If you’re using WordPress, chances are you’ve used Yoast SEO at some point. While Yoast has been a popular SEO plugin for years, many website owners are now switching to Rank Math SEO due to its advanced features, lightweight performance and built-in automation tools.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to safely replace Yoast SEO with Rank Math without losing your SEO settings, rankings or traffic.
Why Switch from Yoast SEO to Rank Math?
Before migrating, let’s understand why many bloggers and marketers prefer Rank Math.
- More free features (Schema, Redirections, Analytics)
- Lightweight and faster performance
- Advanced keyword optimization
- Built-in 404 & redirect manager
- Easy setup wizard
Things to Do Before Migration (Important)
Before replacing plugins, follow these precautions:
- Take a full website backup
- Update WordPress & plugins
- Clear cache plugins
- Note your current SEO settings
Step-by-Step: Replace Yoast SEO with Rank Math
Step 1: Install Rank Math (Do NOT delete Yoast yet)
- Go to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New
- Search Rank Math SEO
- Click Install Now
- Activate the plugin
Rank Math automatically detects Yoast SEO.
Step 2: Run Rank Math Setup Wizard
After activation:
- Choose Advanced Mode
- Connect your Rank Math account
- Select your website type
- Configure SEO basics
Step 3: Import Data from Yoast SEO
This is the most important step.
Rank Math provides a built-in importer.
Go to:
Rank Math → Status & Tools → Import & Export
Select:
👉 Import from Yoast SEO
Data imported includes:
- Meta titles
- Meta descriptions
- Focus keywords
- Schema settings
- Social metadata
Click:
✅ Start Import
Step 4: Verify Imported SEO Data
Check a few posts manually:
- Open Posts → Edit Post
- Scroll to Rank Math section
- Confirm metadata appears correctly
Step 5: Disable Yoast SEO Plugin
Once confirmed:
- Go to Plugins
- Deactivate Yoast SEO
- Delete plugin
⚠️ Never delete Yoast before importing data.
Website Speed Optimization (Highly Recommended)
Fast websites rank better.
👉 Samsung T7 Portable SSD (for backups & staging environments)
Common Issues After Migration (And Fixes)
❌ Meta descriptions missing
➡ Re-run importer from Rank Math tools.
❌ Sitemap not updating
➡ Clear cache and resubmit sitemap in Google Search Console.
❌ Ranking fluctuation
➡ Normal for 3-7 days after migration.
Yoast SEO vs Rank Math – Quick Comparison
| Feature | Yoast SEO | Rank Math |
|---|---|---|
| Free Keywords | 1 | Multiple |
| Schema Markup | Limited | Advanced |
| Redirect Manager | Paid | Free |
| Performance | Moderate | Lightweight |
| Analytics | Paid | Free |
SEO Best Practices After Switching
After migration:
- Submit new sitemap to Google
- Recheck robots.txt
- Monitor rankings for 1 week
- Optimize posts with multiple keywords
- Enable schema automation
Conclusion
Switching from Yoast SEO to Rank Math is safe and straightforward when done correctly. Rank Math provides powerful SEO features without additional costs, making it ideal for bloggers, businesses and digital marketers looking for better performance and flexibility.
If you follow this step-by-step process, you can migrate without losing SEO rankings or metadata.
