Key steps for better Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

In today’s digital landscape, the importance of search engine optimisation (SEO) cannot be overstated. Whether you’re a seasoned webmaster or just beginning your journey online, the visibility of your website on search engines like Google plays a pivotal role in your online success. An SEO audit is the foundational step to enhancing your website’s performance in search engine rankings.

This article attempts to provide a general framework and some key factors to consider when considering the optimisation of your website for search engines.

On-Page SEO

Title Tags: Check if each page has unique and descriptive title tags.

Meta Descriptions: Ensure meta descriptions are informative and relevant.

Header Tags: Confirm the use of proper header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.).

Keyword Usage: Assess the use of keywords on pages, ensuring they’re relevant and not overused.

URL Structure: Ensure clean, descriptive URLs.

Image Optimisation: Check alt attributes and image file names.

Internal Linking: Review internal linking structure for relevance and proper anchor text usage.

Content Quality: Evaluate the overall quality and uniqueness of the content.

Technical SEO

Site Speed: Check page load times and optimise for faster loading.

Mobile-Friendliness: Ensure the website is responsive and mobile-friendly.

SSL Certificate: Verify that the site uses HTTPS for security.

XML Sitemap: Confirm the presence and accuracy of the XML sitemap.

Robots.txt: Review the robots.txt file for proper instructions to search engines.

Canonical Tags: Check for proper canonicalisation of URLs.

404 Errors: Identify and fix broken links and 404 errors.

Redirects: Ensure proper use of 301 redirects for moved or renamed pages.

Structured Data: Implement structured data markup where relevant (Schema.org) for enhanced search results. For example for products, reviews, FAQs…

Content Quality and Relevance

Content Strategy: Evaluate the overall content strategy and its alignment with target keywords and user intent.

Duplicate Content: Check for duplicate content issues.

Thin Content: Identify and improve pages with low-quality or thin content.

Freshness: Ensure the website is regularly updated with fresh content.

Backlinks

Backlink Profile: Assess the quality and diversity of backlinks.

Disavow Spammy Backlinks: Identify and disavow low-quality or spammy backlinks.

User Experience

User-Friendly Design: Ensure a clean and intuitive design for users.

Mobile Optimisation: Optimise for mobile devices.

Page Layout: Ensure the content is presented clearly with proper formatting.

Local SEO (if applicable)

Google My Business: Optimise and maintain a Google My Business profile.

NAP Consistency: Ensure consistent Name, Address, and Phone number information across the web.

Local Citations: Build and maintain local citations in relevant directories.

Remember that SEO is an ongoing process, and regular audits are essential to maintain and improve a website’s search engine visibility.