Yoast Local SEO changelog

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a performance issue that was causing a timeout/memory exhaustion when using the Schema aggregation feature.

Other​

• Sets the WordPress tested up to version to 7.0.
• Bumps the minimum required Free version to 27.3.
• Compatibility with PHP 8.4 and 8.5 is now being safeguarded more stringently
• Improved compatibility with PHP 8.5
• Modernizes how translations of the plugin work by removing the unneeded load_plugin_textdomain() calls.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 6.8.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where adding a Store locator block resulted in an error and the block was not rendered.
• Fixes a bug where adding Local SEO shortcodes to the content in Classic Editor would break the consecutive sentences assessment.
• Fixes a bug where a PHP notice was thrown if the selected primary location was deleted.
• Fixes a bug where enabling "Open 24/7" option inside a location generated incorrect schema for openingHoursSpecification for that specific location.
• Fixes a bug where enabling "Open 24/7" option inside a location triggered an error in the console.

Other​

• Bumps the minimum required Free version to 26.8.
• Improves the general security of the plugin via sanitization and escaping.
• Sets the WordPress tested up to version to 6.9.

Enhancements​

• Improves the onboarding flow by hiding relevant notices when info about the organization is filled via the First Time Configuration.

Other​

• Bumps the minimum required version of Yoast SEO to 25.8.
• Drops compatibility with PHP 7.2 and 7.3.
• Improves the general security of the plugin via sanitization and escaping.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 6.7.
• Sets the WordPress tested up to version to 6.8

Enhancements​

• Avoids a deprecation message on pages with maps regarding asynchronous loading of Google Map API.
• Improves load times on pages with maps, by deferring the load of map-related libraries to not block page rendering.

Other​

• Bumps the minimum required version of Yoast SEO to 23.8.
• Sets the WordPress tested up to version to 6.7.

Enhancements​

• Converts the Yoast Address block to use the Blocks V3 API.
• Converts the Yoast Map block to use the Blocks V3 API.
• Converts the Yoast Opening hours block to use the Blocks V3 API.
• Converts the Yoast Store locator block to use the Blocks V3 API.
• Improves the performance of sites with multiple locations, decreasing page load times significantly.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where a fatal would occur in the settings when a legacy Google Maps API was used.

Other​

• Bumps the minimum required version of Yoast SEO to 23.6.
• Deprecates the WooCommerce Local Pickup functionality.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 6.5.
• Sets the WordPress tested up to version to 6.6.

Enhancements​

• Adds contact phone number and email to the organization schema settings.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where primary location data would be used in the schema when the location status was not publish.

Other​

• Sets the minimum required Yoast SEO version to 22.0.

Enhancements​

• Ensure compatibility with Yoast SEO 21.9 by flushing the the rewrite rules when the Location type is registered.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where a PHP notice about the use of an outdated WooCommerce version would appear.
• Fixes a bug where calling a deprecated function would lead to a fatal error.

Other​

• Improves discoverability of the security policy.
• Makes the plugin compatible with PHP 8.3.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 6.3.

Enhancements​

• Introduces a new way of retrieving translations by utilizing the TranslationPress service. Instead of shipping all translations with every release, translations will now be loaded on a per-install basis, tailored to the user's setup. This leads to smaller plugin releases and less bloat on the user's server.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where address shortcode would not be recognized by Local schema assessment when the shortcode was added in Classic editor.
• Fixes a bug where the organization logo would be used as the default location logo when all locations are part of the same business.

Other​

• Bumps the minimum required Free version to 21.5.
• Introduces the option to use the composer/installers v2 when this package would be required via [WP]Packagist.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 6.2.
• Sets the WordPress tested up to version to 6.4.

Other​

• Security: Adds sanitization to wpseo_local_show_map method.
• Sets the minimum required Yoast SEO version to 20.8.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 6.1.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where location name and URL would not be correctly escaped when displaying a map block in the frontend.
• Fixes a bug where the settings would be displayed with the wrong style when using Yoast SEO 20.3+.

Other​

• Drops compatibility with PHP 5.6, 7.0 and 7.1.
• Removes the Transport page from the deprecated WooCommerce integration.
• Sets the minimum required Yoast SEO version to 20.5
• Sets the WordPress "tested up to" version to 6.2.
• Fixes security issues.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where a deprecation warning would be thrown when clustering locations in Google Maps.
• Fixes a bug where a console error would be thrown because of the Google Maps API requiring a callback.

Other​

• Adds a deprecation notice for "Local store pickup" in all pages and a warning before enabling it, because WooCommerce will offer a Local Pickup option natively since version 7.4.
• Fixes some links and their copy following the release of the new settings UI in Yoast SEO.
• Sets the minimum required version of Yoast SEO to 20.1.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 6.0.

Bugfixes​

Fixes a bug where location-specific assessments would also appear under the Readability analysis tab when the Cornerstone content toggle would be switched on.

Other​

• Bumps the Yoast SEO minimum required version to 19.10.
• Ensures compatibility with the High Performance Order Storage feature in WooCommerce 7.1+.
• Sets the WordPress “tested up to” version to 6.1.

Enhancements​

• Adds support for all the CivicStructure Schema types. You can now set a location to be, for example, a museum, city hall, church, or any other place of worship and benefit from all Yoast Local SEO has to offer!
• Ensures compatibility with the front-end SEO inspector introduced in Yoast SEO Premium 19.1.

Other​

• Sets the minimum required Yoast SEO version to 19.5.
• Sets the minimum supported WordPress version to 5.9.

Enhancements​

• Updates the Schema manipulation to follow the new best-practice for the @id of the WebPage piece introduced by Yoast SEO 19.3.

Other​

• Sets tested up WordPress version to 6.0.
• Sets the minimum required Yoast SEO version to 19.3

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where a database error would be thrown when using the "enhanced search" functionality of the plugin.
• Fixes a bug where 24 hour notation would not work on the frontend for single locations.
• Fixes a bug where "Open 24 hours" would not display on the frontend for single locations.

Other​

• Sets the minimum required Yoast SEO version to 18.6
• Sets the minimum required WordPress version to 5.8.

Other​

• Disables URL assessments for locations for Japanese because slugs are frequently written in Latin characters, rather than in Japanese characters.
• Sets the minimum required Yoast SEO version to 18.0.
• Sets the WordPress tested up to version to 5.9.

Other​

• The plugin will no longer block installation on PHP 8.0+ when installed via Composer.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where the Article type and Page type dropdowns in the Schema tab of the Yoast SEO sidebar in the Elementor editor would show the post type as None when editing a Location, instead of the plural label as set in the Local SEO settings.

Enhancements​

• Adds key/value pairs of all Local SEO meta tags to our REST API.
• Introduces a fallback when a primary location was set and is removed: it now falls back to a single location when only one location is left.

Bugfixes​

• Fixes a bug where the current location could be selected in the "Copy data from another location" dropdown.
• Fixes a bug where Local SEO would show non-functioning buttons in the text editor in Elementor.

Other​

• Replaces all references to the Yoast Knowledge Base by references to the Yoast help center.
• Sets the minimum required WordPress SEO version to 16.7.