WordPress & Page Numbers

[JonathanSmith]

Hi,

I am working on a large WP site for a client and have an issue with duplicate content and page numbers. I am using the Yoast SEO plugin but can't seem to resolve the issue.

Let me give an example:

If I go to a popular category, for example F1, there are over 10 pages of content for the category and although the URL changes, the Title and Meta Description stay the same.

Now...if I was using a template for the title and description I could add the page number variable, but as I am overwriting the template with SEO specific category information I can't use variables and hence the problem!

This is such a common problem I know somebody will have an answer!

Thanks

[marcinlejman]

Hi Jonathan,

there's indeed a simple solution to your problem, and it's right there, in the settings of Yoast SEO.

In your WP dashboard, please navigate to SEO > Titles, and you will find a number of options for titles.

One of them is for the category page. You can use variables (all available variables are listed below the settings form), and you can use page number, so for example:

%%category%% %%page%%

should achieve exactly what you want. You can build meta descriptions in the same way.

Please see the attached screenshot.

6dnnk

[JonathanSmith]

Hi Marcin,

Agreed, but the issue is that I need to be able to write a specific title and meta description in order to target the keywords that this page is designed to target, therefore the template approach in this instance does not provide me with the flexibility that I need.

When I write a specific SEO title it overwrites the template system that you mentioned. More annoyingly I can't use the variables that you mentioned to write specific SEO titles, which I think is an oversight.

So I'm a bit stuck and looking for ideas...