Frederick O’Brien is a freelance journalist who conforms to most British stereotypes. His interests include American literature, graphic design, sustainable …
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Search Engine Optimization Checklist (PDF)
Search Engine Optimization Checklist (PDF)
Smashing Newsletter
This is not an exhaustive list, but hopefully there is enough to help you win over some of the most tedious search engine optimization issues.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential part of a website’s design, and one all too often overlooked. The most beautiful, spectacular site in the world won’t do anyone much good if people can’t find it on Google (or Bing, or DuckDuckGo).
Implementing SEO best practice doesn’t just give you the best chance possible of ranking well in search engines; it makes your websites better by scrutinizing quality, design, accessibility, and speed, among other things. It’s a daunting world for those who aren’t familiar with it (and even those who are at times), so this checklist breaks down key factors to consider when undertaking an audit.
For an overview of the SEO community — publications, thought leaders, podcasts, documentation, forums, things like that — I humbly point you towards the Smashing Guide To The World of Search Engine Optimization.
If you’re ready to get stuck in, read on.
Note: You can also just download the checklist (PDF, 158 KB). Happy optimizing, everyone!
Get Ready: A Healthy Mindset
Setting Realistic Goals
Defining The Environment
On-Page
Off-Page
Testing And Monitoring
Quick Wins
Not everyone has the time or resources to go through a full audit of their website’s SEO. That’s ok, and it doesn’t mean you have to fall behind. The following tips are particularly easy to implement, can return quick results, and allow you to keep an eye on your search performance long term.
Please note that this cheat sheet will be updated occasionally, so if you think anything is missing and should be added, feel free to let us know! We’ll consider it for inclusion the next time we update the list.
(ra, il)
This content was originally published here.