WordPress SEO plugins are helpful when looking forward to increasing your site's ranking on major search engines such as Google and Yahoo. However, they also have the potential to slow down your site, invite hackers and even cause a Google penalty. No wonder you should always exercise caution when choosing the best to leverage.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Choosing the best can seem like an uphill task with the plethora of WordPress plugins to leverage. This is especially the case when you perform a search for the first time. Either way, you can make an informed choice if you understand what to watch out for.

To lend a helping hand, below are two things to consider when choosing WordPress plugins to optimize your website for SEO.

If you’ve done your homework, you probably know that some paid plugins don’t have a free version. The good news is many of the most respected plugins boast a paid premium version and a free version that is vetted. Furthermore, there is a good chance it is included in the official WordPress repository.

The fact that a free version can automatically generate the metadata and has been vetted by WordPress offers assurance that there is some quality control. Additionally, if a severe issue is discovered with a free plugin, rest assured WordPress will remove the download from its repository.

Even though a WordPress plugin may be in a position to sync your existing alt and title tags, it is not to say you should rush into using it. You ought to keep in mind that some plugins may be abandoned. If the changelog of a WordPress plugin doesn’t indicate regular updates, there is reason to panic.

A WordPress Plugin might not be updated because the function it performs is relatively simple. However, this could be a sign that it has been abandoned. And, of course, abandoned plugins should, in most cases, be avoided.

When searching for a WordPress plugin that recommends the ideal word count, many factors come into play. No wonder you should never rush over your decision as it could end up working against you. To avoid the hassle that comes with starting your search from scratch, click here to find more SEO-friendly WordPress plugins.