The Basic SEO Checklist for Your Articles in 2024 [Action Plan]

Whether you like it or not, SEO is still one of the most important aspects of any digital marketing strategy.

Sure, a lot has changed in the world of search engine optimization recently. Some might argue that Google has become worse than it was, with it prioritizing forums like Reddit and Quora over niche websites, and the increasing prominence of AI-generated content.

Even if we accept that’s true, one thing is still undeniable – you need SEO to increase your visibility and attract more people to your website.

A Basic SEO Checklist: 9 Essential Actions to Complete

1. Identify Your Focus Keyword
2. Create an Engaging Title
3. Optimize your Meta Description
4. Write Relevant, High-Quality Content
5. Pay Attention to On-Page SEO
6. Optimize Your Technical SEO
7. Think About Your Users
8. Use Social Media Integrations
9. Keep Monitoring and Update

1. Identify Your Focus Keyword

“Keyword research is the foundation of SEO success. It’s crucial to understand what your audience is searching for and to target those terms effectively.” – Rand Fishkin, co-founder of Moz, founder of SparkToro.

Picking the right keywords for your content is vital. Make sure that the SEO tools you decide to use can help you find the most relevant keywords that also have a high search volume and relatively low competition.

For example, if you are writing an article about “sugar-free cake”, you might want to consider focusing on key phrases, like “sugar-free carrot cake”, “sugar-free cake recipes”, and “easy sugar-free cake recipes”.

Another thing you should consider is going for long-tail keywords, which can target niche audiences, and improve your chances of ranking higher.

A couple of examples are “sugar-free cake recipes with almond flour”, “sugar-free dessert recipes for Christmas”, and “sugar-free dessert recipes without artificial sweeteners”. All of them are still focused around the main topic but capture more specific search intents.

2. Create an Engaging Title

Not everyone will read your content, but most will read your title. Now, the question is whether they will also click on it, or simply scroll further.

As Neil Patel said it: “A great title can make the difference between a click and an impression. Make it count.”

The only rule, other than making your title engaging, is to keep it under 60 characters and use your focus keyword. Here’s an example: “10 Most Insane Diets That Don’t Lead to Starvation”

Your hook is that the diets will not make you starve, which is something that everyone looking to lose weight is happy to hear.

3. Optimize your Meta Description

The next item in your SEO checklist There isn’t much philosophy regarding meta descriptions. Either they work or they don’t. What makes meta descriptions work?

Apart from the same rule as with titles – keep them under 160 characters, and include your primary keywords – you need to give readers an extra reason to click on your post.

The SEO best practices encourage us to add a CTA, use active voice, and include benefits or solutions. While all of these are true and could work, the truth is that you have to experiment to find out what works best for your niche and target audience.

4. Write Relevant, High-Quality Content

We’ve all heard the phrase that content is king, but social media influencer Mari Smith says that: “Content is king, but engagement is queen, and the lady rules the house.”

It’s hard to disagree with that. If you are not engaging your audience, then your content is worthless. You should always look to be should be original, informative, and provide value to your readers.

Don’t overlook readability, too. Structure your content into short paragraphs, use bullet points, and break up your content with H2 and H3 tags.

Content length is another topic for debate. Our advice is to avoid blindly following word counts. It all depends on the subject that you are writing about. The article could be 700 or 3,000 words. Length doesn’t matter if the audience isn’t interested.

5. Pay Attention to On-Page SEO

On-Page SEO refers to the process of optimizing your web pages. This includes content quality, user experience, internal linking, image optimization, and keyword distribution.

These might sound like SEO basics to more advanced readers, but they are very important to do. In short, make sure to:

• Use your main keyword in the first 100 words, in headings, and spread naturally throughout your text.
• Place links to relevant internal pages (other pages of your site) and authoritative external sites.
• Add alt texts to your images that describe their purpose, and include keywords (Ex.: sugar-free-cake-recipes-with-almond-flour.jpg

6. Optimize Your Technical SEO

Technical SEO involves aspects of your website, such as page speed, mobile-friendliness, and proper URL structure.

Keep in mind that optimizing your website for smartphones is not a matter of choice anymore. It’s mandatory, as SEO Consultant Aleyda Solis says:

“With more users accessing content on mobile devices, mobile optimization is no longer optional.”

Similarly, your website should load as fast as possible. Optimize your images, utilize browser caching, and use a CDN. You can check with Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix any issues.

7. Think About Your Users

User experience is a part of our SEO optimization checklist, because it’s the pinnacle of search engine optimization. In fact, as Brian Dean from Backlinko says: “Good SEO is about creating a great user experience.”

Of course, user experience is a broad term that includes many different aspects. Think of little details, such as the way you break up your text with visuals, or use an infographic to explain a complex process.

In essence, everything that creates a positive experience for your readers will boost your SEO, and help your business grow.

8. Use Social Media Integrations

“Social signals can indirectly affect SEO by increasing visibility and traffic.” – Cyrus Shepard, Moz, Zyppy SEO.

In other words, add those social share buttons – make it easy for users to share your content. Additionally, you should use Open Graph tags and Twitter cards to optimize how your content appears on social media platforms.

9. Keep Monitoring and Update

No SEO optimization checklist would be complete without adding this final touch. SEO is never fully done, it is crucial to keep monitoring your content, and regularly do updates to ensure you are relevant and fresh.

For example, that article you wrote last year about artificial intelligence tools? You should definitely take a look, and update it with the latest information. To track the performance of your pages, you can use tools like GA4 and Google Search Console.

“SEO is not a one-time effort. Continuous monitoring and adjustments are necessary to maintain and improve rankings.” – Ann Smarty, SEO Expert.

Wrap Up

There you have it! By following this basic SEO checklist, you’ll very well be on your way to boosting your article rankings and driving more traffic to your website.

Remember, SEO isn’t just a one-time task. It’s a long-term commitment. Staying relevant and therefore visible is not easy. From keyword research to technical SEO, each element plays a crucial role in your overall strategy.

Now, if the thought of keeping up with SEO trends feels like trying to herd cats, why not leave it to the pros?

At DevriX, we’ve got a team of digital marketing wizards ready to sprinkle some SEO magic on your content. Contact us now and let’s get started on your journey to SEO greatness!