How to Update Meta Titles, Descriptions & Focus Keyphrases in WordPress (and Why It Matters)
- Sportsman Creative
- October 27, 2025
WordPress SEO Elements Most Small Businesses Miss
At Sportsman Creative, we of course prefer to build sites in our own platform, SC Site Builder — it’s faster, simpler, and already optimized for search visibility out of the box.
But we get asked all the time:
“How can I improve my SEO if my website is still on WordPress?”
Fair question. So in this guide, we’ll walk you through one of the easiest things you can do to see real SEO improvement — no coding, plugins, or major redesigns required.
Why Meta Elements Matter More Than You Think
The top three organic results capture 68.7% of all clicks. Position one alone gets nearly 28%.
If your business isn’t showing up on page one, you’re basically invisible online.
Here’s the part many business owners miss: search engines don’t just “find” your website. They read specific elements to understand what you offer and decide whether you’re relevant to the search.
Those elements are your meta title, meta description, and focus keyphrase.
When you skip these, Google guesses — usually by pulling random sentences from your page. The result? Confused searchers who click your competitor instead.
And since 70–80% of consumers ignore paid ads entirely, your organic visibility is your biggest opportunity.
The Three Elements You Need to Control
Meta titles – The blue clickable headline in search results. Keep it under 55 characters and make it relevant and inviting.
Meta descriptions – The short gray text under your title. This doesn’t directly affect rankings, but it does affect whether people click your result. Think of it as your mini sales pitch.
Focus keyphrases – The keyword or phrase you want the page to rank for (e.g. “emergency plumbing Springfield”). It signals to search engines what your content is about.
Leaving these blank (or letting a plugin auto-fill them) is one of the biggest missed opportunities for small business SEO.
How To Add Meta Elements Using Yoast SEO
If your site runs on WordPress, the Yoast SEO plugin makes this simple and it's free to do everything I'm going to show you here.
- Install Yoast SEO:
In your dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New, search “Yoast SEO,” and click Install → Activate.
- Edit your page or post:
Scroll below the content editor to find the new Yoast SEO panel.
- Add your meta title:
Fill in the “SEO title” field with the headline you want to appear in Google. Yoast provides a live preview and character count.
- Add your meta description:
Summarize what your page offers in 50–150 characters. Use clear, action-oriented language.
- Set your focus keyphrase:
Enter your target keyword (e.g. “kitchen remodeling Springfield”). Yoast will evaluate how well your content uses that term.
Repeat this for your homepage, key service pages, and any major blog posts.
What Makes a Meta Description Actually Work
Bad example:
“This page is about our plumbing services in Springfield.”
Better example:
“Emergency plumbing in Springfield. Fast response, licensed techs, 24/7 service, and upfront pricing. Call now.”
The second one answers what the customer wants and gives them a reason to click.
Avoid keyword stuffing — one natural use of your main term is enough.
The Homepage Exception
Your homepage deserves extra care. It’s the most visited page on your site and sets the tone for your entire brand.
In Yoast, go to Search Appearance → Homepage tab to set your homepage meta title and description.
Think of this as your elevator pitch — what you do, who you serve, and why customers should choose you.
What Happens Next
After saving your changes, Google will re-crawl your site — usually within a few days to a couple of weeks.
You can speed this up by submitting your sitemap in Google Search Console.
Once updated, track your click-through rates. Improving your titles and descriptions alone can increase organic traffic by 20–30%, even if your rankings don’t change.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to overhaul your entire website to start seeing SEO results.
Small, intentional updates — like adding proper meta titles, descriptions, and keyphrases — can put you ahead of competitors still ignoring the basics.
And if you ever decide you’re ready to move beyond plugins and patchwork SEO tools, our team at Sportsman Creative can help migrate your site into SC Site Builder, where these fundamentals are built-in and easier to manage.
Either way — take control of your meta elements today.
Your future search traffic will thank you.
