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