When it comes to driving traffic and improving your website’s visibility, search engine optimization (SEO) is key. A well-executed SEO strategy helps your website rank higher on search engines like Google, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
If you’re new to SEO or looking to refresh your strategy, it can feel a little overwhelming. Don’t worry—the Aurum team has got you covered with our super easy-to-follow SEO checklist!
1. Add a Website Title and Description
The title and description of your website are the first things users see on search engine results pages. Keep your title concise, clear, and relevant to your brand.
Your description should briefly summarize what your website or business is about, while including a couple of relevant keywords.
Both the title and description should encourage clicks, so think of them as a first impression!
2. Add Descriptions to All of Your Pages
Each page on your website needs its own unique description. This helps search engines understand the content of the page and display the correct information in search results.
Try to incorporate keywords that are natural and relevant to each page’s content.
Remember, good meta descriptions can increase your click-through rate!
3. Check All Your URLs and Slugs
The URL (or slug) of each web page should be clear, readable, and descriptive.
This makes it easier for both search engines and users to understand what the page is about.
Shorter, keyword-rich URLs are more effective than long, random strings of numbers or letters.
For example, use “/about-us” instead of “/page123”.
4. Rename Images on Your Website
Images are often overlooked in SEO, but they play an important role. Renaming your image files to reflect the content they represent (e.g., “pelvic-floor-exercises.jpg” rather than “IMG_1234.jpg”) will improve your SEO.
Also, don’t forget to add alt text to your images—this helps search engines index them and improves accessibility for users who rely on screen readers.
5. Fix Broken Links
Broken links are bad for both user experience and SEO. They create dead ends for visitors and can hurt your website’s ranking.
At Aurum, we will regularly audit your website for broken links and fix them promptly.
6. Make Sure Your Blog Post Titles Are Searchable
A catchy title might grab attention, but it also needs to be searchable.
Use keywords in your blog post titles that your target audience is likely searching for.
This will increase the chances of your posts ranking higher on search engine results pages.
7. Add Your Location
If your business serves a specific area, be sure to include your location on your website.
Adding location-specific keywords (like “physical therapy in Jacksonville Beach”) can help local users find you more easily.
If you have multiple locations, create separate pages for each to optimize local SEO.
8. Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Submitting your website’s sitemap to Google helps the search engine crawl and index your site more effectively.
A sitemap is like a roadmap of your website’s pages, ensuring that Google can find and understand your content. Most website platforms make it easy to generate and submit a sitemap.
The Aurum team has helped several of our clients get this set up!
9. Work on Building Quality Inbound Links
Inbound links (also known as backlinks) from other websites help signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy and relevant.
Focus on building relationships with reputable websites in your industry to get those valuable links pointing to your site. This can improve your search engine ranking and increase your visibility.
10. Create High-Quality Content and Blog Posts
At the end of the day, content is king. Google prioritizes websites that consistently publish high-quality, informative content.
Focus on providing value to your readers—answer their questions, solve their problems, and keep them engaged. Whether it’s blog posts, guides, or product pages, always aim for content that’s both useful and well-written.
By following this SEO checklist, you can set your website up for success and help more users discover your business.
Happy optimizing!
Looking for support in SEO for your site? Aurum Agency has you covered. Let’s chat!
