Detailed SEO Checklist

Table of Contents

1. SEO Basic Checklist
2. Keyword Research
3. Technical SEO Checklist
4. Content SEO Checklist
5. On-Page SEO Checklist
6. Local SEO Checklist
7. Link Building SEO Checklist
8. Social Media SEO Checklist
9. Progress Report

SEO Basics Checklist

1. Setup Google Search Console-
   Setting up the Google Search Console is the very first step of SEO. GSC is a very powerful and free tool provided by Google to monitor the website performance.
   
2. Setup of Bing Webmaster-
   Need to verify Bing Webmaster for your website. Since Bing have approx. 1.034 billion total visits across desktop & mobile in January 2021. So we cannot miss that flat form too.

   

   
   
3. Verify Google Analytics-
   Google Analytics is the free tool provided by Google Itself. This tool is the best way to see how people are coming to websites.
   Benefits of Using Google Analytics:

• How much traffic is coming to the website?
• No of User in Real Time
• Find out organic, direct, referral, social traffic
• See website Bounce Rate (0 to 100) – High bounce rate is bad for websites and Low Bounce rate is good.
• Can check which page is receiving the most traffic.
• Setup Goals- If needed

4. SEO Plugin ( WordPress Only) 

Seo Plugins will help to optimize the title, URL, and Description- This is the very first thing shown on search engines.

Some Useful Plugin for SEO

• Yoast
• Rank Math

5. Create Robots.txt
   A robots. txt file tells search engine crawlers which URLs the crawler can access on your site.
   Note: Wrong site map can lead to deindex URL from Search Engines.
6. Create XML sitemap-
   A Sitemap is an XML file that lists the URLs for a site. It allows webmasters to include additional information about each URL: when it was last updated, how often it changes, and how important it is in relation to other URLs of the site.
   
   

   

   
   
7. Check if Website is indexed or not-
   We can check the index simply searching website on Search Engine.
   Eg: site:www.example.com
   

   

   
   
8. Check for Manual Action in Search Console-
   This is the section where we get to know if there is any action taken by Google manually. Any issue regarding content, links, structured data.
   
   

   

Keyword Research

Keyword research is the process of discovering keyword opportunities that can generate massive traffic and sales for your business. You have to get this right even before you start working on optimizing your site.

9. Find Your Competitor-
   Before performing keyword research we need to understand what kind of business we have and who are our competitors. We can find our competitor simply entering our main keywords on Search Engine.
   
10. Keyword By Search Volume and Competition-  
    Using the tool Google Keyword Planner we can find different keywords that people are searching all over the world or in any specific areas on the basis of Search Volume and competition.
    
    

    

    
    
    
11. Finding long tail keywords
    Type something on Google and there are different keywords related to your query. We can call those keywords as long tail keywords.
    

    

    
    
12. Finding Q/A

In this section we need to find those questions that are frequently asked by User. We can use tools like semrush and Answer the Public.

Technical SEO Checklist
Technical SEO issues often hold a website back from ranking as high. This is the most important part. Websites with a lot of technical issues are hard to rank on search engines. Below are some basic technical SEO practices.

13. Plan Website Structure-
    Your site’s structure is how the different pages on your site are interlinked and their hierarchy. It is how the information on your site is organized and presented. Good website structure facilitates easy navigation for both users and crawlers which improve the SEO ranking of your website.
    

    

    
    
14. Use Breadcrumbs on Website-
    Breadcrumbs are beneficial for both user and Google. Breadcrumb help user to navigate from one page to another. 

15. Make sure website is in https version-
    As per Google those websites which are in https version will get some benefits in terms of raking. Also prevent hackers from hacking your website.
    

    

    
    
16. Avoid Mixed Content Issue-
    Always avoid URLs creating mixed content issues. The website is in https version and we are still using the http version.
    
17. Make Your Website Mobile Friendly-
    Since a lot of users are searching on mobile, we need to make sure that our website is mobile friendly.
    

    

    
    
    Tool: Here is the URL which we can use for mobile friendly tests.
    https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly
    
18. Improve Website Loading Speed-(90-100)
    As per Google Algorithm Update- Those websites whose loading speed is fast will be benefits in terms of ranking. Also loading will help our user to stay on the website.
    
    

    

    
    
    
    Note: Maintain the Score to 90+ for both Mobile and Desktop.
    
    
19. Check GTmetrix Score for Website Loading (A Grade)
    we can check the GTmetrix tool in order to remove those factors which are impacting our website loading speed.
    Note: Maintain the A+ Score

20. Make sure website loads to single domain
    Eg: 
    http://example.com
    http://www.example.com
    https://example.com
    https://www.example.com
    
    The above URL may be the same for users but they are different to crawlers. So we need to make sure that they are all redirected to the main URL only.
    
21. Set Canonical Tag-
    Each page of the website should contain a canonical tag. A canonical link element is an HTML element that helps webmasters prevent duplicate content issues in search engine optimization by specifying the “canonical” or “preferred” version of a web page.
    <link rel=”canonical” href=”https://www.example.com” />
22. Incorrect Pages on sitemap.xml
    Check if any incorrect pages are found on Sitemap.
    

    

23. Optimize your URLs-
    URL should be SEO friendly- We should keep our URL readable and descriptive.
    https://yourdomain.com/pink-socks    SEO friendly
    https://yourdomain.com/index.php?24551=p44=? Not SEO friendly
    
    The URL should be simple.
24. Fix Crawl Errors GSC-
    Fix all the crawl issues that are showing in Google Webmaster Tools.
    

    

    
    
25. Fixed Sitemap error in GSC-
    If there are any errors in Sitemap we need to fix them on an urgent basis.
    

    

    
    
26. Submitted URL not found (404)-
    This is the page which was on the website when Google crawled but now it’s gone.
    There are pages in your sitemap that return a 404 “File Not Found”
    
27. Submitted URL seems to be a Soft 404-
    A soft 404 pages are those pages which show the user that the page is gone but return 200 ok status code to the crawler.
    
28. Submitted URL marked ‘noindex’-
    Need to check if we have mistakenly kept some important url to the noindex section.
    
29. Too Many URLs in Sitemap-
    Since sitemap has a limit of 50k URL and file size should be 50mb. We need to make sure this- If we have a large no of URL then we can create sitemap on category basis.
    
30. Fix Bad Redirects-
    Sometimes we forget to fix 302 redirects which are considered bad redirects. We need to observe those URLs and fix them.
    
31. Multiple Redirections-
    Redirection done on the same page for many times. Here is the example which will clear this.
    

    

32. Check Browser Compatibility-
    We need to check websites on different browsers- Since users are using different browsers on the internet.

33. Fix Broken links-
    Broken links will lead users to 404 pages which can make users leave the website, so find those links and fix them.
    Tools That Are used for Finding Broken links:

• Screaming Frog
• Semrush
• Different Online Tools

34. Fix Broken images-
    We need to find those images which are not available when pages load. It will provide a bad user experience.
    

    

35. Use optimized images-
    Since high quality images decrease the loading speed of websites. Eliminate unnecessary images. Large and excess images can seriously slow down site speed. Slow site speed can hurt rankings, and it’s a major contributor to bounce rate.
    
36. Check the Use of OG tags-
    Open Graph Meta tags are snippets of code that control how URLs are displayed when shared on social media.
37. Provide Custom 404 pages-
    404 is the error number returned when a visitor attempts to access a page that doesn’t exist on your site.
    This page should contain important pages of the website, this will stop users from leaving the website.
    
38. Check Favicon-
    A favicon is a graphic image (icon) associated with a particular Web page and/or Web site. Many recent user agents (such as graphical browsers and newsreaders) display them as a visual reminder of the Web site identity in the address bar or in tabs.
    

    

    
    
39. Fix Orphan Pages
    Orphan pages are website pages that are not linked to from any other section of your site. This means a user does not know where to go next for more information because your page isn’t linked to more of your site. These pages aren’t indexed and cannot be found by search engine crawlers.
    

    

    
    
40. HTML Should Be Clean-
    We need to use the HTML validator tool for checking the HTML codes. Since Google always says that code should be Clean.
41. Remove inline CSS-
    Inline CSS can increase the website loading speed- So it is better to keep those CSS in an external file.
42. Check CSS minification
43. Use Compressed CSS 
44. Check JSS minification
45. Use Compressed JSS 
46. Fix Broken External JavaScript And CSS Files
47. Add Structured Data-
    Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying the page content; for example, on a recipe page, what are the ingredients, the cooking time and temperature, the calories, and so on.
    

    

    
    
    Note: Structured Data is of different types.
48. Specify Language of Website- Define hreflang tag for websites.
    

Content SEO Checklist

Content is King in SEO- So if the content is not good then all efforts will be in vain.

49. Solve the reader’s problem-

Content should be oriented to solve user problems- Example, if users are searching for reading tips then we should focus on every step of reading tips.

50. Write amazing Introduction-

Content writers should focus on how to write an engaging introduction- Since if the first part of content is not interesting then no user wants to read it. So we should start with an attractive intro.

51. Use Images between Content-
    We should always use images and other call to action buttons so users will feel interested in reading this content.
52. Use Idioms and Phrases-
    Idioms and phrases help users to stay on reading, so we should implement this technique too.
53. Add Table of Content and List section-
    This will help users to get point to point information. Also, it helps your website to get in Featured Snippets on Google.
    

    

54. Cover Your Page’s Topic In-Depth

On-Page SEO Checklist
On-page is the process of optimizing content of the website. This is the Crucial in Ranking. 

55. Keyword in URL

Including keyword URLs is beneficial to SEO. Adding the main keyword to URL will improve site authority both for users and Google and they both will think it relevant too.

Example: If the whole content is about selling a shoe rack then URL should be like:
https://www.example.com/show-racks.

56. Write compelling Meta Title–
    Writing a compelling Meta title is the first step of on-page. Since this is the first part that is shown in Google.
57. Write compelling Meta Description- 

Write Meta description in meaningful ways. Not just adding keywords.

58. User Keywords in Heading Tags-
    Make sure to include your primary keywords and secondary keywords in H1, H2, H3, H4 tags.
    

    

59. Use Keywords in First 100 Words
    Google puts more weight on the first 100-150 words of your page.
60. Maintain Keyword Density-
    As per Google Guidelines the keyword density should be about 2%. But from our point of view we can increase the density by placing keywords naturally.
61. Maintain Keyword Prominence
    Keyword prominence refers to how prominent your keywords are within your web page. In simple English, this means how close to the beginning of the web page, sentence, title, h tag, or Meta description your keywords are placed.
62. Maintain Keyword Proximity
    Keyword proximity refers to how close two or more keywords are to each other. You will achieve higher rankings if you place your keywords close together.
    For example, if you want to rank your website for used Jeep Cherokee parts, your text should read like this: “Joe’s scrap yard carries the best used Jeep Cherokee parts! Save money on repairs today!”
63. Maintain Keyword Frequency-
    Keyword frequency is the number of times a particular keyword appears on a website. Common sense may indicate the more times a keyword, or keyword phrase is found on a web page, the better the site will rank in Google.
64. Use Synonyms and LSI Keywords-
    Using synonyms and LSI keywords will make our content more relevant for User and for Google and thus we can achieve good ranking.
65. Check for Duplicate Content
    Duplicate content can penalize our website on Search Engine, so we need to make sure that there are no duplicate presents on the Website. For more info, here is the Algorithm update rolled out by Google on Content.
    https://searchengineland.com/library/google/google-panda-update
66. Work for CTR by Using Eye Catchy Titles
67. Check for Duplicate Meta Title and Description
68. Empty Meta’s Titles and Descriptions
69. Optimize Alt Tag for Images
70. Use Proper Internal Links
71. Use Proper External Links
72. Update the Blog Section on Daily basis or on some small intervals
73. Avoid Keyword Cannibalization-
    Assign only one primary keyword to each page of your website. Assigning two or more can cause “keyword cannibalization,” which can hurt your rankings.
74. Avoid Doorway pages on Websites
    Doorways are sites or pages created to rank highly for specific search queries. They are bad for users because they can lead to multiple similar pages in user search results, where each result ends up taking the user to essentially the same destination. They can also lead users to intermediate pages that are not as useful as the final destination.

Local SEO Checklist
setting a website for local users and searching.

75. Setup Google My Business Account
76. Setup Bing Places 
77. Work on City Specific Pages-
    If you have physical locations in multiple cities, consider creating a unique landing page for each city. This makes it easier to rank for each market area without having to build a separate website for each place.
78.  Get  Reviews from Happy Customers
79. Optimise for Voice Search-
    Since a lot of users use voice search for searching things.
80. Work for Keywords like Near me
81. Keep posting on Business Accounts

Link Building SEO Checklist
setting a website for local users and searching.

82. Check harmful links using semrush and manual check from GSC
83. Disavow those links if needed
84. Work on Website with Good DA and PA-
    Working on a Good DA and PA website will impact our website authority in terms of DA and PA. When DA and PA increases website authority increases thus it will help in ranking.
85. Analyze Your Competitor’s Backlinks, Rankings & Traffic
86. Guest Posting
87. Forum Posting
88. Local Business Listing
89. Local Directory Submission
90. Search Engine Submission
91. Blog Commenting
92. Image and Infographics Submission
93. Document Sharing
94. Social Bookmarking
95. Social Sharing – Pinterest, Twitter
96. Audio Submission
97. Article Submission
98. Web2.0 Submission
99. Article and Web 2.0 Syndication
100. Press Release Submission
101. Video Submission
     
     
     
     
     

Social Media SEO Checklist
Social media is the most popular online activity in the world. That means if you want to reach out to customers, you should add a social media marketing plan to your SEO strategy.

102. Make a profile on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
103. Engage with user by their post and messages
104. Increase page likes and follow in an organic way.

Progress Report-
We will generate the progress report at the end of every month. Report will consists of following terms:

1. Keyword Ranking Performance
2. Traffic Analysis
3. Technical issue Solved
4. Website Visibility
5. Website Estimated Traffic
6. Monthly On-page and Off page work
7. SEO Health
8. Backlinks Profile
9. Website DA and PA
10. Organic Search- GSC
11. Important Keywords
12. Important Pages
13. Next Month Plan