When it comes to SEO plugins for WordPress, there are plenty of options out there, from the well-known Yoast to the less common but equally impressive Squirrly SEO.
As a WordPress user who isn’t exactly an SEO expert but wants my content to rank, I found myself drawn to Squirrly SEO because of its promise to make SEO easier for non-experts.
After using it for a while, I have some thoughts about how it works, who it’s best suited for, and whether it delivers on its promises.
The First Impression: Friendly for Beginners
Right from the start, Squirrly feels like it’s designed for someone like me—someone who knows SEO is important but doesn’t want to spend hours getting lost in complicated settings.
The plugin sets itself apart by being really beginner-friendly. When you install it, you’re guided through a step-by-step setup process that asks about your website’s goals and focus areas, which helps the plugin tailor its recommendations. It doesn’t assume you know a ton about SEO, which is a huge plus.
One feature I appreciated right off the bat was the real-time SEO assistant. It works while you’re writing your posts, which is a huge time-saver. Instead of optimizing after you’ve finished writing, Squirrly gives you advice as you go.
It highlights areas where your content could be improved, like your keyword usage, word count, and even how engaging your content is. This made me feel like I had an SEO expert on hand while I wrote something I wasn’t expecting but definitely enjoyed.
Real-Time SEO: Writing with Confidence
The real-time SEO suggestions are what sets Squirrly apart. As you type, Squirrly SEO analyzes your post and gives you green, yellow, or red markers based on how well it’s optimized.
It’s kind of like having a coach next to you, nudging you in the right direction. This was particularly helpful because, unlike other plugins that focus on after-the-fact optimization, Squirrly encourages you to optimize as you write.
For instance, I was writing an article on WordPress themes, and the plugin suggested ways I could improve my keyword density, add related topics, and even make the content more engaging to readers.
This felt like a natural extension of the writing process rather than an extra step. Plus, seeing those green lights turn on when you hit the SEO marks gives a nice sense of accomplishment.
Focus on Readability
One of the things I’ve always struggled with is balancing SEO with readability. A lot of SEO advice can make content feel clunky or forced, but Squirrly seems to get that. It doesn’t just tell you to stuff keywords into your article. Instead, it emphasizes writing for humans first, with SEO as a complementary strategy.
This approach really resonated with me, as I’m more focused on my readers’ experience than hitting a perfect SEO score.
There’s even a feature that assesses how engaging your content is to actual humans. I found this particularly useful because it reminded me that SEO isn’t just about search engines but about creating quality content that people actually want to read.
So, in a way, Squirrly felt like it was teaching me how to write better content overall, not just SEO-optimized content.
Keyword Research Made Easy
One of the most intimidating parts of SEO for me is keyword research. I don’t have the time or knowledge to sift through keyword data and figure out what’s worth targeting. Squirrly simplifies this process by suggesting keywords based on what you’re writing about.
You can even set a focus keyword for each post, and Squirrly will then show you how well you’re doing in terms of optimizing for that keyword.
What’s cool is that Squirrly gives you a breakdown of how difficult it would be to rank for a particular keyword, along with suggestions for long-tail keywords that might be easier to target.
For someone like me who doesn’t want to dive too deep into keyword research but still wants to get results, this feature is a real game-changer.
The Audit and Weekly Progress Reports
Another feature I found helpful was the website audit tool. Squirrly runs a comprehensive audit of your site, checking everything from SEO errors to performance issues.
It then provides you with a detailed report that breaks down what’s working and what needs improvement. I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the report, either.
The explanations were clear, and Squirrly even provided actionable steps to fix the issues.
In addition to the audit, Squirrly sends weekly progress reports straight to your inbox. These reports track how your website’s SEO is performing over time, and for someone who doesn’t want to log into the plugin every day, this is a nice touch.
It gave me peace of mind that my SEO efforts were moving in the right direction without having to constantly monitor it myself.
Is There a Learning Curve?
If you’re brand new to SEO, there is a bit of a learning curve. While Squirrly is designed to be beginner-friendly, it still assumes you know the basics, like what keywords are and why they’re important.
The real-time assistant can feel a bit overwhelming at first because it gives you so much feedback.
However, after spending a few days with it, I started to appreciate the depth of advice it offers. Squirrly essentially helps you learn SEO as you go, which is great if you’re willing to spend a little time figuring things out.
The Free vs. Paid Versions
Squirrly does offer a free version, which is packed with a lot of features for small sites and bloggers. However, the premium version opens up a lot more functionality, like advanced keyword research and deeper audits.
While the free version is solid, I did feel that if you’re serious about getting the most out of your SEO efforts, upgrading to the paid version might be worth it, especially if you manage a growing site or online business.
Final Thoughts: Is Squirrly SEO Worth It?
In my experience, Squirrly SEO is a fantastic plugin for anyone who feels overwhelmed by SEO but still wants their content to rank. It’s especially useful for beginners and intermediate users who want real-time guidance as they write.
The plugin helps bridge the gap between SEO best practices and writing for humans, which is a tricky balance to strike.
The real-time assistant, focus on content readability, and built-in keyword research tools all work together to create an SEO plugin that’s powerful yet approachable.
If you’re tired of SEO plugins that feel like they’re built for experts or techies, Squirrly SEO offers a more accessible option.
It’s a plugin that helps you learn SEO while you work, rather than demanding that you already know it inside and out. For me, that makes all the difference.
