{"id":22147,"date":"2022-10-02T08:51:51","date_gmt":"2022-10-02T15:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/?p=22147"},"modified":"2023-11-14T00:20:40","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T08:20:40","slug":"seo-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/seo-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"The Always Up-to-Date SEO Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>This page has been reviewed and updated as of October 2, 2022\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>An <strong>SEO checklist<\/strong> is a list of best practices and reminders that help you optimize a website to perform better in search engine rankings. Not making mistakes is an important first step for helping search engines, notably Google, reward your site in rankings.<\/p>\n<p>A common mistake is not studying SEO before you do it. Seriously, you need to have a reasonable idea of what it is. Take a course (I recommend ours at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seotraining.com\">SEOtraining.com<\/a>). And to do the initial dust and clean, follow our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/search-engine-optimization\/\">how to do SEO Guide<\/a>. Now you are ready to read and, more importantly, understand what you are being asked to do.<\/p>\n<p>Search engine optimization (SEO) is an evolving discipline. It\u2019s rooted in both best practices and trending strategies. This is why having the latest information on hand is vital when you\u2019re optimizing website content to be found in searches.<\/p>\n<p>I first introduced an SEO checklist in my training course, and quickly realized its value for both new and seasoned professionals. Today, this page is a popular resource that we update regularly.<\/p>\n<p>We try to keep this checklist brief for easy reference. If you want more explanation, check the linked resources or our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/search-engine-optimization\/\">SEO Guide<\/a> to learn how to do search engine optimization.<\/p>\n<p>One checklist can\u2019t uncover everything an individual business should do when it comes to SEO and its website. But this one is pretty close with more than 40 SEO categories that will improve the way both customers and search engines find and use your site.<\/p>\n<p>I hope you&#8217;ll find it to be a helpful reminder of the many items to check during your SEO projects.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"420\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-81299\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/SEO-Checklist-800px.jpg\" alt=\"SEO checklist by Bruce Clay.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/SEO-Checklist-800px.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/SEO-Checklist-800px-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/SEO-Checklist-800px-768x403.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve divided the SEO checklist into sections, so jump around as needed:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#content-optimization\"><strong>Content optimization<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#on-page-optimization\"><strong>On-Page optimization<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#local-optimization\"><strong>Local optimization<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#mobile-optimization\"><strong>Mobile optimization<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sitewide-optimization\"><strong>Sitewide optimization<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#server-html-optimization\"><strong>Server \/ HTML optimization (NEW)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#webmaster-tools\"><strong>Webmaster tools<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq-how-can-I-effectively-optimize-my-website-using-seo-checklist-to-improve-search-engine-rankings\"><strong>FAQ: How can I effectively optimize my website using the SEO checklist to improve search engine rankings?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"content-optimization\"><\/a>Content Optimization<\/h2>\n<p>Many of us already knew by the time <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/now-know-googles-top-three-search-ranking-factors-245882\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google confirmed<\/a> it: Content is one of the top three ranking signals (out of hundreds). If you do nothing else, your content strategy is an essential part of your online success. We believe that a proper SEO content strategy is the difference between good content and noticed good content. Do it right, or do not bother.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Target Audience Research<\/h3>\n<p>This is a biggie: Know your target audience, the questions they have, and their pain points. Knowing what questions they ask and what types of queries they might ask Google helps inform your keyword research.<\/p>\n<p>This, in turn, will help you create content that answers those questions and solves their pain points. (You&#8217;ll use keywords you select as a basis for this content \u2014 one main keyword topic per webpage \u2014 but more on that shortly.)<\/p>\n<p>Understanding searcher intent is an important step in crafting content. Answering typical questions your target audience might have also helped your page be found for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/surviving-seo-in-a-voice-search-world\/\">voice search queries<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Keyword Strategy and Research<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/keyword-research\/\">Keyword research<\/a> needs to be an ongoing process. It starts by identifying a focus phrase or two for the topic you want to write about (using your preferred tools \u2014 there are dozens of good ones out there).<\/p>\n<p>When you have a keyword phrase in mind for a page or a section of your site, check it in Google search. View the top results; the \u201cPeople also ask\u201d questions, and the rest of the search engine results. This search engine results page (SERP) provides your best clues to the searcher&#8217;s intent for this query. Make sure your content fulfills what searchers want when looking for this keyword, or looking for a more appropriate keyword phrase.<\/p>\n<p>I could write volumes about this topic; just know that keyword research is part of any solid SEO checklist. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/search-engine-optimization\/\">SEO Guide<\/a> will get you started and includes a free version of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seotoolset.com\/\">SEOToolSet<\/a> Keyword Suggestion tool.<\/p>\n<p>Given these first two items, it reminds me of fishing. If you want to catch fish, you need to know two things &#8230; what bait the fish are biting, and where the fish are swimming. Content and keywords play together to attract and convert your fish.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Featured Snippet Opportunities<\/h3>\n<p>As you conduct keyword research, you might find that Google displays a featured snippet (aka answer box) above the search results for your targeted keyword. This means you have an opportunity to claim a featured snippet if you provide answers to question-type queries. That area of the SERP, known as Position Zero, has become a significant SEO focus.<\/p>\n<p>To win featured snippets, you\u2019ll need to structure the content according to the type of snippet (usually video, text, list or table). Optimize the answer and formatting, whether it\u2019s a table, bulleted list, ordered list, text question-and-answer, or other. Also, applying schema markup is not required but may increase your chances to secure a featured snippet spot (see \u201cMore Structured Data\u201d below).<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re optimizing text, you can also conduct competitor research to find the typical length of featured snippets. For example, the average word count for a paragraph-type snippet is 40 to 60 words. Two tools we like that can help you target featured snippets are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.internetmarketingninjas.com\/tools\/snippet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Featured Snippets+ Tool<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/inlinks.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">inLinks.net<\/a> (both are paid tools with some free options).<\/p>\n<h3>4. Word Count<\/h3>\n<p>The amount of content you need on a webpage varies by topic, keyword, competition, and the intent of the query. (Read about the three main intents behind search queries in the table below.)<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse;border-spacing: 3px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td bgcolor=\"92c3c3\"><strong>3 MAIN TYPES OF SEARCH QUERIES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Transactional<\/strong><br \/>\nThese queries happen when a user intends to buy something now. Searching for the exact brand and model of a product, for instance, suggests the intention to buy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Informational<\/strong><br \/>\nThese are research-oriented queries. People often do research in advance of a future transaction. For example, a search for &#8220;best electric toothbrushes&#8221; indicates that the searcher will probably purchase one in the near future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Navigational<\/strong><br \/>\nNavigational queries help a searcher get somewhere, whether online or in the physical world. Searching for the name of a restaurant, for example, should take the user to that restaurant\u2019s website, phone number and physical address.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>How many words is enough? There\u2019s no black-and-white rule. To determine an approximate minimum page length, look at the top-ranked URLs for a keyword you\u2019re targeting. How long are those pages?<\/p>\n<p>A tool like our SEOToolSet<small><sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/small> Multi Page Analyzer comes in handy for this kind of competitive analysis. For WordPress users, our patented <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/tools\/bruceclayseo\/\">SEO plugin<\/a> feature handles this analysis in real-time, giving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/customized-seo-advice-per-keyword-plugin\/\">custom advice per keyword<\/a>. It produces target word counts and displays them right in WordPress.<\/p>\n<p>Averaging the top competitors gives you a ballpark for what a search engine considers the normal word count for that topic. It\u2019s safe to say that informational webpages almost always warrant more text.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Quality content is the priority for any good SEO checklist.<\/strong> Google&#8217;s algorithm detects low-quality content and demotes its rankings. So avoid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/thin-content-still-top-seo-issue\/\">thin content<\/a>. Focus on robust coverage of your website topics to prove your subject matter expertise, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/guide-to-expert-interviews-seo-content\/\">leverage industry experts<\/a> when possible. Here&#8217;s more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/what-makes-a-webpage-quality\/\">what makes a webpage quality<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Call to Action (CTA)<\/h3>\n<p>For each of your pages, ask yourself what the user would need\/want to do from here. Then make it easy to do!<\/p>\n<p>Your key pages should make it clear what primary action a visitor can take next.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>On a product page, the call to action (CTA) should be prominent (for example, \u201cadd to cart\u201d or &#8220;start a free trial&#8221;).<\/li>\n<li>On a service page, the CTA might be &#8220;call us&#8221; or \u201cget a quote.\u201d Make the CTA clear and easy to select.<\/li>\n<li>On the homepage, help the visitor to take the next step in your conversion funnel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The actual language of a CTA should be active (usually an imperative verb). The placement and design of the CTA should draw the visitor\u2019s attention. But test variations to see what works best for you.<\/p>\n<p>A page doesn\u2019t have to be transactional in nature to warrant a call to action. If an informational page is a top-performing traffic driver, such as a blog post (like this one) that answers a common question or an FAQ page, the call to action might encourage the visitor to &#8220;find out more&#8221; and enter the conversion funnel or to tell two friends.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, you should do this now:<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Bookmark this SEO checklist for future reference. And if you find it helpful, please consider sharing it!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>6. Content Freshness<\/h3>\n<p>Periodically review your content (webpages and blog posts) to make sure that the information is up to date.<\/p>\n<p>For example, we refresh this very checklist regularly. SEO best practices have to evolve as search engine guidelines and technology do. If your industry also moves quickly, your content needs to keep up.<\/p>\n<p>From Google\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/static.googleusercontent.com\/media\/guidelines.raterhub.com\/en\/\/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines (PDF)<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201c\u2026 unmaintained\/abandoned \u2018old\u2019 websites or unmaintained and inaccurate\/misleading content is a reason for a low E-E-A-T [experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness] rating.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><em>Tip: If parts of your website could use a refresh, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/steps-update-website-content\/\">guide to refreshing your site content<\/a> for a step-by-step.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>7. Static Content on Homepage<\/h3>\n<p>Your homepage acts as a central hub to pass authority to top pages on your site through internal links. It\u2019s probably also where people land most often when they search for your brand or main products\/services.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to have static text that talks about your brand and top theme(s) on the homepage.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a homepage with content that constantly changes, such as nothing but headlines, it can dilute the theme of your site. This results in poor rankings for key terms. So try to maintain sections of consistent text on the homepage.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Duplicate Content<\/h3>\n<p>Do searches to see if your content exists elsewhere on the web. You may want to check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copyscape.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CopyScape.com<\/a> and use it regularly. If your site appears to have copied content from another source, that&#8217;s a low-quality signal to search engines and may cause your site to rank lower. Similarly, if other sites have copied your content, it could be a problem from an SEO standpoint.<\/p>\n<p>If you have duplicate content <em>within<\/em> your site, such as three URLs with the same content, a search engine will filter out the dupes. Only one will display in results for relevant queries \u2014 and the page that Google chooses might not be the page that you want to rank. One option would be to use a &#8220;canonical tag&#8221; to tell the search engines which version should be indexed.<\/p>\n<p><em>Here&#8217;s more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/duplicate-content\/\">duplicate content<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"on-page-optimization\"><\/a>On-Page Optimization<\/h2>\n<p>Review each important page, from the homepage to a high-priority product page, with an eye on the following issues in this on-page SEO checklist.<\/p>\n<h3>9. Title Tag<\/h3>\n<p>SEO has always stressed a webpage&#8217;s HTML title as a vital tag that should contain the relevant keywords you want to rank for on this page.<\/p>\n<p>In general, title tags should be about 9 words (within the range of 6 to 12). You want to make sure that each page&#8217;s meta title is unique and describes the most important information about the page. Use the top keyword before the cutoff in the SERP, which for Google is roughly 60\u201370 characters, including spaces. (<em>Tip: You can use a <a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/learn\/seo\/title-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">title preview tool<\/a> to estimate how much will show.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<p>Remember, the title tag often becomes the clickable title that searchers see in search results (though Google reserves the right to choose a different title for your result). Both the title and description text can influence click-throughs to your site. So craft compelling tags. You don\u2019t want to waste your prime real estate in the SERP with boring copy.<\/p>\n<h3>10. Description Tag<\/h3>\n<p>The meta description tag should also include the most important information and keywords near the beginning. If the search engine chooses to display your description text, it will include approximately 24 words or 160 characters with spaces.<\/p>\n<p>Google indicates that it does not consider this tag an important ranking factor. I personally think that anything that appears on a Google SERP page is important. It certainly helps us get clicks \u2014 so be sure to act like it is important because it is.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that Google reserves the right to replace your meta description text with a <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-confirms-it-shortened-search-results-snippets-after-expanding-them-last-december-298196\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">search snippet generated by Google<\/a>, which is usually pulled from the page&#8217;s body content. A search snippet (aka auto-snippet) appears instead of your meta description whenever Google deems the snippet of text more relevant for a given search. This is common when your description does not contain the query keyword.<\/p>\n<p><em>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/what-are-meta-tags\/\">about meta tags<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>11. Heading Tags<\/h3>\n<p>Headings allow a reader to see the main sections and points of a page. They give visual cues for how body content is organized. They also signal to search engines and readers what topics are covered on a page.<\/p>\n<p>As a technical point, make sure the first heading tag within the body of a page is an &lt;h1&gt;. (Note that in WordPress, the text field at the top of the editor that says &#8220;Add Title&#8221; is actually for Heading 1.) The following heading tags can be &lt;h2&gt;, &lt;h3&gt;, &lt;h4&gt;, etc., and should be used like a page\u2019s table of contents.<\/p>\n<p>You may have more than one &lt;h1&gt; on a page <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/multiple-h1s-wont-get-in-the-way-of-your-seo-google-says-322909\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">according to Google<\/a>, though we recommend only one in most cases. And be sure NOT to use heading tags to control font sizes, as that may confuse the search engines. Instead, use CSS to control style, and headings to describe content organization.<\/p>\n<p>Navigation elements and other global text should be styled with CSS and not heading tags (watch our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_Ys3yJds2B8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ask Us Anything video<\/a> for more about this).<\/p>\n<h3>12. Image Optimization<\/h3>\n<p>Images greatly enhance your pages. Content needs visual elements to break up the text and keep a reader interested.<\/p>\n<p>Images also provide additional ranking opportunities through image searches and blended web search results.<\/p>\n<p>Images can slow down a page&#8217;s loading time. To reduce file size and to increase speed as much as possible, resize the files to their display size rather than uploading the original file and making the browser shrink it. Also, include width and height attributes in image tags.<\/p>\n<p>NOTE: We use a plugin that automatically provides JPEG and PNG images in the WebP image format to browsers that support it, reducing image size by approximately 50%. This seriously improves SEO by decreasing page size and speeding page loads.<\/p>\n<p>File names should describe the image and include a keyword when possible. You can also optimize the caption and the text surrounding an image to reinforce what the image is about.<\/p>\n<p><em>For more about optimizing images for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/search-engine-optimization\/\">SEO<\/a>, review our post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/improve-image-search-ranking\/\">How to Improve Google Image Search Ranking<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>13. Alt Attributes<\/h3>\n<p>Make sure to include an alt attribute with each image. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that a website should describe the image on a page for the vision impaired when the description contributes to an accurate understanding of the content. And please take this seriously; although not mainstream SEO, compliance failure can lead to serious fines and penalties.<\/p>\n<p>Accessibility is important to users and to Google. <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/web\/fundamentals\/accessibility\/semantics-builtin\/text-alternatives-for-images\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">According to Google<\/a>, having alt attributes is a primary indicator that your site is accessible.<\/p>\n<p>As an SEO checklist item, ensure that your images have accurate alt text that, if appropriate, includes a keyword for the page. If an image is purely decorative, it should still have an empty alt attribute within its image tag. Alt attributes are required of validated HTML code (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/standards\/webdesign\/accessibility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">per W3C standards<\/a>).<\/p>\n<h3>14. Video Optimization<\/h3>\n<p>Videos are powerful engagement objects that add multimedia interest to keep visitors on your page longer. Highly consumable content, videos give you additional SEO benefits and social sharing opportunities. Also, note that video is one of the formats for featured snippets in the SERP. To go further, I imagine that a significant portion of how-to query results (in the organic results area) will evolve to be video answers. Start now \u2014 you cannot say you have not been warned.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/optimize-multimedia-content\/\">Optimize your videos<\/a> to be found in the search. Video content provides ranking opportunities both in regular searches and in video-only search engines where they&#8217;re uploaded especially YouTube.<\/p>\n<p>Like images, embedded videos can slow down the load of a page. There&#8217;s a slew of optimization best practices for YouTube, Vimeo, and other video hosting sites. Read our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/10-video-seo-tips-to-improve-serp-rank\/\">10 video SEO tips to improve SERP rank<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>15. Structured Data Markup with Schema<\/h3>\n<p>Structured data clarifies for the search engine what the content on your page is about. Specifically, marking up your HTML content based on the standards at schema.org helps search engines understand what type of information you&#8217;re presenting.<\/p>\n<p>For example, you could use structured data markup to indicate an upcoming event your business is hosting, specifying its date, time, location, and other details. If Google is clear about what&#8217;s on your site, then additional bits of information have the potential to show up in your search results.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43429\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43429\" style=\"width: 480px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43429\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/event-schema-example.png\" alt=\"Google search result showing event data\" width=\"480\" height=\"132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/event-schema-example.png 480w, https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/event-schema-example-300x83.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43429\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Example Google search result showing structured data for events<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There are dozens of schema types that may apply depending on the content you have on your site. Consider for example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/data-types\/how-to\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HowTo Article Structured Data<\/a><\/em> \u2013 Use this to identify how-to articles.<\/li>\n<li><em><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/data-types\/faqpage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FAQ Structured Data<\/a><\/em> \u2013 Mark up a Q&amp;A section with this type of schema, and you may earn a hefty featured snippet such as the one shown below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103131\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103131\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-103131\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/faq-featured-snippet.png\" alt=\"Example of FAQ featured snippet in Google.\" width=\"800\" height=\"725\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103131\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>Example featured snippet in Google based on FAQ schema markup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/guides\/sd-policies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google\u2019s guidelines<\/a> allow three supported formats for marking up a website:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>JSON-LD (recommended)<\/li>\n<li>Microdata<\/li>\n<li>RDFa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is a technical SEO checklist item: Google requires your markup to include all of the required properties for an object to be eligible for enhancements in your SERP listing. To make sure you\u2019ve done it right, check your page or code snippet using Google&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/test\/rich-results\">Rich Results Testing Tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>For more on how to implement structured data on your site, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/schema-markup-guide\/\">How to Use Schema Markup to Improve Your Website Visibility in Search<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>16. More Structured Data<\/h3>\n<p>Besides the schema markup we just mentioned, there are other ways you can structure your data to make it more digestible for search engines.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>HTML tables<\/li>\n<li>Bulleted lists<\/li>\n<li>Ordered lists<\/li>\n<li>Breadcrumb navigation<\/li>\n<li>Table of contents at the top (especially with anchor links)<\/li>\n<li>Headings that contain a key term or question, followed by the answer in body text<\/li>\n<li>TL;DR (&#8220;too long, didn&#8217;t read&#8221;) summary near the top of your article<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All of these structural formats can help people read your content more easily. They also encourage Google to use your content in <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/6229325?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">featured snippets<\/a>, as we discussed above. Google gives more information about structured data in the search results <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/7358659\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>17. Social Meta Tags<\/h3>\n<p>Social markup, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/how-to-use-social-meta-tags\/\">social meta tags<\/a>, refers to the code used to enhance content on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Content in these tags dictates what image and text will show up when someone posts a link to your content on a social network. While not a link for SEO, social mentions about your pages are believed to at least temporarily assist with rankings.<\/p>\n<p>By specifying social markup in your HTML, you can ensure you look your best on social media. Facebook Open Graph tags, Twitter Card markup, and Pinterest Rich Pins are the major social markup tags. Click through if you want more details on each platform&#8217;s options:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Facebook <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.facebook.com\/docs\/sharing\/webmasters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Open Graph tags<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.twitter.com\/en\/docs\/twitter-for-websites\/cards\/guides\/getting-started\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cards<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Pinterest <a href=\"https:\/\/business.pinterest.com\/getting-started\/#pin-formats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pins in various formats<\/a><\/li>\n<li>LinkedIn <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.microsoft.com\/en-us\/linkedin\/consumer\/integrations\/self-serve\/share-on-linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">shares<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>18. URL Optimization<\/h3>\n<p>This item is featured in nearly every SEO checklist. Long ago, URLs were heavily keyword stuffed, and it is believed that they now have minimal impact on rankings. Still, a descriptive URL can certainly assist with clicks by users.<\/p>\n<p>Use dashes rather than underscores in-page URLs. Underscores are alpha characters and do not separate words. Dashes (or rather, hyphens) are word separators, but should not appear too many times, or it could look spammy. For more on this topic, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mattcutts.com\/blog\/dashes-vs-underscores\/\">check out this post<\/a> by Google\u2019s Matt Cutts (an oldie but a goodie) and ours explaining <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/what-is-spam\/\">what is spam<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You also want URLs to be descriptive and contain keywords, without being spammy. And shorter URLs are preferable to long URLs.<\/p>\n<h3>19. Fully Qualified Links<\/h3>\n<p>If you make your internal links fully qualified, there\u2019s no question by search engine spiders, browsers, etc., as to where the file is located and what it\u2019s about. If your link looks something like \u201c..\/..\/pagename\u201d (a relative link), then it may cause crawl issues for some search engines.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than relative URLs, use fully qualified links, which means beginning with https:\/\/ (hopefully not http:\/\/). Note that your sitemap should <em>always<\/em> have fully qualified URLs. (You can read more about sitemaps below.)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/O00MGHPXG6.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-35688 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/O00MGHPXG6-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"O00MGHPXG6\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/O00MGHPXG6-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/O00MGHPXG6-1024x680.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>20. Make JavaScript and CSS External<\/h3>\n<p>To remove unnecessary lines of code in your body text, it&#8217;s a best practice to externalize JavaScript and CSS code that gets in the way of keyword-rich content. Externalizing large files can speed up your page load time, which plays a role in Google&#8217;s ranking algorithm.<\/p>\n<p>However, there is a tradeoff to consider, especially in light of the new Core Web Vitals. In some cases, <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/speed\/pagespeed\/service\/InlineSmallResources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google recommends<\/a> leaving smaller CSS or JavaScript code elements inline in your HTML page in order to reduce the round trip time it may take for the server to request the external resource.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"local-optimization\"><\/a>Local Optimization<\/h2>\n<p>Businesses with a local brick-and-mortar presence or local service areas have a special set of SEO factors to pay attention to. Here are a couple of important local SEO checklist items.<\/p>\n<h3>21. Claim Google My Business Listing<\/h3>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google My Business<\/a> listing is free and is a critical first step for local brick-and-mortar and businesses with service areas. A Google My Business listing can enable your site to show up in Google Maps, the local pack of Google Search results, and Knowledge Graph panels for your business. Since the goal of SEO is to send traffic to your site from search engines, these appearances are important as SEO items.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43439\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43439\" style=\"width: 364px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43439\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bruceclay-box-in-google.png\" alt=\"Knowledge Graph box for Bruce Clay, Inc.\" width=\"364\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bruceclay-box-in-google.png 364w, https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/bruceclay-box-in-google-218x300.png 218w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 364px) 100vw, 364px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43439\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Knowledge Graph panel shows information from your Google My Business listing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There&#8217;s a lot more involved in local SEO, but claiming your listing in Google My Business and in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bingplaces.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bing Places<\/a> gets you started.<\/p>\n<h3>22. Local Schema Markup<\/h3>\n<p>Local businesses can benefit from on-page schema markup related to their business. (You can browse the available codes at <a href=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/docs\/schemas.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">schema.org<\/a>). Especially important for all businesses is the NAP + W code, which designates the business\u2019s name, address, phone number, and website.<\/p>\n<p>Check out my list of other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/local-seo-search-ranking-factors\/\">local search ranking factors<\/a>. There are many factors that you have not considered that are all vital to SEO.<\/p>\n<h3>23. Local Citations and Links<\/h3>\n<p>Local citations are usually found in directories where multiple businesses are listed either by business type or by region. At a minimum, an online citation should include the business name, address, and phone number (NAP) as well as the website address. Many directory sites offer opportunities for additional business information, as well.<\/p>\n<p>Local links are different from citations in that they exist on local websites, such as related businesses in the area or hyper-local blogs about the area, rather than on a directory. Both citations and local links help establish your local presence.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"mobile-optimization\"><\/a>Mobile Optimization<\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019re truly living in a mobile-first world. Businesses need to ensure that their websites cater to the mobile browsing experience. <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/mobile-sites\/mobile-first-indexing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google looks at the mobile version<\/a> of your content when it comes to indexing and ranking. Yes, you may edit your pages on a desktop for convenience, and perhaps you have very few mobile users on your site. But the Google Spider is only concerned with mobile formatting, and that is how your site is viewed.<\/p>\n<p>As an SEO checklist to-do, make sure you&#8217;re using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/google-mobile-first-seo-strategy\/\">mobile-first strategy<\/a>. I&#8217;ve listed a few specifics below.<\/p>\n<h3>24. Mobile Usability<\/h3>\n<p>Search engines are invested in providing users with a great mobile experience. See how your site is performing on mobile devices with the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/9063469?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mobile Usability report<\/a>, located within Google Search Console.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-103198\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mobile-usability-report.png\" alt=\"Mobile Usability report in GSC.\" width=\"800\" height=\"325\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This report lets you know if your touch elements are too close, if your content is sized to the viewport, your Flash usage, font size, and more.<\/p>\n<p>You can also use the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/9012289\">URL Inspection Tool<\/a> within Google Search Console to understand how Google sees a specific page rendered on different mobile devices.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, you can run important URLs through <a href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/test\/mobile-friendly\">Google&#8217;s Mobile-Friendly Test for developers<\/a>. Similarly, Bing offers a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/webmaster\/tools\/mobile-friendliness\">Mobile Friendliness Test Tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Page load speed is also a ranking factor. Skip to <a href=\"#Site Speed\">Site Speed &amp; Performance<\/a> in this SEO checklist for the SEO tools to check page speed.<\/p>\n<h3>25. Mobile and Voice-Related Keywords<\/h3>\n<p>When was the last time you tried a voice search for your keywords? Try to find your business and competitors as your customer would with a voice search. Consider:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are you coming up with relevant voice search terms like \u201c[keyword] near me\u201d?<\/li>\n<li>Are you accounting for searches formed as questions or full sentences? (These are more and more common with the advance of voice queries.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As an additional test, are your keywords easily pronounced? Do you have an exotic-sounding product or company name? How well do you perform in voice search right now? Are you ranking No. 1 but getting no mobile traffic? Keyword recognition is an important part of a query, and the wrong query throws off SEO data.<\/p>\n<p>Check out our articles on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/voice-search-seo-tips\/\">voice search optimization<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/mobile-seo\/\">mobile SEO<\/a> for guidance.<\/p>\n<h3>26. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)<\/h3>\n<p>Accelerated Mobile Pages, known as <a href=\"https:\/\/amp.dev\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AMP<\/a> for short, is an open-source project that enables webpages to load almost instantly for mobile users.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the visibility of Google\u2019s AMP carousel, AMP pages may get more visibility in the mobile search results. However, I absolutely recommend that you avoid AMP unless your website serves audiences in low-bandwidth areas of the world. Google recognizes the need for AMP is in areas of reduced bandwidth, and for much of the U.S., Google has started to discontinue advantages for AMP.<\/p>\n<p>Check out our high-level <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/google-amp-accelerated-mobile-pages-for-seo\/\">overview of AMP<\/a> to investigate whether AMP might benefit your site or our quick-start guide to learn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/how-to-implement-amp\/\">how to implement AMP<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em> To continue learning about mobile optimization tactics, read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/mobile-seo\/\">Mobile SEO<\/a> lesson in our SEO Guide and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/mobile-seo-checklist\/\">All-In-One Mobile SEO &amp; Design Checklist<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"server-html-optimization\"><\/a>Server \/ HTML Optimization<\/h2>\n<p>With Google\u2019s page experience update rolling out in mid-2021 and the introduction of Core Web Vitals, server-level optimization has become a priority. So I am adding this new section to our SEO Checklist to help you optimize your page experience at the server level.<\/p>\n<h3>27. HTTPS<\/h3>\n<p>Having a secure site (HTTPS) has been a minor ranking signal in Google for years, and now as part of the page experience ranking factor, HTTPS is no longer optional. If your site is unsecure (HTTP), users likely see a warning in their browser whenever they try to visit your site. So if you want traffic and rankings, you need a secure site.<\/p>\n<p>Also consider moving your site into the future with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HTTP\/3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HTTP\/3<\/a>. This protocol lets sites be better optimized for performance. Though it&#8217;s still technically in &#8220;draft&#8221; status, most browsers and content networks already support it. It&#8217;s coming.<\/p>\n<h3>28. No Intrusive Interstitials<\/h3>\n<p>Intrusive interstitials are pop-ups that get in a user&#8217;s way by covering up too much of a webpage soon after the user arrives. This no-no is on Google&#8217;s page experience list, so be sure your site avoids blocking the content with a pop-up or at least waits until 20\u201330 seconds after the page is opened.<\/p>\n<h3>29. Core Web Vitals<\/h3>\n<p>Three new metrics that Google calls Core Web Vitals now have some influence on the ranking algorithm. These metrics are LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), FID (First Input Delay), and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift), which basically measure how easily people can view and interact with your webpage. Check your scores per page using the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/9205520?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Core Web Vitals Report<\/a> in Search Console among other tools.<\/p>\n<p>For more details, read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/page-experience-core-web-vitals-overview\/\">Overview of Core Web Vitals<\/a>, and to go in-depth, watch our on-demand webinar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/webinar-replay-3-expert-tips-to-improve-core-web-vitals\/\">3 Expert Tips to Improve Core Web Vitals<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>30. Server Configuration &amp; Maintenance<\/h3>\n<p>Regularly check your server looking for 404 errors, improper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/how-to-properly-implement-a-301-redirect\/\">301 redirects<\/a>, and other errors. The many diagnostic reports in Google Search Console also point out errors to be fixed.<\/p>\n<p>Server configuration also impacts site speed. As speed is a significant SEO issue, this is a major checklist item. Run Google&#8217;s PageSpeed Insights tool and pay attention to its recommended fixes.<\/p>\n<p>Server maintenance, especially plugin maintenance, is important at many levels. For instance, you may have suffered a malware attack. In such cases, a hacker may have exploited a system weakness and installed hidden links or transfers to other sites into your code without your knowledge. Such attacks will harm your SEO efforts by poisoning your content and potentially harming people visiting your site. That makes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/page-experience-safe-browsing\/\">safe browsing<\/a> a priority even if Google <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-drops-safe-browsing-as-a-page-experience-ranking-signal-350995\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">decided to drop it<\/a> as a page experience ranking signal.<\/p>\n<p><em>To better understand Google&#8217;s recent update, read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/what-cmos-need-to-know-about-google-page-experience-ranking-update\/\">CMO&#8217;s Overview of the Page Experience Update<\/a> or download our complete <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/googles-page-experience-update\/\">page experience guide<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>31. Site Speed and Performance<\/h3>\n<p>Check <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/speed\/pagespeed\/insights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PageSpeed Insights<\/a> in Google Search Console or use tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/gtmetrix.com\/\">GTmetrix.com<\/a> to analyze and improve a website&#8217;s performance on desktop and mobile devices.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/speed\/pagespeed\/insights\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-43436\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/pagespeed-insights.png\" alt=\"Google PageSpeed Insights tool\" width=\"600\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/pagespeed-insights.png 600w, https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/pagespeed-insights-300x161.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>For more details on improving page speed, read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/page-speed-issues-overview-for-seo\/\">Page Speed Issues Overview for SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"sitewide-optimization\"><\/a>Sitewide Optimization<\/h2>\n<p>Google&#8217;s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines (here&#8217;s a PDF of the <a href=\"https:\/\/static.googleusercontent.com\/media\/guidelines.raterhub.com\/en\/\/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">most recent version<\/a>) introduced the terminology E-E-A-T to the SEO community. A shorthand way of referring to experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness as the top indicators of page quality, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/complete-guide-to-googles-e-a-t\/\">E-E-A-T<\/a> is now a pillar of search engine optimization.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A website as a whole should signal experience, expertise, authority, and trust while conveying subject relevance and optimizing for search engine accessibility.<\/strong> While your basic content strategy is a big piece of this (see the Content Optimization section, above), the following items help support E-E-A-T.<\/p>\n<h3>32. Contact Information<\/h3>\n<p>An explicit E-E-A-T signal is to have the business contact information, such as a phone number and physical address, clearly visible on the site. The search engines expect that a trustworthy site will provide this for users. Seriously, be easy to find.<\/p>\n<h3>33. Testimonials<\/h3>\n<p>Testimonials located on your site support your trustworthiness as a business and your value to your customer base. Testimonials are great for signaling your value to your human visitors, too!<\/p>\n<p>Make sure your testimonials and reviews can be indexed, too. That means display them in text (not just images) that&#8217;s easy for search robots to digest. Schema markup allows review ratings to be displayed, extending SEO value by increasing traffic.<\/p>\n<h3>34. Privacy Statement<\/h3>\n<p>Another E-E-A-T signal, having a privacy statement on your site, helps establish trust. A privacy statement lets site visitors know what you\u2019re doing with any data you collect about them.<\/p>\n<p>EVERY site should have a privacy link in its footer to the privacy page. You are welcome to take <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/privacy\/\">our privacy statement<\/a> from our site and modify it for your use.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to bolstering your trust with Google and Bing, offering a privacy statement is a best practice. Privacy laws such as the EU\u2019s General Data Protection Regulation (aka <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2018\/3\/28\/17172548\/gdpr-compliance-requirements-privacy-notice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GDPR<\/a>) require many sites to clarify their privacy policies, have visitors opt-in to allow data collection, and more. For those not concerned with Europe, there are equally strong laws for the California Consumer Privacy Act (<a href=\"https:\/\/oag.ca.gov\/privacy\/ccpa\">CCPA<\/a>) that are expected to expand nationally, so this applies to you. Be sure to research the privacy laws where your site visitors are located and ensure your website complies.<\/p>\n<h3>35. Text Navigation<\/h3>\n<p>Verify that there is text navigation within your site. You want text links, which are more SEO-friendly than using images for menu items. Make sure you have text navigation at least on the bottom of the page if there aren\u2019t any crawlable navigation links in the top menu. This is a search engine accessibility issue.<\/p>\n<p>As a note, I strongly encourage you to use breadcrumbs with their schema markup throughout your site. And replace &#8220;Home&#8221; in that breadcrumb with a top-level keyword appropriate to your homepage (unless you sell homes). Having internal links that point up from lower-level pages gives an SEO advantage and is also a usability factor.<\/p>\n<h3>36. Sitemaps<\/h3>\n<p>Your site should have an HTML sitemap (see <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/156184?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google&#8217;s sitemap info<\/a>). Every page should link to that sitemap, probably in the footer.<\/p>\n<p>You should also have an XML sitemap that you submit to search engines. If you already have sitemaps, check and update them regularly to make sure they contain the pages that are currently active on your site.<\/p>\n<p>You can learn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/create-sitemap\/\">how to create a sitemap<\/a> for users and search engines to easily access all areas of your site in our SEO Guide.<\/p>\n<h3>37. Robots.txt File<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/6062608?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">robots.txt file<\/a> tells the search engine spiders what not to index. It\u2019s important that this file exists, even if it\u2019s empty. Also, make sure the file doesn\u2019t accidentally exclude important files, directories, or the entire site. (This has been known to happen!)<\/p>\n<p>One important item in this file is the locator for your XML sitemap file. We encourage you actually to have a reasonable robots.txt file (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/robots.txt\">our robots.txt file<\/a> if you are an SEO \u2014 and read the top eight lines).<\/p>\n<h3>38. Linking Strategy<\/h3>\n<p>This section warrants way more than just a few sentences, but it should be noted as part of the SEO checklist. Your internal linking structure typically stems from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/silo\/\">siloing strategy<\/a>, which is vitally important to establishing relevance for SEO.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, your inbound\/outbound links should be part of an organic, natural strategy in compliance with search engine guidelines. As part of site maintenance, monitor your link profile regularly.<\/p>\n<p>It is definitely worth mentioning that with Google promoting PageRank, the voluntary link became a sellable commodity. As such, a big-money business developed around selling links. Google has considered this spam for a long time, has enforced several penalties around it, and has built a great amount of technology to fight it. We can expect significant consequences for SEO consultants that still prosper by fabricating and distributing such links. See my post discussing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/paid-guest-posts-more-proof-bad-for-business\/\">Guest Posting for Links<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>39. Static URLs<\/h3>\n<p>Complex, dynamic URLs can be a problem. If your site has any of the following, consider converting your URLS to static URLs:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>More than two query string parameters<\/li>\n<li>Dynamic pages that aren&#8217;t getting indexed<\/li>\n<li>A lot of duplicate content getting indexed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also use mod_rewrite or ISAPI_rewrite as appropriate to simplify URLs. Rewritten URLs will appear to be static URLs. This tends to be a lot of work, but it is a surefire way to address this issue. You can also use the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/139066?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">canonical tag<\/a> to tell search engines which page is intended to be indexed as the canonical version.<\/p>\n<h3>40. No Spam Tactics<\/h3>\n<p>Make sure that your SEO strategy follows <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/35769?hl=en\">Google Webmaster Guidelines<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/webmaster\/help\/webmaster-guidelines-30fba23a\">Bing Webmaster Guidelines<\/a>. If ever in doubt about any of your tactics, you can also refer to what <a href=\"http:\/\/static.googleusercontent.com\/media\/www.google.com\/en\/us\/webmasters\/docs\/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf\">Google recommends for SEO<\/a> (PDF).<\/p>\n<p>Note that many sites just have no idea why they do not rank. They have used cheap SEO consultants that perhaps have done cheap tricks to fool the search engines into thinking you deserve rankings. Such deceptive acts are spam, they may have hurt your site, and until repaired, you are not going to rank. Do not buy cheap.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"webmaster-tools\"><\/a>Webmaster Tools<\/h2>\n<p>What&#8217;s an SEO without the tools to surface data that leads to analysis? Just remember, there&#8217;s a difference between data and wisdom. SEO tools can help you discover what\u2019s going on with your site, but plotting an action plan requires an understanding of SEO.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em><strong>Want to find out about Bruce Clay <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/\">SEO services<\/a>? For expert help with your website strategy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/quoteform\/\">request a free quote<\/a> today.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>41. Web Analytics<\/h3>\n<p>No question \u2014 analytics data is important for SEO. Ensure your analytics are properly set up and monitor them regularly to find out if the keywords generating traffic are in your keyword list, and if your site is optimized for them. A ranking monitor (such as the one in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seotoolset.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SEOToolSet<\/a>) is also useful to track SEO changes across search engines.<\/p>\n<p>Admittedly, this is more difficult without specific keyword-tracking data. Google long ago decided that it would suppress that data (but keep it for PPC) for privacy concerns. Now that argument is invalid, but the data remains lost to the SEO community.<\/p>\n<p>Our SEO Guide unpacks the role of analytics in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/monitor-rankings\/\">How to Monitor Your SEO Rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>42. Webmaster Tools Accounts<\/h3>\n<p>Webmaster tools by various names for Google and Bing give site owners insight into how search engines view their sites. These free tools collect data and provide essential reports on issues like what search queries bring traffic to your site, crawl errors you need to fix, and penalty notifications.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you haven&#8217;t already, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/set-up-google-search-console\/\">set up Google Search Console<\/a> for your site.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/how-to-set-up-google-analytics\/\">Install Google Analytics<\/a>, as well.<\/li>\n<li>For help setting up a Bing Webmaster Tools account, view the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/webmaster\/help\/getting-started-checklist-66a806de\">Bing Webmaster Help &amp; How-To<\/a> Getting Started Checklist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>43. Manual Penalty Review<\/h3>\n<p>If a manual penalty has been levied against you, Google will report it to you within Google Search Console. Check the Manual Actions Report and the Search Console message center. Read more about dealing with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/manual-penalty-actions-google-webmaster-tools\/\">manual penalty actions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You can also find out if you&#8217;ve suffered a penalty from Bing. Review the Index Summary chart within the dashboard of Bing Webmaster Tools. If the number of pages for a given site is set at zero, you have been hit with a penalty.<\/p>\n<p>Note that a manual action penalty is the kiss of death for your SEO efforts. Once you have one, you cannot see the consequences of your improvements until the penalty is lifted. And a search engine never forgets &#8230; a penalty can last for months, even after repair.<\/p>\n<h3>44. Algorithm Updates<\/h3>\n<p>If your site is running Google Analytics, use the <a href=\"https:\/\/barracuda.digital\/panguin-seo-tool\/\">Panguin Tool<\/a> to check your traffic levels against known algorithmic updates. If you see big drops or rises in search referrer traffic that coincides with known algorithm updates, or you receive a manual action notice from Google, you may be affected by a penalty. Read more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/penalty-assessment\/\">penalty assessment and recovery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Google <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/google-algorithm-updates\/\">changes its algorithm<\/a> all the time, much to the dismay of SEO consultants everywhere. Google results dances are simply not fun. RankBrain and machine learning \u2014 powered by artificial intelligence technology \u2014 are changing search results. While optimization for AI is not as straightforward as checking for traffic drops, familiarize yourself with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/rankbrain-real-seo-impact\/\">the real impact of RankBrain<\/a> and my advice on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/seo-organic-results-disappear\/\">shrinking of organic results<\/a> in Google SERPs.<\/p>\n<h2>Closing Recommendations<\/h2>\n<p>This is a very high-level summary of the things you need to consider about performing SEO on your site. Many people only do what is convenient. Some work cheaply and get it wrong. Some SEO teams do not have management support. I wish that you would, please, download this <a href=\"https:\/\/resources.bruceclay.com\/the-declaration-of-seo\/\">Declaration of SEO: 6 Fundamental Truths To Live By ebook<\/a> and share it with your company. It also comes with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/declaration-of-seo-6-fundamental-seo-truths\/\">video presentation<\/a>. This is important if you are an SEO. Trust me.<\/p>\n<p><em>Want more SEO tips? Use our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/seo\/search-engine-optimization\/\">SEO Guide<\/a> and learn how to optimize your website step by step, including free tools.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Bookmark this SEO checklist for future reference. And if you found it helpful, please share it!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"faq-how-can-I-effectively-optimize-my-website-using-seo-checklist-to-improve-search-engine-rankings\"><\/a>FAQ: How can I effectively optimize my website using the SEO checklist to improve search engine rankings?<\/h3>\n<p>Optimizing your website in the dynamic realm of online visibility is vital to unlocking better search engine rankings. Utilizing an SEO checklist is an effective way to ensure your digital presence is finely tuned for success. By delving into the core principles and strategies outlined in this comprehensive guide, you&#8217;ll gain expert insights that can help you achieve higher search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic.<\/p>\n<p>From crafting compelling content that resonates with your target audience to employing savvy on-page optimization techniques, each step of the SEO checklist contributes to your website&#8217;s success. However, the journey begins with a deep understanding of your target audience. Researching their pain points, questions, and search queries forms the foundation for your entire optimization process.<\/p>\n<p>Keyword strategy and research play a pivotal role in SEO success. Identifying focus phrases, analyzing search engine results, and recognizing featured snippet opportunities are some of the tactics that empower you to align your content with user intent. Moreover, optimizing your content&#8217;s structure and ensuring readability can enhance the chances of securing a featured snippet spot.<\/p>\n<p>Website speed, mobile optimization, and effective use of heading tags are integral elements of on-page optimization. Employing structured data, enhancing user experience, and maintaining a user-friendly URL structure further improve your website&#8217;s overall SEO health.<\/p>\n<p>Local optimization cannot be overlooked, especially for businesses with a physical presence. Claiming your Google My Business listing, implementing local schema markup, and obtaining local citations and links can significantly boost your local search visibility.<\/p>\n<p>As search engines emphasize user experience, understanding Core Web Vitals and optimizing your server and HTML configuration become critical. HTTPS adoption, avoiding intrusive interstitials, and excelling in Core Web Vitals contribute to a seamless user experience, ultimately enhancing your site&#8217;s search engine rankings.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, webmaster tools provide invaluable insights into your site&#8217;s performance. Regularly analyzing web analytics, monitoring manual penalties, and staying updated on algorithm changes ensure you stay on top of the SEO game.<\/p>\n<p>Optimizing a website requires taking an exhaustive and meticulous approach with an SEO checklist. By applying these strategies and insights to your search engine rankings and building an online presence, this guide can help improve them dramatically and establish strong footing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step-by-Step Procedure for Effective Website Optimization Using the SEO Checklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Understand your target audience&#8217;s pain points and search queries.<\/li>\n<li>Conduct keyword research to identify focus phrases.<\/li>\n<li>Analyze search engine results for keyword insights.<\/li>\n<li>Recognize and capitalize on featured snippet opportunities.<\/li>\n<li>Optimize content structure and readability.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on website speed and mobile optimization.<\/li>\n<li>Utilize proper heading tags for organized content.<\/li>\n<li>Implement structured data for enhanced search visibility.<\/li>\n<li>Enhance user experience and avoid intrusive interstitials.<\/li>\n<li>Optimize Core Web Vitals for a better page experience.<\/li>\n<li>Adopt HTTPS for a secure and trustworthy website.<\/li>\n<li>Claim your Google My Business listing for local optimization.<\/li>\n<li>Implement local schema markup to enhance local search visibility.<\/li>\n<li>Obtain local citations and links to boost local rankings.<\/li>\n<li>Regularly monitor web analytics for performance insights.<\/li>\n<li>Check for manual penalties in webmaster tools.<\/li>\n<li>Stay updated on algorithm changes and their impact.<\/li>\n<li>Optimize server configuration and maintenance.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain a user-friendly URL structure.<\/li>\n<li>Embrace webmaster tools to gain invaluable insights.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>By following these steps meticulously, you&#8217;ll be well-equipped to optimize your website effectively using the SEO checklist and confidently improve your search engine rankings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Bruce Clay\u2019s SEO training course, we offer students an SEO checklist as one of the many resources. Use this version as an in-hand to-do list or basic audit outline. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":81299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1232,1110],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>BruceClay - The Always Up-to-Date SEO Checklist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Trying to optimize a website for search? Use Bruce Clay&#039;s proven SEO checklist with 45 to-dos for on-page content optimization, local, mobile and more!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/seo-checklist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Always-Up-to-Date SEO Checklist from Bruce Clay, Inc.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Just getting started optimizing websites? 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