Rank Math SEO Case Study: From Score 0 to 82 (Free Version)

Introduction

Whether you’re running a business, managing operations for a startup, or building something meaningful online — your website is your digital storefront.

And let me tell you… mine had the shutters down. 🪟❌

Zero impressions. Zero clicks. Zero comments.
It felt like shouting into the void. Echoes only. 😶

I had no visibility on whether my site could even be found—something I later addressed using strategies I documented in this post on improving operational visibility

Now, I know I don’t have thousands of monthly visitors (yet 😉), but that doesn’t mean I can’t build it right from the start.

That’s when I stumbled across Rank Math. It is one of the best free tools available out there for website owners like me who want to improve visibility without heavy investments. Even with the free version — I took a few of my blog posts from an SEO score of 0 to 80+.

No agency. No fancy tools. Just me, a laptop, and a checklist that finally made sense.

In this blog, I’ll show you:

Exactly what I did (step-by-step)
How you can apply this to your own business website or blog
Where the free version shines — and where PRO adds real value 💡

Let’s dig in. Because honestly, good content deserves to be seen. And it starts right here. 🚀

The Initial Struggles

Before Rank Math, my blog was basically in stealth mode. 😅 Here’s what was wrong:

My blog’s starting point — SEO score was literally zero before using Rank Math.

🚫 No focus keyword strategy
🚫 Missing meta title and description
🚫 No structured data (schema)
🚫 Poor interlinking and technical SEO
🚫 No sitemap or robots.txt

I mean, the writing was decent, but SEO? A total mystery. Until Rank Math demystified it.

Why I Chose Rank Math Over Yoast & AIOSEO

We’ve all tried Yoast, right? It’s familiar. But when I actually compared it to Rank Math and AIOSEO… Guess which plugin had me at “clean UI and modular features.” 😎

🧩 Rank Math vs Yoast vs AIOSEO – Feature Comparison

Feature	Rank Math (Free)	Yoast SEO (Free)	AIOSEO (Free)
Focus Keyword Support	✅ 1 keyword	✅ 1 keyword	✅ 1 keyword
Multiple Keyword Optimization	❌ (PRO only)	❌ (Premium only)	❌ (Pro only)
Google Search Console Integration	✅ Built-in	❌ Requires setup	✅ Built-in
SEO Score Indicator	✅ With actionable tips	❌ Not available	✅ Basic readability check
Schema Markup Support	✅ (default types)	❌ (Premium only)	✅ Limited types
Image SEO Features	✅ Auto alt & title	❌ (Premium only)	✅ Basic settings
Redirection Manager	✅ (manual, free)	❌ (Premium only)	✅ (manual, limited)
Instant Indexing (Bing/Google API)	✅ Plugin available	❌	❌
WooCommerce SEO	❌ (PRO only)	❌ (Premium only)	❌ (Pro only)
User Interface	✅ Modern, modular	⚠️ Cluttered with ads	⚠️ Slightly outdated

✔️ = Available in Free • ❌ = Not Available • ⚠️ = Limited or less intuitive

My Top Reasons for Choosing Rank Math (Free):

✅ All-in-one SEO toolkit (and FREE!)
✅ Works smoothly with Elementor (my fav)
✅ Modular features — no bloat!
✅ Google Search Console integration — yes, please!
✅ Lightweight & lightning fast ⚡

Installing & Setting Up Rank Math (Free)

Super easy setup — even if tech makes your brain itch 🧠.

Installed it via the WP plugin directory. Click, done.
Setup Wizard? Handled. Chose blog type, linked Google Search Console, enabled sitemap, etc.
Switched on the modules I needed (Meta tags, Sitemap, Schema, Redirections). Simple.

Step-by-Step Optimization: How I Got from 0 ➝ 84

🛠️ 1. Quick SEO Fixes

Added focus keywords (Free version supports only one)
Wrote catchy meta title & description
Previewed how it looks on Google (so satisfying!)
Cleaned up H2s and H3s
Added alt text on images (finally 🙈)

SEO score before installation of Rank Math — **Before Installing Rank Math**

SEO score improvement with Rank Math — **After Installing Rank Math**

Meta Title & Description preview in Rank Math — **Meta Title & Description **preview** in Rank Math**

🧠 2. Content Improvements (with Free Hints!)

Took the suggestions given to me seriously and followed.
Increased word count (yep, like this one).
Made it juicy with LSI & secondary keywords 🔍

This reminded me of how a process audit strategy for cost savings works—small tweaks in the backend can yield measurable results

With PRO, I could’ve added multiple focus keywords to fine-tune the targeting even more.

🔗 3. Internal & External Links

Linked to older posts and cornerstone content 🧱
Added helpful external resources (like Rank Math docs)
Used clear, descriptive anchor texts (no more “click here”)

📋 4. Schema Markup (Free Version)

Enabled Article Schema
Rank Math filled in the blanks for me
Google loves this stuff. Trust me!

Just like SOPs bring order and clarity to operations, structured data through Schema Markup brings clarity to search engines about your website.

Bonus Tip: Rank Math even reminds you to add alt text, helping with both SEO and accessibility!

🗺️ 5. Sitemap & Robots.txt — All in One Place

Sitemap? Enabled. ✅ Submitted to Google.
robots.txt? Edited directly from Rank Math’s dashboard. Love that.

The Results Are In! 🎉

📈 SEO Score: 0 ➝ 84 — in just 48 hours!
🔍 Indexed and searchable on Google
⚡ PageSpeed shot up (48 ➝ 87 on mobile!)
🏷️ Started ranking for my long-tail keywords (finally!)

Rank Math PRO vs Free: What You Get

Feature	Free Version	PRO Version
Focus Keyword Optimization	✅	✅ (unlimited)
Content AI	❌	✅
Schema Markup	✅ (default)	✅ (custom builder)
Keyword Rank Tracking	❌	✅
WooCommerce SEO	❌	✅
News/Video Sitemap	❌	✅
Redirection Manager	✅ (manual)	✅ (advanced)
Instant Indexing	❌	✅

🚀 PRO Perks I’m Eyeing:

Content AI — write smarter, not harder
Schema templates — so you don’t do it from scratch every time
Automated keyword tracking (no more spreadsheets!)

So… Is Rank Math PRO Worth It?

If you’re running a personal blog or starting out — FREE is more than enough.

But if you’re managing multiple websites or need serious automation — PRO is 🔥.

Right now, I’m still on the free plan… but not for long. 👀

❓ Quick FAQs (The Fun Section!)

A: Use the Setup Wizard included in Rank Math—it walks you through essential settings like sitemap generation, schema defaults, and Google Search Console integration. After setup, fine-tune your titles, meta, and schema per post.

A: SEO is a long game. While on-page improvements can affect crawlability and rankings within days or weeks, consistent results typically show after 1–3 months of optimized publishing.

A: Yes! Rank Math offers visual cues, traffic light indicators, and intuitive settings. Most features can be managed with no coding experience. However, learning some SEO basics can enhance how you use it. 🧩

A: Not even close. It’s lighter than most themes. ⚡

A: Yup — there’s a 1-click migration wizard.

A: If you’re serious about SEO and content marketing… absolutely.

A: If you’re managing multiple sites, want advanced schema types, or need performance analytics and automation, Pro is worth considering. For most bloggers, though, the free version is powerful enough to get results.

✨ Wanna Know My Secret Sauce? It’s Rank Math!

I didn’t just boost my SEO score from 0 to 80+ overnight… I had help. 💡

Rank Math’s free version did the heavy lifting — no joke. But if you’re serious about SEO (and tired of guessing), the PRO version is where the real magic happens.

🚨 Why let your content get buried on page 7? Boost it with Rank Math PRO — and thank yourself later.

👉 Click here to try Rank Math PRO

💡 We use MailerLite to power our lead magnets and client communications. It’s beginner-friendly, powerful, and highly affordable for SMEs

Related Resources

📝 This blog is part of the Rank Math Affiliate Contest. Wish me luck! 🍀