For local SEO agencies managing WordPress client sites, Yoast SEO is the most widely used WordPress SEO plugin, providing on-page optimization guidance, meta title and description management, XML sitemap generation, and schema markup. A separate Yoast Local SEO add-on extends coverage to LocalBusiness schema and location-specific features.
What Yoast SEO Actually Does Well
Yoast SEO provides structured on-page SEO guidance for WordPress content editors through its traffic-light readability and SEO analysis. For client sites managed by non-technical content teams, the visual feedback system makes on-page optimization accessible without deep SEO knowledge.
Meta title and description management, canonical URL control, XML sitemap generation, and breadcrumb schema are handled automatically. The Schema tab allows configuring site-wide organization and breadcrumb schema, reducing the need for manual schema implementation.
Yoast is the most widely supported WordPress SEO plugin with broad theme and plugin compatibility across the WordPress ecosystem.
Local SEO: What the Yoast Local Add-on Provides
The Yoast Local SEO add-on (sold separately) provides LocalBusiness schema markup, business information management, opening hours schema, multiple location support, a Google Maps embed block, and a store locator widget.
For single-location businesses, the free core Yoast plugin combined with the LocalBusiness schema configuration provides adequate local schema coverage. For multi-location businesses, the Local SEO add-on’s multiple location management system is practically useful.
Pricing at Scale: What Agencies Pay
Yoast pricing for WordPress sites:
| Plan | Monthly price | Projects | Tracked keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Core plugin | Basic schema |
| Premium | $99/yr/site | 1 site | Redirects + Local SEO bundled |
| Multisite | Contact | Unlimited sites | Agency licensing |
As of 2025, Yoast SEO Premium bundles the Local SEO, Video SEO, and News SEO add-ons at no extra cost. Per-site licensing scales linearly with client count. See current pricing at yoast.com/pricing.
Data Ownership: Yoast as a WordPress Plugin
Yoast SEO is a WordPress plugin. All configuration data is stored in the WordPress database on the client hosting infrastructure. No SEO configuration data is sent to Yoast servers unless using cloud-connected features.
Yoast is developed by a Netherlands-based company (Yoast BV). GDPR considerations apply to the minimal analytics Yoast collects from the plugin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yoast SEO handle local SEO out of the box?
Basic LocalBusiness schema and meta management are available in the free plugin. The dedicated Yoast Local SEO add-on adds structured location management, opening hours schema, multiple locations support, a store locator, and Google Maps integration. For serious local SEO on multi-location sites, the add-on is necessary.
How does Yoast SEO compare to Rank Math?
Both are full-featured WordPress SEO plugins. Rank Math includes more features in the free tier including more detailed schema types and built-in keyword rank tracking. Yoast has a longer track record, wider theme compatibility, and a more structured guidance system preferred by content teams. The Local SEO add-on is priced separately for Yoast but included in Rank Math Pro. Rank Math is generally better value on a per-site basis.
What schema does Yoast SEO implement automatically?
Yoast automatically implements WebSite schema with SearchAction, WebPage schema, BreadcrumbList, Article or BlogPosting for posts, and Organization or Person schema for the site entity. The Schema tab allows configuring custom schema types. The Local SEO add-on adds LocalBusiness schema, OpeningHoursSpecification, and PostalAddress.
Is there an agency pricing plan for Yoast?
Yes. Yoast offers a Yoast Care subscription that bundles multiple site licenses. For agencies managing many WordPress sites, this reduces per-site costs compared to individual annual subscriptions.
Does Yoast SEO work on WordPress Multisite?
Yes. Yoast SEO supports WordPress Multisite with a network-level activation. Each site in the multisite installation can be configured independently. The Local SEO add-on also supports Multisite for managing multiple location sites within a single WordPress installation.