If you are a blogger or marketer working on WordPress, you might know Yoast SEO. It is a famous plugin that helps you to optimize your content with search engine-friendly.
It contains 2 parts:
- SEO.
- Readability analysis.
Table of Contents
Why Are Transition Words Important in SEO and Readability?
Search engines aim to deliver helpful content, and readability plays a role in ranking since it affects user engagement metrics (like time spent on page and bounce rate).
Transition words guide readers through your post smoothly, keeping them engaged and reducing chances of confusion or disinterest, which can lead to higher engagement and, potentially, better SEO performance.
So, what do the current readability checks include? Are those Transition Words?
Below are the following checking factors that Yoast SEO uses now:
- Flesch Reading Ease
- Passive voice
- Consecutive sentences
- Subheading distribution
- Paragraph length
- Sentence length
- Transitional words
There are several standards that Yoast SEO marks to check and today, in this blog, we are going to find out one of those standards is Transition Words in Yoast SEO’s readability.
Note: If you don’t know much about SEO overview, check this article first What Is SEO, And Why Is It Important?
What Are Transition Words?
Transition Words are the words that link words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, etc. so readers will easily process and understand your post.
Otherwise, Transition Words help to build up coherent relationships within the text.
That’s why Yoast SEO uses them as a critical component to scoring readability.
Regulation of Good Transition Words in Yoast SEO?
There is an algorithm in Yoast SEO’s readability analysis to determine whether your post is easy to understand.
Then, you might know Yoast’s colored dots or “traffic light” (red, blue, orange). Moreover, your posts need to have at least 30% of Transition Words.
It means that one sentence might have a transition word. For this reason, you will definitely get a “blue” bullet if you reach 30%.
If you use these linking words in more than 20% and below 30%, the bullet will be orange. You will get the red bullet if less than 20%.
Top Good Transition Words Turning WordPress Dot to “Green”
To boost the Yoast SEO readability analysis in WordPress and avoid the difficulty in finding these linking words, I have handpicked here the list of transitional words that obviously support you a lot divided into each category.
Let’s check it out:
First
- Firstly, In the first place, First thing to remember
- Before
- To begin with
Last/Summary
- Lastly
- Afterward
- Eventually
- Finally, In the final analysis
- In conclusion/To conclude
- Thereafter
- Until
- To summarize/In summary/To sum up
- Altogether
- In short
- In brief
Addition
- Also
- In addition, additionally
- Further
- Furthermore
- Besides
- Moreover
- Not only … but also
- Then
- Again
- As well as
Contrast
- Unlike
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
- Despite
- In contrast
- Conversely
- Even so
- Different from
- Instead
- Otherwise
- However
- While
- Such as
- In this case
- For example/For instance/For one thing
- To clarify/To demonstrate
Emphasis
- Undoubtedly
- Unquestionably
- Obviously
- Particularly/ In particular
- Especially
- Without a doubt
- Indeed
- In fact
- In general
- In detail
- Above all
Cause and Effect
- Because
- Since
- So
- Consequently
- Therefore
- Thus
- Hence
- As a result
Time and Sequence
- Before
- After all/After that
- Then
- Firstly/Secondly/Finally
- Soon
- Later
- Meanwhile
- Subsequently
Comparing
- Similarly
- Likewise
- Equally
- To put it another way
- Compared to/By comparison/Comparatively
Tips for Using Transition Words Effectively
Here are some tips for using transition words effectively:
Avoid Overusing Transition Words
While they are important, overuse can make sentences cumbersome.
Aim for natural flow rather than forcing in transitions.
Place Transitions Wisely
Use transition words at the beginning of sentences to link ideas clearly, or within sentences to bridge complex thoughts.
Mix Different Types of Transitions
Vary the types of transition words you use (e.g., cause and effect, contrast, sequence) to keep the text dynamic and maintain reader interest.
Focus on Natural Flow
Transition words should sound natural and should not interrupt the overall flow.
Practice reading sentences aloud to check if transitions improve the flow.
Example Sentence Includes Transition Words
In Blog Introductions. Use transitions like Firstly, or To start with, to introduce the main points.
In Comparisons or Contrasts. Insert However, On the other hand, or Conversely to show contrasts within your article.
When Summarizing. Wrap up sections or posts with In summary, To sum up, or In conclusion to signal the end of a discussion or argument.
For example:
- Cause and Effect: The storm raged all night, therefore, the power lines were down in the morning.
- Contrast: I love going to the beach, but the sand gets everywhere!
- Sequence: First, gather your ingredients. Next, preheat the oven. Finally, bake for 20 minutes.
- Similarity: This movie was just as thrilling as the book.
- Emphasis: We need a solution, and we need it fast!
- Addition: She is a talented writer, and she is also a gifted musician.
- Example: There are many benefits to exercise, such as increased energy levels and improved mood.
- Concession: Although the hike was challenging, the view from the top was worth it.
- Conclusion: In conclusion, a healthy diet and regular exercise are key to a long life.
- Restatement: In other words, effective communication requires clear and concise language.
Read More: Top 7 SEO Tactics To Dominate Your Competitors
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