The document provides an SEO checklist with 14 items for websites to optimize their search engine optimization. The checklist includes tasks like installing analytics, checking for broken links, optimizing titles, descriptions and images, adding relevant on-page keywords, claiming local listings, researching target keywords, and developing a content publication schedule. Completing the various optimization tasks in the checklist can help websites rank higher in search results and drive more traffic to their sites.

1. SEO Check List
Why is SEO so important?
Natural Search Drives 75% of most sites’ search traffic. Rankings and
click-through rates (CTR’s) are directly related for the most part. Position
one CTR’s are on average 50%. A number 10 position CTR is usually
less than 1%.
Search results with better headlines or titles and more relevant snippet
text can skew results but not most of the time. An SEO job well done tips
the odds in our favor that we will rank higher in search results, get more
clicks that drive traffic to our sites and help satisfy our business goals.
Check off each box as you have completed the tasks.
1.  Do you have Google Analytics installed on your website?
2.  Have you signed up for Google Programmer Tools and synched the
two?
3.  Put site:domain.com in the Google search box and replace “domain”
with your website’s domain name. Hit enter.
a.  Do all your pages show up on Google?
i. If no, make a list of the pages that should be there and
compare to your xml sitemap.
b.  Do you have an xml sitemap running in your website?
i. If not please get one. Fairly easy to install on most Content
Management Systems (CMSs). Ask your programmer to
make this happen if you are not able.
ii. If you have pages missing from the Google index, compare
the list of missing URLs to the xml sitemap. If the URLs are
not in the xml sitemap, present this to your programmer for
help in fixing the problem.
By Tom Lynch VP ( ) Astek ( ) Reach through the web.
773.486.6666 ( ) tom.lynch@astekweb.com ( ) http://www.astekweb.com
©2012 Astek Consulting LLC
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2. SEO Check List
c. If the URLs are in the xml sitemap and not listed on Google you will
need to log into Google Programmer Tools and see if they are
flagged for any quality issues.
i. If not and your programmer can’t seem to fix it, time to call
an SEO expert.
While you are in Google Programmer Tools:
4.  Confirm All Your Pages Have a Unique:
a.  HTML Title?
b.  Meta Description?
c.  Meta Keywords?
d.  Are all your pages unique?
e. Do I have duplicate content according to Google Programmer
Tools?
Each page’s text, tags, and titles need to be unique as well. Google
penalizes pages that are identical on the same website.
f. For every page that is a duplicate go to Google Analytics to see
which has more traffic. Either 301 permanent redirect the low traffic
page or remove it altogether. See your programmer for
implementation.
g. If the pages are unique but the tags are duplicated, update the
pages with new tags that are more specific to the page’s content
and incorporate the targeted keyword phrase most appropriate.
5.  Are all your titles less than 65 characters long including punctuation
and spaces? If you see three dots (…) after your listing on Google you
have too many characters.
6.  Are all your meta descriptions unique and less than 150 characters
including spaces and punctuation? Same visual reference here. If you see
three dots … after your search listing you have exceeded the display limit.
By Tom Lynch VP ( ) Astek ( ) Reach through the web.
773.486.6666 ( ) tom.lynch@astekweb.com ( ) http://www.astekweb.com
©2012 Astek Consulting LLC
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3. SEO Check List
7.  Are all your meta keywords unique for each page or none appear at
all? Meta Keywords are not effective on Google and the other search
engines can penalize you if they are not relevant. Make sure you either
have unique ones for every page or none at all to avoid penalties.
8.  Do all your directories and URLs follow a logical structure and include
the keywords.
a. Good Example: BabyProducts.com/strollers/joggers/2012-jeep-
limited-jogging-stroller.aspx
b. Bad Example:
BabyProducts.com/products/category1/item#?id=120221.aspx
9.  Are all your images optimized?
a.  The smallest file size for the required display?
b.  Include the targeted keyword on in the file-name.jpg?
c.  Include caption text near the image using the keywords?
d.  Do I have relevant alt text that includes the keywords and usable
info for visually impaired folks?
10.  Are the links on your site using the targeted keyword phrase?
a.  In navigation?
b.  In the body of copy?
c.  In the breadcrumbs?
11.  Do you have a social/bookmarking widget on I site?
12.  Do you have links to your site?
a.  Use link:domain.com to find out
b.  Do the links have targeted keywords phrases in them?
c. Do the same test using your competitor’s sites. Contact the sites
that link to your competitors’ websites. Ask the link sites to link back
By Tom Lynch VP ( ) Astek ( ) Reach through the web.
773.486.6666 ( ) tom.lynch@astekweb.com ( ) http://www.astekweb.com
©2012 Astek Consulting LLC
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4. SEO Check List
to you, pointing to some unique content you have using your target
keywords in the link text.
13. Local Listings
a.  Does my site have a local listing on:
i.  Google
ii.  Yahoo!
iii.  Bing
b.  Have you claimed your listing?
i.  Is it accurate?
ii.  Is it filled out completely?
14. Keyword Research
a.  Research and select at least one keyword phrase for each
product and:
i.  For each search lifecycle stage
ii.  Use your low hanging fruit Excel sheet to keep track
iii.  Pick the lowest of the low to use first
iv.  Optimize existing pages
v.  Publish new pages to support the new discoveries
b.  Develop a regular publishing schedule
i.  Using the “low hanging fruit” spread sheet
ii. High search & low competition wins
iii. The more you build the more they will come
iv. But you have to promote it too
1.  Social channels
2.  Blog posts sites with backlinks
By Tom Lynch VP ( ) Astek ( ) Reach through the web.
773.486.6666 ( ) tom.lynch@astekweb.com ( ) http://www.astekweb.com
©2012 Astek Consulting LLC
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5. SEO Check List
3.  Press Releases with backlinks
4.  Publishing sites
5.  Review sites
By Tom Lynch VP ( ) Astek ( ) Reach through the web.
773.486.6666 ( ) tom.lynch@astekweb.com ( ) http://www.astekweb.com
©2012 Astek Consulting LLC
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