WordPress is more than just a user-friendly platform for blogging; it also comes packed with powerful, yet often overlooked, SEO features that can significantly enhance your website's visibility. Here are five hidden WordPress SEO features that you might not be utilizing to their full potential:

1. Built-in SEO Tools: WordPress has basic SEO functionalities like permalinks, which can be customized for search engine optimization. Ensure your URLs are short, descriptive, and contain your target keywords.
2. Redirects: You can set up simple redirects using plugins, which are crucial for maintaining SEO value when deleting or moving pages.
3. 301 Redirects: Utilize the .htaccess file to implement 301 redirects, helping search engines and users find the new URL of your content.
4. Image SEO: Remember to add alt text to your images! This helps search engines index your images and improves your rankings in image searches.
5. Internal Linking: Leverage WordPress' intuitive editor to create a strong internal linking structure, guiding users and search engines through your site efficiently.

When it comes to WordPress SEO, many users unknowingly make mistakes that can hinder their website’s visibility. One common mistake is neglecting to optimize their meta titles and meta descriptions. These elements play a crucial role in how search engines understand your content and how your pages are presented in search results. Ensure that each post or page has a unique, keyword-rich meta title and description that accurately reflects the content to improve click-through rates.

Another frequent error is overlooking the importance of image optimization. Large, unoptimized images can slow down your site's loading speed, negatively affecting user experience and SEO rankings. To avoid this, always compress your images and use alt tags to provide context. Additionally, maintaining a well-structured URL format is essential. Avoid using default URLs with random numbers; instead, create clean and descriptive URLs that include relevant keywords to enhance your site's search visibility.

To effectively optimize your WordPress site for Google's latest algorithm updates, it's crucial to focus on several key factors. First, ensure that your site is mobile-friendly as Google prioritizes mobile usability in its rankings. You can use a responsive WordPress theme and utilize tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check your site’s performance. Next, enhance your site’s loading speed, as this is a vital ranking factor. Consider using caching plugins, optimizing images, and reducing server response times to provide a better user experience.

Another important step in optimizing for Google’s algorithm is to focus on quality content. Remember to create valuable, unique, and engaging content that addresses your audience's needs. Regularly updating your blog with fresh content signals to Google that your site is active. Additionally, don’t overlook on-page SEO aspects such as using appropriate headings, meta tags, and keyword optimization. Formulating a solid internal linking structure can also help search engines crawl your site more effectively, boosting your overall search visibility.