Better Resource Hints
Better Resource Hints will make your WordPress site or application faster and generally more performant by intelligently leveraging resource hints like prefetch, preload, preconnect, and server push. As it stands, WordPress isn’t that bad about providing a base level of these hints. In fact, a basic, dedicated API has been shipped since version 4.6.. However, this functionality only scratches the service, providing only dns-prefetch tags out of the box, and there’s growing opportunity to take advantage of different hints as they are introduced and gain more browser support. Specifically, this plugin focuses on the following types of hints for your styles and JavaScript assets: Preconnecting – This hint is similar to “dns-prefetch,” but a beefier version. Instead of just resolving the DNS, the preconnect hint handles TLS negotiations and TCP handshakes, resulting in reduced page latency. Preloading – Preloading occurs when the browser is told it can start downloading an asset in the background early during page load, instead of waiting until the asset is explicitly called to start the process. This hint is most beneficial for assets loaded later on in the page, but are nonetheless essential to the page’s functionality. More often than not, this is a JavaScript file. Enabling this results in an overall faster load time, and quicker time to interactive. Prefetching – Prefetching assets is similar to preloading, but the assets are downloaded in low priority for the purpose of caching them for later use. For example, if a user hits your home page and is likely to go to a page that uses a heavy JavaScript file, it’s wise to prefetch that asset on the home page, so it’s cached and ready to go on the next. Again, the result is a quicker subsequent page load, quicker time to interactive, and an improved overall user experience. This is different from DNS prefetching, which will only resolve the DNS of a resource’s host, and not actually download the resource itself. Server Push – If enabled, server push will tell your server to start delivering an asset before the browser even asks for it. This results in a much faster delivery of key assets, and be toggled on for both preloaded, prefetched, and preconnected assets. Note: This feature requires a server that supports server push, and is the most experimental strategy this plugin provides. As with any sort of performance-enhancing technique, just be aware that they should be used judiciously, and that the results you see will depend on the size the of resources your site loads, as well as how your server is configured. For additional reading, see some of the resources below: Preload, Prefetch, & Priorities in Chrome Preloading Key Requests Preload: What’s It Good For? Resource Hints – What is Preload, Prefetch, and Preconnect? What Makes This Plugin Stand Apart? There’s no shortage of plugins out there that aim to leverage resource hints for boosting performance. However, I’ve seen that several of them make the following mistakes: Inflexible Hint Management Many similar plugins only provide very limited flexibility in their options, and only allow setting hints globally for every page, regardless of whether the resources are actually needed on the page. This can often result in unecessarily bloaging your bandwidth, since hints on several pages are effectively useless. In some cases, this could actually lead to a less performant site. This plugin attempts to provide options to manage hints more flexibily and intelligently, meaning you won’t be unecessarily preloading assets in the background when they’re not even needed on the page. Misunderstanding What Different Hints Do I’ve come across some plugins that fail to understand and leverage different hints like they were designed. For example, promising that assets are being preloaded, when they’re actually being prefetched. These and other hints have very different purposes, and should not be interchangably used if you want them to impact your site in the most effective way. This plugin attempts to leverage these hints in way to maximize their effectiveness. For example, BHR won’t prefetch any assets that are enqueued on the page, because that’s just not how the prefetch hint is designed to be used. Is Better Resource Hints perfect? Absolutely not. That’s why I encourage any constructive feedback or bug reports to be sent my way immediately, so that I can’t improve this plugin as quickly as possible. A Note About Preloading CSS Because of their high placement on a page, if the option is enabled, your CSS files will be asyncronously preloaded, and then turned into a stylesheet once they’ve completely loaded. The advantage to doing this is that while the files are downloading, they won’t block the rest of the page from rendering, resulting an overall faster page load. However, this also means that there may be a flash of unstyled content on the page for a brief moment as the files download. To prevent this, it’s recommended to only preload CSS files that are not critical to the initial view of the page. This will allow you to gain some performance points without sacrificing use experience as the page loads. Filters The following filters are exposed for your use. /** * Modify the HTML link generated for preconnecting hosts. * * @param string $link (HTML tag) * @param string $url (URL of the host) * @return string */ add_filter('better_resource_hints_preconnect_tag', function ($link, $url) { return $url; }, 10, 2); /** * Modify the HTML link generated for prefetching hosts. * * @param string $link (HTML tag) * @param string $handle (WP handle of the resource * @param string $type (script or style) * @return string */ add_filter('better_resource_hints_prefetch_tag', function ($link, $handle, $type) { return $url; }, 10, 3); /** * Modify the HTML link generated for preloading hosts. * * @param string $link (HTML tag) * @param string $handle (WP handle of the resource * @param string $type (script or style) * @return string */ add_filter('better_resource_hints_preload_tag', function ($link, $handle, $type) { return $url; }, 10, 3); What Happens Out of the Box? Upon activation, Better Resource Hints will optimize your resource hints in a conservative, low-risk way by only doing two things out of the box: Preloading JavaScript assets enqueued in the footer. Setting preconnect hints for all third party hosts that already have dns-preconnect hints. Using the Plugin After activation, you are able to adjust settings to tweak optimization as seen fit. As a means of testing your optimizations, use a tool like Google Lighthouse to measure the impact of these changes on your site’s performance. As mentioned, the techniques used here are largely supported by modern browsers, but your results may vary depending on the amount of assets being loaded on your site, as well as your server configuration. Feedback You like it? Email or tweet me. You hate it? Email or tweet me. Regardless of how you feel, your review would be greatly appreciated!
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings
Rank Math SEO – WordPress AI SEO Plugin to Rank Higher 📈 ★★★★★ Rank Math SEO helps you stay ahead of competitors with AI-powered SEO tools built for today’s search engines and AI assistants. The plugin brings powerful AI SEO tools right into WordPress. It helps you optimize content, include Schema Markup, add smart internal links, target the right keywords, run SEO checks, and more. Over 4 million WordPress websites trust Rank Math to grow their organic traffic faster. If you know you could be doing more for your website’s SEO but don’t have the time, Rank Math SEO is exactly what you need. Try the FREE Demo of Rank Math Features | Why Choose Rank Math? | Compare | Screenshots | Benefits [NEW] AI Visibility: Monitor Your Brand Across AI Search ➜ AI Visibility score to monitor your brand’s visibility ➜ Track how ChatGPT and Gemini mention your brand ➜ Monitor your brand’s sentiment across AI responses ➜ See how you compare against your competitors in AI Search ➜ Access complete transcripts of AI responses ➜ Check your brand’s AI Visibility across different countries Learn more about AI Visibility ➜ [NEW] AI Link Genius: Smart Internal Linking on Autopilot ➜ View every internal and external link on your site from one dashboard ➜ Update hundreds of links at once instead of editing pages one by one ➜ Get smart link suggestions as you write, right inside the editor ➜ Monitor broken links, redirects, and overall link health ➜ Automatically link keyword variations to the right pages ➜ Get related post suggestions that keep readers on your site longer ➜ Find pages nobody links to and reconnect them to the rest of your site ➜ Export your link data for reports or audits Learn more about AI Link Genius ➜ Exclusive Content AI. Write Highly Optimized SEO Content Get Started with Content AI for FREE and enjoy: ➜ 40+ AI Tools Built for SEO ➜ Use AI SEO to write high-quality content ➜ Fix SEO Issues in One Click ➜ Generate AI Image Alt Text Instantly ➜ Get Instant SEO Help with RankBot ➜ Full Control via Role Manager Learn more about Content AI ➜ Rank Math Includes Every SEO Tool You Need to Rank Higher See the features only Rank Math offers, and find out why it’s the right SEO plugin for you. ✔ Intuitive Setup Wizard that configures Rank Math automatically for your site ✔ 16+ Schema types to add rich results in a few clicks ✔ Optimize post for unlimited focus keywords (5 by default, unlimited with this filter) ✔ Content AI to help you write SEO-friendly content ✔ Google Search Console integration ✔ Google Analytics Integration ✔ LSI keyword suggestions to attract more traffic ✔ XML Sitemap with custom post type support ✔ Detailed content analysis with actionable SEO recommendations ✔ 30+ SEO tests with 1-click ✔ Module based system, enable only what you need ✔ SEO optimized breadcrumbs with theme support ✔ Smart Redirection manager to create redirects at scale ✔ Built-in 404 monitor to catch and fix broken links ✔ Internal link suggestions ✔ Role Manager to control what each team member can access ✔ Automatic ALT Text and Title tags for every image ✔ WordPress Multisite support Why is Rank Math such a game-changer? ✔ Fastest SEO plugin with barely any impact on site speed ✔ WooCommerce SEO with automatic Schema and meta tags ✔ Elementor SEO with native integration ✔ Divi SEO with native integration ✔ Local SEO tools to help nearby customers find your business ✔ Google AMP SEO with SEO data added automatically to AMP pages ✔ bbPress & BuddyPress SEO support with Q&A Schema ✔ 1-Click Import from Yoast ✔ 1-Click Import from AIO SEO ✔ 1-Click Import from SEOPress ✔ 1-Click Import from All In One Schema ✔ 1-Click Import from Redirection plugin ✔ Translation plugins support including WPML, Weglot, TranslatePress and Polylang ✔ Theme support including Astra, Kadence, Flothemes, OceanWP, Themify, Schema Theme and more ✔ Page builder support including Oxygen, WPBakery, Avada, Beaver Builder, Page Builder Framework and more Who Can Benefit From Rank Math? Rank Math Plugin is perfect for: ✔ Bloggers ✔ eCommerce Store Owners ✔ Niche Sites ✔ Businesses ✔ Agencies ✔ Local Businesses ✔ Startups ✔ The Real Estate ✔ Artists & Photographers ✔ The Solution Offerer ✔ Directories ✔ Vloggers (Video Bloggers) ✔ Or any WordPress Website Which Schema Types Does Rank Math Support? ✔ Article Schema ✔ Book Schema ✔ Course Schema ✔ Event Schema ✔ FAQ Schema ✔ How To Schema ✔ Job Posting Schema ✔ Music Schema ✔ Person Schema ✔ Organization Schema ✔ Local Business Schema ✔ Product Schema ✔ Profile Page Schema ✔ Recipe Schema ✔ Restaurant Schema ✔ Service Schema ✔ Video Schema ✔ Breadcrumb Schema ✔ And much more… Take a sneak peek into Rank Math’s features Detailed Setup Tutorial BIG Publications are Raving About Rank Math Rank Math Reviews Rank Math Review – Why I Ditched Yoast For Rank Math Rank Math on Product Hunt Rank Math Plugin Review from an SEO Consultant and many more Check Rank Math PRO Which Makes SEO Easier & Faster Rank Math FREE VS PRO COMPARISON Unique Features of Rank Math PRO AI Link Genius ✔ AI-Powered Internal Link Suggestions ✔ Auto-Link Keyword Variations ✔ Automatic Link Audits & Monitor Link Health ✔ Bulk Link Update Tool Google Analytics & Search Console Integration ✔ Integrated Google Analytics, AdSense & Search Console Data ✔ Analyze the SEO Performance of Each Post & Page ✔ See Top Winning/Losing Posts & Keywords ✔ Keep Track of Position History ✔ Rank Tracker for Important Keywords Schema aka Structured Data aka Rich Snippets ✔ 20+ Pre-defined Schema types ✔ Import Schema from Other Websites ✔ Advanced Schema Builder to create any complex Schema Markup ✔ Schema Templates for Automation ✔ Conditional Schema Markup ✔ Multiple Location Schema On Any Page (using the Shortcode) SEO Automation ✔ Automated Image SEO ✔ Advanced Filtering for Images [https://i.rankmath.com/zAUHHP] ✔ Watermark Your images ✔ Advanced Post filtering ✔ Bulk Actions [index, noindex, redirect, etc.] ✔ Quick Edit SEO Details ✔ Bulk Import SEO Meta Details Using CSV file ✔ Auto Detect Videos and Generate Schema Markup for Them ✔ Auto Fetch Thumbnail, Duration of YouTube & Vimeo Videos ✔ Automatically Flush Facebook Thumbnails ✔ Open External Links in New Tabs ✔ Nofollow External Links ✔ Noindex Paginated, Archive, Search Result Pages ✔ Instant Indexing for Bing & Yandex [Also Google using our Instant Indexing Plugin] WooCommerce SEO ✔ Automatic Schema for WooCommerce Products ✔ Advanced Open Graph Tags for WooCommerce Products ✔ Automatic NoIndex Hidden Products ✔ Remove WooCommerce Product and Category Base ✔ Add Custom Brands to Products ✔ Add Global Identifier Schema Like GTIN/MPN – Even to Variations MANY MORE FEATURES ✔ PREMIUM 24x7x365 Dedicated Support Managers ✔ MOST COMPETITIVE PRICING EVER! CHECK ALL THE PREMIUM FEATURES AND PRICING HERE Connect with the Team and SEO Experts JOIN FACEBOOK GROUP COMMUNITY: The purpose of this Facebook group is to have a collective place where the community can help each other, and we can get some feedback to improve Rank Math as well. Joining the group is also a great way to connect with like-minded people and share your SEO experience. Branding Guideline Rank Math® SEO is a registered trademark. Please use the following format when mentioning the Rank Math plugin anywhere. * Rank Math [correct] * RankMath [incorrect] * Rankmath [incorrect] * rankmath [incorrect] * rankMath [incorrect] External Services Rank Math SEO connects to several external services to provide its features. Below is a full disclosure of each service, what data is sent, and when. Rank Math Keyword Suggestions API (api.rankmath.com) Used to provide live keyword suggestions as you type in the Focus Keyword field in the post editor. Keyword suggestions: Each time you type in the Focus Keyword field, the keyword and your site’s locale are sent to api.rankmath.com to retrieve related keyword suggestions. This call is made directly from your browser. No account or login is required for this feature. Service provider: Rank Math (ONE.COM INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED) Privacy policy: https://rankmath.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of service: https://rankmath.com/terms-of-service/ Rank Math API (rankmath.com) Used for site registration, license verification, and the SEO Analysis feature. Site registration / account connection: Sends your site URL, Rank Math username, and API key when you connect your Rank Math account. This is required to activate API-based features. Site disconnection: Sends your site URL, username, and API key when you disconnect your account to remove the registration from Rank Math’s servers. SEO Analysis: Sends your site URL, target keyword, and language when you run an SEO site analysis. Results are returned as a scored report. Dashboard widget: Fetches the latest Rank Math blog posts to display in the WordPress admin dashboard widget. No personal data is sent. Results are cached for 12 hours. Service provider: Rank Math (ONE.COM INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED) Privacy policy: https://rankmath.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of service: https://rankmath.com/terms-of-service/ Rank Math OAuth Connector (oauth.rankmath.com) Used to connect your site to Google services (Search Console, Google Analytics) via OAuth. OAuth token exchange: When you authorize Google services, your browser is redirected through oauth.rankmath.com to exchange the authorization code for access and refresh tokens. The authorization code is sent to this service; it returns OAuth tokens for use on your site. Token refresh: Sends your Google refresh token to obtain a new access token when the current one expires. Service provider: Rank Math (ONE.COM INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED) Privacy policy: https://rankmath.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of service: https://rankmath.com/terms-of-service/ Rank Math Content AI (cai.rankmath.com) Used to power AI-based content features. Only active when the Content AI module is enabled and you have a connected Rank Math account. Keyword research: Sends the target keyword, language, and country to fetch keyword suggestions and metrics. Bulk SEO meta generation: Sends post title and content to generate SEO titles and descriptions in bulk. Bulk image alt text generation: Sends image data (base64-encoded) to generate descriptive alt text for images. Default prompts sync: Sends your site URL, username, API key, and plugin version daily to keep AI prompt templates up to date. Credits/wallet check: Sends your username, API key, and site URL to check remaining Content AI usage credits. Service provider: Rank Math (ONE.COM INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED) Privacy policy: https://rankmath.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of service: https://rankmath.com/terms-of-service/ Google APIs (googleapis.com, google.com) Used by the Analytics module to retrieve website performance data. Only active when you have connected Google Analytics via the Rank Math Analytics module. Google Analytics data: Sends your OAuth access token to fetch data like traffic, keyword, impressions, etc for your site from the Google Analytics API. Token verification: Sends your OAuth access token to verify its validity and authorized scopes. Google Tag Manager script (googletagmanager.com): When a Google Analytics / Google Tag property ID is configured, the Google Tag (gtag.js) script is loaded from googletagmanager.com on your site’s front end. AMP analytics (cdn.ampproject.org): When AMP is active and a Google Analytics property is configured, the AMP analytics component script is loaded from cdn.ampproject.org. Service provider: Google LLC Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy Terms of service: https://policies.google.com/terms IndexNow API (api.indexnow.org) Used by the Instant Indexing module to notify search engines of new or updated content. Only active when the Instant Indexing module is enabled. Sends a list of URLs, your site URL, and your IndexNow API key to api.indexnow.org each time content is published or updated (or manually triggered). Service provider: Microsoft (Bing) Privacy policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement Terms of service: https://www.indexnow.org/faq Facebook Graph API (graph.facebook.com) Used to refresh Facebook’s cached preview when a post is updated. Only active when a Facebook App ID and App Secret are configured in Rank Math’s Social settings. Sends the post’s public URL and your Facebook App credentials to trigger a re-scrape of the page by Facebook. Service provider: Meta Platforms, Inc. Privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/ Terms of service: https://developers.facebook.com/terms/
