How to handle SEO after migrating to React from WordPress

1. Implement Server-Side Rendering (SSR): One of the main SEO challenges with React is that search engines can have difficulty crawling and indexing client-side rendered content. To address this, implement server-side rendering using frameworks like Next.js or Gatsby. This ensures the initial page load is rendered on the server, making the content accessible to search engines[3][5].

2. Optimize Metadata and Sitemaps: Ensure that all critical metadata, such as title tags, meta descriptions, and canonical URLs, are properly set up in your React application. Additionally, generate and submit a sitemap to search engines to help them discover and index your content[5].

3. Maintain URL Structure: Try to preserve the existing URL structure from your WordPress site as much as possible. This helps maintain any existing search engine rankings and avoids broken links that could negatively impact SEO[2][5].

4. Implement Redirects: If you do need to change URLs, set up proper 301 redirects from the old WordPress URLs to the new React-based URLs. This ensures search engines can find the new content and pass along any existing link equity[2].

5. Monitor and Troubleshoot: Closely monitor your site's SEO performance after the migration, such as tracking organic traffic, rankings, and any indexing issues. Use tools like Google Search Console to identify and address any SEO-related problems that may arise[1][3].

6. Leverage WordPress REST API: If you're not doing a complete migration to React, you can still leverage the WordPress REST API to fetch content and integrate it into your React application. This can help maintain SEO benefits while taking advantage of React's performance and interactivity[5].

7. Optimize for Core Web Vitals: React's performance advantages can help you improve your site's Core Web Vitals, which are important ranking factors for search engines. Ensure your React application is optimized for metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), and First Input Delay (FID)[3].

By following these steps, you can effectively manage the SEO impact of migrating from WordPress to a React-based solution, ensuring your website remains visible and accessible to search engines.