Checklist of Onsite Optimisation Items

[megaman]

Hey guys,

I'm not sure how much of a benefit onsite optimisation really offers but when I do it, I generally tend to cover the following areas. What area's does everyone else cover ? Is there something I'm missing out.

What I Do
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- Make sure page is XHTML valid
- Make sure page size is small
- Make sure all IMG tags have titles and alt's
- Make sure I use <h1><h2><h3> tags with relevant keywords
- Make sure the <title> is unique and relevant to my SEO needs

[oleshka]

- Make sure you use <strong><em> tags with relevant keywords
- Make sure you use <a> link tags with relevant keywords for internal linking.

[a3web]

Make sure you checked out Errors such as 404 page not found and broken links. 

[coolman]

Onsite optimization is only a part of SEO, it is very important to ensure your site is built in a search engine in a good way.

[coolrays]

When it comes to onsite optimization, there are several key items that you should include on your checklist. Here are some important ones:

1. Keyword research: Identify relevant keywords and phrases to target on your website.

2. Title tags: Ensure that each page has a unique and descriptive title tag that includes your targeted keyword.

3. Meta descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions for each page that accurately summarize the content and entice users to click.

4. URL structure: Use clean and descriptive URLs that include your targeted keyword.

5. Header tags: Utilize H1, H2, and H3 tags to structure your content and make it more easily scannable by search engines.

6. Keyword placement: Incorporate your targeted keywords naturally throughout your content, including in headings, paragraphs, and image alt tags.

7. Internal linking: Create a logical internal linking structure to help search engines discover and navigate your site.

8. Image optimization: Compress and optimize images to improve page load speed and include relevant alt tags.

9. Mobile optimization: Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and responsive across different devices and screen sizes.

10. Page load speed: Optimize your website's performance to ensure fast loading times.

11. User experience: Focus on providing a positive user experience with easy navigation, clear calls to action, and engaging content.

12. Schema markup: Implement structured data markup to provide additional context to search engines about your content.

13. Canonical tags: Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a page when there are duplicates or similar content.

14. XML sitemap: Create and submit an XML sitemap to search engines to help them crawl and index your website more effectively.

15. Robots.txt: Set up a robots.txt file to control which pages search engines can access and crawl.

16. Content quality: Create high-quality, relevant, and valuable content that satisfies user intent and answers their queries.

17. Content length: Aim for comprehensive and in-depth content that provides a thorough coverage of the topic.

18. Keyword optimization in content: Use keywords strategically in your content to improve relevancy and visibility.

19. Outbound links: Include relevant outbound links to authoritative sources that can provide additional value to your users.

20. User-friendly URLs: Keep your URLs short, descriptive, and easy to read.

21. Social sharing buttons: Add social sharing buttons to make it easy for visitors to share your content on social media platforms.

22. Breadcrumbs: Implement breadcrumb navigation to enhance user experience and help search engines understand the structure of your site.

23. 404 error handling: Customize your 404 error page to provide a helpful message and guide users back to your site.

24. SSL certificate: Ensure that your website has an SSL certificate to establish a secure connection and boost trust with users.

25. Accessibility: Design your website with accessibility in mind, ensuring that it is usable by people with disabilities.

26. Structured data: Implement structured data markup, such as schema.org, to provide rich snippets in search results.

27. Duplicate content: Identify and address any duplicate content issues to avoid potential penalties from search engines.

28. XML sitemap: Regularly update and resubmit your XML sitemap to include new pages or remove outdated ones.

29. Analytics and tracking: Set up website analytics tools, like Google Analytics, to monitor and analyze the performance of your site.

30. Ongoing monitoring and optimization: Continually track your website's performance, make data-driven decisions, and adapt your onsite optimization strategy as needed.

31. Mobile-first indexing: Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices and follows Google's mobile-first indexing guidelines.

32. Site speed optimization: Optimize your website's speed by minimizing file sizes, leveraging browser caching, and using content delivery networks (CDNs).

33. User engagement signals: Improve user engagement metrics such as bounce rate, time on page, and click-through rate (CTR) through compelling and user-friendly content.

34. Internal site search: Implement an internal site search function to help users easily find relevant information within your website.

35. Website structure: Organize your website into logical categories and utilize a hierarchy of pages to improve navigation and user experience.

36. URL canonicalization: Implement canonical tags when you have multiple URLs with similar or duplicate content, to prevent duplicate content issues.

37. Rich media and multimedia optimization: Optimize images, videos, and other media files by compressing them, providing alt text, and ensuring they load quickly.

38. Integration with social media: Add social media sharing buttons and make it easy for users to share your content across different social platforms.

39. Local SEO optimization: If applicable, optimize your website for local search by including relevant local keywords, adding your business to online directories, and optimizing Google My Business listing.

40. Site architecture: Create a well-structured site architecture that makes it easy for search engines to crawl and index your website.

41. Voice search optimization: Optimize your content to align with voice search queries by using conversational language and long-tail keyword phrases.

42. Security and privacy: Implement security measures such as HTTPS, SSL certificates, and privacy policies to ensure user trust and protect user data.

43. URL redirects: Set up proper 301 redirects for any deleted or redirected pages to maintain link equity and avoid broken links.

44. Regular content updates: Regularly update your content to keep it fresh, relevant, and reflect any changes in your industry or business.

45. Multilingual optimization: If your website is available in multiple languages, optimize each language version for their respective target keywords and audience.

46. User-generated content: Encourage and leverage user-generated content, such as reviews, testimonials, and comments, to enhance trust and engagement.

47. Social proof elements: Incorporate social proof elements, such as customer reviews, ratings, and endorsements, to build credibility and trust with your audience.

48. External linking: Include relevant and authoritative external links within your content to provide additional value and context to your readers.

49. Error-free code: Ensure that your website's HTML and CSS code is clean, error-free, and follows best practices for optimal performance and compatibility.

50. International targeting: If you have an international audience, implement hreflang tags to indicate language and regional variations of your content.

51. Readability and formatting: Optimize your content for readability by using clear headings, subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs.

52. Semantic HTML: Use semantic HTML tags, such as <header>, <nav>, and <footer>, to provide clearer structure and meaning to search engines.

53. Local business schema: Implement local business schema markup to enhance your local SEO efforts and provide additional information to search engines.

54. Accessibility for assistive technologies: Ensure your website is accessible to users with disabilities by following WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards.

55. Social media integration: Integrate social media sharing buttons and widgets to encourage social sharing and increase your website's visibility.

56. Content optimization for featured snippets: Create content that directly answers common questions or provides concise summaries to increase the chances of being featured in Google's featured snippets.

57. Monitor and fix broken links: Regularly check for broken links on your website and fix them to improve user experience and maintain crawlability.

58. Review and optimize site architecture: Continuously review and optimize your site's architecture to ensure proper organization and ease of navigation.

59. Implement structured data for specific content types: Use specific schema markup for different content types like articles, recipes, events, products, etc., to provide more detailed information to search engines.

60. Test and optimize for different browsers and devices: Ensure that your website is fully functional and displays correctly across various browsers, screen sizes, and devices.

61. Crawlability and indexability: Ensure that search engines can crawl and index your website effectively by checking for any crawl errors, broken links, or indexing issues.

62. Use of header tags: Properly use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to structure your content and highlight important sections.

63. User-generated structured data: Utilize structured data markup for user-generated content, such as reviews or ratings, to enhance their visibility in search results.

64. User-focused navigation: Optimize your website's navigation to make it intuitive and user-friendly, allowing users to easily find the information they need.

65. Optimization for local search intent: Incorporate location-specific keywords and content to appeal to users searching for local businesses or services.

66. HTTPS and website security: Implement HTTPS encryption and ensure your website is secure to protect user data and improve search engine rankings.

67. URL structure optimization: Create clean and descriptive URLs that include relevant keywords and make it easier for search engines and users to understand the page content.

68. Readability and language targeting: Tailor your content's readability level and language to match your target audience, making it more accessible and engaging.

69. Conversion optimization: Analyze and optimize your website's conversion rate by improving calls-to-action, forms, and overall user experience.

70. Linking to authoritative and relevant sources: Include outbound links to high-quality and relevant websites to provide additional value to your users and improve search engine perception.

71. Test and optimize for site speed: Regularly monitor and optimize your website's loading speed across different devices and browsers to improve user experience and search engine rankings.

72. Optimize meta tags: Craft compelling and relevant meta tags, including title tags and meta descriptions, to entice users to click on your website in search results.

73. Eliminate duplicate content: Identify and resolve any duplicate content issues on your website to avoid diluting your search engine rankings.

74. Monitor and improve user engagement metrics: Track metrics such as time on site, bounce rate, and page views to understand user behavior and optimize your website accordingly.

75. Schema markup for events or products: If applicable, implement schema markup specific to events or products to enhance their visibility and attract targeted traffic.

76. User reviews and ratings: Encourage and showcase user reviews and ratings on your website to build trust and credibility with potential customers.

77. Optimize page titles and descriptions: Create compelling and keyword-rich page titles and meta descriptions that accurately describe the content of each page.

78. Optimize images for SEO: Compress images, provide descriptive file names, and include alt text to improve image search optimization.

79. Implement structured data for video content: Utilize schema markup for videos to enhance their visibility in search results and provide additional context to search engines.

80. Enhance site architecture with breadcrumb navigation: Implement breadcrumb navigation to improve user experience and help search engines understand the hierarchy of your site.

81. Use HTTPS for the entire website: Secure your website by implementing HTTPS throughout to provide a secure browsing experience for users.

82. Optimize anchor text: Use descriptive and relevant anchor text for internal and external links to provide context to search engines and users.

83. Use header tags properly: Organize your content with header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to create a clear hierarchy and improve readability.

84. Implement lazy loading for images and videos: Utilize lazy loading techniques to improve page load speed by loading media content only when it's visible to the user.

85. Review and optimize XML sitemap: Regularly review and update your XML sitemap to ensure all relevant pages are included and submit it to search engines.

86. Optimize for featured snippets: Structure your content in a way that is more likely to be featured in Google's featured snippets, such as providing concise answers to common questions.

87. Monitor and optimize site crawlability: Regularly monitor your website's crawlability using tools like Google Search Console and fix any crawl errors or issues.

88. Optimize for local search directories: Ensure your business information is accurate and consistent across local search directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places.

89. Optimize for site search functionality: If your website has a search function, analyze search queries and optimize the search results page to improve user experience and conversions.

90. Implement pagination correctly: Use rel="prev" and rel="next" tags or use a canonical URL to indicate the relationship between paginated content and avoid duplicate content issues.

91. Optimized meta tags for social media: Customize meta tags specifically for social media platforms to ensure proper display when your content is shared.

92. Monitor and improve user engagement signals: Analyze metrics like time on page, scroll depth, and click-through rates to identify areas for improvement and enhance user engagement.

93. Optimize for local keywords: If your business operates in specific locations, optimize your content to target local keywords relevant to those areas.

94. Mobile-friendly design: Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices with responsive design, easy navigation, and fast-loading pages.

95. Optimize for voice search: Optimize your content to match natural language queries that users may speak into voice-enabled devices like smart speakers and mobile assistants.

96. Implement structured data for FAQ content: Use schema markup to mark up frequently asked questions (FAQs) on your website to increase the likelihood of appearing in rich snippets.

97. Optimize for site search functionality: If your website has an internal search function, analyze user search queries and optimize the search results page to improve relevance and usability.

98. Monitor and optimize for user intent: Regularly analyze user search intent and align your content to deliver what users are searching for, improving relevance and user satisfaction.

99. Implement breadcrumb navigation: Utilize breadcrumb navigation to provide users with a clear path back to previous pages and improve website navigation.

100. Regular content audits: Conduct regular audits of your website content to identify outdated or low-quality content that needs to be refreshed or removed.

101. Ongoing SEO performance monitoring: Continuously monitor your website's performance using analytics tools to identify trends, track keyword rankings, and make data-driven optimization decisions.

102. Optimize for site search crawlers: Configure robots.txt and XML sitemap settings to ensure that important pages are crawlable and indexable by search engines.

103. Optimize for rich snippets: Structure your content to increase the likelihood of appearing in rich snippets, such as providing clear answers to commonly searched questions.

104. Optimize for related searches and "People also ask" sections: Research and include related keywords and phrases to increase visibility in related searches and "People also ask" sections in search results.

105. Test and improve website navigation: Conduct user testing to optimize website navigation, ensuring users can easily find desired information and complete conversion actions.

106. Optimize for featured snippets: Structure your content to provide concise and informative answers to common questions, increasing the chances of appearing in featured snippets.

107. Implement structured data for reviews and ratings: Use schema markup to enhance your website's appearance in search results with star ratings and reviews.

108. Optimize for local voice search: Focus on long-tail keywords that mimic conversational queries to optimize your content for local voice search.

109. Monitor and fix crawl errors: Regularly check for crawl errors in Google Search Console and fix any issues to ensure search engines can properly crawl and index your site.

110. Optimize for semantic search: Create content that covers related topics and uses natural language to appeal to semantic search algorithms.

111. Optimize for page dwell time: Create engaging and informative content that keeps visitors on your site longer, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable.

112. Utilize social meta tags: Include social meta tags in your website's HTML to control how your content appears when shared on social media platforms.

113. Optimize for local directories: Ensure your business information is consistent and up-to-date in local directories such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Google My Business.

114. Optimize for mobile-first indexing: Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and responsive, as Google now primarily indexes and ranks the mobile version of websites.

115. User-generated content moderation: Implement systems to monitor and moderate user-generated content to maintain quality and relevance.

116. Monitor and improve site usability: Conduct user testing and analyze user behavior to identify areas where usability can be improved, such as reducing page load times or simplifying navigation.

117. Optimize breadcrumb navigation for desktop and mobile: Ensure that breadcrumb navigation is properly implemented and visible on both desktop and mobile devices for enhanced user experience.

118. Optimize site speed for mobile: Optimize images, leverage browser caching, and minimize the use of render-blocking resources to improve site speed on mobile devices.

119. Conduct regular site audits: Perform regular audits to identify and fix technical issues, such as broken links, duplicate content, or missing metadata.

120. Optimize for local-specific search terms: If your business targets specific locations, optimize your content to include location-specific keywords and phrases.

121. Optimize for long-tail keywords: Research and target long-tail keywords that are more specific and have lower competition to attract targeted traffic.

122. Monitor and optimize for Core Web Vitals: Pay attention to metrics like page load speed, interactivity, and visual stability, which are important factors for user experience and search rankings.

123. Implement schema markup for local business details: Use local business schema markup to provide search engines with detailed information about your business, such as address, phone number, and operating hours.

124. Optimize for site-wide navigation: Ensure that your website's navigation is clear, consistent, and easily accessible across all pages.

125. Implement structured data for recipes or products: If you have recipe or product content, use schema markup to provide additional details such as ratings, ingredients, or pricing in search results.

126. Optimize for rich cards or carousels: Structure your content to be eligible for rich card or carousel displays in search results, increasing visibility and click-through rates.

127. Implement XML sitemap for videos: If your website includes video content, create and submit an XML sitemap specifically for your video files to help search engines index them.

128. Optimize for site search intent: Analyze user search queries on your website's internal search function and ensure search results align with user intent.

129. Optimize for question-based queries: Craft content that directly answers common questions related to your industry or niche to increase the chances of appearing in question-based search results.

130. Optimize for image search: Include descriptive file names, alt text, and captions for images to improve their visibility in image search results.

131. Implement lazy loading for web pages: Utilize lazy loading techniques to defer the loading of offscreen content, improving page load speed and user experience.

132. Monitor and manage crawl budget: Regularly review your website's crawl budget allocation in Google Search Console to ensure that important pages are being crawled and indexed.

133. Optimize for international SEO: If your website targets multiple countries or languages, implement hreflang tags to signal the appropriate language and geographical targeting to search engines.

134. Optimize for site-wide search engine access: Verify that search engines can access all relevant parts of your website by checking your robots.txt file, allowing crawling of important sections.

135. Monitor and optimize user-generated content: Establish guidelines and moderation processes to ensure user-generated content aligns with your website's quality standards.

136. Optimize for local search: Include location-specific keywords throughout your website, especially on landing pages targeting specific geographic locations.

137. Optimize for knowledge graphs: Structure your content in a way that is more likely to appear in knowledge graphs, which are information boxes that appear in search results.

138. Implement breadcrumbs for SERP enhancements: Utilize breadcrumbs on your website to enhance the appearance of your URLs in search engine results pages (SERPs).

139. Optimize for on-site search functionality: If you have on-site search functionality, analyze user search behavior and optimize the search results page to improve relevance and user experience.

140. Monitor and optimize crawl budget: Assess how search engine crawlers allocate resources on your website and optimize the crawl budget by prioritizing important pages.

141. Optimize for local event search: If your website promotes events, implement structured data markup to help search engines understand and display your event information in local event search results.

142. Optimize for sitelinks: Structure your website and internal linking in a way that encourages search engines to display sitelinks, additional links displayed in search results below your main website link.

143. Optimize for site-wide breadcrumbs: Implement site-wide breadcrumbs to improve navigation and user experience, allowing visitors to easily understand their location within your website.

144. Optimize for image search features: Utilize image optimization techniques such as descriptive filenames, alt text, and image sitemaps to enhance visibility in image search results.

145. Optimize for vertical search: If your website includes specialized content, such as videos, news articles, or images, optimize your content to appear in relevant vertical search results.

146. Implement speakable schema: If your content lends itself well to text-to-speech conversion, implement speakable schema to make it easier for voice assistants to read your content aloud.

147. Optimize for related searches: Analyze related search queries and optimize your content to appear in the "People Also Ask" or "Related Searches" sections of search engine results pages.

148. Optimize for site breadcrumbs: Implement breadcrumbs on your website to provide clear navigation paths, helping users and search engines understand the structure of your site.

149. Optimize for social sharing: Implement social sharing buttons and encourage social engagement to increase the visibility and reach of your content.

150. Regularly monitor and improve site performance: Continuously assess and optimize your website's performance by monitoring page load speed, fixing broken links, and addressing any other technical issues.

[ryosuzuki]

Onsite optimisation has very little to do with link building. Even internal link building is irrelevant.

The OP has it right and you need to be quick to get all those fixes in. Certainly broken links and stuff like that isn't even optimisation, that's just the basics, that should all be working before you even start doing onsite optimisation.

[offshoreaccouting]

The OP has it right and you need to stop wasting time to get all those repairs in. Certainly damaged hyperlinks and things like that isn't even optimization, that's just the basic principles, that should all be functioning before you even begin doing structural optimization.

[yorum]

ıs this really important. I have a website which has a lot of info in it.. There are some erors on google indexing but its %0.02 or stg like that. I dont fix them.

[seoguro]

make sure perfect page navigation
perfect keyword anchor
no broken links
meta tags optimization

[mel]

Why do you need to make sure the page size is small?