Access to the website admin panel
FOR SEO FIXES

Website admin panel access: why it may be needed and how to share it safely

For our specialist to implement the fixes, access to your website's admin panel is required. Title tags, meta descriptions, H1 headings, image alt attributes and technical fixes are changed directly in the CMS or in server files.

Below we explain why access is needed, what exactly we do in the admin panel, which permissions are required and how to share access safely on the most widely used CMS platforms and hosts.

When CMS access is required

Implementation - optional, after the audit

A GEO SEO optimisation package is an audit and a report with ready fixes for each page; no website access is needed for it. If you would rather not make the changes yourself, you can order implementation after the audit: auto-fixes through our WordPress plugin or our specialist for any platform. Only then is CMS access needed.

What exactly we change through the admin panel

Through the CMS admin panel we implement:

• Title tags for every page being optimised (via an SEO plugin, the platform's SEO fields or the CMS's own field)
• Meta descriptions (in the same way)
• H1 headings (editing page content - the heading only)
• Image alt attributes
• Internal links (adding a link to the content of an existing page)
• 301 redirects (via a redirect plugin, CMS settings or .htaccess)
• Canonical tags (via SEO plugin settings or template edits)
• Hreflang set-up (via WPML/Polylang or template edits)
• The robots.txt file and XML sitemap (via the SEO panel or directly in server files)

How to share access on popular CMS platforms

Shopify

Shopify is one of the most widely used ecommerce platforms worldwide. To share access:

• Go to "Settings" → "Users" → "Add user"
• Give the Administrator role, or a role with rights to edit content, SEO fields and component settings
• Changing hreflang and canonical tags in the template may also require access to the theme editor

Send us:

• The admin panel URL (usually yourstore.com/admin or yourstore.myshopify.com/admin)
• The login and password of the new account

WordPress with WPML or Polylang

For multilingual WordPress websites:

• Create a new account with the "Administrator" or "Editor" role
• Editor is enough for content optimisation (titles via Yoast/Rank Math, H1, alt)
• Administrator is needed to configure WPML/Polylang and technical settings

Send us:

• The admin panel URL (yoursite.com/wp-admin/)
• The login and password of the new account

Never share the owner's main account details - create a separate account for SEO work.

Magento

Magento is a widely used ecommerce platform for larger online shops. To share access:

• Go to System → Permissions → User Roles and create a role with rights to edit products, categories, CMS pages and SEO fields
• Create a new user and assign this role

Send us:

• The admin panel URL (yoursite.com/admin/ or a custom admin path)
• Login and password

Joomla

For Joomla websites:

• Create a new user with Super User or Manager rights
• Access to global SEO settings and .htaccess requires Super User rights

Send us:

• The admin panel URL (yoursite.com/administrator/)
• Login and password

Hosting providers - access to server files

Some technical fixes require access to server files - above all .htaccess, robots.txt and the XML sitemap.

SiteGround

A popular hosting provider used by websites around the world. SiteGround provides its own Site Tools panel. Its file manager lets you edit .htaccess and robots.txt directly in the browser.

Hostinger and OVHcloud

Widely used hosts with hPanel, cPanel or their own control panel. Standard file manager access and .htaccess/robots.txt editing.

WP Engine, Kinsta and other managed hosts

Managed WordPress hosts often restrict direct access to the server configuration. In these cases we provide exact instructions for your host's support team.

FTP / SFTP

The preferred option for transferring files securely. Send us:

• The SFTP host (usually sftp.yoursite.com or the server IP address)
• The SFTP login and password
• The website's root directory (usually /public_html/ or /www/)

VPS and dedicated servers (nginx)

Some business websites run on a VPS or dedicated servers with nginx. On nginx, 301 redirects and other rules are set in the server block rather than .htaccess. In such cases we supply a ready nginx configuration for your system administrator.

Sharing access securely

Create a separate account

Always set up a separate account for SEO work instead of handing over the owner's main login. A separate account can be deleted or disabled when the work is finished.

Change the password when the work is done

Once you have received the final report, change the SEO account's password or delete the account altogether.

Restrict permissions where you can

For content optimisation the WordPress Editor role is sufficient. Administrator rights are only needed to configure SEO plugins and technical settings.

Never send login details over unencrypted channels

Share access details through an encrypted channel - a password manager with sharing, an encrypted document or a secure messenger with end-to-end encryption.

Platform specifics - what we check in the admin panel

• Shopify or WooCommerce with stock and ERP sync: product syncs can overwrite SEO fields after optimisation - we check whether the SEO fields are protected from being overwritten during a sync
• WordPress WPML: we check hreflang for each language and regional version - a common mistake is an invalid code such as "en-UK" instead of "en-GB", or versions that do not link back to each other
• Magento with several store views: we check the SEO fields of each store view separately
• Joomla with sh404SEF or AceSEF: we check whether the SEO component handles URLs and redirects correctly in every language

Frequently asked questions

What if I do not have access to the hosting panel? Hosting panel access is only needed for technical fixes that involve editing .htaccess or robots.txt. If you have no direct access, we provide exact instructions to pass on to your host's support team.

Can this be done without CMS access? Yes. The package is an audit and a report with ready fixes, which you or your developer apply. Access is only needed for implementation you order from us.

What if my website is on a SaaS platform (Wix, Squarespace)? SaaS platforms limit what you can edit in code and server files. We provide the audit and report for any platform, and implementation on these platforms is available on request after the audit.

How long do you need access to the admin panel? Only while the fixes are being implemented: usually a few days after the audit, depending on the number of pages.