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Seo checklist
SEO Check List
Search engine optimization is continuing to evolve. That means what worked several years ago may be poor choices for you and your effort to build a strong online presence. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid making costly mistakes that reduce traffic, harm reputations, and in general, leave you with little to show for your efforts. Making use of the following SEO checklist, including the suggestions, will go a long way toward helping you achieve your online goals.
Finished
Is Google Analytics Installed?
Understanding how your site is performing matters. You need a robust tool to properly evaluate the performance, Google Analytics is that tool. It can be manually installed, come as part of a third-party tool like gachecker.com, or be included in your company’s container.
SEO Tools
GA duplication check
GA is easy to use, but be mindful of installing it more than once. That could cause the results to double or otherwise be off. Correct the problem with the following steps: *Set up the debug extension included in GA *Manually, you can open the page source. A box will appear. Enter the command based on the type of system you’re using – CTRL +F if you have a PC, or Command-F if you have a Mac. *Check the number of different UA- codes that are on the page. *Assuming you have GA code set up, ensure that nothing associated with the page is configured with GTM.
SEO Tools
GA Debug Extension
Is Search Console setup?
GSC makes it easy to identify the terms people are using to get to the website. It also provides a way to signal Google on the best way to crawl the site. There are four methods that will help with verification: *Upload the HTML file to the site and Allow Google to crawl and confirm that it exists *Use Google Analytics and the tracking code capability to confirm the site’s ownership *Utilize the Google Tag Manager, specifically the GTM container ID to confirm the site’s ownership *Create a DNS record that can be associated with Google. Once that’s done, add the Google verification code to the DNS configuration.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
Are there any Search Console errors?
GSC errors indicate that the pages you’re working with can’t be indexed. That means they won’t show up in the Google search results (SERP). No one will be able to conduct an organic search and find the page. If there are any errors, check the Coverage section in GSC for solutions.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
Google cache analysis
Cached pages on Google mean that the Google bot did crawl the page and found all the data that could influence page rankings. To get a better idea of what’s happening, type “cache” followed by your domain name into the Google search bar, then hit enter. That will provide a web page snapshot of the most recently crawled version.
SEO Tools
cache:' in browser
Is there a sitemap.xml file?
Sitemaps are key if you want the website to attract attention from search engines. While not required, they make it easier for Google to locate and identify all of your URLs. That’s a great help if the site hierarchy is poor or the internal linking is not the best. Finding the sitemap .xml file is not hard. It’s in the root directory for your domain. Entering something like this will help: https://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
SEO Tools
Sitemap Check
Is there a discrepancy between indexed pages in Google and Sitemap?
Promoting your site means that you need to give Google crawlers/bots reasons to index your site. Once that’s done, the pages will show up in various SERP results. You can use Google Index to see how many of your pages are already indexed. Use the following command in Google Search: site:yourdomain.com to see how many of your pages are currently indexed. How is this different from sitemap.xml? The former is used to help the search engine understand the pages. Indexing is what gets the crawlers to notice and include the pages in search engine results. You can use the sitemap section in the GSC menu to identify the URLs that the crawlers have already found.
SEO Tools
- Sitemap in GSC
- site:in Google
- site:in Google
Are any invalid pages in the sitemap?
When a URL found in the sitemap isn’t valid, you will receive an error. The problem could be as simple as spaces, quotes, characters that aren’t supported, or similar issues. It could also be some issue with the formatting.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Are there any negative search results for the brand?
Incognito searches are a good way to evaluate your online reputation. Specifically, they can uncover unflattering comments and reviews about your brand. That can help you mitigate the negative impact on your business, career, or personal life.
SEO Tools
- Google
- Visual
- Visual
Are there any negative Google Autosuggest?
Google’s search box provides suggestions as you begin to enter your name. The feature is called Autosuggestion. This is designed to help you find what you’re looking for in less time. If you see something negative or controversial appearing, you know there’s something out there that could have a detrimental impact on your business or you personally. By entering your brand followed by your name, it’s easy to see if there’s anything damaging to check.
SEO Tools
- Google
- Visual
- Visual
Is there a Google News sitemap.xml file?
The Google News sitemap makes it easier to find relevant news articles quickly. To see news related to you brand or name, use the sitemaps tab in your search console account to locate and utilize Google News sitemap.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
Any manual actions?
Penalties by Google harm your page rankings. Manual action on the part of Google happens when violations like spam, fraud, or other infractions occur. You can check the Manual actions section in the Google search console to see if any of your pages have been penalized. Cleaning up the infractions plus submitting proof of the corrections allows Google to review and possibly lift the penalties.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
Are there any crawl errors?
Crawl errors occur when the search engine crawlers can’t access pages on your website. It could be errors in the server utils, issues with the CMS, something to do with the URL structures, and a number of other reasons. Errors adversely impact the website ranking and may also make the site less attractive to users.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
BENCHMARKS
Total Pages Indexed in Google
Using Google Index: In order to promote the site, submit a request to Google for the bots/crawlers to index the site and the pages. This ensures they show up in SERP. Check Google Index to identify the pages that have been indexed. This can be done by entering “site:yourdomainname.com” into the Google search box.
SEO Tools
Site: in Browser
Total Number of Backlinks
Tools like SEMRush/Ahrefs identify the number of links from other websites that are pointing to your target. They also help identify potential link opportunities for you. The reports can be sorted by many of the columns in ascending or descending order, making it easier to organize the data as you like.
SEO Tools
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- SEMRush
Total Number of Linking Root Domains
Resources like Ahrefs/SEMRush make it easier to create a listing of unique domains that contain at least one link related to the target website or URL.
SEO Tools
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- SEMRush
Total Number of Organic Keywords
Organic Keywords: SEMRush, GSC and Ahrefs are all helpful in finding keywords that help determine the ranking for target websites and/or URLs. Use them to identify keywords that may be helping create more organic traffic for your competition.
SEO Tools
- Google Search Console
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
20-50 Top Keyword Positions
SEMRush and Ahrefs will help you find anywhere between 20 to 50 top keywords for your website.
SEO Tools
- Google Search Console
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
Domain Age
Domain age matters. Older domains tend to command more authority. Check the domain’s age using the following: webconfs.com/web-tools/domain-age-tool/ tool
SEO Tools
COMPETITION ANALYSIS
Top 3-5 competitors identified?
Tips for Identifying Primary Competitors - Ask the client for the names of known competitors - Use your targeted keywords to see what sites show up in the first page of the results. Focus on the top 3-results. - Use the functions in your resources to identify the sites that are competing with yours for traffic. Competing Domans in Ahref and Organic Research Competitors in SEMRush are excellent for this.
SEO Tools
- Client
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
Competitor top 10 keywords
A quick way to determine which competitor is using your top 10 keywords – enter the competitor in Ahref’s Site Explorer and check the organic keywords and country in the sidebar menu – Use SEMRush by entering the competitor name in the Keyword Gap and see which keywords the competitor is currently ranking for – arrange a website analysis to see what your competitors are using for anchor text, intrasite links, and even the way they’re titling their blogs.
SEO Tools
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
- Visual
- Ahrefs
- Visual
Competitor average search positions
Use SEMRush or Ahrefs to check the average positions of your competitors based on their use of targeted keywords.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- Export
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
- Export
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
Top ranking keywords
Use the same tools to check the highest ranking keywords currently in use by the competition
SEO Tools
- Visual
- Export
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
- Export
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
Competitor Content Analysis
Ahrefs’ Content Explore makes it easier to find the most popular content related to any topic from any website. Use the search box to identify the topic and the results indicate the most often shared content. Filter the results by age and language. It’s possible to omit specific websites from the results. You can also use Topic Research in SEMRush to see if certain topics are already covered elsewhere. You can also filter by current trends based on activity from the last 60 days.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs Content Explorer
- SEMRush
- SEMRush
SITE ARCHITECTURE
Site protocol checks
Make use of any crawling tool check site protocol that may be available.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Pagination checks
Screaming Frog is great for finding pagination errors. Try the Non-200 Pagination URLs and the Unlinked Pagination URLs reports to find problems.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Canonical checks
Screaming Frog is also excellent for finding errors that contain canonical tags. Utilize the Canonical Chains and Non-Indexable Canonicals reports to identify errors that are associated with link elemenents or HTTP canonical implementation.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Has Internal Linking been classified on primary pages?
SEMRush and Screaming Frog are also helpful in determining if internal linking is properly classified on the primary pages.
SEO Tools
- Screaming Frog
- SEMRush
- SEMRush
Site Visualisation Checks
Screaming Frog’s SEO Spider offers two kinds of interactive website visualizations: crawl and directory tree. Both aid in understanding site architecture, but in different ways.
SEO Tools
- Screaming Frog
- SiteBulb
- SiteBulb
Internal redirects
Use Screaming Frog to generate reports about internal redirects. Using the filter 301/302/307 provides a listing of links that came back with any type of redirect. That’s true even if the content was moved or redirected for any reason. Sort the results by the status code and it will be easier to analyze the data. Clicking on the In-Links tab makes it easier to view all of the pages where the redirecting link was used.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Redirect chains & Redirect loops
Screaming Frog also aids in checking for any redirect chains or redirect loops that may be occurring. The All Redirects report provides both singular redirects as well as chains. The Redirect Chains report shows any chains with at least two redirects. The Redirect & Canonical Chains report shows both any chains with at least two redirects plus the canonicals. Keep in mind that partial crawls or some URLs that are blocked will be omitted by way of robots.txt
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Robots.txt present?
Is there a robots.txt file present? Enter www.yourdomain.com/robots.txt and see. Make it easy to find the file by including it in your main directory or the root domain.
SEO Tools
Visual
Robots.txt review
You can also use the Google Search Console under Crawl>robots.txt tester. If no page appears, you do not currently have a live robots/txt page.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- Google Search Console
- Google Search Console
Are pages being correctly blocked by Robots.txt?
Look in the robots.txt file to see if any pages are blocked by a disallow rule. You can also use Screaming Frog to crawl the site, find disallowed pages by using the Blocked by Robots.txt filter.
SEO Tools
Visual
Are pages being correctly blocked by Meta Robots?
Place the meta robots tag at the head of the document. Using C-Robots-Tag, it would appear as: X-Robots-Tag: noindex
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Site Structure & Silo Use
Proper structuring converts a chaotic set of webpages into a site that’s great for users and attracts positive reactions from search engines. Know hows your site should be organized and how to make it easy to find information. Tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb make it easier to evaluate site structure and the silo use.
SEO Tools
- Screaming Frog
- Sitebulb
- Sitebulb
Category Use (ecomm)
Product category pages are key for paving the way for purchases by consumers. Optimize with relevant keywords to boost rankings and have the pages appear closer to the top of search engine results.
SEO Tools
Visual
URL naming convention - is this well optimised?
URL naming is not an afterthought. Make sure it demonstrates what the site is all about so consumers know what to expect before they look at the first page. Crawling tools can provide inspiration for URL naming.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Error Pages
Broken links help no one. Use tools to find broken links and make the necessary corrections. What to use? Consider the Screaming Frog SEO Spider to find broken links. Ahrefs makes it easy to check inbound and outbound links to determine if anything is broken. SEMRush also has tools that make it easy to identify broken links using Site Audits.
SEO Tools
- Screaming Frog
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
Is an HTML Sitemap in use?
One purpose of the HTML sitemap is to help visitors move through the site with ease. This aids in moving the visitor from simply searching to making a purchase. A properly structured sitemap can increase organic searches. Screaming Frog can aid in crawling the site and determining if any changes need to be made.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- Screaming Frog
- Screaming Frog
Are Tag Pages being used?
Tag pages help users to navigate with greater ease. They can have the same titles as category pages, but this doesn’t help your SEO. Use tools like Screaming Frog to analyze the tags and improve them.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is the site using a crumb trail?
Breadcrumbs are visual tools that make it easier for site visitors to retrace their steps. Using breadcrumbs effectively makes it easier for visitors to compare goods and ultimately return to something they like after exploring other possibilities.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is primary navigation easy to use?
The primary navigation must be simple and consistent throughout your website. Menus along the top or one side of each page is a good example. Links should not take longer than a second to figure out. Ideally, the visitor can look at the language and immediately know if that’s the right place to go next.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- UX
- UX
Footer navigation checks?
Footers are vital to each page of the website. Do organize the data into columns that make the most of the space and also create a logical flow that visitors will appreciate. List the most important pages so that navigation is more intuitive and easy for all users.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is all good content under 3 clicks from home?
Put the 3-click rule to good use. In other words, visitors should not have to click more than three times to find the information they seek. Research indicates requiring more than three clicks is a fine way to drive away visitors and ensure they don’t return.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Menu setup and use
Navigation menus matter. Include the most important pages based on what visitors are most likely to want. Descriptive language that includes key phrases makes the menus more useful to visitors and to search engines alike. Remember that items at the beginning and the end of the menu should be the most effective, since they are often what visitors give the most attention.
SEO Tools
Visual
TECHNICAL SEO CHECKS
Primary Protocol Use (HTTP / HTTPS)?
HTTPS is a secure protocol that provides more protection when sending or receiving information related to a site. That includes data like credit card numbers and other proprietary information. SSL Labs is a good example of a tool to check your browser’s SSL installation. SSL Shopper isolates issues and can aid in confirming the SSL declaration on the server. Comodo SSL Analyzer provides a report that includes certificate detials, the status, the web server programming that’s in use, ciphers, protocol versions, and protocol features. SSL Checker checks the SSL testament to ensure everything is in order and trustworthy.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Does the site have a valid SSL certificate?
Lack of a valid SSL certificate will impact traffic. That’s because some users will not make purchases from sites lacking the certification. Make sure the certificate is installed and displayed correctly. Make sure any certificate you buy is from a Trusted Certificate Authority. Visit your site and look for the padlock found in the left or right part of the address bar. Use a tool like sslchecker.com to make sure the installation is correct and complete.
SEO Tools
- Chrome
- SSLChecker.com
- SSLChecker.com
Do all pages redirect from HTTP to HTTPS correctly?
After the certification installation, every page should redirect form http to https. Use crawling tools to determine if any pages still pop up with http instead.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is an HSTS policy in place?
Security matters. Use HSTS policy to avoid cookie hijackinhg and man-in-the-middle attacks. Enable HSTS policy with the aid of resources like securityheaders.com
SEO Tools
Does the site use Subdomains?
Subdomains are great, but they do need checking also. Finding the subdomains is the first step. Use resources like immuniweb.com, searchdns.netcraft.com, and detectify.com to determine if any subdomains exist.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Does the site carry a Favicon?
Does the site have a favicon? Look at the address bar and find the small square that stands for a website in most web browsers. The favicon may include a logo, the first letter of the company’s name, or even an image associated with the entity.
SEO Tools
Visual
Site Uptime
Downtime does more than frustrate visitors. It adversely affects revenue, reputation, and ranking. Uptime monitoring helps reduce these issues by providing alerts when a problem develops. Uptimerobot.come is a good tool to use for this.
SEO Tools
Broken / Redirected Internal Links
Link juice refers to the effectiveness of a link. If it’s broken, it has no juice. Fix broken links as quickly as possible. Tools like Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog make it easier to identify broken links and take proper action.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Broken / Redirected External Links
Broken backlinks also have no juice. You also want to identify and fix any backlinks that are no longer helpful. You can also use tools like Ahrefs and Screaming Frog to generate reports that spotlight broken backlinks, allowing you the chance to do something about them.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Javascript Use
JavaScript is great, but it can be slower and utilize more resources. Do keep it enabled as a default, but only with careful consideration. Screaming Frog makes it possible to configure the SEO Spider to JavaScript rendering mode, then crawl JavaScript rich sites. That includes sites and frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js
SEO Tools
- Screaming Frog
- Visual
- Visual
Is the .htaccess file configured correctly?
Always check the .htaccess file and ensure the configuration is correct.
SEO Tools
Visual
Are Dynamic Pages being served correctly?
Search engine crawlers can’t always interpret dynamic URLs correctly or assign them properly. Use crawling tools to determine the degree of accessibility or crawl ability associated with the URL.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Does the site have open dynamic pages that can be blocked?
There’s more than one way for a dynamic URL to appear. With internal searches, they may appear with a question mark. Crawling the site makes it possible to determine if there are any open dynamic pages that need to be blocked.
SEO Tools
From Crawl Data
Malware & Security Checks
Use the Securi SiteCheck scanner to identify any threats on your website. Enter the URL and the scanner will check for problems like viruses, malare, blacklisting of pages, malicious code, software that’s out of date, and various website errorts.
SEO Tools
Blacklist check
Take blacklisting seriously. From splash pages to blog posts to web pages, blacklisting impacts traffic from search engine results and harms your reputation. Tools like mxtoolbox.com, ultratools.com/spamDBLook can tell you if your pages or site are currently blacklisted.
SEO Tools
Site Speed Checks
Using Site Speed reports is easy. You get to find out how quickly users are able to see and begin interacting with your content. The reports show where improvement is needed and even help track the results of your improvement efforts. To check the site’s current speed, use webpagetest.org/GTMetrix to obtain full site performance results.
SEO Tools
- WebPageTest.org
- GTMetrix
- GTMetrix
Are any pages being duplicated due to poor architecture?
Onsite duplicate content is not your friend. It can lower rankings and reduce traffic. Duplicated content sometimes occurs due to poor site architecture. Crawling tools like SEMRush can help you find pages with duplicated content.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Structured Data & Schema Use
Structured data matters to Google. Proper structure makes it easier for the engine to understand and index the data. Evaluate the structure using a tool like the Rich Results Test during the development phase. Even after launching the page, use the reports found in the Search Console to see how they’re doing. This helps you stay on top of the health of all deployed pages.
SEO Tools
- Google Testing Tool
- Google Search Console
- Google Search Console
Are there any Chrome Console Errors?
Use the browser console to look for any type of errors that may develop. That includes broken interface elements, blocks that don’t function properly, or any other types of conflicts that may develop. This sets the stage for resolving each of those issues. While errors are displayed differently in each browser, they are often labeled and color coded for clarity.
SEO Tools
Chrome Inspect
Is CSS being minified?
Have you heard of minifying a CSS file? The process involves getting rid of characters in the source code that serve no purpose. That can be blank spaces, line breaks, block delimiters, and comments. Most minified CSS files end with “min”. Use a resource like seositecheckup.com/tools/css-minification-test to see if the CSS is currently minified.
SEO Tools
Is Inline CSS being used?
While inline CSS can help style a specific HTML element, it’s not usually recommended. That’s because each HTML tag should ideally be styled individually. Even so, this tool can be helpful up to a point. This is true if you need to come up with a unique style for a single element. A quick look at the page source will tell you if any inline style is used.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is every site page secure and without errors?
Browsers can help protect you up to a point. Do pay attention to any warnings they offer. Augment that by using tools like Screaming Frog to identify any security issues or errors that may have developed.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Are there any canonical errors?
Canonical tags definitely fall into the category of technical SEO. While in your control, they can be difficult to manage at times. Crawling tools can help identify problems and allow time to fix them before they lead to display issues and lower rankings.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are all ads and affiliate links nofollowed?
Affiliate links and ads are one way to generate passive income. Keep in mind that by using them, you also link to sales pages and pass some link juice on to them. You can make the links nofollows and keep the juice for yourself. This is highly recommended in Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. If you already have ads or links in place, use a crawling tool to ensure they are nofollows.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Can the site be crawled and used without Javascript on?
Is Google crawling your site? Make sure by using the URL inspection tool found in the search console. Look for coverage information like “crawled as”. This will help you know if you’re on desktop indexing or mobile-first indexing.
SEO Tools
Chrome Web Developer Extension
Server location by IP
Check all sites on webserver
Dedicated servers can host all the sites that you want, provided there’s enough memory. Check the number of sites hosted by using a resource like viewdns.info/reverseip
SEO Tools
- BuiltWith Tool
- Reverse IP Tool
- Reverse IP Tool
Do any pages have more than 100 external links?
More links on a page translates to less internal PageRank for each of those link passes. A hundred external links are considered acceptable. The majority of crawling tools will help you identify the number of external links associated with a particular page.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
What platform is the site built on?
Is the great site you just found built using CMS or some type of website building tool? Maybe it was custom built. Find out using builtwith.com.
SEO Tools
Does the platform come with known restrictions?
Restrictions can be set up within a platform. Research to see if your platform has any restrictions.
SEO Tools
Research
Is a CDN in use?
Growth of web page size is great, but it can slow down the load time. Optimize the site load using CDN. It works by increasing how often Google crawls the page images, which in turn helps them to load faster. Builtwith.com includes a tool to check the CDN.
SEO Tools
Check domain history
Need history on a domain? Use SEMRush/Wayback Machine to find out the history of the site and the pages.
SEO Tools
- SEMRush
- Wayback Machine
- Wayback Machine
IMAGE OPTIMIZATION
How many images are used sitewide?
Want to know how many images are on a site? Most crawling tools can provide a report that includes this information.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are images being optimized?
How about the number of images that have been optimized? Most crawling tools can tell you that as well.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are ALT tags being regularly used?
Alt tags matter. Many crawling tools can tell you if any images are missing the tags. When designing tags, it’s okay to include keyword phrases as long as they’re descriptive and relevant to the image. This provides information that Google will love and also helps ensure the image attracts attention in user queries.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are images named sympathetically?
Images must be named sympathetically. Many crawling tools can identify which images are so named.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are there any dead images?
Dead images help no one. Use your crawling tools to determine if there are any dead images on your pages.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are too many stock images used?
Stock images are great as long as they are used legally and properly. Make sure they are labeled for commercial use and utilize them in line with any requirements set by the owner. Often, you can use the same images in your offline marketing as well as for your online presence.
SEO Tools
Visual
Are there any images in excess of 100Kb?
Image size matters, especially online. Try to keep them at 75kb or lower. Screaming Frog has a tool that will let you know if there are any images over 100kb.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
MOBILE AUDIT CHECKS
Responsive check
Which mobile configuration is the site using? Find out by using Google/responsinator.com so you know if you’re viewing a responsive or an adaptive site.
SEO Tools
- Google
- Responsinator
- Responsinator
Popups/Interstitials
Using advertising that includes pop-up ads and interstitials does work, but they can harm your SEO. Make sure they aren’t spammy, hard for users to dismiss, or in some way hurt the experience for the users. Failure to do so hurts your reputation and drives users away. Given the fact that Google’s indexing is now mobile-first, this could hurt you more than you think.
SEO Tools
Visual
Mobile Page Size
Long load times mean you need to work on the size of the site. If your pages take too long to load, expect an increase in bounces, something you want to avoid. Consider the amount of media you have on each page and how valuable it happens to be. To get an idea of what’s happening, enter the URL on webpagetest.org/smallseotools.com/website-page-size-checker/ and take a look at the results.
SEO Tools
- WebPageTest
- SmallSEO Tools
- SiteChecker.pro
- SmallSEO Tools
- SiteChecker.pro
Image use
Newer image formats are recommended for use, based on the superior compression. Go for JPEG 2000, JPEG XR, and WebP instead of the older JPEG and PNG formats. Keep in mind that not all browsers do support the new formats. To be sure, use webpagetest.org and make sure.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- WebPageTest
- WebPageTest
Image optimisation
Image optimization is especially important for display on mobile devices. Proper optimization will help with indexing and the user experience. Changing the format and using compression tools will help. To check the image optimization, use resources like webpagetest.org.
SEO Tools
Image resizing
What’s the best image resolution for smartphones? Generally, 640x320 pixels is recommended. You can check the image size at webpagetest.org
SEO Tools
Search console errors
GSC’s Mobile Usability Report provides information on issues with page and element displays on mobile devices. You can click on each issue to see details and ideas on how to resolve the problem. You also get information on how to alert Google once the issue is resolved.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
AMP Check
Few users will wait long for a page to load on a mobile browser. It’s not just the bounce you have to be concerned about. That user may never return and could possible dissuade others from visiting. Make sure your pages are AMP Validated. You can find out by using tools by Screaming Frog, SC, and validator.ampproject.org
SEO Tools
- Screaming Frog
- Google Search Console
- validator.ampproject.org
- Google Search Console
- validator.ampproject.org
Mobile UX issues (see UX)
Positive user experience is essential with mobile sites. If you have concerns about your mobile site or app, use Hotjar to find out if there are any issues that need attention now.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- Hotjar
- Hotjar
Mobile Navigation
For mobile and desktop sites, navigation is crucial. How you do it will vary based on the screen size. Pay close attention to how you set up the pages and ensure that users can navigate them with ease.
SEO Tools
Visual
Use of video on mobile
Video optimization allows you to make the most of this type of content while ensuring a positive experience for users on all screen sizes. Use resources to ensure your video is properly optimized.
SEO Tools
Visual
Are buttons and links easy to click?
On the matter of buttons versus links: choose wisely. Sizing matters, especially with buttons, since you don’t want users touching a neighboring element. Before launching, conduct as visual test or use GSC to ensure that button sizing is reasonable and that links are used with care.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- Google Search Console
- Google Search Console
Is the Favicon being displayed in mobile SERPs?
Does a site have a favicon? Satisfy your curiousity by looking at the address bar in the browser. If there is one, such as a logo, it will appear on the bar. It may also be the first letter of a company name or just an image associated with the home page.
SEO Tools
Visual
Parity checks - Content, Meta & Directives the same as desktop?
When two or more versions of a website using the same URL exist, engines use what’s known as a parity audit. That involves crawling each one, finding errors, checking content, and reading the meta and directives on both the desktop and mobile versions. DeepCrawl and Screaming Frog will allow you to run both crawls and see the differences.
SEO Tools
- SF - 2 Crawls + Export
- Screaming Frog
- Screaming Frog
Mobile Testing
Mobile websites are only great if they’re working. Testing makes it possible to identify issues and resolve them quickly. Try out Mobile Moxie and see what it can tell you.
SEO Tools
Mobile Moxie
PAGE LEVEL & ELEMENT ANALYSIS
Are any Deprecated HTML Tags being used?
Do you have any deprecated HTML elements? It’s likely. While allowed, they should be removed and replaced with more effective ones. Use a tool like seositecheckup.com/deprecated-html-tags-test to spot them and get ready for the replacement.
SEO Tools
HTML Validation
You’re no stranger to writing HTML pages, but they don’t always come easily. There are sometimes display errors on some browsers and other issues. Use a tool like validator.w3.org to pinpoint issues that need resolution.
SEO Tools
Accessibility Checks
Easy access for all visitors is your goal. That’s here Web Accessibility Testing becomes important. The resource ensures that your applications are accessible for those with disabilities like visual and hearing problems. The same is true for those with motor or cognitive impairments. Try the Accessibility Checker found at www.webaccessibility.com to determine compliance with rules associated with making sites more friendly for those with disabilities. For added help, the Checker will categorize each issue as a tip, warning, or error.
SEO Tools
CSS Checks
Using the pseudo-class in CSS requires making sure the elements are checked. They must be associated with the input elements of type radio and checkbox. If the state is not on and they are not selected or checked, no match will take place.
SEO Tools
From Data
PAGE TITLES
Are all page titles under 65 characters? (570 pixels)
Did you know that Google displays no more than the first 60 characters of a title tag? Keeping the title under 6o0 characters increases the odds of a proper display. Most crawling tools will provide data bout the length of the meta titles associated with a page.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are any Page Titles under 30 characters?
You need web page titles that are high in quality while also being descriptive. Use 30 characters as the minimum length. Anything less for meta titles undermines the value. Use a crawling tool to ensure that you have no titles with less than 30 characters.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are any page titles being duplicated without canonical/pagination?
Multiple pages with the same title and no canonical/pagination is asking for trouble. Search engines will struggle to decide which page is best, resulting in confusing and diluted search engine results. You could find all pages involved with lower rankings. Use a crawling tool to identify any duplications and correct the issue.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Any signs of keyword cannibalisation?
Are you familiar with keyword cannibalization? It happens when multiple pages on your website contain the same keywords. The result is that the pages fight for greater recognition on Google and other major search engines. The result is lower returns, less authority, and decreased conversion rates. Do use a crawling tool to identify the repetitive keywords and put a stop to the cannibalization.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is the primary keyword/phrase close to the start?
Every website needs a primary keyword. Choose one with a high popularity score and a direct connection with the subject of your site. Once you have a primary keyword, selecting secondary keywords will come more naturally. Consider using the primary keyword in the page title, preferably at the beginning. You can use a crawling tool to assess the effectiveness of your placement.
SEO Tools
- Most Crawling Tools
- Visual
- Visual
Are page titles descriptive of the page content?
Take the titles seriously as you take the rest of the content. They provide immediate insight into what the reader can expect and how relevant it is to the search. Compelling titles lead to more clicks and a better chance of gaining the reader’s trust. Use crawling tools to get some ideas for relevant and descriptive page titles.
SEO Tools
- Most Crawling Tools
- Visual
- Visual
Are any page titles missing?
Of all SEO factors, title tags are among the most important. They impact search engine rankings and the click-through-rate associated with the page. Along with a visual check, use crawling tools to determine if any of your pages are missing title tags.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
META DESCRIPTIONS
Are all Meta Descriptions unique and descriptive?
Do pay close attention to your meta descriptions. They help readers to quickly grasp what sort of information is on the page. Make the meta description for each page unique as well as descriptive. Crawling tools can help you assess the qualities of the descriptions and decide if some changes are in order.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are any Meta Descriptions missing?
No meta descriptions translate into lost opportunities to connect with interested consumers. If you don’t write a description, search engines make up something to use. The results can be less than helpful. Use crawling tools to confirm each of your pages have descriptions other than something generated by a search engine.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are any Meta Descriptions being duplicated without canonical/pagination?
While meta descriptions don’t really help with ranking, they can help readers decide if the link is worth clicking. Be creative but also on target with the description. That will help differentiate your page from the competition. Crawling tools can help ensure the description is unique enough to not be confused with another page.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are any Meta Descriptions below 70 characters?
How long should a meta description be? Somewhere between 150 and 160 characters including spaces is usually recommended. Fewer characters are fine if the text is compelling and on target. Anything less with 70 characters is likely to pose a problem. Use a crawling tool to ensure that your description contains at least 70 characters including spaces.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are Meta Keywords in use?
SEO does change over time. You may not know that Google no longer thinks of keywords a meta tags. The spiders do still identify the keywords and phrases used in page content, titles, and within meta descriptions. Don’t be concerned about using your keyword as a tag unless there’s a compelling reason to do so. You can use a crawling tool to determine if there are any keywords in your current meta tags.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are there any redirects other than 301?
301 redirects are great, b ut you may need some other redirects too. Possibly even a chain of redirects. Crawling tools can help you identify any redirects that are already in place and decide if some changes or additions are in order.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are there any 5xx errors?
The dreaded 500 internal server error shows up when there are issues with the server or file system that’s running the site. It affects the entire site, not just pages where there are problems. Crawling tools can help you spot the problems and resolve them.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are images ALT tags in use?
Alt is helpful in providing data that Google can use to understand the topic of an image. Feel free to use your keyword or keyword phrase as part of the alt text as long as it’s relevant and descriptive. Most crawling tools will help you evaluate the alt tags.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are there too many ads on any pages?
The type and number of ads on your website matter greatly to organic search visibility. Too many ads frustrate visitors and don’t do anything helpful for the page rankings. Make sure the overall number of ads on your website is reasonable.
SEO Tools
Visual
Does the site bombard you with popups?
Think things through before deploying pop-up ads on your website. There should be a defined strategy in place that protects the user experience, such as not having the ads appear the second that a user arrives. Rotating the ads so the same one doesn’t pop up every time the user moves to another page is also a good idea. Remember the user is there to read and view your content. Ads that get in the way are likely to kill any chance of a return visit.
SEO Tools
Visual
Does the site carry clear Call to Actions?
Calls to action are important to every web page. They provide direction on what the user should do next and can help maintain engagement. Calls to action can be used throughout the content as well as the end, provided they fit naturally into the text.
SEO Tools
Visual
Does each page have a clear H1 tag?
Do consider how to format headers. Main headers could be H1 and provide a concise summary of what the page is all about. As the highest level tag, it receives more attention from the search engines. A solid main header will definitely help garner more positive attention. Many crawling tools provide data regarding the clarity and effectiveness of the H1 header.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are H2's being used across the site?
Remember that tags are intended to be short and to-the-point summaries of what’s on the page. That’s important for crawlers as well as readers. Many crawling tools can assess H2-H6 tags for both clarity and brevity.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is the site W3C Compliant?
What’s W3C compliance? It means the CSS code and the HTML are fully compliant with the standards of the World Wide Web Consortium. You want your site to be compliant. There’s a W3C validator tool that will help you confirm if that’s true. If not, you’ll get a list of issues that can be corrected and ensure the site is fully compliant.
SEO Tools
Does site:brand show expected sitelinks?
Google searches are more effective if the correct sitelinks appear in the search. Try using a search that contains the brand as well as the site and you’ll see why.
SEO Tools
- Google
- Visual
- Visual
Is the site using a Cookie Acceptance notice?
A cookies banner provides data on what trackers and cookies are found on a website. That provides users with the opportunity to decide if they want their information to be captured before it’s processed. A link that provides more information about the cookies is another way to provide transparency. That can be found in a website store, as part of your privacy policy, or in a stand-alone cookies policy. Whatever form you choose, make sure it displays to users no matter which page they access.
SEO Tools
Visual
KEYWORD ANALYSIS
Site keyword research for Benchmarks
Choose your keywords wisely. Conducting research will help you find the most popular as well as the most relevant choices. After identifying potential keywords, analyze them carefully. That includes seeing what the competition is using and how they seem to help with page rankings. Don’t forget to utuiize resources like SEMRush, Ahrefs, and GSC as part of the selection and the analysis.
SEO Tools
Most Keyword Tools
Brand search - Does homepage come up #1 when searched?
How close to the top is your company name? Enter it into a search bar and see what happens. If it’s not at the top of the results, you have work to do.
SEO Tools
- Google
- Visual
- Visual
Primary homepage term
The home page is the place for your primary terms to appear. Doing so creates rapport with visitors and also earns love from the major search engines.
SEO Tools
Site
Is a keyword strategy in place?
Keywords sometimes come and go while others remain evergreen. Always research them before use and determine if they’re helpful for your SEO effort.
SEO Tools
- Client
- Research
- Research
Is there evidence of keyword duplication or overuse?
Your content should achieve three goals: engage the reader, provide something of value, and educate about the subject matter. Keywords are helpful but too much of a good thing detracts from these goals. They lead to a higher bounce rate, diminish your online reputation, and lead to lower page rankings. Avoid this by using crawlers to help avoid overuse and improve the quality of the content.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are keywords in Page Titles?
Page titles that are direct and engage readers are essential. Do include the target keyword if it will strengthen the title. Ideally, it should be attractive to readers as well as search engines. Along with manually checking the titles, use tools like SEMRush, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog to evaluate the titles.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are keywords in H1?
Does using keywords in the headings help? The answer is yes, as long as they make sense. You may want to think about using a primary keyword in the title and a related keyword in your H1 header. Resources like SEMRush, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog can help you decide.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are keywords in H2?
Don’t neglect your H2 headers. At least one of them should include a targeted keyword. Make use of tools like SEMRush, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog for some ideas.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are keywords in Meta Description?
Descriptions are important for engaging readers and motivating them to click through to your page. Have you noticed that Google and many other search engines embolden keywords in descriptions that match the queries. Take this into consideration when you write those descriptions. Screaming Frog, SEMRush, and Ahrefs can help you tighten the descriptions and make them more appealing.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are keywords in the main page document?
Your main page document should always contain the primary keywords along with other main keywords. Do use SEMRush, Screaming Frog, and Ahrefs to get some ideas about usage and organization.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
CONTENT AUDIT
Are all fonts large enough to read clearly?
Fonts can add visual interest and break up sections of text. Use fonts that are easy to read. Vary them in terms of style, weight, size and color to add a little variety without detracting from the text proper.
SEO Tools
Visual
Are hyperlinks clear?
Hyperlinks are often in blue, but that’s not the way it has to be. You can opt for a different color, underline them or even have them underline when a reader places the cursor over the link. Whatever you do, make sure the hyperlink is clear and easy to read.
SEO Tools
Visual
Could font colour be considered too light?
When choosing a hyperlink color, do go for contrast. Something that’s too pale will tend to blend in on a white background while darker colors will work best. At the same time, choose a color that seems to fit in with the other page elements.
SEO Tools
Visual
Are there clear primary and supplementary content types?
Differentiate between primary and supplementary content on your pages. Primary content is the text along with any images or videos that you choose to display. Supplementary content would be something like links to other pages that would help to add more value to the reader.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is content Evergreen or Fresh?
Every website needs content that’s evergreen. While you may want some topical text that will eventually need to be replaced, the bulk of the content should remain relevant for a long time. This helps it to stay fresh for current readers as well as for new ones. Do phase out content that’s not evergreen from time to time and replace it with fresh content that supports the evergreen text.
SEO Tools
Visual
Are there any thin pages? <200 words of content?
Thin content will hurt your chances for high page rankings. At the least, it should provide crawlers with information about the purpose of the page and something that would be valuable to readers. Identify thin content using resources like SEMRush or Screaming Frog, then do something to flesh out the pages with meaningful elements.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Does the site carry an up to date Privacy Policy?
Make sure your privacy page policy is up to date at all times.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Does the site carry up to date TOS's?
Set up a schedule to review your Terms of Use and ensure they are up to date and easy to understand.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is there any duplicate content internally?
Never leave duplicate content in place. All it does is drag down your rankings and your reputation. Both lead to lower traffic. Use crawling tools to locate duplicate content and eliminate it.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is there any duplicate content externally?
Since finding duplicate content elsewhere is not always easy, use a resource like Siteliner to locate duplicates found on other websites.
SEO Tools
Siteliner
Is any content scraped from external sources?
Scraped content is content harvested from other websites. Typically, lesser sites scrape content from sites with better reputations. While not necessarily providing a lot of benefit to those lesser sites, it can pull traffic away from yours. Use Siteliner to ensure that your content has not been scraped.
SEO Tools
Siteliner
Is the contact page easy to find and use?
At all times, readers should have the option to get to your contact page. Make sure it’s easy to find on every one of your website’s pages.
SEO Tools
Visual
Content Gap Analysis
If one of your sites, pages, subdomains or subfolders aren’t ranking, find out why. A tool like Content Gap can provide insight into the effectiveness of the keywords used and how they relate to keywords used on similar pages that rank higher.
SEO Tools
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- SEMRush
Copy and classification checks
Always check the text of your copy as well as the classifcation. Tools like uclassify.com can help with this.
SEO Tools
- uClassify
- browse
- browse
Has page grammar been checked?
Do check the text for any grammar issues. Grammarly has a reputation for providing the most comprehensive grammar checks.
SEO Tools
Grammarly
Has page spelling been checked?
Spelling also matters. Resources like Checkdog or Grammarly can help with spelling as it relates to multiple countries and languages.
SEO Tools
- Checkdog
- Grammarly
- Grammarly
USER EXPERIENCE (UX)
Site video use
Improve the user experience by not surprising visitors. Avoid audio or video that begins to play the second they arrive. Along with being distracting, it can make a terrible first impression. Do use audio and video, but provide controls that allow users to decide when they want to listen or see it. Remember that including a call to action at the end of each is always appropriate.
SEO Tools
Visual
Homepage check
View your homepage as the way you present yourself to the world. It’s often the first thing that users see when they visit the site. Employ the latest guidelines for the layout and the elements to include so that the first impression is a good one.
SEO Tools
Visual
Internal page checks
Every aspect of the site should make it easy for users to reach. That includes the content they want to read, the contact page, and even the ability to navigate back to the home page.
SEO Tools
Visual
Contact page check
Pay close attention to what you include on a contact page. Many users still expect to see traditional as well as contemporary elements. Do include company addresses along with the name, phone numbers, and email addresses. Forms for contact are also fine, along with the option to request a chat. The goal is to ensure that users have options for contact that are comfortable and convenient for them.
SEO Tools
Visual
404 page check
An attractive 404 page provides a way to engage visitors and motivate them to learn more about your brand and products. Do employ the guidelines that apply to your other pages and ensure that everything loads with ease.
SEO Tools
Visual
Category Pages (ecomm)
Category pages are essential. They should be organized in a way that makes it easy for users to find what they have in mind. Make the categories clear and use labels that are easy to understand. Doing so allows visitors to quickly determine the difference between each one and click on the category that interests them.
SEO Tools
Visual
Mobile UX Priorities
Successful mobile web marketing requires careful attention to user experience. How you design the UX matters. Engage in research that provides insight into your targeted consumer market. This helps you create a persona of the ideal customer and use it as a standard for the site design and function. In the best-case scenario, that minimizes the need for explanations or any navigational issues that would negatively impact the user experience.
SEO Tools
Visual
Review live site usage
Resources like Hotjar/GA can provide further insight into user behaviors. That includes how some users seem to get stuck or exhibit movements that indicate confusion. The results can help you improve navigation and other aspects, ultimately making a better user experience for everyone.
SEO Tools
Hotjar
BACKLINKS & ANALYSIS
Backlink health & Score
Have you evaluated your site’s health score? Tools like Health Score in Ahrefs provides insight into internal URLs that are free from errors, which ones have errors and the total number of internal URLs that were crawled. That makes it easier to know what’s working properly and what needs attention.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs
Spammy domains
Ongoing domain analysis is key to keeping the site attractive to users and search engines alike. A tool like Ahrefs Site Explorer can help you get a better grip of the metrics that have to do with a specific site. That includes but is not limited to sites that may or may not contain spam. When it doubt, consult the Anchors report in Site Explorer. If there seem to be quite a few anchors that are irrelevant, that could be a sign of spam. You can also check the backlinks by clicking on the Details button near each anchor and taking a closer look.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs
Has disavow file been created?
Wondering about disavowed properties? Utilize the disavow links tool page. Select a property and check the specifics of the list. If a list is already in existence, you’ll see a summary of the domains and disavowed pages related to that property.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
Anchor Text Use
You can learn a lot from the Anchors report included in Ahrefs. It will provide details about the anchor text used for inbound backlinks that point to a specific site, blog, subdomain, or subfolder. That can go a long way in determining if the link has value.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs
Backlinks lost
What about lost backlinks? You do need to track those as well. A Lost Backlinks report can include links associated with target domains, subdomains, subfolders, and any URL. The default time frame is 7 days, but you can adjust the range to up to 60 days.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs
Broken Backlinks
The Broken Backlinks report includes links to 404 pages that have to do with a target domain, blog or other subdomain, or a URL within a specified time frame. You may use this to uncover broken link opportunities on other sites, including competitor sites.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs
Are there large number of backlinks from 1 domain or more?
The Backlinks report also allows you to identify the number of links that you have from a single domain. Using the “one link per domain” filter makes it easy to see the backlink with the highest URL rating.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs
INTERNATIONALIZATION
Does the site have an international audience?
Do you need to think in terms of local, national, or international optimization? Talk with your client and settle on the approach. The answer will help shape your SEO effort.
SEO Tools
- Client
- Research
- Research
Is the site using rel='alternate' hreflang='x' ?
International sites may require content in multiple languages. Making use of the hreflang attribute is a must. You’ll learn more about the basic function, how to implement access to content in multiple languages, and how to troubleshoot the more common issues. Many crawling tools make it easy to determine if hreflangs are being used on specific websites.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is the site being translated without errors?
Multiple languages mean that the content in all cases must be translated correctly. That can mean considering factors like regional as well as general translations. Doing so is all about ensuring users are directed to the right content in the right language.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is the site using an international URL structure?
Creating a multi-limngual or a regionalized website does involve consideration of the URLs as well as the content. Folders that are coded by country and possibly by region provide a place to begin. Using the right codes for the type of business, relation to the country or region, and other factors apply to the URLs for primary domains, subdomains, subdirectories, an gTLD with language parameters, and even the use of a completely different domain name.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Are the correct localised web pages being used?
Localization is crucial when operating multi-language websites. Users who visit the sites must have an experience they can relate to their own lives, including their culture as well as the language. That means making use of local slang, phrases, and terminology that will resonate with those users. This must hold true for text, videos, images, and even PDFs that are offered via the site. Doing so helps to enhance reputations and build brand credibility.
SEO Tools
- Hreflang Checker by DEJAN
- Research
- Client
- Research
- Client
Does the site have backlinks from target countries?
Don’t forget about country-specific backlinks. Check all of the potential links using Ahrefs to ensure that they are relevant and that users would likely be interested in clicking on them.
SEO Tools
Ahrefs
Is the site Multilingual, Multiregional or both?
Understand how to make your international sites receive higher rankings from Google. Start by recognizing that a multi-lingual site offers content in two or more languages. By contrast, a multi-regional site is designed for users in two or more countries. Your site may be one or the other, or a combination of the two. Identify who the site should reach before you launch any type of SEO strategy.
SEO Tools
- Client
- Research
- Research
Does the site location need to be setup in Search Console?
Make the regional connection clear rather than assuming the search engine will do it for you. You can utilize GSC to ensure the correct location(s) are selected.
SEO Tools
Google Search Console
Checks from international locations
Once set up, do run tests to ensure the right version of the website is accessible to users in the right region/country.
SEO Tools
Browseo & International IP's
LOCAL SEO AUDIT
Does the site need and gain traffic from local audiences?
Make no assumptions about the traffic. Use online tools to research and analyze traffic patterns and make adjustments as necessary.
SEO Tools
- Client
- Research
- Research
Are local titles tags being used?
Local businesses require local keywords as part of the optimization process. That includes the creation of title tags. Use a website crawler to ensure the optimization is localized.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Is there a consistent NAP across the site and external sites
Has NAP been added to the website? If so, ensure it’s the same as the one in GMB (assuming it’s being used) and other submitted business directories. You can use the Ahrefs Backlinks report to identify any discrepancies that need correcting and ensure your NAP consistency is complete.
SEO Tools
- Visual
- Ahrefs
- Ahrefs
Is local structured data being used?
Make use of Local Business to provide Google with more information about elements like business hours, departments within the business structure, customer reviews and other things that are likely to interest users.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is there a Google MyBusiness listing?
Do utilize Google Search to determine when the listing for the company begins to appear.
SEO Tools
Google My Business
Is GMB being optimized
Check Google My Business to ensure that all relevant information is present, including a description of the company, the products or services offered, the business category, and the area where the business offers service.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is GMB has good review score
Balance is key to GMB reviews. Nothing but positive remarks may backfire and appear spammy. Shoot for realistic reviews that provide details about the good and the not so good.
SEO Tools
Visual
Is the site listed in reputable business directories?
Has the company been added to any citation sites? Use the Backlinks report in Ahregs to find out. This approach allows you to identify any business directories where the company is currently listed.
SEO Tools
- Research
- Ahrefs
- Ahrefs
Does the site have local citations?
The same holds true for checking local business directories. The Backlinks report in Ahrefs can be structured to identify all local directories where the company is listed according to Google.
SEO Tools
- Research
- Ahrefs
- Ahrefs
Does the site carry good local content?
Ensure your website is optimized for local searches by doing the following: (1) make sure you have a landing page that’s specific to your service area; (2) check for location-specific keywords; (3) create case studies that focus on different local neighborhoods included in that service area; (4) include content that’s relevant to local residents[ (5) use the names of local cities, towns, and other communities within the content; and (5) add a Google map that makes it easy for consumers to know where you’re located and what areas you serve.
SEO Tools
Visual
Does the site have too many thin content local pages?
Conduct a content audio for all of your local pages. The goal is to identify duplicated or thin content that may be damaging your rankings. Changes can help boost Google ranking and enhance overall trust. Resources like Screaming Frog or SEMRush can aid in finding content that needs to be changed.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
NEGATIVE PRACTICE CHECK
Hidden text
Sites of all types and sizes sometimes have content that’s hidden behind one or more tabs. Clicking on the tab with a name like “read more” is necessary to view the content. If there’s content that not’s accessible, that can detract from the user experience. Use crawling resources to determine if there’s hidden and inaccessible content present.
SEO Tools
- Crawling Tools
- Research
- Research
Cloaking
Do you know about cloaking? This has to do with a strategy that presents different content or URLs to users who conduct searches. Cloaking is a violation of the Google Webmaster Guidelines and should be avoided. If you’re wondering about cloaking, use a resource like duplichecker.com/cloaking-checker.php to see if any is present.
SEO Tools
Doorway pages
Doorways are designed to serve as a way to place high in specific kinds of search queries. What they don’t do is make the user experience better. The result can be encountering content that’s not helpful or at least requiring more clicks before arriving at a relevant destination. Many crawling tools include functions that make it possible to identify doorway pages and sites.
SEO Tools
Most Crawling Tools
Meta Refresh
Is using a meta refresh tag a good idea? Many experts say no. This type of redirect can harm the user experience and takes away the ability to navigate to websites of their own volition. It’s also not likely to help with SEO rankings. Screaming Frog can identify if there’s a meta refresh tag associated with a website.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Javascript redirection
JavaScript redirects are not considered the most effective way of managing redirects. That’s because search engines require a page to find the redirect. A better solution is to use a 301 redirect. Screaming Frog is helpful for finding if there is a JavaScript redirect on a page.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Link Exchanges
Will reciprocal links help or hurt you? Evidence suggests the latter. They do nothing to help with your SEO efforts. They also don’t do anything to help improve the user experience. Ahrefs can help you find out if there are reciprocal links on a site.
SEO Tools
- Research
- Ahrefs
- Ahrefs
Is Flash being used?
It’s true that Flash was once essential for Internet users. Today, it’s not the best choice for any type of contemporary website design. In fact, it could actually harm your SEO rankings. Screaming Frog can help you identify if a site is still using Flash for animations or video.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
Are iFrames in use?
Should you use iFrames on your site? The answer is no. This type of tag can be risky and in some cases could lead to sanctions. That’s because the website no longer has complete control of the content because part of it is now loaded from another site. Do use Screaming Frog to determine if iFrames are being used on a site before proceeding.
SEO Tools
Screaming Frog
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