Several Problems: Robots.txt, External Links Nofollow + Open new page and More.

#915312
  • Resolved Locksmith Unit

    6 months ago

    Rank Math pro
    Content AI Starter

    Hello, how are you? First, I want to say that this plugin is amazing. I actually have Yoast, but I am checking out Rank Math on a staging website before I make the switch and purchase the pro version of Rank Math.

    As I mentioned in my title, I have a couple of problems with the free version, along with a few questions I need to understand before fully migrating to Rank Math.

    Problems:

    1. Robots.txt
    2. External Link – No Follow.
    3. External Link – Open in new page.
    4. Breadcrumb.

    It’s very important to note that I’m still investigating, and there may be more problems in the future. But for now, these are the main issues I’ve found:

    1. Robots.txt – The Robots.txt file doesn’t get created via the Rank Math interface, and I’m not able to edit it using the Rank Math interface. I deleted the old Yoast Robots.txt and tried to regenerate it with the Rank Math plugin, but no luck so far.

    2. External Links – No Follow – This feature isn’t working. I haven’t checked if it works only in the HTML body, but in the footer, with external images and links, it’s not working. I already have a plugin that handles this for me, but I would prefer to rely solely on Rank Math and remove the other plugins.

    3. External Links – Open in a New Page – This feature isn’t working either. As I mentioned, I have another plugin that performs this function, but I would prefer to use Rank Math alone.

    4. Breadcrumb – I noticed this option in the Rank Math interface, but there’s a small notification, and it might mean that the Breadcrumb feature isn’t actually working. I haven’t checked it with schema markup because this is a staging website. I saw this published on the plugin interface:

    https://rankmath.com/kb/breadcrumbs/?utm_source=Plugin&utm_medium=Options%20Panel%20Breadcrumbs%20Tab&utm_campaign=WP#add-breadcrumbs-theme

    If there’s a way to avoid editing the theme files, I think it would be much better. After all, any theme updates could delete changes or create problems in the future. For reference, I use the pro theme Mesmerize, so I hope that helps.

    Another thing I must mention: I haven’t connected the Rank Math account because this is a staging website for testing, not the original website. I actually want to buy the PRO plugin, but as I said before, I need to run a few tests before making the switch.

    —————————-

    Quastions:

    1. Article Schema shows by default on Rank Math Wizard – i dont have actully “authors” or article on my website, i have a basic locksmith website, for example:
    https://locksmithunit.com

    Usually, in Yoast, the default setting is “none” for page schema (only the WebPage schema is used).

    I noticed that you offer additional schema types like “Service.” But I’m still a little confused because “Article” schema offered by default, so maybe there’s something I’m not aware of. Can a website like mine benefit from the “Article” schema?

    Or should I use the “Service” schema? Each page on my website represents a service location or car key service. For example, the front page represents: Locksmith Orlando.

    Or should I just use “none” and not include any additional schema? (only the default WebPage schema)

    —————————-

    2. CMS Headless – I see this option, but I really don’t understand what it actually does. I’d be happy to get an explanation about it. I looked on the Rank Math website, but there isn’t a clear explanation about this option. (i really dont know if i need it or not)

    That’s all for now. I know it’s a bit long, but I tried to include everything in one post.

    Looking forward to your help.

    Regards,
    Nadav

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
  • Jaideep Asrani

    6 months ago

    Hello,

    Thank you for contacting Rank Math support.

    1. Please make sure that your site doesn’t have a physical robots.txt file in your site’s root directory. If the issue persists, follow this guide: https://rankmath.com/kb/cant-edit-robots-txt/

    2 & 3. Our plugin’s link options only affect the links present in the post_content. The links present in the header, footer, and sidebar will be ignored. If the issue persists with the links present in the content, share an affected URL so we can check further.

    4. You can create a child theme and add the breadcrumbs code there to make sure that the code isn’t removed when the theme updates.

    5. The Article Schema is applied by default to all the post types. You can change it in the settings if it doesn’t apply to the site’s content. Since your pages describe the services you offer, you should use the Service Schema instead of the Article Schema: https://rankmath.com/kb/service-schema/

    6. The Headless CMS option is for the sites that use Headless CMS. Since you’re using a traditional WordPress setup, you don’t have to enable it.

    Hope that helps and please do not hesitate to let us know if you need our assistance with anything else.

    Locksmith Unit

    5 months, 4 weeks ago

    Rank Math pro
    Content AI Starter

    Thank you for your response, it was very useful.

    I have several additional questions based on what I investigated after your response:

    Robots.txt
    I’m using a dedicated server, so I believe the issue with the robots.txt file is related to the root folder.
    At the moment, this isn’t something I can change.
    What should I do in this situation?

    Should I keep the Yoast robots.txt file or delete it and create a new one manually?
    If I delete the Robots.txt and RankMath doesn’t automatically create a new robots.txt file, what should I do? (create the file Manually?)

    If i cant edit the Robots.txt with RankMath interface, what the recommended way to edit the Robots.txt according RankMath? (only manually?)

    Breadcrumbs:
    I’m not sure what you mean by “child theme.”
    My question is: Is it possible to add a shortcode in a header plugin to avoid making edits directly to the theme files?

    Schema: “Service”:
    I plan to use the “Service” schema but have a dilemma I’d like to share with you.
    There’s a global schema for “LocalBusiness” and a specific schema for “Locksmith.”

    If I use the “Service” schema, what would be the best combination for me?
    Should I combine it with “LocalBusiness” schema or “—Locksmith”?

    New quastion about LocalBusiness schema:
    What is better? i am a local business but i see RankMath has an option called: “—Locksmith”.
    What will be better for my locksmith website? (i know its a stupid quastion but i be happy to understand what is more powerful for my locksmith website)

    That’s all for now. Thank you again for your help; I really appreciate it.

    Jeremy

    5 months, 4 weeks ago

    Hello,

    Robots.txt
    If the old robots.txt file contains the desired rules, then you can leave it as is. Rank Math won’t generate a virtual robots.txt if there’s a physical robots.txt present on your website’s root directory.

    If you wish for Rank Math to handle the robots.txt file, then you’ll have to delete the robots.txt file but you don’t have to create one as Rank Math creates the robots.txt file virtually.

    Please clear your website caches after making changes in your robots.txt.

    Breadcrumbs:
    Yes, as long as that page is readable by Rank Math, the shortcode should work anywhere.

    Schema: “Service” and New question about LocalBusiness schema:
    In this case, the best approach would be to use the Service Schema on individual service pages (like car key services or specific locations) and pair it with the Locksmith Schema as your global schema. The Locksmith Schema is a subtype of LocalBusiness Schema, specifically tailored for locksmiths, and it will help Google better understand and rank your business.

    For setup guidance: https://rankmath.com/kb/schema-generator/

    Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any other questions.

    Locksmith Unit

    5 months, 3 weeks ago

    Rank Math pro
    Content AI Starter

    @Jeremy,
    Thank you so much for the quick response.

    I tried what you suggested, and indeed the robots.txt was created by Rank Math, but I’m not able to edit the robots.txt with RankMath interface.
    The EDIT is not big isiue because i can edit it manually, so i think this problem we can count it as “solved”.

    I have a 1 more question about the robots.txt, but let’s go one by one. I don’t want to overwhelm you with too many questions.

    ——

    The big issue right now is the breadcrumb.
    I don’t want to include the shortcode on every page, this because the breadcrumbs needs to reflect the website structure properly. (and its a lot of job now go pages one by one)

    Let’s say:

    The homepage is Breadcrumb 1, and each page after that is Breadcrumb 2.
    For example, a page on my website:
    https://locksmithunit.com/locksmith-doctor-phillips-fl/

    You can check the schema markup here:
    https://validator.schema.org/#url=https%3A%2F%2Flocksmithunit.com%2Flocksmith-doctor-phillips-fl%2F

    Right now, it’s using the basic WebPage Schema from Yoast, and as you can see, they’ve integrated the breadcrumb perfectly without any hassle. (breadcrumb 1 and breadcrumb 2)

    I think if we want to do it the same way as Yoast do it, we might have to integrate the Breadcrumb into the THEME himself…

    I have the Pro version of Mesmerize THEME, and I’ve already asked them about this issue.
    They might be able to create a mini plugin for me.
    But still, I think Rank Math should handle something minor like this, especially if I’m going to rely on your plugin. (AND I PROMISE YOU GUYS, I GONNA BUY THE PRO VERSION)

    I would appreciate a solution that doesn’t involve editing the theme files but integrates perfectly, just like Yoast does. (IF PRO RANKMATH USERS GET SOLUTION TO THAT, TELL ME, AND I WILL COUNT THAT AS PROBLEM “SOLVED”)

    ——

    Regarding the LocalBusiness schema and the Locksmith schema, from what I understand from you, the Locksmith schema is a subcategory of the LocalBusiness schema. That’s perfect, so I have no more questions about that.

    ———————————————-

    Comeback to the Robots.txt:
    Regarding the robots.txt,
    I actually opened a topic on WordPress.org in your support forum:
    https://wordpress.org/support/topic/robots-txt-quastion-yoast-vs-rank-math/

    I think it would be better if you checked the link, it will make it easier since I made the topic very detailed. If you read the topic, it will be simpler to answer my questions:

    Now, my question is, why are these two lines included by default in the Rank Math robots.txt?

    Wouldn’t it be better to remove them? If the WordPress core handles the robots.txt by default, it’s better to keep it as clean as possible, and “/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php” is important for the REST API endpoint.

    So, wouldn’t it be better to remove these two lines from the robots.txt to avoid any potential issues and keep it cleaner?

    Waiting for your recommendation.

    Regards,
    Nadav.

    Locksmith Unit

    5 months, 3 weeks ago

    Rank Math pro
    Content AI Starter

    Okay, I see you answered me on wordpress.org.

    From what I can tell, a lot has been covered, and I have answers to almost every issue I encountered.

    However, there are still two things I haven’t managed to solve:

    Breadcrumb:
    The THEME developer sent me a mini plugin that fixed the issue, BUT
    there is no breadcrumb on the front page like Yoast provides.

    I changed the breadcrumb name on the front page to a keyword (in my case, I called it “Locksmith”), which gave me an SEO boost. Even on the front page, Yoast’s schema shows that (WebPage schema).
    FOR EXAMPLE (SCREENSHOT):
    https://ibb.co/0rhNSj3.

    ——–

    Now, I have a question I’ve asked before, but I’ve done some checking on other sites (I won’t lie, I checked RankMath’s website, haha).

    So, if you remember, I asked you about the “Service” schema, and you recommended using it.

    I checked:
    https://rankmath.com/

    on the schema validator:
    https://validator.schema.org/#url=https%3A%2F%2Frankmath.com%2F

    and I noticed that for the front page, you use the WebPage schema (and not only you, a lot of websites do the same as you).

    Now, my front page is about “Locksmith Orlando,” and I know it’s a service, but after all, it is also the front page.

    So my dilemma is whether I should use the WebPage schema for the front page or still use the “Service” schema there as well.

    I’m a bit confused, and I’m afraid to set the front page for this schema since it’s the front page.

    All the other pages are set to the “Service” schema. But again, I’m still unsure about applying it to the front page.

    If you could recommend what is better in this scenario, I would appreciate it.

    And that’s all, guys! I believe this will cover all the problems I’ve encountered.

    Regards,
    Nadav

    Jaideep Asrani

    5 months, 3 weeks ago

    Hello,

    1. Having Breadcrumb as Locksmith on the front page doesn’t provide an SEO boost. The front page doesn’t have a trail, and there is no point or benefit in adding the breadcrumb to it.

    2. You can use the Service Schema on the homepage. Our plugin will take care of the Schema types for the homepage using the details you enter in the Local SEO settings. However, adding a Service to provide Google with more information doesn’t cause any issue with the homepage SEO.

    Please do not hesitate to let us know if you need our assistance with anything else.

    Locksmith Unit

    5 months, 3 weeks ago

    Rank Math pro
    Content AI Starter

    OK, sounds good. I think we’ve covered all the issues here in this topic.
    You were great, guys, and rest assured, I’m going to buy the PRO plugin.

    We have one more topic we need to cover:
    https://support.rankmath.com/ticket/global-schema-not-working-service-and-webpage-connected-not-show-separately/

    Thank you, you really provide excellent support here.
    I’ll be a PRO user very soon, so I believe we’ll be in touch more often. 🙂

    Regards,
    Nadav Levi

    Rakibuzzaman Siam

    5 months, 3 weeks ago

    Hello,

    We are super happy that we could address your concern. If you have any other questions in the future, know that we are here to help you.

    If you don’t mind me asking, could you please leave us a review (if you haven’t already) on https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/seo-by-rank-math/reviews/#new-post about your overall experience with Rank Math? We appreciate your time and patience.

    If you do have another question in the future, please feel free to create a new forum topic, and it will be our pleasure to assist you again.

    Thank you.

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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