The Best Damn On-Page Optimization Process Checklist, Period
The Best Damn On-Page Optimization Process Checklist, Period
I like to create systems for everything that I do and SEO is no exception. While not every aspect of search engine marketing can be programmed, categorized or easily referenced, (I have a mighty team to handle that stuff!) the bulk of the work can at least be outlined into a handy check list. With no further ado, I give you...
***The Best Damn On-Page Optimization Checklist, Period***
*Choose the core term*
It all starts with keyword research. By this point we've already gone through the site and performed extensive core term research. You can learn more about the keyword research process by reading Keyword Research And Selection document.
Selecting which core term to optimize "next" doesn't have to be difficult but a few things need to be considered:
*Evaluate page/core term legitimacy*
Here we then take a closer look at the core term/page relationship to ensure that they are a solid match. With some sites, certain pages and core terms could be interchangeable. What we want to do here is to make sure that the page being optimized for any core term is the best possible fit. We want to be sure that the keywords can fit naturally into the content and are the best words to represent the message being conveyed.
*Core term/key phrase research*
Now that we've settled the core term/page issue, we can complete the keyword research process for this core term. This process requires a great deal of research, editing, analyzing, etc. Again, the "how-to" can be found in the Keyword Research and Selection document linked above. By the end of this process we'll have found all relevant supporting phrases and have selected fifteen or so that we'll be optimizing into the page.
*Develop / rework page content*
Once all the keywords are finalized, it's time to start working on the on-page content. It's the role of the copywriter to develop the first round of content, working in keywords naturally. But with any written document, the first draft is rarely the last. We analyze a number of factors before moving the text to the next stage of review:
*Text usability review*
Once the text is hammered out, we then send it to a third party for a "usability review". Their job is to look at the text from a customer standpoint and see if they can find any place where the text breaks down in the conversion process. This includes finding poorly worded sentences, titles or headings that may fail at their jobs, and ensuring that the reader absolutely knows what they are expected to do next and/or drives them to the information they came for in the first place.
*Page usability review*
At this stage we go ahead and add the content to a development version of the page being optimized and review the page as a whole for usability. We want to make sure the page is able to convey its purpose visually, both with images, formatting, etc. We'll add or change things as necessary to ensure the page provides the reader with the best possible visual representation.
We also take a look at coding issues to ensure there are no potential spidering issues from malformed HTML. If we can streamline the code in any way. By reducing code bloat we can facilitate faster download times, and ensure the relevant information loads first.
*SEO review*
Next we send the text onto the SEO to go over and analyze to ensure the page maintains proper keyword balance between titles, headings, and body content. The SEO also looks at proper usage of alt tags and does any other minor adjusting as is necessary, without destroying any of the copy flow.
*Final approval*
The page is now ready for final approval. Whether that means sending the optimized (development) version to the client for review, or submitting it to the boss, we want to get that final stamp of approval before it goes live. Just like anything, we do expect more minor changes to be made until the page is "perfect".
*Last thoughts*
Each process mentioned above can (and does) have a checklist of it's own. Virtually all of the details for actual SEO work has been left our as the purpose here is to focus on the overall process of optimizing a page. I am a firm believer that the process is just as important as the work being done. While it's the details that bring success, the process ensures that no details get overlooked. In this business, overlooking any detail can result in less-than-stellar performance.
The Best Damn OnPage Optimization Process Checklist Period - To learn more about this author, visit Stoney G deGeyter's Website.
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Processes and checklists are an important part of my daily routine. I'm a very process oriented individual. Give me a checklist and I get things done. Give me a job without a checklist and I'll create one. Give me a job that falls outside of the routine or is difficult to put into a checklist and I'm screwed!
I like to create systems for everything that I do and SEO is no exception. While not every aspect of search engine marketing can be programmed, categorized or easily referenced, (I have a mighty team to handle that stuff!) the bulk of the work can at least be outlined into a handy check list. With no further ado, I give you...
***The Best Damn On-Page Optimization Checklist, Period***
*Choose the core term*
It all starts with keyword research. By this point we've already gone through the site and performed extensive core term research. You can learn more about the keyword research process by reading Keyword Research And Selection document.
Selecting which core term to optimize "next" doesn't have to be difficult but a few things need to be considered:
- Relevance: Core term must be very relevant to the business
- Importance: How important is this core term in relation to the other yet-to-be-optimized core terms
- Audience targeting: Will this bring in highly targeted traffic in comparison to the other core terms?
- Search volume: Will this bring in solid volumes of traffic in relation to the other core terms?
*Evaluate page/core term legitimacy*
Here we then take a closer look at the core term/page relationship to ensure that they are a solid match. With some sites, certain pages and core terms could be interchangeable. What we want to do here is to make sure that the page being optimized for any core term is the best possible fit. We want to be sure that the keywords can fit naturally into the content and are the best words to represent the message being conveyed.
*Core term/key phrase research*
Now that we've settled the core term/page issue, we can complete the keyword research process for this core term. This process requires a great deal of research, editing, analyzing, etc. Again, the "how-to" can be found in the Keyword Research and Selection document linked above. By the end of this process we'll have found all relevant supporting phrases and have selected fifteen or so that we'll be optimizing into the page.
*Develop / rework page content*
Once all the keywords are finalized, it's time to start working on the on-page content. It's the role of the copywriter to develop the first round of content, working in keywords naturally. But with any written document, the first draft is rarely the last. We analyze a number of factors before moving the text to the next stage of review:
- Keyword usage: Ensuring natural flow of copy while maintaining a proper keyword balance
- Headings: Using headings that are compelling and informative
- Title tag: Create a compelling, keyword rich title for the page
- Description tag: Build a description that is both compelling and reinforces the keyword relevance of the page
- Voice: The site should use a consistent voice from page to page
- Active words: Using words that do more than inform but compel action
- Features & Benefits: Be sure to list out not just features but benefits. Bullets are great for this kind of information
- Skimming & Scanning: Make the document easy to skim and scan while giving the reader the important information as they do so
- Calls to Action: Work in textual calls that drive the visitor to the point of conversion
*Text usability review*
Once the text is hammered out, we then send it to a third party for a "usability review". Their job is to look at the text from a customer standpoint and see if they can find any place where the text breaks down in the conversion process. This includes finding poorly worded sentences, titles or headings that may fail at their jobs, and ensuring that the reader absolutely knows what they are expected to do next and/or drives them to the information they came for in the first place.
*Page usability review*
At this stage we go ahead and add the content to a development version of the page being optimized and review the page as a whole for usability. We want to make sure the page is able to convey its purpose visually, both with images, formatting, etc. We'll add or change things as necessary to ensure the page provides the reader with the best possible visual representation.
We also take a look at coding issues to ensure there are no potential spidering issues from malformed HTML. If we can streamline the code in any way. By reducing code bloat we can facilitate faster download times, and ensure the relevant information loads first.
*SEO review*
Next we send the text onto the SEO to go over and analyze to ensure the page maintains proper keyword balance between titles, headings, and body content. The SEO also looks at proper usage of alt tags and does any other minor adjusting as is necessary, without destroying any of the copy flow.
*Final approval*
The page is now ready for final approval. Whether that means sending the optimized (development) version to the client for review, or submitting it to the boss, we want to get that final stamp of approval before it goes live. Just like anything, we do expect more minor changes to be made until the page is "perfect".
*Last thoughts*
Each process mentioned above can (and does) have a checklist of it's own. Virtually all of the details for actual SEO work has been left our as the purpose here is to focus on the overall process of optimizing a page. I am a firm believer that the process is just as important as the work being done. While it's the details that bring success, the process ensures that no details get overlooked. In this business, overlooking any detail can result in less-than-stellar performance.
The Best Damn OnPage Optimization Process Checklist Period - To learn more about this author, visit Stoney G deGeyter's Website.
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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