An SEO checklist can help you figure out what you need to do to increase the visibility of your website. Since the majority of your web traffic is driven by Google, Bing or Yahoo, it’s imperative that your web page is optimized. Although social media platforms can generate a lot of new visitors to your site, search engines are still the primary means of navigating visitors to your website. Our article can help you understand why SEO optimization is vital for your business.

Search Engines are Your Friend

Regardless of which you prefer, search engines are what provide target-driven traffic to your website. Think of a search engine as a waiter and your website is a serving plate. Simply put, presentation is everything. If visitors arrive at your website and find what they are looking for, they will return.

On the other hand, if your website is not optimized, no one will see it, so it’s like serving someone an empty plate at dinner. Consequently, if your website is never seen, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities to grow your business.

This is why having an SEO checklist is so important. When you target traffic correctly, you’re providing your company with publicity, increased revenue and exposure unlike any other marketing channel. That’s why taking the time to create an SEO checklist can produce phenomenal return on investment compared to other types of advertising and marketing techniques.

Why Can’t Search Engines Find Me?

 

some looking through a magnifying glass As intelligent as search engines are, they still need help from time to time. Even with all of the algorithm updates, search engines are limited in their overall functionality. This is where your SEO checklist comes into play.

By optimizing your website with the right SEO, you can score thousands of new visitors. On the other hand, if you throw caution to the wind and don’t create an SEO checklist, you are literally digging your own grave since your page will be buried among all of the other search results.

Furthermore, SEO will boost your ranking so that your content is placed where users are able to find it. And with the competitive nature of the internet, businesses who follow an SEO checklist will have an advantage with new visitors and current customers.

So, with the end of the year drawing to a close, now’s the time to start prepping for the new year. Even though you’ve probably already started to focus on your 2017 marketing goals, you may have overlooked a few points that need to be on your SEO checklist. To kick off the new year with a bang, read on and take note of anything your may have left off your SEO checklist.

The Key SEO Checklist for 2017

1. Upgrade Your Website Speed

How long will you wait for a web page to load? Speed is a major SEO factor that Google takes into account. If your website is too slow, users probably won’t have the best experience.

People want websites that load quickly and give them what they’re looking for almost instantly. By running your website through Google Page Speed Insights, you can see how well your website load times score for mobile and desktop versions. You can then decide which recommendations from Google you want to implement on your website.

2. Don’t Forget about Mobile Responsiveness

One of the most important things you can do is make sure your site is responsive. Is your site really mobile-friendly? Can your visitors engage with you just as easily on their phones as they can on their desktops?

Mobile traffic has dramatically increased over the past several years and this trend shows no sign of slowing down. In addition to a possible increase in revenue, Google rewards those who have mobile-friendly websites with higher ranking! You can take a Mobile-Friendly Test, which can help you figure out if you need to start working on making your website more mobile responsive.

3. Whip Your Keywords into Shape

Before you ring in 2017, make sure that your keywords are specifically targeting your goals. In addition, double check that your custom content lines up with those keywords and that your keyword list is current. Using keywords from a year ago won’t help you gain visibility. As people’s wants and needs change, so should your keyword list.

For example, if you’re no longer offering a certain product or service, then it’s pointless to continue targeting keywords around it. This only leads to disgruntled customers who visit your site searching for that product. Do your detective work and look at Google Trends. Take note of what your future prospects are looking for and then compile a new keyword list for your SEO campaigns.

4. Delete Duplicated Content

If you have duplicate content your site, you may be unknowingly harming your visibility. Whether you have two identical pages or pages that are too similar in content, it’s important to review your website and correct any duplicate errors you may have.

5. Perform On-Page Optimization

Keywords aren’t the only factor of a sound SEO plan. As you prepare for 2017, you need to take note of your meta tags and internal links. Therefore, make sure that your internal links are not broken. You also need to double check your meta descriptions, keywords (short and long-tail) and page titles. Also be sure that you are following the rules for optimization laid out in the free Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide.

on page optimization direction sign

As you gear up for 2017, make sure your SEO checklist is in order. Make sure all moving parts of your website are running smoothly and correct any errors you find. By implementing an SEO game plan now, you will reap the rewards all year long.

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