To enable Yoast SEO Premium, install the plugin, sign in to MyYoast, and connect your subscription to the site.
You want the paid features live right away—redirect manager, internal linking help, and richer schema. This guide walks through installation, connection, and fixes for common snags so you can turn it on without stress. The flow is simple once you know where to click, and the Premium screens appear as soon as the site link succeeds.
What You Need Before You Start
Two items matter: the Premium plugin file and a subscription tied to your Yoast account. You’ll upload the file in WordPress, then link the domain to the subscription in your account portal. The link is what unlocks Premium on the domain; recent builds no longer rely on pasting a license key.
| Requirement | Where You Get It | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Premium plugin (.zip) | MyYoast > Downloads | Upload via Plugins > Add New > Upload |
| Yoast account | my.yoast.com | Use the purchase email |
| Active subscription | MyYoast > Subscriptions | Seat count matches domains |
| Site added in MyYoast | MyYoast > Sites | Add domain, then flip toggle |
| WordPress admin access | Your site | Install, activate, verify |
Install The Premium Plugin
Log in to WordPress, open Plugins > Add New > Upload, and upload the .zip from your account. Click Install Now, then Activate. This adds the Premium code so your site can talk to Yoast’s servers during the subscription check.
Where To Download The File
Sign in to your customer portal and open Downloads. Get the Premium .zip there, not from the free WordPress.org listing. Keep the free base plugin installed; Premium sits on top and adds features without touching your content or rankings.
Plugin Order And Coexistence
If the free base plugin is already active, leave it in place. If it isn’t, install it from the WordPress directory, then add Premium. Both stay active. That pairing is the intended setup and what Yoast tests against.
Connect Your Site To The Subscription
Open your account portal in a new tab and go to Sites. Add the domain if it isn’t listed, then switch the subscription toggle to On for that site. Your dashboard will reflect the active status after the handshake finishes. If you still see an activation notice, refresh and check again.
Where You’ll See It In WordPress
Open the SEO menu in your dashboard. Once the link lands, you’ll see Premium features such as Redirects and internal linking suggestions. You can create a quick test redirect to confirm the module works and then delete it.
Activate Yoast Premium On A Live Site
Working on a staging copy first? Add both staging and live domains in the portal. A single-site seat links to one domain at a time, so flip the toggle when you launch. That handover keeps your live domain verified without buying another seat.
Using A Multisite Network
Network admins often install plugins network-wide and enable them per site. If you run a single-site seat, connect the exact domain you want covered. For large networks, purchase seats that match the number of covered domains so each site can verify cleanly.
Quick Start: Step-By-Step
1) Download
Sign in to the portal, open Downloads, and grab the Premium .zip.
2) Upload
WordPress > Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin > Choose file > Install Now.
3) Activate
Click Activate Plugin. Keep the free base plugin installed too.
4) Add Site
In the portal, go to Sites, click Add a site, and enter the domain.
5) Connect Subscription
Flip the toggle to On for that site. Reload your WordPress dashboard and check the SEO menu.
Post-Activation Setup That Pays Off
Turn On Redirects
Open SEO > Redirects. Create a single test rule (old-slug to current page), save it, click the test link, then delete it. That tiny check confirms the module writes rules and that your cache isn’t serving stale paths.
Review Schema Settings
Open SEO > Settings > Site basics and set organization or person details. Set a default page type for posts and pages, and verify that breadcrumbs, article, and organization markup look correct in a structured data tester.
Scan For Orphaned Content
Use the internal linking suggestions to surface posts that need links. Add two or three smart links in high-authority articles to strengthen those pages.
Run The First Content Checks
Open a few top posts, glance at the analysis panels, and fix the low-effort wins—slugs, meta descriptions, and missing alt text on key images.
Where Official Docs Match These Steps
You can cross-check the install and connection flow in Yoast’s installation manual and account quickstart. Those pages mirror the same sequence—download from your account, upload in WordPress, activate, add your site in the portal, then connect the subscription. If you’re new to the account portal, the quickstart map makes each section clear.
Feature Checks After Activation
Confirm access to Redirects, internal linking suggestions, and the Premium onboarding screens. If these aren’t present, the site link hasn’t verified yet. Reopen the portal, confirm the domain, and flip the toggle again to refresh the handshake.
Common Hurdles And Fast Fixes
If you see a notice that the subscription isn’t active, it usually means the domain isn’t added in the portal or the toggle isn’t on. In rare cases, a firewall blocks the outbound request. Another snag is a blocked upload when the server’s file size limit is low.
| Symptom | Probable Cause | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| “You haven’t activated” notice | Site not added or toggle off | Add domain in Sites, flip toggle on, reload dashboard |
| 403 or 404 during check | Security rule or missing site | Ask host to allow outbound calls; ensure domain is listed in portal |
| Upload blocked by limit | upload_max_filesize too small |
Raise limit in hosting panel or upload via SFTP/file manager |
| Premium missing after launch | Staging still linked | Switch the subscription toggle to the live domain |
| Network install confusion | Seat count mismatch | Purchase seats to match covered domains |
Security And Access Tips
Keep the portal login under an owner-level email and turn on two-factor authentication. Limit who can connect or disconnect the subscription. For agency work, use shared password tools and time-boxed access, then hand full control back to the client.
House Rules That Affect Verification
The check is based on the domain, not the protocol or the www variant. Subdomains and subfolders count as different sites for verification. Plan seats with that in mind, especially if you run language sections on subfolders or spin up country subdomains for regional sites.
Performance Notes
Premium runs alongside the free base plugin. Keep both updated for bug fixes and compatibility. If your stack caches pages hard, purge after activation and after adding redirects so visitors and crawlers see the change. If you run a CDN, clear it as well.
Clean Migration From Staging To Live
Test features on staging first. When you launch, open the portal and flip the subscription toggle from staging to the live domain. Then visit the WordPress dashboard to confirm the Premium screens show as active. That tiny routine keeps your SEO tools steady across the move.
Quick Troubleshooting Workflow
1) Check Portal
Open Sites and confirm the domain is listed and the toggle is on. If you manage many domains, search for the exact match to avoid linking the wrong one.
2) Check WordPress
Make sure both the base and Premium plugins are installed and activated. If you removed the base plugin by mistake, reinstall it from the directory and reload.
3) Check Hosting
Ask the host if outbound connections to Yoast are allowed. If you use a firewall or security plugin, add an allow-rule so the handshake succeeds.
4) Reinstall If Needed
Delete only the Premium plugin, upload a fresh .zip from your account, and activate again. Your SEO settings remain in the database.
Subscription And Domain Rules In Plain Words
One single-site seat covers one domain. If you need coverage for multiple domains, purchase the right number of seats. You can move a seat from staging to live or from an old site to a new one by flipping the toggle in the portal. That move is instant once the site confirms the link.
When To Contact Support
Paid users get direct help. Gather a screenshot of any notice, the domain you connected, and any firewall logs from the host. Share the steps you tried. That short packet lets the support team check the link and resolve the block quickly.
Checklist You Can Print
1) Download the Premium .zip in your account. 2) Upload and activate in WordPress. 3) Add the domain in Sites. 4) Flip the subscription toggle to on. 5) Reload WordPress and confirm the Premium features appear. That’s the whole flow.
Need the official references? See the Premium installation manual and the MyYoast quickstart guide for step-by-step screens.