SEO has traditionally divided into two main areas; on-page optimisation which covers what can be done on the pages of the website itself, and off-page optimisation which covers activity that takes place elsewhere (e.g. link-building).
The most effective strategy in 2012 however (social media powered SEO) requires an integrated approach, with on-page content promoted off-page within the main social media channels. Please click on the following link to find out more about social media SEO – the future proofed SEO strategy that delivers outstanding results now.
Alternatively, click here to understand more about how off-page SEO has had to adapt to changes in the search engines’ algorithms to remain effective in 2012.
Finally, if you are more interested in on-page SEO, we should probably warn you that, although it’s still very important to optimise on-page factors, it’s extremely unlikely to work on its own unless your market is particularly niche. Please read on for:
- A checklist outlining the key areas to consider when reviewing on-page SEO.
- A list of common mistakes to look out for with regard to on-page SEO.
- A list of old-school SEO (‘spammy’) on-page tactics that the search engines are now able to recognise (and punish accordingly).
On-Page SEO Checklist:
- Always start with keyword selection, research and testing
- Meta Description tag
- ALT tags
- H1 tags
- URL structure
- Internal linking strategy
- Content
- Keyword density
- Site maps, both XML and user facing
- Usability and accessibility
- Track target keywords
- Expect results in 6-12 months
Avoid common on-page SEO mistakes such as:
- Duplicate content
- URL variants of the same pages
- Off-site images and content on-site
- Duplicate title tags
Avoid spammy SEO tactics such as:
- Hidden text
- Hidden links
- Keyword repetition
- Doorway pages
- Mirror pages
- Cloaking
