have the Yoast SEO plugin configured">
    Log in to one of your WordPress sites where you have the Yoast SEO plugin configured
  </Step>

  <Step title="Follow the Import And Export in Yoast SEO tutorial">
    Follow the [Import And Export in Yoast SEO](https://kb.yoast.com/kb/import-options-in-yoast-seo/) tutorial
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Import the Yoast SEO Settings Template to the Extension

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to your MainWP Dashboard" />

  <Step title="Go to the MainWP > Add-ons > Content Operations > WordPress SEO page" />

  <Step title="Go to the Settings Templates tab" />

  <Step title="Click the Import Settings button" />

  <Step title="Complete the Import Template modal">
    In the **Import Template** modal:

    1. Set the **Template title**
    2. Set the **Template description**
    3. Paste the exported settings into **Import Settings**
    4. Click the **Import Settings** button
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Save Yoast SEO Settings to Child Sites

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to your MainWP Dashboard" />

  <Step title="Go to the MainWP > Add-ons > Content Operations > WordPress SEO page" />

  <Step title="Go to the Settings Templates tab" />

  <Step title="Locate the previously uploaded template" />

  <Step title="Select your Child Sites">
    [Select your Child Sites](/getting-started/mainwp-user-interface)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click the Apply Template button" />
</Steps>

## Publishing Posts and Pages with your SEO Settings

Once the WordPress SEO Extension and Yoast SEO plugin are installed on your MainWP Dashboard, the Yoast SEO meta box is available in the Add New Post and Add New Page screens. From there, you can publish your custom SEO settings along with the post content.

### Publish Posts with Custom SEO Settings

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to your MainWP Dashboard" />

  <Step title="Go to the MainWP > Sites > Content Operations > Manage Posts page" />

  <Step title="Click Add New" />

  <Step title="Set your post content" />

  <Step title="Select your child sites">
    [Select your child sites](/getting-started/mainwp-user-interface)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set SEO Settings">
    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mainwp/9Fi7dKBCIriTb92d/images/add-ons/0bed4cf4a045.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=9Fi7dKBCIriTb92d&q=85&s=bdc105a87986c2920fbba837a57820c6" alt="Set SEO Settings" width="1361" height="737" data-path="images/add-ons/0bed4cf4a045.png" />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click the Set SEO Values button" />

  <Step title="Click the Publish button" />
</Steps>

### Publish Pages with Custom SEO Settings

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to your MainWP Dashboard" />

  <Step title="Go to the MainWP > Sites > Content Operations > Manage Pages page" />

  <Step title="Click Add New" />

  <Step title="Set your page content" />

  <Step title="Select your child sites">
    [Select your child sites](/getting-started/mainwp-user-interface)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set SEO Settings" />

  <Step title="Click the Set SEO Values button" />

  <Step title="Click the Publish button" />
</Steps>

***

## Related Resources

* [Posts/Pages Add-ons](/add-ons/posts-pages) - Browse all content tools
* [SEOPress Extension](/add-ons/posts-pages/seopress-extension) - Alternative SEO integration
* [Manage Posts](/sites/content/manage-posts) - Post management guide