SEO best practices are key to getting your website ranking high in search engine results pages (SERPs)
Search Engine Optimization, more commonly known as SEO, is the practice of optimizing a website for Google search with the goal of earning higher web traffic levels and improving the visibility of the site.
It’s no secret that SEO has become increasingly complex over the years, with Google continuously changing its algorithm in an attempt to provide users with the most relevant results.
As a result, many businesses have turned to agencies or consultants to help them achieve better rankings. The good news is that there are plenty of free resources out there that can help you improve your SEO without spending a dime. In this blog post, we will share with you our top free SEO resources and checklist, so you can start implementing best practices today!
Content
Creating great SEO content is not easy, but it is worth it because it can help you get more traffic from organic search. Here are some tips for creating amazing SEO content:
1. Research keywords
Before you start writing, you need to do your research and find out which keywords are most relevant to your topic. You can use tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner or Semrush to find keywords that people are actually searching for.
2. Make your content relevant and interesting
Once you know which keywords to target, you need to make sure that your content is actually relevant and interesting to your audience. No one wants to read a boring article that does not offer anything new or useful.
3. Write for humans, not robots
It is important to remember that you are writing for humans, not robots. This means that your content should be easy to read and understand. Use short paragraphs and simple sentences instead of long, complicated ones. And don’t forget to proofread!
4. Content pruning
Content pruning is the process of removing outdated or unnecessary content from your website. This can include anything from old blog posts to unused pages or images. Pruning your content helps to keep your site fresh and relevant, and can also improve your search engine ranking.
When you prune your content, you should start by identifying any pages or pieces of content that are no longer needed. Once you have a list of these, you can then delete or redirect them accordingly. You may also want to consider updating any outdated information on your remaining pages.
In addition to improving the overall quality of your site, content pruning can also help you to save money on hosting and maintenance costs. By removing unused files and pages, you can reduce the amount of storage space you need, and decrease the amount of time required to keep your site up-to-date.
On-page optimization
On-page optimization is one of the most important aspects of SEO. By optimizing your website’s pages, you can improve your website’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs), and attract more visitors to your site. Here are some tips for optimizing your website’s pages:
1. Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions.
When creating titles and descriptions for your website’s pages, be sure to use keywords that accurately describe the page’s content. This will help users find your pages when they search for keywords related to your business or website.
2. Use keyword-rich headers and subheaders.
Headers and subheaders are a great way to break up text on a page, and they also give you an opportunity to use additional keywords. Be sure to use relevant keywords in these elements, so that users can easily find your pages when they search for them.
3. Use keyword-rich alt tags for images.
Alt tags are used to describe the content of images on a page. Be sure to include relevant keywords in these tags, so that search engines can index your images properly, and users can find them when they search for keywords related to the image.
4. Use keyword-rich anchor text for links.
Anchor text is the text that appears between the opening and closing tags of a hyperlink. When creating links on your pages, be sure to use relevant keywords in the anchor text, so
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is all about optimizing your website for search engines. It’s a complex and ever-changing field, but there are some key things you can do to make sure your site is well-optimized and has a good chance of ranking well in search results.
Here are some technical SEO best practices to keep in mind:
1. Make sure your site is accessible to search engines. This means using a Robots.txt file and ensuring that your pages are not blocked by any other means.
2. Use clean and well-organized code. This makes it easier for search engines to understand your content and can help improve your rankings.
3. Use relevant and keyword-rich titles and descriptions. This helps ensure that your pages are relevant to what people are searching for, and also helps improve your click-through rate from the search results page.
4. Optimize your images. Include relevant keywords in image file names and alt text, but most importantly a descritive alt, which helps search engines index them properly and also improves the accessibility of your site for people with visual impairments.
5. Use proper URL structures. A well-structured URL hierarchy can help both users and search engines navigate your site more easily, which can lead to better crawlability and improved rankings.
6. Conduct regular SEO audits. This helps you identify any technical issues that could be holding back your site’s performance in search results.
7. Structured data: This is a code that you can add to your website that helps search engines understand the content on your pages. Adding structured data to your website can help improve your click-through rate from the search results page, and can also help your pages appear in rich results for certain queries.
8. Mobile-friendliness: Another important technical SEO consideration is mobile-friendliness. With more and more people using mobile devices to access the internet, it’s important to make sure your site is optimized for these users. Test your site with this free tool.
9. Core Web Vitals: another important technical SEO factor. Studies have shown that slower loading pages tend to rank lower in search results, so it’s important to make sure your site loads quickly. There are a number of things you can do to improve your page speed, including optimizing your images, using a content delivery network, and minifying your code.
10. Site security: Finally, it’s important to make sure your site is secure. This means using HTTPS on all your pages and using a secure socket layer (SSL) certificate.
Link building
Link building is one of the most important aspects of SEO. Linking to other websites shows that your website is credible and can be trusted.
Link bait
Link bait is a term used to describe content that is created with the express purpose of generating inbound links. Link bait can take many forms, but some of the most common include infographics, blog posts, lists, and quizzes.
Creating link bait is an effective way to earn high-quality inbound links, but it’s important to remember that not all link bait is created equal. In order for your link bait to be successful, it needs to be compelling and relevant to your audience.
If you’re thinking about creating link bait, start by asking yourself these questions:
– What will my target audience find interesting?
– What type of content are they likely to share?
– How can I make my content stand out from the rest?
Answering these questions will help you create content that is both linkworthy and popular with your target audience.
Creating data-driven content
If you want your link building campaigns to be successful, you need to start with data-driven content. This means creating content that is based on data and research, rather than just your opinion.
There are a few different ways to go about this. First, you can use data from your own website. This could be things like site traffic data, conversion data, or even just customer feedback.
Another option is to look for secondary sources of data. This could be things like industry reports, surveys, or even government data. The key here is to find data that supports the points you want to make in your content.
Once you have your data, the next step is to turn it into something readable and interesting. This means using graphs, charts, and other visuals to present your data in an easy-to-understand way. It also means writing compelling copy that will grab readers’ attention and make them want to learn more about what you have to say.
If you can create data-driven content that is both informative and interesting, you’ll be well on your way to building links that will help improve your website’s ranking in search engines.
Digital PR
Digital PR is a process whereby you secure earned media placements for your brand or product on high-authority websites. This can be done through traditional means such as pitching to journalists or by utilising creative digital marketing tactics such as influencer outreach and content marketing.
The benefits of digital PR are numerous, from increased brand awareness and website traffic to improved search engine visibility and authority. In order to ensure your digital PR campaign is successful, there are a few key considerations to bear in mind:
1. Define your objectives and target audience
2. Research your competition
3. Identify the right publications and influencers to target
4. Create compelling content
5. Build relationships with journalists and influencers
Email outreach
Email outreach is a process of contacting site owners in an attempt to build relationships and earn links. The first step is to identify potential targets, followed by building a list of contacts. Once you have a list of contacts, the next step is to reach out and start building relationships.
There are a few different ways to go about this, but the most important thing is to be personal and helpful. Try to add value whenever possible, and be respectful of the time and attention that people are giving you. With a little bit of effort, you should be able to build some strong relationships that will result in links back to your site.
Mobile optimization
Assuming you have a responsive website, here are some other mobile optimization best practices:
1. Use a mobile-friendly theme or template.
2. Minimize the use of pop-ups and interstitials.
3. Enable Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).
4. Reduce the amount of data your pages load.
5. Improve your site’s speed and performance.
6. Optimize your images for mobile.
7. Use the correct file format for videos (mpeg4, h264).
8. Host videos on a content delivery network (CDN).
9. Prefer lower resolution images and video for mobile devices
Local SEO
1. Make sure your website is optimised for local SEO. This includes ensuring your NAP (name, address, phone number) is consistent across all listings and platforms, and that your website includes location-specific pages and content.
2. Claim and verify your Google My Business listing. This ensures your business appears in local search results, and allows customers to leave reviews.
3. Build local citations. These are mentions of your business on other websites, often in directories or review sites. They help improve your visibility in search results.
4. Use social media to connect with local customers. Posting relevant, engaging content will help you attract followers in your area. You can also use social media to run targeted ads.
5. Host local events or sponsor local organisations. This is a great way to get your business name out there and show that you’re invested in the community.
6. Use local schema markup to improve your visibility in search results. This code helps search engines understand the information on your website, and can help your listings stand out in search results.
7. Monitor your online reviews. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, shows that you care about your customers’ experience.
International SEO
If you want to optimize your website for international search engines, there are a few key things you need to do. Here is a checklist of best practices for international SEO:
1. Use country-specific top-level domains (TLDs). Country-specific TLDs are an important signal to search engines about where your website is targeted. They can also help users understand that your website is relevant to their country.
2. Use hreflang tags. Hreflang tags tell search engines what language your content is written in and what region it is targeted at. This helps ensure that users in different countries see the correct version of your content.
3. Optimize your title tags and meta descriptions for each country. Make sure that your title tags and meta descriptions are reflective of the keywords that users in each country are searching for.
4. Use local keywords. In addition to using general keywords, also use local keywords that are specific to each country you are targeting. This will help your website rank higher for searches conducted in those countries.
5. Translate your content into different languages. If you want to reach a global audience, it’s important to translate your content into different languages. Not only will this help users in other countries understand your content, but it will also show search engines that you’re catering to a multilingual audience.
User experience
User experience (UX) is a key factor in the success of any SEO strategy. Good UX can help improve your website’s ranking in search engines, as well as increase conversion rates and reduce bounce rates.
There are many factors that contribute to good UX, but here are some of the most important ones:
– Make sure your website is easy to navigate and use.
– Use clear and concise copy that is easy to read.
– Use high-quality visuals (images, videos, etc.) to enhance your content.
– Optimize your website for mobile devices.
– Create compelling and relevant content that engages your visitors.
– Use calls to action (CTAs) to encourage visitors to take the desired action.
By following these best practices, you can create a better user experience for your visitors, which will ultimately lead to improved SEO results.
Monitoring and reporting
Monitoring and reporting are two of the most important aspects of any SEO campaign. Without proper monitoring, it’s impossible to know whether your SEO efforts are paying off. And without regular reporting, you won’t be able to track your progress or show your clients the results of your work.
There are a few key things to keep in mind when Monitoring and reporting on your SEO campaign:
1. Set up Google Analytics and set up goals/conversions tracking. This will allow you to see how much traffic you’re getting from your SEO efforts and whether that traffic is leading to conversions (sales, sign-ups, etc.).
2. Track your rankings in Google for the keywords you’re targeting. There are a number of differentRank Tracking tools available, both free and paid.
3. Monitor your website’s backlink profile. This can be done using a tool like Moz’s Open Site Explorer or Ahrefs’ Site Explorer. Keep an eye out for new backlinks as well as any links that have been removed.
4. Use Google Search Console to monitor your website’s performance in Google search results. This includes keeping an eye on your click-through rate ( CTR) , impressions, and position in the SERPs for the keywords you’re targeting.
5 . Regularly check for any errors or issues in your website’s code or structure that could be affecting your SEO . This can be done using a tool like Screaming Frog.
SEO Testing
SEO testing is a process used to identify the effectiveness of various SEO tactics in terms of their ability to improve search engine rankings. The goal of SEO testing is to identify which tactics are most effective at improving rankings, and to then use those tactics to improve the overall ranking of a website.
There are a number of different ways to test SEO tactics, but the most common method is to create two versions of a web page – one with the desired SEO tactic implemented, and one without. These two pages are then compared in terms of their ranking in search results. If the page with the desired tactic ranks higher than the other, it can be concluded that the tactic is effective.
SEO testing can be used to test a variety of different tactics, including keyword density, title tags, meta descriptions, and more. It’s important to test multiple tactics at once, as some may work well together while others may cancel each other out.
Conclusion
SEO is a constantly evolving field, which can make it difficult to keep up with the latest best practices. However, by using this free checklist, you can quickly and easily ensure that your website is following the latest SEO guidelines. By keeping your website optimized for search engines, you’ll be able to attract more visitors and improve your chances of ranking higher in search results. So don’t wait — start using these best practices today!