SEO Checklist 2024 | SEO Checklist!

SEO Checklist 2024 | SEO Checklist!

We have prepared a comprehensive guide to SEO Checklist 2024. In this content, you will master all the details of SEO. You can find all stages of search engine optimization in this checklist.

First, we started with the question “What is a checklist?” Afterward, we shared the basic, keyword, on-site, off-site, technical, and content SEO checklists in detail.

If you want to start SEO from scratch, you must master all the details in this list. We can say that these elements are indispensable for website analysis. So how do you do site SEO analysis? Let’s examine the details… 😊

What is an SEO Checklist?

Let’s start with this question: What is an SEO checklist?

An SEO checklist is a list of tasks designed to examine all elements of a website according to SEO criteria, which is relevant to anyone dealing with search engine optimization. When checking site SEO, you must take into consideration the factors listed below.

This term, expressed in English as an SEO checklist, is an indispensable part of search engine optimization. It is possible to achieve success in search engines such as Google by improving all stages of optimization.

Of course, as digital marketing evolves, SEO also changes, and some additions can be made to the checklist. However, having a basic knowledge of these issues will be sufficient for site auditing.

SEO Checklist 2024 | SEO Checklist!

We have prepared a comprehensive guide to SEO Checklist 2024. In this content, you will master all the details of SEO. You can find all stages of search engine optimization in this checklist.

First, we started with the question “What is a checklist?” Afterward, we shared the basic, keyword, on-site, off-site, technical, and content SEO checklists in detail.

What is an SEO Checklist?

Let’s start with this question: What is an SEO checklist?

Of course, as digital marketing evolves, SEO also changes, and some additions can be made to the checklist. However, having a basic knowledge of these issues will be sufficient for site auditing.

Things to Do Before Starting SEO Control

Before starting the practices in the SEO checklist, you need to meet some conditions. The work you do has a purpose, and when you master this purpose, you are one step closer to success. Complete these steps before the SEO check:

Goal Setting: Why do SEO? What exactly is your goal? Determine your goals by answering these questions. This way, you can determine what to do and how to do it.

Competitor Analysis: The most frequently used method in SEO analysis is competitor analysis. Learn the concept of competitive analysis well and add it to your applications.

Reporting and Control: Review the changes you make with the help of Google Search Console and Analytics. You can also see clear improvements in reporting.

Being Different: Being different from your competitors will always make you profitable in the long run.

SEO Checklist 2024 | All Controls!

We can move on to the SEO checklist. We created this list under the following headings:

Basic Controls
Keyword Checks
On-Site SEO Controls
Off-Site SEO Checks
Technical SEO Checks
Content Checklist

Now let’s start examining the SEO checklist according to these headings…

1- Basic SEO Checklist

Before starting the SEO checklist, you need to make some basic SEO adjustments. After the installation of your site, you can make it ready for search engine optimization by completing the following steps.

In basic SEO practices, you need to complete the installation of some tools and support this process with plug-ins.

1.1- Google Search Console Installation

First, you need to install Google Search Console. So, what is Google Search Console? Let’s explain this first.

Search Console is a free tool offered by Google that you can use to monitor how your site performs in Google search results. The installation of this tool can be completed in a few simple steps.

Google Search Console to your vehicle.
Click Add Property.
Choose the verification option that suits you.
Complete the verification processes.
Now you can monitor your site’s search results performance!

1.2- Google Analytics Setup

There is another tool used in site SEO analysis and offered by Google: Google Analytics…

Analytics is a free tool you can use to track traffic to your website, see location and location information, and track what actions they take on your site. SEO checklist is a must in 2024.

Because once your website starts receiving traffic, the data you will obtain from here is very important. You can follow the steps below to set up Analytics:

Google Analytics to the link.

Complete the necessary steps and get the HTML code to add to your website.

Add this HTML code to your site.

Once the necessary processes are completed, you can monitor your traffic!

Analytics is added to the SEO checklist 2024 content. This is because the respective tool provides crucial data for free. Be sure to include this tool in your SEO checklist.

1.3- Sending Site Map

Sitemap is an indispensable part of SEO processes. We can say that it is one of the places that Google and other search engines examine to understand your content and site. You can have your pages indexed by sending the site map to Google.

Sitemap: It can be expressed as a file in which you provide information about the relationships between videos, files, or pages on your website. The scanning process needs to be carried out efficiently.

1.4- Creating and Sending Robots.txt

Let’s continue with an indispensable file for the search engine to crawl your site more efficiently:

You can determine which pages can be accessed and which pages cannot be accessed by giving some directives to search engines with the Robots.txt file. It is very important to manage browsing features.

You can create robots.txt with any text editor. The file must be named robots.txt. Example robots.txt file:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /wp-admin/
Allow: /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php
Sitemap: https://weapplications.net/sitemap_index.xml

This is an example robots.txt file. Please read the Google robots.txt document to make it compatible with your website!

After creating the robots.txt file, we will make it accessible to search engine crawlers. You must access your files and add the file to the main directory of your site.

1.5- SEO Plugins

Finally, if you have set up your website with the WordPress system, you will need some plugins. There are many free WordPress SEO plugins on the market and you can use any you like. With the help of these plugins, you can easily perform various SEO operations.

Yoast SEO
Rank Math

We can say that these two plugins are frequently preferred by website owners.

We have completed the first step of the SEO checklist. Now let’s continue with an important topic like keywords…😊

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2- Keyword Checklist

When you examine the checklist example for SEO, you will see that keywords are included. We can say that keywords are truly the backbone of search engine optimization.

We also felt the need to prepare a checklist for this important issue. Here’s what you can do for keywords:

2.1- Keyword Research

When you use the SEO checklist for keywords, the first stage will start with keyword research. This way, you can determine which keywords your site will target, and which keywords are more likely to be successful.

There are many plugins you can use for keyword research. However, the following tools will be more than enough for keyword analysis and research:

SEMRush (Paid)
Ahrefs (Paid)
Google Keyword Planner (Free)
Google (Free)
Keywordtool.io (Paid)

You can make your selection by focusing on the search volumes of keywords, their degree of competition, trend characteristics, and search intent.

2.2- Search Intent Analysis

Let’s continue with search intent analysis, which was not previously considered important in the SEO checklist but has become increasingly important after recent updates. People searching the internet have a certain intention and want to see content prepared under this intention.

Being aware of this situation, Google has classified keywords into four groups:

For Informational Purposes
For Transactional Purposes
For Navigational Purposes
For Commercial Purposes

The content that will respond to the queries typed into Google should also be prepared for these purposes. Therefore, be sure to research the search intent of the keyword you choose. This information is included in tools such as SEMRush.

By searching for possible keywords on Google, you can review the results and detect search intent.

2.3- Long Tail Keywords

When choosing keywords, it is important to focus on long-tail keywords. Long-tail means keywords containing 3 or more words. So why are long-tail keywords important?

Although the search volume of these phrases is low, conversion rates are high.

Since there are targeted queries, more clicks can be received.

The level of competition is low.

It’s easier to rank.

You can include long-tail keywords in the SEO checklist for these reasons.

2.4- Keyword Difficulty

Keywords have difficulty levels. This is generally directly proportional to the word count. For example, while the competition level for single-word keywords is high, the competition will decrease as the number of words increases.

Paid or free tools contain information about the degree of competition. However, it is recommended that you do not fully rely on them. Analyzing the SERP page by performing a manual search will give the most accurate results.

2.5- Semantic Keyword Usage

The word semantics is a very popular concept in the SEO world lately. It refers to the use of similar keywords in the content. In other words, you should include “related keywords”.

You need to focus on synonyms. For example, if you are writing about automobiles, include words such as car, vehicle, vehicle…

2.6- Competitor Keyword Analysis

Identifying and analyzing competing keywords is also included in the daily SEO to-do list. For a keyword, you first need to analyze your competitors. Then you can analyze their keywords. You can seek answers to these questions:

Which keywords did the competitors rank for?
Which keyword provides the most traffic to the competitor?
How many keywords were ranked in total?
Taking action based on your competitor’s keywords will put you in a more competitive position.

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3- On-Page SEO Checklist

Let’s continue the SEO checklist with on-page elements. On-site SEO, as the name suggests, refers to site-related SEO regulations. It is also called on-page search engine optimization.

Check out this SEO checklist as it relates to your pages:

3.1- SEO Compatible URL

Your URLs must be SEO-friendly. The search engine considers the URL as a factor to understand the content. For the URL, you can pay attention to the following:

Use a short and descriptive URL.
Separate the spaces between words with a “-“sign.
Be sure to include your focus keyword in your URL.

3.2- Keyword Distribution

Keyword distribution of your content is also considered a ranking factor. While search engines used to give more importance to this factor, today it has slowly started to lose its importance. However, caution still needs to be exercised.

For keyword distribution in the SEO checklist, you should pay attention to the following:

Avoid spamming by using keywords naturally.
Avoid using consecutive keywords.
Your focus keyword should be repeated at a rate of 1% – 3%.
Be sure to include helpful keywords.
Also consider synonymous keywords.
3.3- Where Should We Add Keywords?
Be sure to include keywords in these sections:

Main title
Some Subheadings
URL
Meta Tags
Introductory Paragraph of the Content (first 100 words)
Image Alt Tags
3.4- Title Tags

Another element to look at when it comes to SEO testing is the title structure of the content. Headings are basic elements that express how important content is for users and Google. In the title tags, check:

There should be only one H1 tag on each page.
Subheadings must have the H2 tag.
Other subheadings related to the H2 tag should be created with the H3 tag.
In this way, a title hierarchy can be created.
Make sure that titles do not exceed 55 characters.
Headings should be prepared in a way that summarizes the subject and is interesting.
You can also include your keywords in the titles.

3.5- Visual Optimization

Another stage of on-page operations in the SEO checklist is visual optimization. These processes, which are closely related to the SEO performance of your site, can be used in search engine optimization.

You can edit the images of your content as follows:

Make sure the image size is not too high. High-size images will reduce page speed.

Be sure to add alt tags for the images. Keywords must be included in these tags.

Images must be related to the title.

Additionally, more successful results can be achieved by using original images.

3.6- Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are not a direct SEO ranking factor. However, it has been observed that attractive meta-descriptions improve click-through rates. Therefore, it should be included in the SEO checklist.

Here’s how you can optimize meta descriptions:

Create engaging text.

Your content should be highly relevant.

There can be a maximum of 160 characters.

It must contain keywords.

3.7- Internal Linking

In-page links provide great efficiency in terms of SEO. Search engine bots use internal links for both indexing and determining the relevance of pages. Consider the following factors in internal linking efforts:

Your content should be linked together. When you send a link from one piece of content to another, do not forget to link from the content receiving the link to the other content.

Anchor texts are very important in this sense. It is beneficial if the anchor text contains keywords. However, constantly sending links from the same keyword can create a spammy effect. Therefore, be sure to analyze the anchor text.

How many links a page should have may vary from case to case. However, the general opinion is that all links on the page should not exceed 100.

When determining anchor texts, you can analyze the pages and see alternative keywords via “Search Console”.

4- Off-Page SEO Checklist

One of the most important elements of the SEO checklist is off-site SEO work. Off-site SEO, as the name suggests, is SEO work carried out outside your website. In this sense, you can apply your SEO checklist in terms of off-site SEO with the following steps.

4.1- Backlink Strategies

Backlinks are among the essential elements of SEO. It is one of the most important criteria that determines the value of your site. Technically, it refers to links coming to you from other websites. Getting backlinks from quality sites related to your niche is very important to strengthen the authority of your site.

Although many site owners choose to purchase backlinks, some mistakes can be made in practice. Therefore, to get maximum performance from backlinks, pay attention to the following elements:

The linking website must match your site in subject matter. So, it should be relevant. For example, a link coming from a food blog site to a finance blog site may not have a high impact. It may be perceived as paid backlink work and cause your site to be penalized.

Get backlinks from quality sites. Backlinks you receive from poor-quality websites can negatively affect your rankings.

You can work on getting organic backlinks. You can increase your number of connections by strengthening your assets. For example, you can get a high rate of links to your site by creating a financial account plugin that is not available on the market. Guest blogging is also a very effective method.

4.2- Analyzing the Backlink Profile of Competitors

Another stage of the SEO checklist is to analyze competitors’ backlinks. If you analyze your competitors’ backlink profiles well, you can create a high-level strategy. You can analyze your competitors’ backlink profiles with the following tools:

ahrefs
SEMRush

Here’s what you need to look at:

How many different domains do your competitors get backlinks from?

What is the domain value of the sites that provide backlinks?

How are anchor texts created?

4.3- Effective Social Media Use

We can also talk about the effective use of social media in off-site SEO work of the SEO checklist. So much so that off-site search engine optimization efforts cannot only consist of backlinks. With social media becoming increasingly widespread, we can now include social media in this process.

Using social media effectively will have a positive impact on your website in terms of both ranking and traffic. Here’s what you need to do in this process:

You should have a profile on all social media channels where your target audience exists.

You should support this process with social media ads when necessary.

Promote the content on your website correctly on social media channels.

Create infographic, video, visual, or audio content specific to social media.

4.4- Rejecting Harmful Links

Links that can be considered harmful will negatively affect your SEO performance. That’s why you need to include this in your SEO checklist. Analyze your site’s backlink profile regularly and check which sites are linking to you.

When you detect harmful links, you can reject them using the “Google Disavow Tool”.

5- Technical SEO Checklist

Technical SEO details should also be included in the SEO checklist to analyze whether the technical details of your site are working correctly. The technical perfection of your website means that your content and website are easily scannable. Additionally, this indicates that there will be no indexing problems.

You should also focus on technical SEO practices so that Google can understand your site better. Thus, the ranking performance of your site will improve even more. Here’s the technical SEO checklist:

5.1- Using HTTPS

First, start with using HTTPS. Although the use of HTTPS was previously offered as a preference, it has become a necessity today. It is also considered a ranking factor by search engines.

It also means that the website ensures data security for the users. Pay attention to the use of HTTPS on your site.

5.2- Domain and Browsable Control

In the SEO checklist, you need to make sure that your website can be reached through a single domain. If your website is accessed from more than one place, there is a problem. This can cause problems in the indexing and crawling processes of search engine bots.

Check out the following domain name variations via httpstatus.io:

http://weapplications.net
http://www. weapplications.net
https:// weapplications.net
https://www. weapplications.net

In the SEO checklist, you also need to check the crawlability of your site. If your site is not crawlable, your content will not be indexed properly. You can control this through Google Search Console.

You can obtain the crawl report through the Search Console. You can also see which of your pages is not indexed from the “Pages” section. The reasons for these will be written on the relevant page.

5.3- Site Speed

Site speed is an important metric for both user experience and search engines. It should also be included in the SEO checklist. After Google announced that it considers page speed as a ranking factor, page speed optimization efforts have also accelerated.

You should periodically measure your site speed and make improvements. Here’s how you can do a speed test:

Log in to Google’s tool, the “Page Speed Insights” plugin.
Paste your URL into the screen.
Afterwards, the system will give a site speed score and some improvement suggestions.

5.4- Mobile Compatible Design

Internet users around the world now spend more time on mobile platforms. Most of the traffic to websites comes from mobile users. For this reason, all details of your website, such as its coding and design, must be mobile-compatible.

NOTE: You can test mobile compatibility via Search Console.

5.5- Duplicate Content Problems

You also need to check for duplicate content in the SEO checklist. Duplicate content is a problem caused by pages that are like each other, especially duplicate content. The content on your site should not be like other site content or your content.

You can easily detect this problem with the “Ahrefs – Duplicate Content” tool. Solution suggestions are as follows:

Control of indexed pages
Redirecting to actual content with 301 redirects
Removal of duplicate or similar content
Using Canonical tags
Using noindex tags

5.6- Fixing Broken Links

You should also make a study for broken links in the SEO checklist. Although broken links are not considered as a ranking factor, they cause negative performance because they negatively affect the user experience.

You can check for broken links manually if you do not have a lot of content. However, if there is a lot of content, you can control it with auxiliary tools such as Ahrefs.

5.7- Improving User Experience

Another technical detail on the SEO checklist is improving user experience. You can improve user experience with these factors:

Loading performance

Opening speeds

Mobile compatibility

Control of factors such as FCP, TBT, CLS, LCP

You can analyze the page experience through Google Search Console.

6- Content Checklist

The indispensable step of the SEO checklist is content. Of course, quality content is very important. However, there are things you need to check both when creating the content and later when doing optimization work.

To make your content better, consider the following elements:

6.1- Content Format and Quality

First, you should focus on the format and quality of your content. Poor quality content has no way of performing well in search engines. Therefore, the most basic rule is to create quality content.

How to create quality content? Check out these factors:
You must provide more information than your competitor.
You should present information that is different from other content.
The readability level of the content must be good.
It should be written in a simple, understandable, and plain manner.
Content should be prepared by SEO criteria.
Search Google for the keyword you are targeting. You need to add more value than the first-page content.
You should support the content not only with text but also with materials such as infographics, videos, and images.
Elements such as statistical information and source presentation will increase your reliability.

The content format may vary depending on the category of your site. However, the following formats are widely used in blog content:

List ingredients.
Comparison contents
checklists
Step-by-step guides
Guide contents.
How-to content
What is its (informative) content?

6.2- Introductory Paragraphs

Every part of your content is important. However, introductory paragraphs are more important for both search engines and users. Because the main element that will keep you reading the content is the introduction.

Your introductory paragraph needs to be perfect. Be sure to consider these features:

The introductory paragraph should provide summary information about the topic.

What will be explained in the rest of the article should be clearly stated?

What the content is about can be explained in the introductory paragraph.

Attractive and encouraging sentences should be preferred.

The important keywords you target should be included in this section. (without spamming)

6.3- Usage of Table of Content

In the content section of the SEO checklist, it is necessary to draw attention to the Table of Contents plugin. Recently, sites have been adding a “Table of Contents” section because it offers a better page experience. This is also important for search engines.

Adding a table of contents has benefits such as:

It clearly states the headings. This makes it easier for the reader to understand what the content is about.

It provides a better reading experience.

It provides ease of reading.

It can help search engines better understand what that page is about.

6.4- Content That Provides Information and Adds Value

I would also like to touch upon the concepts of providing information and adding value, which we mentioned under the title of content quality. Having your content that is unique, informative, and adds value will greatly improve your rankings.

It is also important to update your old content that does not meet these conditions. These factors are among your must-haves in the content section of the SEO checklist.

6.5- Technical Details in Content Writing

You may also need to master the technical details of content writing. We can include the following details regarding content writing in the SEO checklist:

Use shorter sentences to make it easier for the user to read.

Your paragraphs should be accordingly short. Long paragraphs can bore the user.

When creating sentences, stay away from unknown and infrequently used meaningless words.

Use the listing and bulleting features to make the content more understandable.

Use keywords naturally.

Do not stuff the content with keywords.

Be sure to use your targeted keyword as the H1 title tag, in subheadings, introductory paragraph, image alt tags, exit paragraph, and within the text.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Finally, we would like to answer frequently asked questions about the SEO checklist:

1- What is the technical SEO checklist?

The technical SEO checklist is about the technical details of your website’s SEO efforts. It is very important for search engines like Google to index and crawl your pages in the best possible way.

2- When should I provide the controls in this list?

Each of the checks in this list can be provided at different time intervals. In particular, checks regarding on-site and content SEO should be carried out more frequently. Checking the contents can be done daily. Technical and off-site SEO studies can be done weekly or monthly, depending on the situation.

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