Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Checklist

Before Publishing:

Essential Site Information:

• Add a site title (up to 60 characters) with relevant keywords
• Create unique SEO descriptions (50-300 characters) for site and individual pages
• Include page titles optimized for browsers, social media, and search results

Design Elements:

• Add a favicon for brand recognition
• Include social media sharing images for site and pages
• Create a custom 404 page with useful navigation links

Domain Setup:

• Connect a custom domain
• Enable SSL security
• Set up social media integration
• Optimize URL slugs with relevant keywords
• Configure blog post URL format

Location Settings:

• Add business address and map on Contact page
• Create Google Business Profile
• Include service areas and business hours

Post-Publication Tasks:

1. Search Engine Integration:

• Verify site with Google Search Console
• Submit site for Google indexing
• Validate with Bing Webmaster Tools
• Connect Google Analytics

2. Ongoing Optimization:

• Monitor site analytics regularly
• Create strategic content updates
• Set up URL redirects for changed pages
• Maintain regular content additions

Content Best Practices:

Text Optimization:

• Use strategic keywords naturally
• Structure content with clear headings
• Keep content relevant and valuable

Image Optimization:

• Add descriptive alt text
• Use meaningful file names
• Keep images under 500KB
• Maintain total page size under 5MB

Page Organization:

• Add social sharing images
• Include SEO descriptions
• Use tags and categories effectively
• Create internal links between pages
• Optimize URL structure

Recovery from Ranking Changes:

• Allow 1-2 weeks for search engines to reindex
• Monitor analytics for traffic patterns
• Adjust keywords if necessary
• Check external link profile

Additional Considerations:

• Regular content updates
• Mobile optimization
• Page load speed
• User experience
• Quality backlinks

Remember: SEO is an ongoing process that requires consistent monitoring and adjustment based on performance data and search engine updates.

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