Rank Bix SEO Documentation
Everything you need to install, configure and get the most out of every feature.
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Overview
Rank Bix SEO is a lightweight, practical, and fully featured SEO plugin for WordPress. Everything you need to manage on-page SEO without the bloat.
Installation
- Upload the
rankbix-seofolder to/wp-content/plugins/. - Activate the plugin via Plugins → Installed Plugins.
- Go to Rank Bix SEO in the WordPress admin sidebar.
- Configure your settings at Rank Bix SEO → Settings.
- Edit any post or page to set per-post SEO data in the meta box.
Getting started checklist
- Set your homepage SEO title in Settings → General
- Enable the XML Sitemap in Settings → Sitemap
- Enable IndexNow in Settings → Tools
Dashboard
Rank Bix SEO → DashboardA snapshot of your site at a glance: stats, module status, and quick-action shortcuts.
Stats Row
| Stat | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Published Posts | Count of published posts |
| Published Pages | Count of published pages |
| Active Redirects | Count of enabled redirect rules |
| 404 Errors | Total logged 404 hits (orange when > 0). Links to the 404 log |
| Broken Links | Count of detected broken external links (orange when > 0) |
Module Status
Shows On/Off status for every feature module:
Quick Actions
- → Open Settings
- → Manage Redirections
- → Bulk SEO Editor
- → View Sitemap (only shown when sitemap is enabled)
Settings
Rank Bix SEO → SettingsSettings are split across eight tabs (Pro adds a ninth: .htaccess Editor). The active tab is remembered across saves via sessionStorage. Deep-link to any tab using the URL hash, e.g. admin.php?page=rankbix-seo-settings#advanced. Tabs with their own AJAX Save button (404 Monitor, .htaccess Editor) hide the main Save Settings button automatically.
4.1 General
Homepage SEO
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Homepage Title | Custom SEO title for the home page. Falls back to the site name if left blank. |
| Title Separator | Character placed between post title and site name (default: –). Shown as: Post Title – Site Name. |
| Homepage Meta Description | Meta description for the home page. Recommended length: 120–160 characters. |
Content Analysis
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable focus keyword analysis | Enables the keyword analysis panel in the post editor. Turn off to hide the analysis tab site-wide. |
| Breadcrumb Separator | Character used between breadcrumb items (default: › ). |
Title & Description Template Variables
| Variable | Output |
|---|---|
| %post_title% | The post title |
| %site_name% | Your site name |
| %sep% | The title separator |
| %category% | The primary category |
| %author% | The post author name |
| %year% | The publication year |
| %excerpt% | A short post excerpt |
| %term_title% | The taxonomy term name (for archives) |
%post_title% %sep% %site_name% → My Post Title – My SiteSEO Meta Box: Post Types
Choose which post types display the Rank Bix SEO meta box in the post editor. All public post types are enabled by default. Unchecking a post type removes the SEO meta box and the SEO Score column from its post listing screen.
popup, slide, product_variation), uncheck them to reduce editor clutter without affecting post types you do care about.4.2 Social
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Default OG / Social Image | Fallback image used in Open Graph and Twitter Card tags when no post-specific or featured image is found. Recommended size: 1200×630px. |
| Twitter Card Type | Summary Large Image (default, large card) or Summary (small thumbnail). |
4.3 Local Business
Optional. Fill in these fields to output LocalBusiness JSON-LD schema on your site. Leave all fields blank to disable.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Name | Your business name as it should appear in search results. |
| Business Type | LocalBusiness, Restaurant, Store, MedicalBusiness, LegalService, FinancialService, Hotel, AutoDealer |
| Phone | Contact phone number. |
| Street Address | Full street address. |
| City | City name. |
| Country Code | Two-letter ISO country code (e.g. US, GB). |
| Latitude / Longitude | Geo-coordinates for the business location (e.g. 51.5074 / -0.1278). Used in GeoCoordinates schema. |
| Opening Hours | One entry per line in Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00 format. Follows schema.org/openingHours spec. |
4.4 Sitemap
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable Sitemap | Master toggle. Enables or disables all sitemap generation. |
| Sitemap Format | Choose between XML only, HTML only, or Both. |
| Auto-pings Google & Bing on publish | Automatically notifies Google and Bing when content is published or updated. |
Sitemap URLs
| Sitemap | URL |
|---|---|
| XML Sitemap Index | /sitemap_index.xml |
| HTML Sitemap | /html-sitemap/ |
| Google News Sitemap | /news-sitemap.xml |
Sitemap Index Structure
The XML sitemap uses a sitemap index format at /sitemap_index.xml, listing individual sub-sitemaps per post type and taxonomy, the same format recognised by Google Search Console. Legacy /sitemap.xml 301-redirects to the index automatically.
| URL | Contents |
|---|---|
/sitemap_index.xml | Master index listing all sub-sitemaps |
/post-sitemap.xml | All published posts |
/page-sitemap.xml | All published pages |
/category-sitemap.xml | Category archive pages |
/news-sitemap.xml | Google News sitemap |
4.5 Advanced
Site Verification Tags
| Field | Where to get it |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Google Search Console → Add property → HTML tag → copy only the content="..." value |
| Bing Webmaster Tools | Bing Webmaster → Add site → HTML meta tag → copy content value |
| Pinterest Settings → Claim website → HTML tag | |
| Yandex Webmaster | Yandex Webmaster → Add site → HTML meta tag |
Image SEO
Auto-fill alt and title attributes for newly uploaded images. Available variables: %post_title%, %filename%, %site_name%.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Alt text template | Applied when an image is uploaded. Leave blank to use the cleaned filename. |
| Title attribute template | Applied to title="" in content. Leave blank to copy from alt text. |
Admin Toolbar
| Field | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Show SEO alert badges in the admin toolbar | On | When enabled, SEO issue alerts appear inside the Rank Bix SEO toolbar menu. Uncheck to hide alert items while keeping the toolbar menu itself visible. |
AI Meta Generator: API Keys
| Provider | Key format | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Claude (Anthropic) | sk-ant-api03-... | Paid |
| ChatGPT (OpenAI) | sk-proj-... | Paid |
| Google Gemini | AIzaSy... | Free tier available |
| Groq | gsk_... | Free (fastest) |
| Cohere | co_... | Free tier (1,000 req/month) |
wp_options) using the same mechanism as all other plugin settings, protected by WordPress authentication. They are never exposed in HTML output, logs, or API responses. For additional hardening, define keys as PHP constants in wp-config.php instead of entering them in the settings UI.Preferred AI Models
| Provider | Available models |
|---|---|
| OpenAI | gpt-4o-mini, gpt-4o |
| Claude | claude-haiku-4-5, claude-sonnet-4-5 |
| Google Gemini | gemini-1.5-flash, gemini-1.5-pro |
| Groq | llama3-8b-8192, llama3-70b-8192 |
| Cohere | command-r |
4.6 Robots & Indexing
Noindex Controls
| Field | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Noindex search result pages | On | Adds a noindex meta tag to WordPress internal search result pages (?s=). Recommended. Search pages have no unique SEO value and waste crawl budget. |
| Noindex date & author archives | On | Adds a noindex meta tag to date archives (/2024/01/) and author archive pages (/author/name/). Recommended for most sites. These pages duplicate content already found on your posts and categories. |
| Noindex by Post Type | Off | Adds noindex to all singular pages of the selected post types. Useful for suppressing e.g. landing-page post types from search results. |
| Noindex by Taxonomy | Off | Adds noindex to all term archive pages for the selected taxonomies. Use when a taxonomy's archive pages duplicate category content. |
Custom robots.txt Rules
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Custom robots.txt rules | Additional rules appended to your site's /robots.txt. Enter one block per user-agent. Example: User-agent: GPTBot / Disallow: / |
LLMs.txt Module
Serves a /llms.txt file at your domain root describing your site to AI systems such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| LLMs.txt Content | Editable text area in Markdown format. Leave blank to use the auto-generated default. |
| Block common AI crawlers via robots.txt | Adds Disallow: / entries for GPTBot, Claude-Web, CCBot, Bytespider, PerplexityBot, and others (default: Off). |
4.7 404 Monitor Module
The 404 Monitor tab has its own AJAX Save button and is outside the main settings form. When this tab is active, the main Save Settings button is hidden automatically.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Module status | Shows whether the 404 Monitor module is active and provides a link to the full 404 log. |
| Log Limit Pro | Maximum rows to keep (0 = default 500). Oldest entries are pruned automatically. |
| Ignore Query Parameters Pro | Strip query strings before logging so the same broken URL is not counted as multiple entries. |
| Exclude Paths Pro | Rule-based exclusion list. Skip logging 404s that match patterns (starts_with, contains, exact, ends_with, regex). |
4.8 Tools
IndexNow Module
Instantly notifies Bing, Yandex, and all IndexNow-participating search engines when you publish or update content. No API account required; the plugin auto-generates and serves the key verification file.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Your IndexNow Key | Auto-generated unique key. Verification file served at /{key}.txt. |
Broken Link Checker Module
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Run Scan Now | Triggers an immediate WP-Cron scan (5 posts per run, stores up to 50 broken links). |
Data Retention on Uninstall
Controls whether plugin data is deleted when you uninstall the plugin.
| Field | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Delete all data on uninstall | Off | When Off (default), all SEO data (post meta, settings, redirects, 404 logs, schema templates, and database tables) is preserved even after uninstalling. Must be explicitly enabled before uninstalling to remove data. Protects against accidental data loss. |
Post / Page Editor Meta Box
The Rank Bix SEO meta box appears in the post/page editor below the content area. Available on all public post types including WooCommerce products and custom post types.
SEO Tab
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| SEO Title | Custom SEO title for this post. Falls back to the template if left blank. Character counter shown. |
| Meta Description | Custom meta description. Character counter shown. Recommended: 120–160 characters. |
| Focus Keyword | The primary keyword you are targeting. Drives the keyword analysis scoring. |
| Canonical URL | Custom canonical URL. Leave blank to use the default (current post URL). |
Robots Tab
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| noindex | Prevents this specific post from being indexed by search engines |
| nofollow | Tells search engines not to follow links on this page |
| noarchive | Prevents search engines from caching the page |
| nosnippet | Prevents search engines from showing a text snippet in results |
| max-snippet | Limits the snippet length in characters (e.g. -1 = no limit, 0 = no snippet, 120 = 120 chars). Leave empty to omit the tag. |
Social Tab
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| OG Title | Custom Open Graph title (overrides SEO title for social sharing) |
| OG Description | Custom Open Graph description |
| OG Image | Custom social sharing image for this post |
Schema Tab
Set the Schema type for this post and add structured data directly in the editor:
- Schema type per post: Auto (Article/WebPage), Product, HowTo, Review, or None
- FAQ schema: add question/answer pairs to any post regardless of schema type
- HowTo schema: add steps and total time directly in the editor
- Cornerstone Content: mark posts/pages as cornerstone/pillar content
AI Meta Generator Tab
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| Provider dropdown | Select an AI provider (only providers with a key configured are shown) |
| Model dropdown | Select a model, or use the site default |
| Tone of voice | Choose a tone: professional, friendly, casual, etc. |
| Generate Title + Description | Generates both fields at once |
| Title Only | Generates only the SEO title |
| Description Only | Generates only the meta description |
| Use This Title / Description | Applies the generated text to the relevant field |
Analysis Tab: Keyword Analysis
Displays a keyword analysis score for the current post. Score is shown in the post listing column (green ≥ 70, orange 40–69, red < 40, grey = no keyword set). Content is extracted from Elementor, Beaver Builder, Bricks, and Oxygen builders as well as standard post content.
| # | Check | What is evaluated |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keyword in title | Focus keyword appears in the SEO title |
| 2 | Keyword in description | Focus keyword appears in the meta description |
| 3 | Keyword in URL | Focus keyword appears in the post slug |
| 4 | Keyword in content | Focus keyword appears in the post body |
| 5 | Keyword in first paragraph | Focus keyword appears early in the content |
| 6 | Keyword in H2/H3 | Focus keyword appears in a subheading |
| 7 | Keyword density | Keyword density between 0.5% and 2.5% |
| 8 | Content length | Post body has 300+ words |
| 9 | Images with alt text | All images have alt text |
| 10 | Featured image | Post has a featured image |
| 11 | Internal links | Post contains at least one internal link |
| 12 | Outbound links | Post contains at least one external link |
| 13 | Title length | SEO title is 40–70 characters |
| 14 | Description length | Meta description is 120–160 characters |
Table of Contents Tab
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable TOC for this post | Auto-generates a table of contents from H2 and H3 headings |
| TOC Title | Custom heading above the TOC (default: "Table of Contents"). This title is also used when inserting the TOC via the [rankbix_seo_toc] shortcode without a title attribute. |
Redirections
Rank Bix SEO → RedirectionsManage URL redirects without a separate plugin. Uses a dedicated database table with a fast lookup process.
Adding a Redirect
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| From URL | The old URL path (relative, e.g. /old-page/) |
| To URL | The destination URL (relative or absolute) |
| Type | 301 Permanent, 302 Temporary, 307 Strict Temporary, or 308 Permanent (preserves request method) |
| Notes | Optional internal note about why the redirect exists |
| Enabled | Toggle to enable or disable without deleting |
Redirect List
The list shows all configured redirects with From → To URLs, redirect type, hit counter, enabled/disabled toggle, and edit and delete actions.
CSV Import / Export
- ↑Export: downloads all redirects as a CSV file
- ↓Import: uploads a CSV to bulk-import redirects (merges with existing)
Debug Mode
?rankbix_seo_debug_redirect=1 to any URL. Logged-in administrators see redirect match details instead of being redirected. Useful for testing.Advanced Redirections Pro
When the Advanced Redirections Pro module is enabled, two additional match types become available in the add/edit redirect form.
Match Types
| Type | How it works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Exact (default) | URL must match precisely, the default behaviour. | /old-page/ → /new-page/ |
| Wildcard | Use * as a catch-all segment. The matched portion replaces * in the destination URL. | /blog/* → /news/*, so /blog/my-post/ redirects to /news/my-post/ |
| Regex | Full PHP regex pattern with delimiters and optional capture groups used as $1, $2 … in the destination. | #^/products/([0-9]+)$#i → /shop/item/$1 |
Redirect Chain Detector
When two redirects form a chain (A → B and B → C both exist), a warning card appears above the redirects table listing every chain. Click Fix next to any chain to update rule A so it points directly to C, eliminating the extra hop and preserving SEO equity.
404 Monitor
Rank Bix SEO → 404 MonitorLogs 404 error requests to a database table for review and redirect creation. Stores up to 500 entries; oldest are pruned automatically when the limit is reached.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| URL | The requested URL that returned 404 |
| Referrer | Where the visitor came from (if available) |
| Hits | Number of times this URL was requested |
| Last Seen | Date/time of the most recent 404 hit |
| Actions | + Redirect (pre-fills Redirections form) / Delete |
Image Alt Audit
Rank Bix SEO → Image Alt AuditA full-library alt text audit. Every image in your media library is listed with its current alt status. Fix missing alt attributes inline, no need to open individual attachments.
Stats Overview
| Stat | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Total Images | Count of all images in the media library |
| Missing Alt Text | Images without an alt attribute (shown in red when > 0) |
| Have Alt Text | Images that already have alt text, with a progress bar showing the percentage |
Filter Tabs
| Tab | Shows |
|---|---|
| All | Every image in the library |
| Missing Alt | Only images with no alt text set |
| Has Alt | Only images that already have alt text |
Image Table
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Image | Thumbnail preview. Row background is tinted red for missing alt, green for set. |
| File | Filename with file-type badge (JPG, PNG, WebP, etc.) |
| Used in | Post or page the image is attached to (linked to the edit screen) |
| Alt Text | Inline editable field. Character counter colour-codes live: red = empty or under 30 chars, green = 30–125 chars (recommended range), amber = over 125 chars |
| Actions | Save Alt persists the value via AJAX; Suggest (Pro AI) generates alt text with AI vision |
Fixing Alt Text
- Click the Missing Alt tab to focus on images that need attention.
- Type alt text into the inline input. The counter updates live and turns green in the optimal 30–125 character range.
- Click Save Alt. The row status badge updates immediately without a page reload.
- Work through the list until the progress bar reaches 100%.
_wp_attachment_image_alt). Changes take effect immediately across the entire site wherever the image is used.Enable / Disable
Toggle the module at Rank Bix SEO → Features → Image Alt Audit. When disabled, the submenu entry is hidden and the page is inaccessible.
Bulk SEO Editor
Rank Bix SEO → Bulk SEOEdit SEO data across many posts at once without opening each post individually. Changes are saved per-row immediately without a page reload.
Filters
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| Post Type | Filter by posts, pages, products, or custom post types |
| Post Status | Filter by published, draft, etc. |
| Missing SEO Title | Show only posts without a custom SEO title |
| Missing Description | Show only posts without a meta description |
| Missing Keyword | Show only posts without a focus keyword |
Editable Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Post title (read-only reference) |
| SEO Title | Editable SEO title field with live character counter |
| Meta Description | Editable meta description with live character counter |
| Focus Keyword | Editable focus keyword field |
| Noindex | Toggle noindex on or off per post |
| SEO Score | Live colour-coded score badge based on the 13-point check |
Duplicate Page
Clone posts and pages with one click. The module is enabled or disabled from Rank Bix SEO → Features. When enabled, a Duplicate link appears in the post listing row actions and optionally in the post edit screen. A Duplicate shortcut also appears in the Rank Bix SEO admin bar group when viewing or editing any supported post.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Allowed User Roles | Which user roles can see and use the duplicate action |
| Supported Post Types | Which post types show the duplicate option |
| Duplicate Link Location | Show in row actions, post edit toolbar, or both |
| Duplicated Post Status | Status of the cloned post: Draft (default), Published, or same as original |
| Redirect after duplicate | Whether to redirect to the new duplicate's edit screen |
| Title prefix | Text prepended to the duplicate title (e.g. Copy of) |
| Title suffix | Text appended to the duplicate title |
| Copy custom SEO meta | Copies Rank Bix SEO title, description, keyword, schema settings |
| Copy custom fields | Copies post meta (custom fields) |
| Clone link label | Custom text for the "Duplicate" action link shown in row actions and toolbar (default: Duplicate) |
| Copy taxonomies | Copies categories, tags, and custom taxonomies |
| Keep original author | Keeps the original author instead of assigning the logged-in user |
Import SEO Data
Rank Bix SEO → Import SEOMigrate SEO data from another plugin in one step. The importer runs in the background and shows a summary of how many records were transferred.
Supported Source Plugins
Data Transferred
| Data type | Description |
|---|---|
| SEO Titles | Custom post-level SEO titles |
| Meta Descriptions | Custom meta descriptions |
| Focus Keywords | Focus keyword / primary keyword |
| Canonical URLs | Custom canonical URL overrides |
| Noindex settings | Posts marked noindex in the source plugin |
Admin Toolbar
Rank Bix SEO adds a quick-access menu to the WordPress admin bar, visible on both the admin backend and the frontend for logged-in administrators. The menu is always present and cannot be hidden.
Main Menu Items
| Item | Links to |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Rank Bix SEO Dashboard |
| Settings | Settings → General tab |
| Redirections | Redirections manager |
| Sitemap | Sitemap settings |
| Bulk SEO | Bulk SEO Editor |
| 404 Monitor | 404 log (only shown when monitor is enabled) |
SEO Score Badge
When viewing or editing a singular post or page (frontend or admin), a colour-coded score badge appears next to the Rank Bix SEO menu name in the toolbar. The badge is invisible on non-singular screens (archives, admin dashboards, etc.).
| Badge | Score range | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 83 | 70 – 100 | Good: strong on-page optimisation |
| 55 | 40 – 69 | OK: room for improvement |
| 25 | 0 – 39 | Poor: significant issues to fix |
| ● | n/a | Focus keyword set but score not yet calculated |
Mark this page Submenu
When viewing or editing a singular post or page, a Mark this page submenu appears in the toolbar with three instant toggles:
| Toggle | Effect | Meta key |
|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone | Marks the page as cornerstone / pillar content | _rankbix_seo_pillar_content |
| NoIndex | Tells search engines not to index this page | _rankbix_seo_noindex |
| NoFollow | Adds nofollow to all links on this page | _rankbix_seo_nofollow |
A green checkmark icon appears next to each item when it is currently active. Clicking any toggle saves immediately via AJAX, and the checkmark updates instantly with no page reload required.
Duplicate this page
A Duplicate this page link appears at the bottom of the Mark this page submenu when all of the following conditions are met:
- The Duplicate Page module is enabled in Rank Bix SEO → Features
- The current post type is in the module's allowed post types list (default: posts and pages)
- The logged-in user has one of the module's allowed roles (default: Administrator, Editor) and has
edit_postcapability
Clicking the link duplicates the post as a draft using the existing Duplicate module, identical to clicking "Duplicate" from the post listing, but available directly from any page view or post editor without navigating away.
External Tools Submenu
One-click links to external SEO tools, pre-filled with the current page URL on the frontend:
| Tool | URL pattern |
|---|---|
| Google PageSpeed Insights | pagespeed.web.dev/analysis?url=… |
| Google Rich Results Test | search.google.com/test/rich-results?url=… |
| Google Search Console | search.google.com/search-console |
| Facebook Sharing Debugger | developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/?q=… |
| Schema Markup Validator | validator.schema.org/#url=… |
SEO Health Alerts (inside the menu)
When SEO issues are detected, alert items appear at the bottom of the toolbar dropdown separated by a divider. Each alert links directly to the relevant fix and shows a tooltip on hover. Alerts disappear automatically when the issue is resolved.
SEO Health Alerts
Critical SEO issues are detected automatically and displayed as items inside the Rank Bix SEO toolbar menu, visible on all admin screens and on the frontend for administrators. Alerts link directly to the relevant fix and disappear once the issue is resolved.
| Alert | Trigger condition | Fix link |
|---|---|---|
| Search Engines: Blocked | WordPress "Discourage search engines" setting is enabled | Settings → Reading |
| SEO: Plain Permalinks | Permalink structure is set to Plain (?p=123) | Settings → Permalinks |
| SEO: Plugin Conflict | Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or All in One SEO is active alongside Rank Bix SEO | Plugins |
| SEO: No Home Title | Homepage SEO title is not set | Rank Bix SEO → Settings → General |
| SEO: Sitemap Off | XML sitemap is disabled | Rank Bix SEO → Settings → Sitemap |
manage_options capability (administrators). To disable alert items, see Settings → Advanced → Admin Toolbar.WordPress Dashboard Widget
WP Admin → DashboardA Rank Bix SEO Overview widget appears on the WordPress admin dashboard automatically after activation. It gives you a quick health check and navigation shortcuts without leaving the dashboard.
SEO Health
| State | Display |
|---|---|
| No issues detected | Green "SEO health looks good. No critical issues found." banner |
| Issues found | Red-dot list of issues, each linking directly to the fix |
Stats Row
| Stat | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Posts | Published post count. Links to the Posts list |
| Pages | Published page count. Links to the Pages list |
| Redirects | Active redirect rules. Links to the Redirections manager |
| 404 Errors | Logged 404 hits. Shown only when 404 Monitor is enabled; turns red when > 0 |
| Broken Links | Detected broken links. Shown only when Broken Link Checker is enabled; turns red when > 0 |
Quick Actions
Buttons for Settings, Redirections, 404 Monitor (hidden when disabled), and Bulk SEO Editor.
Widget Footer
- →Documentation on WordPress.org
- →Support via the WordPress.org forum
- Rate Plugin on WordPress.org reviews
Shortcodes
[rankbix_seo_toc]
Renders the Table of Contents at the location of the shortcode instead of auto-inserting it.
| Attribute | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
title | TOC Title from meta box | Heading shown above the TOC. If omitted, uses the custom title saved in the post's TOC meta box field. |
depth | 3 | Maximum heading depth (2 = H2 only, 3 = H2+H3) |
min | 2 | Minimum number of headings required before the TOC is rendered |
[rankbix_seo_sitemap]
Renders an HTML sitemap on any page or post.
| Attribute | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
show_tags | 1 | Set to 0 to hide the Tags section |
columns | 2 | Number of columns for the sitemap layout |
orderby | title | Order posts by title, date, or modified |
[rankbix_seo_breadcrumbs]
Renders a breadcrumb trail at the location of the shortcode.
Multilingual Support
Rank Bix SEO is compatible with Polylang and WPML. When either plugin is active, SEO fields are registered as translatable and hreflang alternates are added to the XML sitemap automatically. No configuration required.
Translatable Fields
| Meta key | Field |
|---|---|
_rankbix_seo_title | SEO title |
_rankbix_seo_description | Meta description |
_rankbix_seo_focus_keyword | Focus keyword |
_rankbix_seo_focus_keywords_extra | Additional keywords Pro |
hreflang in Sitemap
When Polylang or WPML is active, <xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="..."> entries are automatically added for every translated version of every URL in the XML sitemap.
Elementor Integration
When Elementor is active, Rank Bix SEO adds a dedicated SEO panel to the Elementor editor sidebar so you can manage SEO data without leaving the visual editor.
Available Fields in the Elementor Panel
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| SEO Title | Custom SEO title for this page |
| Meta Description | Custom meta description |
| Focus Keyword | Primary focus keyword for scoring |
| OG Image | Social sharing image override |
News Sitemap
Generates a Google News-compatible XML sitemap at /news-sitemap.xml covering posts published within the last 2 days. Added to robots.txt automatically and pings Google on publish.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| URL | /news-sitemap.xml |
| Coverage | Posts published in the last 2 days |
| Format | Google News schema (news:news namespace) |
| robots.txt | Automatically added as a Sitemap: directive |
| Auto-ping | Google pinged on post publish |
| Module toggle | news_sitemap — on by default |
Developer Functions
Breadcrumbs
Add breadcrumbs directly inside a theme template file. Outputs the same breadcrumb trail as the shortcode, with BreadcrumbList JSON-LD schema included.
Redirect Debug
Append ?rankbix_seo_debug_redirect=1 to any URL to see redirect match information (administrators only; does not redirect):
Filter & Action Hooks
| Hook | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
rankbix_seo_schema_type | Filter | Override the resolved schema type for any post. Receives (string $type, WP_Post $post). Only fires when schema type is set to auto. |
rankbix_seo_after_keyword_field | Action | Fires inside the post editor keywords tab after the primary focus keyword field. Receives (WP_Post $post). |
rankbix_seo_calculate_post_score | Filter | Calculate or override the SEO score for a post. Receives (int $score, int $post_id). Default: 0. |
rankbix_seo_dashboard_score_section | Action | Inject content into the WP dashboard widget between Health and Coverage sections. Used by Pro for the score distribution bar. |
rankbix_seo_dashboard_analytics_section | Action | Inject content into the WP dashboard widget between Coverage and 404 Monitor. Used by Pro for GSC metrics. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rank Bix SEO work with WooCommerce?
Yes. WooCommerce products are supported in the post editor meta box, Bulk SEO Editor, sitemap, and schema features.
Does it support custom post types?
Yes. All public custom post types with a UI are supported in the SEO meta box, sitemap, and bulk editor.
Will it slow down my site?
No. The XML sitemap is cached, AI model lists are loaded on demand, and redirects use a dedicated database table with a fast lookup process. No scripts or styles are loaded on the frontend beyond what is needed.
Can I use multiple AI providers?
Yes. You can add API keys for any number of providers. The post editor shows all providers that have a key configured.
Is any data sent to AI providers automatically?
No. Data is only sent when you manually click an AI generation button. You can also disable post content sharing in Settings → Advanced so that only the post title is sent.
Can I stop the plugin from pinging search engines on publish?
Yes. Uncheck Auto-pings Google & Bing on publish in Settings → Sitemap. To also disable IndexNow pings, uncheck Enable IndexNow pings in Settings → Tools.
Can I run Rank Bix SEO alongside Yoast SEO or Rank Math?
Not recommended. Running two SEO plugins simultaneously produces duplicate meta tags, competing sitemaps, and conflicting schema output. The SEO Health Alert system will warn you if a conflict is detected. Use the Import feature to migrate your data, then deactivate the other plugin.
What happens when I deactivate or uninstall the plugin?
Deactivating removes all plugin functionality but leaves your settings in the database. Uninstalling removes data only if Delete all data on uninstall was enabled in Settings → Advanced before uninstalling. By default, all data is preserved. The llms.txt file at the WordPress root is also deleted on uninstall.
My sitemap returns a 404 error. How do I fix it?
Go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save. This flushes WordPress rewrite rules and registers the sitemap URLs correctly.
Where is the redirect debug tool?
Visit any URL on your site and append ?rankbix_seo_debug_redirect=1. Logged-in administrators see redirect match details instead of being redirected.
Redirect Type Reference
Choose the right redirect type for the job. Using the wrong type can lose SEO equity or break form submissions.
| Type | Name | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | Permanent | Page moved forever. Passes SEO link equity to the new URL. Use for most redirects. |
| 302 | Temporary | Page moved temporarily. No SEO equity passed. Use for A/B tests or temporary maintenance. |
| 307 | Strict Temporary | Same as 302 but browser must repeat the request with the same HTTP method (POST stays POST). |
| 308 | Permanent (keeps method) | Same as 301 but the request method is preserved. Use when redirecting form submissions or API endpoints permanently. |
?rankbix_seo_debug_redirect=1) to verify matches before going live.GSC Performance Pro
Rank Bix SEO → GSC PerformanceConnect your Google Search Console account to pull real search performance data directly into your WordPress dashboard: clicks, impressions, CTR, average position, top pages, and top keywords.
Connecting Google Search Console
- Go to Rank Bix SEO → GSC Performance.
- Click Connect Google Search Console.
- Authorise access in the Google OAuth screen.
- Select your verified property from the Site dropdown and click Save Site.
- The page reloads and shows your performance data.
Date Range Tabs
| Tab | Period |
|---|---|
| Last 7 days | 7-day rolling window ending 3 days before today |
| Last 28 days | 28-day rolling window (default) |
| Last 3 months | 90-day rolling window |
| Last 12 months | 365-day rolling window |
Overview Metrics
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Clicks | Number of times a user clicked through to your site |
| Total Impressions | Number of times your site appeared in search results |
| Avg CTR | Click-through rate across all queries, as a percentage |
| Avg Position | Average ranking position across all queries |
Insights Tabs
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Top Pages | Best-performing pages by clicks for the selected date range |
| Top Keywords | Search queries sending the most traffic |
| Near-Ranking Keywords | Keywords ranking positions 4–20; best candidates for for a quick boost |
| Low CTR Wins | High impressions but low CTR. Improve the title or description to get more clicks without ranking changes |
| Traffic Drops | Pages that lost >20% of clicks vs the prior period |
| Top Growth Pages | Pages that gained 20%+ more clicks vs the prior period |
Caching
GSC data is cached for 12 hours per date range. To force a refresh, delete the transient via WP Admin → Tools → Site Health → Info → Transients, or use WP-CLI:
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Data doesn't match Google dashboard | Stale cache | Clear the transient for that date range and reload |
| "No data available" after connecting | Cache empty or GSC property has no data yet | Clear the transient and reload. Verify the property has data in GSC. |
| OAuth error on connect | Redirect URI mismatch | The callback URL must be registered in your Google Cloud Console project |
| Metrics show 0 | Token expired or revoked | Disconnect and reconnect GSC |
Full Site SEO Audit Pro
Rank Bix SEO → Site AuditCrawls your entire site page by page and produces a scored SEO health report with actionable recommendations.
SEO Analyzer (per-URL tool)
Also available at Rank Bix SEO → SEO Analyzer. Enter any URL to run an instant 19-check analysis covering title, meta description, headings, schema, Open Graph, HTTPS, canonical, page speed, and more.
Advanced SEO Score & Multiple Keywords Pro
Replaces the free keyword score with an expanded 15-point analysis and a live sidebar panel. Adds support for up to 4 additional focus keywords per post.
Advanced SEO Score
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Check count | 15-point analysis |
| Sidebar panel | Visible alongside the post editor; shows pass/fail per check with fix links |
| Live recalculation | Score recalculates as you type (800ms debounce on title, description, keyword fields) |
| Module toggle | seo_score |
Multiple Focus Keywords
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Extra keywords | Up to 4 additional focus keywords per post, each scored independently |
| Per-keyword scores | Each keyword gets its own colour-coded score badge in the sidebar |
| Meta key | _rankbix_seo_focus_keywords_extra (comma-separated) |
Client Reports Pro
Rank Bix SEO → Client ReportsGenerate branded HTML SEO reports and send them to clients by email from inside WP admin.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Report sections | Overview, SEO Coverage, Score Distribution, GSC Performance — each toggleable |
| Download HTML | Download the report as a self-contained HTML file |
| Email to client | Send the report by email with a custom subject line and intro text |
Custom Schema Templates Pro
Rank Bix SEO → Schema TemplatesBuild reusable JSON-LD templates and assign them to post types. Per-post schema tab choices always override the template.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Supported schema types | FAQ, Review, Product, HowTo, Event, Recipe |
| Assignment | Per post type; one template per post type |
| Override | Per-post manual schema choice always wins over the template |
| Module toggle | schema_templates |
Extra Schema Types Pro
Adds 5 additional schema types to the post editor Schema tab. Always active when the Pro plugin is installed — no separate module toggle.
| Schema Type | Fields added to Schema tab |
|---|---|
| Recipe | Recipe name, ingredients, instructions, prep/cook time, yield, cuisine |
| Event | Event name, start/end date, location, organiser, ticket URL |
| Job Posting | Job title, description, employer, location, salary, employment type |
| Course | Course name, provider, description, URL |
| Software App | App name, OS, category, price, rating |
Video Sitemap Pro
Auto-detects YouTube and Vimeo embeds in post content and generates a Google-compliant video sitemap with titles, thumbnails, and durations.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| URL | /video-sitemap.xml |
| Sources | YouTube and Vimeo embeds in post content |
| Sitemap index | Added to /sitemap_index.xml and robots.txt |
| Module toggle | video_sitemap |
WooCommerce SEO Pro
Enhanced Product schema for WooCommerce products, built on top of the free plugin's base schema output.
| Addition | Description |
|---|---|
| Brand | From pa_brand taxonomy or _rankbix_seo_product_brand meta |
| Seller | Organisation block (site name + URL) |
| priceValidUntil | From WooCommerce sale end date |
| Image gallery | Full product gallery array |
| GTIN / EAN / ISBN / UPC | From _gtin, _ean, _isbn, or _upc meta keys |
| MPN | From _mpn meta key |
| itemCondition | From _rankbix_wc_condition meta |
product:brand OG tag | Open Graph meta tag for social sharing |
Multi-location LocalBusiness Pro
Rank Bix SEO → LocationsManage multiple physical business locations as a custom post type (rankbix_location). Each location gets its own full LocalBusiness JSON-LD schema. When at least one location is published, the free single-location schema in Settings → Local Business is automatically suppressed to avoid duplicate output.
Location Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Type | One of 14 Schema.org business types (LocalBusiness, Restaurant, Store, etc.) |
| Phone | Contact phone number |
| Street Address | Full street address |
| City | City |
| Postal Code | Postcode / ZIP |
| Country | Two-letter country code |
| Coordinates | Latitude and longitude |
| Opening Hours | Weekly schedule in Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00 format |
@graph array on the front page.Image SEO Pro Pro
Rank Bix SEO → Image SEOThree enhancements built on top of the free Image SEO module.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Per-post-type templates | Override the default alt and title templates per post type. Template variables (%post_title%, %category%, etc.) work identically to title templates. |
| Caption & description templates | Set caption and description templates for attachments, applied during bulk processing. |
| Bulk retroactive processing | Process all existing media library images in 50-image AJAX batches with a live progress bar. Optional checkbox to overwrite already-set values. |
AI Alt Text Generator Pro
Generates alt text for images using AI vision models. Hooks into the Image Alt Audit — the Suggest button uses AI vision per image, and Auto-fill All Missing uses AI vision in batches of 3.
Supported Providers
| Provider | Notes |
|---|---|
| OpenAI | gpt-4o-mini vision |
| Claude (Anthropic) | claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 vision |
| Google Gemini | Vision-capable Gemini models |
| Groq | Vision-capable models |
Ping Search Engines Pro
On-demand manual ping to Google and Bing. Available as a Ping Search Engines button in the Dashboard Quick Actions, shown only when the sitemap is enabled. Triggers an immediate sitemap ping without needing to publish or update a post.
.htaccess Editor Pro
Rank Bix SEO → Settings → AdvancedEdit the WordPress root .htaccess file directly from the admin dashboard. No FTP or SSH required. Requires the Pro plugin active, manage_options capability, and Apache or LiteSpeed server.
Server Compatibility
| Server | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Apache / LiteSpeed | Full editor shown with read/write support |
| nginx | Info notice shown; editor still displays file if it exists, but changes have no effect on nginx |
| IIS / Unknown | Info notice shown explaining .htaccess does not apply |
File Status Indicators
| Indicator | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Server | Detected server type (green for Apache/LiteSpeed, amber for others) |
| Path | Full absolute path to the file on the server |
| Permissions | Octal file permissions (e.g. 0644) |
| Status badge | Readable & Writable · Read-only · Not readable · File not found |
Saving
Click Save .htaccess to write the edited content via AJAX. No page reload required. Before every save, a backup is created at .htaccess.bak in the same directory.
Validation Applied on Every Save
| Check | Limit |
|---|---|
| Capability | manage_options required |
| WordPress nonce | Verified server-side |
| File path | Hardcoded to ABSPATH . '.htaccess'; no path traversal possible |
| Null bytes | Rejected |
| File size | Maximum 64 KB |
.htaccess can break WordPress permalinks or block site access. Always verify changes in a staging environment first and keep a copy of the original file.White Label Pro
Rank Bix SEO → Client Reports → White Label tabRemove or replace all Rank Bix SEO branding inside the WordPress admin. Ideal for agencies and developers who deliver the plugin to clients under their own brand.
Plugin Identity
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Plugin Name | Replaces "Rank Bix SEO" everywhere it appears in the admin: menu labels, page headings, meta box title, and the dashboard widget title |
| Plugin Description | Custom description shown on the Plugins list screen |
| Plugin Logo / Icon | Upload a custom image to replace the Rank Bix SEO dashicon in the admin sidebar menu and the dashboard header |
Admin Sidebar Menu
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Menu Label | Custom text shown as the top-level menu item in the WordPress admin sidebar |
| Hide "Powered by Rank Bix SEO" footer | Removes the plugin branding footer from all plugin admin pages |
Support & Links
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Support URL | Replaces the default WordPress.org forum link inside the plugin with your own support URL |
| Documentation URL | Replaces the default documentation link with a custom URL (e.g. your agency's help centre) |
| Hide plugin row links | Removes the Settings and Support links in the Plugins list row for the plugin |
rankbix-seo), database option keys, and filter/action hook names remain unchanged so developer integrations are not affected.Role Manager Pro
Rank Bix SEO → Settings → Role ManagerControl which WordPress user roles can access each section of Rank Bix SEO. By default only Administrators have full access. Use Role Manager to grant Editors, Authors, or custom roles access to specific features.
Configurable Access Areas
| Feature | Default access | Can be granted to |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard | Administrator | Editor, Author, custom roles |
| Settings | Administrator | Editor, custom roles |
| Redirections | Administrator | Editor, custom roles |
| 404 Monitor | Administrator | Editor, custom roles |
| Bulk SEO Editor | Administrator | Editor, Author, custom roles |
| Import SEO | Administrator | Editor, custom roles |
| GSC Performance | Administrator | Editor, custom roles |
| Post Meta Box | Administrator, Editor, Author | Contributor, custom roles |
How It Works
- Role Manager adds WordPress capabilities (
rankbix_seo_*) to selected roles; it does not modify any built-in WordPress capabilities. - Removing a role's access in Role Manager removes those capabilities from the role immediately.
- Changes take effect on the user's next page load. No logout required.
Pro Features Overview
Rank Bix SEO Pro extends the free plugin with advanced features for power users and agencies. All Pro features are additive and never modify or override free plugin code.
- Overview
- Installation
- Dashboard
- Settings
- ↳ General
- ↳ Social
- ↳ Local Business
- ↳ Sitemap
- ↳ Advanced
- ↳ Robots & Indexing
- ↳ 404 Monitor
- ↳ Tools
- Post / Page Meta Box
- Redirections
- 404 Monitor
- Image Alt Audit
- Bulk SEO Editor
- Duplicate Page
- Import SEO Data
- Admin Toolbar
- SEO Health Alerts
- Dashboard Widget
- Shortcodes
- Multilingual
- Elementor
- News Sitemap
- Developer Functions
- FAQ
- Redirect Type Reference
- GSC Performance Pro
- Site Audit Pro
- Advanced Score Pro
- Client Reports Pro
- Schema Templates Pro
- Extra Schema Types Pro
- Video Sitemap Pro
- WooCommerce SEO Pro
- Multi-location Pro
- Image SEO Pro Pro
- AI Alt Text Pro
- Ping Engines Pro
- .htaccess Editor Pro
- White Label Pro
- Role Manager Pro
- Pro Features Overview
