How to create onsite SEO Checklist on WordPress website

Creating an on-site SEO checklist for a WordPress website involves optimizing various elements to improve search engine visibility. Here’s a comprehensive checklist to help you get started:

Content Optimization:

1. Keyword Research:
   • Identify relevant keywords for your content using tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest.
2. Title Tags:
   • Include your target keyword in the title tag.
   • Keep the title tag length within 60 characters.
3. Meta Descriptions:
   • Write compelling meta descriptions containing the target keyword.
   • Limit meta descriptions to around 150-160 characters.
4. Header Tags:
   • Use H1, H2, and H3 tags to structure your content.
   • Incorporate keywords naturally in headings.
5. Content Quality:
   • Create high-quality, informative content.
   • Aim for a good balance of text, images, and multimedia.
6. Keyword Placement:
   • Strategically place keywords in the content, but avoid keyword stuffing.
7. Internal Linking:
   • Link relevant pages within your site to improve navigation and distribute link equity.

Technical SEO:

8. Permalinks:
   • Set SEO-friendly permalinks with keywords.
   • Use hyphens to separate words.
9. XML Sitemap:
   • Submit a sitemap to search engines using tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
10. Robots.txt:
    • Ensure that important pages are not blocked by the robots.txt file.
11. Mobile-Friendly:
    • Ensure your website is responsive and mobile-friendly.
12. Page Speed:
    • Optimize images and use caching plugins to improve page loading speed.
13. SSL Certificate:
    • Install an SSL certificate to ensure your site is served over HTTPS.

On-Page Elements:

14. Image Optimization:
    • Compress images to reduce file size.
    • Use descriptive file names and alt tags.
15. Social Sharing:
    • Implement social sharing buttons on your content.
16. Schema Markup:
    • Use schema markup to provide search engines with additional information about your content.
17. URL Structure:
    • Keep URLs short, descriptive, and include keywords.

User Experience:

18. Readability:
    • Write content that is easy to read and understand.
    • Use short paragraphs and bullet points.
19. Call-to-Action (CTA):
    • Include clear CTAs to guide users on the desired actions.
20. User Engagement:
    • Encourage user engagement through comments, shares, and likes.

Monitoring and Analytics:

21. Google Analytics:
    • Install Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and user behavior.
22. Google Search Console:
    • Set up and monitor your site in Google Search Console for search performance insights.
23. 404 Pages:
    • Customize and optimize your 404 error page.

Security:

24. WordPress Updates:
    • Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated for security.
25. Security Plugins:
    • Install a security plugin to protect against common threats.

Accessibility:

26. Alt Text for Images:
    • Provide descriptive alt text for images to assist users with disabilities.
27. Keyboard Navigation:
    • Ensure your website is navigable using only a keyboard.
28. Color Contrast:
    • Maintain sufficient color contrast for readability.

Regularly review and update your on-site SEO checklist as search engine algorithms evolve and your content changes. Additionally, consider using SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to streamline the optimization process.