SEO Checklist

This SEO checklist is designed to help Limecube users improve their website's visibility on search engines, and is especially for users with little to no experience with SEO. By following these simple, actionable steps, you'll be able to optimise your website effectively, attract more visitors, and achieve better results online. This guide is particularly suited for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone new to SEO who wants to enhance their website's performance without needing in-depth technical knowledge.

1. Keyword Research

  • Identify Primary Keywords: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find keywords relevant to your business.
  • Focus on Long-Tail Keywords: Choose phrases that are more specific (e.g., “best coffee shop in Sydney”).
  • Use Keywords Naturally: Integrate keywords into your content, headings, and metadata without overstuffing.

Learn more here.

2. On-Page SEO

  • Title Tags: Ensure each page has a unique title tag that includes your primary keyword and accurately reflects the page content.
  • Meta Descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions (around 155-160 characters) that include the primary keyword and entice users to click.
  • Headings (H1, H2, etc.): Use headings to structure your content, with H1 for the main title and H2/H3 for subheadings. Include keywords where appropriate.
  • Content Quality: Ensure content is clear, relevant, and informative. Aim for at least 300 words for less important pages, and 500 per page for more important pages, and include keywords naturally.
  • Internal Linking: Link to other relevant pages on your website to help users navigate and search engines understand your site structure.
  • Image Alt Text: Add descriptive alt text to all images, including keywords where relevant. This helps with accessibility and image search rankings.

3. Technical SEO

  • Mobile Friendliness: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly by using responsive design.
  • Site Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check and improve your website’s loading speed.
  • URL Structure: Keep URLs short, descriptive, and include primary keywords. Avoid using unnecessary numbers or symbols.
  • Sitemap: Submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console to help search engines index your site.
  • Robots.txt: Ensure your robots.txt file is properly configured to allow search engines to crawl important parts of your site.

4. Local SEO

  • Google My Business: Set up and optimise your Google My Business profile, including your business name, address, phone number, and operating hours.
  • Local Keywords: Include location-specific keywords in your content (e.g., “web design services in Melbourne”).
  • NAP Consistency: Ensure your business Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent across your website and online listings.

5. Content SEO

  • Blogging: Start a blog to regularly publish fresh, keyword-rich content. Aim to address common questions or pain points of your audience.
  • Content Updates: Regularly update old content to keep it relevant and accurate.
  • Multimedia Content: Use images, videos, and infographics to make content more engaging. Ensure all multimedia content is optimised for SEO.

6. Off-Page SEO

  • Backlinks: Aim to get backlinks from reputable websites. This could be through guest blogging, partnerships, or content promotion.
  • Social Media Sharing: Share your content on social media platforms to increase visibility and encourage sharing.
  • Online Directories: List your business in reputable online directories related to your industry.

7. Tracking and Analytics

  • Google Analytics: Set up Google Analytics to track website traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates.
  • Google Search Console: Monitor your website’s performance in search results, track keyword rankings, and identify any technical issues.
  • Regular Audits: Conduct regular SEO audits to identify and fix any issues. Tools like Screaming Frog or SEMrush can be useful for this.

8. User Experience (UX)

  • Clear Navigation: Ensure your website’s navigation is simple and intuitive.
  • Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Use clear and compelling CTAs on every page to guide users towards taking action.
  • Readability: Make sure your content is easy to read, with short paragraphs, bullet points, and sufficient white space.

9. SEO Best Practices

  • Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Do not overuse keywords; focus on providing value to your users.
  • Use Canonical Tags: Avoid duplicate content issues by using canonical tags where necessary.
  • Secure Your Website (HTTPS): Ensure your website uses HTTPS to build trust with users and improve rankings.

10. Continuous Learning

  • Stay Updated: SEO is always evolving. Subscribe to SEO blogs or join online communities to keep up with the latest trends and updates.
  • Experiment and Test: SEO is not one-size-fits-all. Test different strategies, analyse the results, and adjust accordingly.

SEO Task Weight Table

SEO Task Category Weight (1-5) Importance
Keyword Research On-Page SEO 5 Crucial for targeting relevant search queries.
Title Tags On-Page SEO 5 Highly impacts click-through rates and rankings.
Meta Descriptions On-Page SEO 4 Affects click-through rates but not rankings directly.
Headings (H1, H2, etc.) On-Page SEO 4 Helps with content structure and keyword emphasis.
Content Quality On-Page SEO 5 Essential for user engagement and search engine rankings.
Internal Linking On-Page SEO 3 Supports site structure and distributes page authority.
Image Alt Text On-Page SEO 3 Important for accessibility and image search rankings.
Mobile Friendliness Technical SEO 5 Critical as mobile usage is a significant ranking factor.
Site Speed Technical SEO 4 Influences user experience and rankings, particularly on mobile.
URL Structure Technical SEO 3 Helps with navigation and keyword relevance.
Sitemap Technical SEO 3 Assists search engines in indexing your site.
Robots.txt Technical SEO 3 Ensures search engines crawl important parts of your site.
Google My Business Local SEO 5 Vital for local search visibility and attracting local customers.
Local Keywords Local SEO 4 Enhances relevance in local search queries.
NAP Consistency Local SEO 4 Ensures trust and accuracy in local search listings.
Blogging Content SEO 4 Helps to regularly publish fresh, relevant content, boosting SEO.
Content Updates Content SEO 3 Keeps existing content relevant and up-to-date.
Multimedia Content Content SEO 3 Engages users but needs to be properly optimised for SEO.
Backlinks Off-Page SEO 5 Extremely important for building authority and improving rankings.
Social Media Sharing Off-Page SEO 3 Increases content visibility but has indirect impact on SEO.
Online Directories Off-Page SEO 3 Helps with local SEO and building citations.
Google Analytics Tracking & Analytics 4 Essential for tracking performance and user behaviour.
Google Search Console Tracking & Analytics 4 Key tool for monitoring search performance and fixing issues.
Regular Audits Tracking & Analytics 4 Important for maintaining and improving SEO health.
Clear Navigation User Experience 4 Ensures a good user experience and helps with site structure.
Call-to-Actions (CTAs) User Experience 3 Important for guiding user actions and improving conversions.
Readability User Experience 4 Enhances user engagement and reduces bounce rates.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing SEO Best Practices 5 Prevents penalties and ensures a natural content flow.
Use Canonical Tags SEO Best Practices 3 Helps avoid duplicate content issues.
Secure Your Website (HTTPS) SEO Best Practices 5 Essential for security and trust, impacting rankings positively.
Stay Updated Continuous Learning 3 Important for adapting to SEO changes and updates.
Experiment and Test Continuous Learning 3 Helps refine and improve SEO strategies.

Learn more

To learn more about helping people find your site and marketing to them, read our digital marketing guide.

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