Can some experienced members help me with my blog so I don't break it?

byKerryAnn61

3.5K followers

2 years ago

2nd attempt... I lost the first one...

I am looking at completely redoing my blog as it is a complete mess, in style, and content with no real direction. I want to try and keep the domain simply because it is 7 years old and I have social media accounts attached. The audience is somewhat similar.

I currently use the free Generate Press theme and quite a few plugins including All in One SEO, Monster Insights (for analytics), and Redirect (I have about seventy 301's as I have returned most posts to draft).

I intend to redirect the remainder and return them to draft as I again attempt to rework the website.

I have a lot of problems within the site according to AHrefs, including redirects included in the site map, one indexable page not included in the site map, and do-follow and no-follow internal links which appear to be from categories. I also have poor content, poorly worded URL structures, and posts with duplicate intent (URLs slightly different). I have attempted to rewrite the thing half a dozen times and have spent most of the past 3 years reworking a few posts and doing heaps of research here and on YouTube. I am more confused than ever.

What I am looking at and would like advice on is:

1. I am considering changing from All In One SEO to the SEO Framework. This is what Kyle suggests these days and I like the fact that it has an inbuilt redirect which will eliminate one plugin. I know I need to deactivate All in One first, but is there anything else I need to consider?
2. I am hoping that this will also give me a new site map to replace the one that has errors in it. Do I need to remove my existing one from Search Consol first?
3. Will having a redirect feature within the SEO plugin affect my current Redirection plugin or can I have the two and remove the redirect link from Redirect plugin and apply it within SEO Framework where required, as I rework each post.
4. Although Ubergsuggest says I have 320 backlinks, including some with a high spam rating, Search Consol says I have 3 from 2 sites one being Pinterest. Should I believe Search Consol and safely eliminate unwanted posts with no obvious inbound links?
5. Is no-index a better option on the posts that Ubersuggest says have backlinks? I cannot find a way to disavow any within Search Consol, because it hasn't found them.
6. I will have old links from social media pointing back to blog posts from years ago. Should I try and find the social media posts and eliminate them, or are they likely to simply be forgotten by Google and unlikely to ever resurface and cause 404's?
7. I was considering using the Google site plugin to get reports within my dashboard. Should I do this when I already have Consol and Analytics set up, or will the plugin recognize this and connect accordingly? I figure this plugin is probably helpful for Google to connect the dots to my website.
8. I use MonsterInsights for Analytics within the dashboard now and Google Sites will simply replace this. I don't intend to keep both active in case they clash.
9. Any other recommendations or things I should consider? I don't have much traffic to speak of. Around 40 impressions a day and the odd click every couple of months.

Any advice, recommendations, or input that anyone has would be greatly appreciated. I am like a fish out of water at the moment and really need help.

thanks

Kerry