Search Engine Optimization in 2017
SEO is all about how a website is built and functions. In order to have high rankings, you must be able to convert. Conversion happens with a combination of user experience, design, development and content marketing.
Many think that changing a few header tags and meta descriptions is all you need to do for search engine optimization, but true optimization begins with website functionality, its foundation and the way a customer engagement with the website.
2017 SEO Checklist:
- 1. SSL that forces https://
- 2. Title 40-50 characters and Meta Description 80-120 characters for every page.
- 3. Use a clean navigational architecture system. Plan this out before you ever Publish a page so that you do not need to correct later.
- 4. Make sure all images are saved lowercase, with dashes and short description. Do not use uppercase or pronouns. After uploading the image to the website, fill in Title, Alt tag, Description (and Caption if you want a visible title for the image on the website).
- 5. Use a CDN to condense images.
- 6. Place up to date XSS Protection in the htaccess file.
- 7. One main overall target keyword for each page, but also use a combination of all keywords that describe this throughout the page, rather than one main keyword.
- 8. rel=”Publisher” tag linking to Google page.
- 9. Make sure mobile content fits within mobile viewport settings for optimum user experience.
- 10. Use browser caching (except for e-commerce).
- 11. Validate doctype.
- 12. Link Social Media account to the website.
- 13. Posts added to Personal Social Media accounts.
- 14. Optimize website for printing.
- 15. Make sure website is W3C compliant.
- 16. Use semantic HTML and style with CSS.
- 17. Update the website regularly – use timestamps.
- 18. Work up to having at minimum 1200 words per page.
- 19. Never use more than one H1 tag per page and never leave a header tag empty.
- 20. Include content marketing for user readability.
- 21. If you are going to user sliders make sure transition is smooth and nothing is covered up by the menu or arrows.
- 22. Take special care in designing a marketing footer.
- 23. Never make pop ups open in full-page and try to limit the use of them at all.
- 24. Always check and double-check images are clear and sized correctly.
- 25. Check and double-check for grammatical issues.
- 26. Optimize load speed to lower than 3 seconds for each page.
- 27. User engagement with multi-media (for example, check out the video below).
Increase User Engagement with Videos
So cute, had to post.
