Install RankKit SEO

RankKit SEO is a WordPress plugin. You install it like any other plugin: upload the zip file, activate it, and a RankKit SEO menu appears in the admin sidebar. This guide covers the free plugin. If you bought RankKit SEO Pro or started a trial, you install the Pro plugin instead, and the steps are almost the same.

Check the system requirements first: WordPress 6.5 or newer and PHP 7.4 or newer.

Install the free plugin

1. Download the free plugin from rankkitseo.site/download/free. You get a zip file. Don't unzip it.
2. In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New Plugin and click Upload Plugin.
3. Choose the zip file and click Install Now.
4. Click Activate Plugin.

The plugin shows as RankKit SEO in your plugins list, with Settings and Dashboard links under its name.

Install over FTP or SFTP instead

If your host blocks uploads in wp-admin, unzip the file on your computer and upload the plugin folder to wp-content/plugins/ on your server. Then go to Plugins in WordPress and click Activate under RankKit SEO.

What RankKit SEO does when you activate it

On activation RankKit SEO creates its database tables and saves its default settings. It then starts working with these modules on:

• Titles and meta tags, schema, XML sitemaps and redirects (with automatic redirects when a slug changes).
• llms.txt and Markdown versions of pages.
• Image SEO, AI crawler tracking and the AI assistant (the AI assistant does nothing until you add your own key).

AI agent access, IndexNow, external link rules and the WordPress dashboard widget stay off until you turn them on. See Turn modules on and off for the full list.

Sharing data with Freemius, the licensing service RankKit SEO uses, is optional. Nothing is sent unless you opt in, start a trial or buy.

Note Another SEO plugin still active? Running two SEO plugins prints duplicate titles and meta tags. Import your data first, then deactivate the old plugin. See Switch from another SEO plugin.

Install RankKit SEO Pro

RankKit SEO Pro is a separate plugin that contains everything in the free plugin plus the Pro features. You download it from your account at rankkitseo.site/account after you buy or start a trial.

You don't need to uninstall the free plugin first. When you activate RankKit SEO Pro, the free plugin is deactivated automatically, and your settings and SEO data carry over. Full steps: Install RankKit SEO Pro and activate your license.

Next steps

1. Open RankKit SEO → Dashboard and click Run your first audit.
2. Coming from another SEO plugin? Use RankKit SEO → Tools → Import from another SEO plugin.
3. Optionally add an AI key in RankKit SEO → Settings → AI provider.

The Quick start walks through all of this in about 10 minutes.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Fix
WordPress refuses to activate the plugin and mentions PHP or WordPress versions.	Your server runs PHP older than 7.4 or WordPress older than 6.5.	Ask your host to upgrade PHP, or update WordPress. See System requirements.
"The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive"	Your host limits upload size.	Install over FTP or SFTP as described above, or ask your host to raise the limit.
No RankKit SEO menu after activation.	Your user role doesn't have access.	Log in as an administrator. Administrators always see every RankKit SEO page.

FAQ

Do I need to uninstall the free plugin before installing Pro?

No. Activating RankKit SEO Pro deactivates the free plugin for you. You can then delete the free plugin: RankKit SEO does not remove its data when one edition is deleted while the other is still active.

Is RankKit SEO free to use on several sites?

Yes. The free plugin works on any number of sites with no time or usage limit.

Does RankKit SEO need an account to work?

No. The free plugin works without a RankKit SEO account. You only need an account at rankkitseo.site to buy Pro, start a trial and download RankKit SEO Pro.