How to Use Thrive Theme Builder with SEO Plugins

In this article, you’ll learn how Thrive Theme Builder works with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO, and how to create silo pages for a topic-based SEO structure.

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How TTB Works with SEO Plugins

Thrive Theme Builder is fully compatible with popular WordPress SEO plugins. The theme outputs clean, semantic HTML that SEO plugins can analyze and optimize.

Supported SEO Plugins

Thrive Theme Builder works with:

• All in One SEO (AIOSEO) — The most widely used WordPress SEO plugin.
• Yoast SEO — A popular alternative to AIOSEO.
• Rank Math — A feature-rich SEO plugin.
• SEOPress — A lightweight SEO option.

What SEO Plugins Handle

SEO plugins manage metadata and technical SEO elements that are separate from your site’s visual design:

• Title tags — The page title shown in search results.
• Meta descriptions — The description shown below the title in search results.
• Open Graph tags — Social media preview information (Facebook, Twitter).
• XML sitemaps — A map of your site’s pages for search engines.
• Schema markup — Structured data for rich search results.
• Canonical URLs — Prevents duplicate content issues.

What Thrive Theme Builder Handles

Thrive Theme Builder manages the visual and structural elements that affect SEO:

• Page speed — The Site Speed section helps you optimize loading performance.
• Mobile responsiveness — Responsive templates ensure your site works on all devices.
• Content structure — Headings (H1–H6), paragraph structure, and content hierarchy.
• Breadcrumbs — TTB’s Breadcrumbs element outputs schema.org structured data automatically, which search engines use for rich breadcrumb displays in search results.
• Image optimization — Featured images and media within templates.

Using AIOSEO with TTB

AIOSEO integrates seamlessly with Thrive Theme Builder. Here’s how to use them together:

1. Install and activate AIOSEO.
2. Complete the setup wizard.
3. Edit any page or post in the WordPress editor.
4. Scroll down to the AIOSEO metabox.
5. Set the SEO title, Meta description, and Focus keyphrase for the page.
6. Click Update or Publish.

Note: AIOSEO analyzes the content of your page, including content created with Thrive Architect. The SEO analysis score reflects all visible content on the page.

Breadcrumbs: TTB vs. SEO Plugin

Both Thrive Theme Builder and most SEO plugins offer breadcrumb functionality. You should use one or the other—not both:

• TTB Breadcrumbs — Use the Breadcrumbs element in your template for full visual control. TTB breadcrumbs include schema.org BreadcrumbList markup automatically.
• SEO Plugin Breadcrumbs — Use the plugin’s breadcrumb shortcode if you prefer the plugin to manage breadcrumb output and schema.

Creating Silo Pages

Silo pages are a content organization strategy that groups related content into topic clusters, improving your site’s SEO by establishing topical authority.

What Is a Silo Structure?

A silo structure organizes your site’s content into clear topic hierarchies:

• Silo page (pillar page) — A comprehensive overview page for a broad topic (e.g., “Email Marketing Guide”).
• Supporting pages — Individual articles that cover subtopics in depth (e.g., “How to Write Subject Lines,” “Best Times to Send Emails”).
• Internal links — The silo page links to all supporting pages, and supporting pages link back to the silo page.

How to Create Silo Pages with TTB

1. Plan your silo structure. Identify three to five broad topics for your site and list the supporting subtopics under each.
2. Create the silo page:
   • Create a new page in WordPress.
   • Open it in Thrive Architect.
   • Add an introduction to the broad topic.
   • Add sections for each subtopic with a brief description and a link to the supporting article.
   • Use a clear heading structure (H2 for each subtopic section).
3. Create supporting articles:
   • Write individual posts or pages for each subtopic.
   • At the end of each supporting article, add a link back to the silo page.
   • Optionally, add links to other related supporting articles within the same silo.
4. Use a dedicated page template:
   • In Thrive Theme Builder, create a page template specifically for silo pages.
   • Include a sidebar or section that lists related articles in the silo.
   • Apply this template to your silo pages for a consistent layout.
5. Add navigation aids:
   • Use the Breadcrumbs element in your template to show the content hierarchy.
   • Add a Post List or Dynamic Styled List element to display related articles automatically.

Silo Page Best Practices

• Keep silos focused — Each silo should cover one broad topic. Don’t mix unrelated content in the same silo.
• Link strategically — Every supporting article should link back to its silo page. The silo page should link to every supporting article.
• Use descriptive anchor text — When linking between silo pages and supporting articles, use anchor text that describes the target page’s content.
• Update silo pages regularly — As you add new supporting articles, update the silo page to include links to them.

Best Practices

• Don’t duplicate SEO functionality — If your SEO plugin generates a sitemap, don’t add a separate sitemap plugin. If TTB provides breadcrumbs, don’t also enable the SEO plugin’s breadcrumbs on the same template.
• Optimize page speed — Search engines consider page speed in rankings. Use TTB’s Site Speed section and a caching plugin to minimize load times.
• Use structured headings — In your Thrive Architect content, use proper heading hierarchy (H1 for the title, H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections). This helps both SEO and accessibility.
• Set featured images — Featured images appear in social media shares and can appear in search results. Set one for every page and post.

Related Resources

• Using the Site Speed Section: Learn how to optimize your site’s loading performance.
• Using Navigation Elements: Learn how to add breadcrumbs to your templates.
• Getting Started with Thrive Theme Builder: Learn how to set up your site.