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Beginner’s SEO Checklist
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Beginner’s SEO Checklist

You need an SEO checklist - the optimizer's To Do List - just to keep track of what's been done and what hasn't. Visit Level343's blog post, Beginner's Guide to the SEO Checklist, for an in depth walk through!
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Heading: The Pre-Flight SEO Checklist
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Heading: SEO Research Checklist
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Developing an SEO Checklist

Heading: The Pre-Flight SEO Checklist

The Pre-Flight SEO Checklist

Before you optimize, there’s the "pre-flight" check. This pinpoints issues that might hinder the tracking or implementation of your optimization efforts. They aren’t in any particular order; SEO is built in layers, so all of them are important.

Links: 

  • 1

    Analytics Installation – Check to make sure you have analytics installed and that they’re working correctly.
  • 2

    Search Engine Console – Set up a Search Engine Console account and implement on your site.
  • 3

    Sitemap Creation and Submission – If you have not already, create a sitemap and submit it to Search Engine Console. You can use XML Sitemaps generator if you need help.
  • 4

    Website Audit – If you haven’t already, perform a website audit.

Heading: SEO Research Checklist

The SEO Research Checklist

You should never build an SEO campaign without doing your research. Research answers a few important questions, and the answers may not be what you think they are.

Links: 

  • 1

    Target Audience Research – Define who your target audience is. Read Repeat After Me, "Target. Market." for more information.
  • 2

    Keyword Research – Research keywords to make sure you’re using the same language your target audience is using. Read "Building Campaigns Around Key Words and Phrases: SEO, Marketing, Social Media" to understand how keywords work throughout a campaign.
  • 3

    Analytics Research – Read our guide, Measuring Metrics for Success, to get a detailed walkthrough of how to find the right KPIs.
  • 4

    Competitive Research – Your online competition is often different than you think. Read Competitive Intelligence: Getting the Skinny on Your Competition for more insight into this process.
  • 5

    Social Research – Since social is where the real conversations happen, it’s important to have them happen with the largest target audience possible. Learn How To Grow Your Business with Social.

Developing an SEO Checklist

Developing an SEO Checklist

Your campaign should be based on the previous research, and your SEO checklist should be based off your campaign. This is just an example of what your TDL, or SEO checklist, might include:

  1. Write optimized, marketable search snippets (title and description)
  2. Create a content editorial calendar that covers:
    1. Update old content
    2. Create new content
    3. Update old pages
    4. Create new assets
    5. Remove old assets as needed
  3. Set up a social media plan to provide x number of additional social proof above competing site and/or competitive posts
  4. Set up link building campaign to x number of pages (outline pages) for additional links above competing site and/or competitive pages
  5. Create x number of additional assets with the goal of bringing x number of traffic above previous quarter

Use the below list template to create your own SEO Checklist!

Take control of your workflows today.

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