When it comes to optimizing your WordPress site for search engines, the right tools can make a world of difference. Here are the Top 10 SEO Plugins Every WordPress Wizard Should Use to enhance your website’s visibility and performance:

1. Yoast SEO: This is a powerhouse plugin that offers comprehensive solutions for on-page SEO optimization, helping you write better content and adding critical meta descriptions.
2. All in One SEO Pack: A robust alternative to Yoast, this plugin simplifies the SEO process with user-friendly features and automatic SEO optimization.
3. Rank Math: A relatively new contender, Rank Math brings a plethora of features that allows you to track your rank and optimize your content effortlessly.
4. SEMRush: This powerful tool not only aids in SEO but also provides competitive analysis, making it a favored choice among WordPress wizards.
5. SEO Press: A cost-effective option that offers all necessary features, including breadcrumbs, schema support, and social media integration.
6. WP Meta SEO: Focused on metadata optimization, this plugin simplifies the management of meta titles and descriptions for your pages.
7. Broken Link Checker: This plugin helps maintain your site’s credibility by identifying and fixing broken links which can negatively impact your SEO.
8. WP Sitemap Page: By creating an XML sitemap for Google, this simple plugin enhances site indexing.
9. Redirection: Managing 301 redirects is crucial for maintaining SEO, and this plugin makes it easy to keep your site problem-free.
10. Schema Pro: This plugin helps in adding rich snippets to your content, potentially increasing click-through rates.

Optimizing your WordPress site for featured snippets involves understanding what these snippets are and how they are curated by search engines. Featured snippets are the boxed information that appears at the top of Google's search results, designed to answer users' queries quickly and provide them with concise information. To increase your chances of being featured, start by focusing on long-tail keywords that are specific to your niche. Use tools like Google's Keyword Planner to identify questions and queries relevant to your audience, and create content that directly addresses these inquiries.

Once you've identified the keywords, structure your content effectively. Utilize heading tags (H1, H2, H3) to organize your content hierarchically, and incorporate lists, tables, or bulleted points for easy readability. You should also consider including a summary or a FAQ section towards the beginning of your posts, as this format is often favored for snippets. Additionally, ensure your content is concise, aiming for around 40 to 60 words for the potential answer. By following these strategies, you can significantly enhance your WordPress site's likelihood of achieving featured snippets.

Many WordPress users unknowingly commit common SEO mistakes that can hinder their website's visibility in search engines. One significant error is neglecting to optimize their permalinks. By default, WordPress generates permalinks that contain uninformative numbers and symbols. To improve your SEO, navigate to your WordPress settings and select a more descriptive permalink structure that includes keywords relevant to your content, such as 'post name' or 'category/post name'.

Another frequent mistake is overlooking the importance of alt text for images. Failing to include descriptive alt text can not only affect your website’s SEO but also limit accessibility for users with visual impairments. Be sure to add concise, keyword-rich alt text to all images on your site. Furthermore, regularly update your XML sitemap and submit it to search engines to ensure they can easily crawl your website and index your content effectively.