Search engine optimization can seem like a mysterious set of constantly changing rules. However, there is much basic reasoning behind all of this.
Suppose your website is going to be visible to users through search engines. In that case, it should be designed so that users will find what they are looking for efficiently and happily.
That means making clear what your site is about, using relevant keywords, and ensuring the user experience is pleasant.
Whether starting from scratch with a brand new website or redesigning an existing one, this checklist will help you think about the most important details related to search engine optimization (or SEO).
While these tips might seem basic, following them will make a big difference in how users discover your site.
Install Google Search Console
of the most crucial tools to ensure your website operates properly.
In addition to helping Google crawl your site better, it helps you monitor how well your site performs in search engines like Google.
If you don’t set up Google Search Console properly, you could miss out on some key insights into your site’s performance.
Download Google Analytics
Google Analytics is one of the most often used applications for monitoring website traffic.
With the help of this tool, you can observe how visitors access your website, the keywords they use to reach it, and where they wander after they get there.
You’ll want to install it on every single page of your website.
Analyzing your website’s performance with Google Analytics helps you identify areas where visitors aren’t accessing properly, such as broken images, incorrect navigation, etc.
Once you’ve identified these issues, you can fix them quickly and easily.
You can use Google Analytics to help you determine whether or not your current marketing efforts are working.
On-Page SEO Checklist
Here are a few things that should be included in the checklist;
1) Include your keyword in your URL
Including your primary keyword in your URLs will help improve your rankings and increase traffic again because you are telling Google what your site is about.
If you don’t want to use your primary keyword, try adding a question mark at the end of your domain name.
For example, if your main keyword is “accountants,” you could add the word “what?” to the end of your domain to make it look like “www.example.com/what?”.
You’ll still rank well for both terms, but you won’t be able to tell exactly what your site is about without clicking through.
2) Put your keyword at the front of the title tag
Make sure your keywords come up first in your title tags. This allows you to rank highly for those terms even though they are buried deep within the text of your page. You want your site to be high in the SERPS for those important keywords.
In addition to ensuring your keywords are at the front of your titles, I advise placing them on every title tag.
There is a limit to how many words can go into a title tag. Therefore, if you put your keyword at the start of the title tag, you will likely run out of space before reaching the maximum number of characters allowed.
3) Use your keyword once in the first paragraph
The most important thing you want to do when writing a blog post is include your keywords on digital marketing platforms.
If you don’t use your keyword anywhere within the first few paragraphs, it’s unlikely that anyone will find your article.
You’ll waste your time and come off as a spammer as a result. So instead, in the opening sentence, mention your keyword once.
This makes it simpler for readers to find your post in the future. For example, “How to start a blog for beginners.”
Backlink Checklist
Here are some things to consider when making sure your backlinks are working;
1) Conduct regular outreach
Please don’t wait for others to link to your site or mention it in social media posts to improve your backlink profile.
Instead, you must aggressively seek traffic-generating and relationship-building possibilities. This entails contacting bloggers, journalists, and industry leaders.
You may miss out on several fantastic chances if you do not do this regularly. Using tools such as Buzzsumo, you can discover blogs and newspapers that are specialized in your subject.
Then, reach out to those sites directly via email. Ensure you include a compelling value proposition and a short sample of your best content.
2) Make sure your content is sharable
In the age of social media, making sure your content is sharable is important. Make sure it’s simple for others to share your content if you desire individuals to check it out.
This involves checking for typographical, grammatical, and spelling issues naturally. But, of course, nobody wants to spend time attempting to decipher whatever you intended to say.
You also want to include open graph images and mention sources when you share your articles. These characteristics help the readers comprehend the origin of your material and its reliability.
For example, if I shared an article about the best dog food brands, I might add an image of my dog eating one of those foods.
Finally, take the time to share your content on each platform. When someone shares your post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc., they are doing you a favor, but you need to give quality content worth sharing.
3) Mention thought leaders in your blog posts
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how to use social media influencers to promote your brand. Today we’re talking about thought leaders.
Thought leaders have a large audience and influence over that audience. They’re usually well known within their industry and often have blogs where they write about topics related to their expertise.
When someone mentions another person, the reader feels they know something about the discussed topic. This builds credibility and increases the likelihood that the reader will continue reading.
Here are some ways to use thought leaders in your blog posts:
- Include a link to their site
- Share their latest post
- Thank them for mentioning you
Conclusion
When it comes to SEO, the basics are always important to improve the online experience. Your website should be easy to navigate, have a clean and simple design, and be filled with high-quality content relevant to your audience.
If your website lacks in any of these areas, it’s time to make some changes and improve your SEO! The ultimate SEO checklist will help you make your website more visible to users through search engines.
The best way to optimize your site is to start early. Start today. Don’t wait for tomorrow. If you are looking for a good place to begin, we recommend starting here.
If you want to learn more about improving your online presence, check out our blog posts.
