SEO Checklist: How to perform it properly the first time

If you are a web designer, or you own your own webpage, you already know that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is difficult and forever different.

That is why SEO experts are more often than not different from the Web Design stars. And why many site owners hire SEO pros, even if they build their own site.

Besides, SEO involves many assorted tasks. Many of them off site. Jobs range from link building to directory submissions.
Besides, there are plenty of things a web designer is able to do to set a site up for search engine optimization success. These are tasks which will save SEO expenses in the long run. And position the site up to be found and ranked by the search engines.

When I create a brand new site, or I outsource a web designer to create a site for me, I ensure that at least, the following checklist is adhered to.

By doing this, a lot of time and costs are saved in the long run. Any web site that doesn't have each these tasks marked will be returned. And the web designer won't get any jobs from me again.

There may be exceptions to every rule, but usually ...

Checklist

[ ] TITLE
As far as SEO is concerned, the title is one of the most important elements on a page. The title of every page should contain:
• Brand or Corporation Name
• As high on the page as possible. Technically, these should be the first item in the head tag, but sometimes that is impossible.
• Keywords. Each page should be optimized for 1 - 3 keywords. They should appear here, and only once each.
• Length. Not to long and not too short.

[ ] Description
While this may be less important for ranking than it used to be, it is still important. But it is very important on the search engine results page (SERP). This is what people read, your first impression, when your site is found. Make it sound good for humans, but do include your keywords, one time each.

[ ] Keywords Meta Tag
I know Google doesn't look at these any more, and they have less value to search engines than they used to. For me, they serve as a reference. Its easier for you to perform checks like keyword density, link text, etc. If the person who is doing SEO didn't design the page, this is even more imporant.

[ ] Headings
Make sure the headings of your page H1, H2 and H3 contain your keywords. Don't over use them, but make sure there is at least one with each of the 1 - 3 keywords you are focusing on.

[ ] ALT Attributes
If there are images on the page, make sure the first few ALT tags on the page contain the keyword.

[ ] Links
At least one link and not more than 2, on the page should contain the keyword. This can be links to other pages on your site, external pages or even anchors on the same page. The content will determine where these should point.

[ ] Bold Keywords
Make sure that some of your keywords are bold. In this case, using a "B" tag is probably better than the "STRONG" tag.

[ ] Keyword Weight, Prominence and Frequency
This is the topic for another article. Actually it is the topic of several books. But, in general you want to use your keywords often, but not too often. If you use it slightly more than you would in a conversation, you should be OK. Also, they should be used at the beginning and end of your content. Search engines give greater weight to keywords in those locations.

[ ] Page Length
Search engines don't give much value to pages that are less than about 150 - 200 words. Any shorter than that and they don't contain enough content to be valuable.

[ ] No "Black Hat" SEO
This is one more long discussion, but any ethically challenged SEO will be refused at once.

Your web designer and your search engine optimization expert is almost never the same individual. But, you don't like the added cost of SEO workers completely recreating the content of your page.

If you are creating your own page, you wish for your site to be created as it should be immediately. That way, as links are built back to your page, search engines will know what to do with your page, and how to treat it.

By following this straightforward checklist, your page will be better setup for search engine triumph than most of the websites in existence.

Your goal is to have more traffic than any of your competitors, right?

SEO is part talent, part science and part wizardry. And off site factors can be even more important than what is on the page.

By following the straightforward rules in this checklist, your search engine optimization efforts will be off to a terrific start.

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Glen has been involved with the internet since the early 90's when he started the first ISP in his home town. Since then, he has discovered his true passions, which are SEO and Internet Marketing. At SEO For Less, he helps others get the best results for their websites through affordable SEO, web copywriting and website design. Feel Free to use this article as you like, as long as you don't change any of the content and leave this resource box, including the links, intact.