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10 Point SEO Checklist for New WordPress Webmasters

By on June 1, 2012

When building WordPress websites, I highly recommend using a SEO checklist to keep you on track with your search engine optimization techniques. It is important to keep track of what you are doing, especially when you have a new WordPress website, as it would be more sensitive to Google’s watchful eyes. Google loves to see new websites pop-up on the scene and rewards them for starting out in the right direction. Of course some people always overdo some aspect of SEO and can ruin their websites chances from the outset. This is why I have a SEO checklist so I can monitor and track what needs to be done for a new website.

1. Choosing your niche

There are so many different ways to choose your niche for your new website and there are is no definite right way or wrong way. This is the most import item on my SEO checklist as choosing the wrong keyword can be website suicide.
 seo checklist
I can only tell you a brief criteria that I use when choosing a niche:
  • The keyword needs to have 1000 or more exact monthly searches.
  • The keyword needs to have an estimated CPC of one dollar or more.
  • When searching in Google for the keyword are other companies advertising? This is a good sign of money to be made.
  • The keyword needs to have market potential.
  • The keyword needs to be able to expand with longtail keywords and LSI keywords.

I have given a detailed example of how to choose a niche in my Free PDF report about how to build a WordPress Website. This has been revamped so grab it again as it is full of more information.

2. Creating a SEO Plan for Effective SEO

Creating a SEO plan can save you many hours of work later as you will not be wondering what to do next in your search engine optimization efforts.The first thing I would do with my new keyword that I will be building my niche around, is to build lists that will help me later.

For example I would create lists for:

The main keyword
The entire website is not just about the main keyword but we still need to add this into our search engine optimization plan. I usually create some pages or posts directly related or spot on with the main keyword.
Related keywords

Keyword WinnerRelated keywords are very important when it comes to search engine optimization. You can use these keywords for creating categories, blog posts, or even pages. Therefore if you are using the Google keyword tool, you can see below that I have used the keyword “best student laptop” and searched using the [exact match] option. Now my related keywords are listed below and are also showing the exact match option for the monthly search results. This way the search volume is not overestimated.

SEO Checklist
Possible pillar articles
From the list of related keywords would pick out the words that I find are highly related and have the most potential for me to get traffic. From these I will write some article titles that will possibly become top articles on the website. Please note that any of this information can change as you need to be flexible when you see your results and stats coming in. Nothing is set in stone.
Create a category list
One thing I hate is not having an organized list for categories. Webmasters often create a category to put a post in as they go along. This system becomes highly unorganized. It is best to create your post categories from the beginning using your related keywords.
Potential blog post titles
You should make a list of potential blog post titles now as you could probably start gathering ideas for your content as you will already know what you are writing about. You could also use this list to get other people to write articles for you.
Related websites
Having a list of related websites or even competitor websites is a great thing to have from the beginning. This way you will easily be able to tell when a new website pops onto your scene. Also you will be able to easily keep track of what your competitors are doing. You can investigate your competitors websites and see if you can do better than them. Winning the search engine optimization game can also have a lot to do with your gut feeling.
Possible back linking sites
Now is the time to make a list of possible back linking opportunities. This could mean websites where you can guest post or maybe even leave the do follow blog comments. As you know I prefer the guest posting option as I feel it holds better SEO weight. This list is very important as you will probably need to join some of these communities in order to get your website pumping.

3. Think About Your User

Now that you have your plan the SEO checklist is starting to come together. You can perform all the SEO you like but if your users that visit your website are not happy then your website will not be a success. Even those search engine optimization is important it should not be the only thing that determines how your website turns out. A balance of SEO, great content, easy navigation, and a pleasant user experience, all contribute to a successful website.

4. Great Content

Creating great content can mean a lot of things. Without even getting into search engine optimization, the content should be well rounded and provide complete information about this subject you have chosen. You cannot get away with telling half the story and in most cases, this is what Webmasters do just to provide content. Without even optimising your pages, if you have great content, sometimes it will generate its own search engine optimization.
For example you might get people to naturally link to your content because it is so good. Therefore great content also has a lot to do with search engine optimization.
People often say that content is King, and don’t get me wrong because it is great, however I believe it is a package deal. Your content must fit in to your navigation system and also blend with your search engine optimization.

5. Navigation and Design

I believe the way your navigation system is setup plays a big part in your SEO. Easy navigation not only improves user experience, but it also helps the search engine bots examine your precious content. Sometimes it is easier for a new Webmaster to create a simple layer of navigation. For example you might have your categories showing on the homepage and all your articles can be found by clicking on those links. Sometimes Webmasters add categories in categories which can get confusing. This is okay to do but it all must be in order somehow which is pleasing to both the search engines and your users.
Design of a website can also be related to search engine optimization as the positioning of links, social media buttons, and so on, all contribute to the search engines finding your content. this is where my WordPress premium themes come in use.

6. Onpage SEO

I am a huge fan of search engine optimization and have been using this onpage SEO technique for many years now. This is one of the major factors that has helped me dominate Google for certain keywords. When you are starting a new website it is best to start with your search engine optimization from the beginning. This way you do not have to go back and do extra work later. I have actually been doing this so long that it has become a habit for me.
Here is a quick summary of what on page optimization involves:

1.  Grab your list with your main keyword and your related keywords on it.

2.  Create a catchy title that includes your target keyword.

3.  Create subheadings throughout your article that contain your target keyword and your related keywords. It is good to have a variety as you have a chance to rank for more words.

4.  The headings should be scattered through the article and you need at least one H1, H2, and H3 heading.

5.  Your target keyword should be included in the first sentence of the article and should be bolded. (not necessary but it is what I do)

6.  Your target keyword should also be included in the last sentence and should be underlined or made Italic.

7.  You should include an image with an ALT tag that includes your target keyword. When people hover the mouse over your picture they will see your target keyword.

8.  You need to mention your target keyword throughout your article. It should have a keyword density of at least 1%. Therefore if you have a 500 word article you would need to mention your keyword five times or more to get 1%. This is not set in stone but I find it better to target a keyword so Google knows what your post is about. You want to make it clear.

9.  You should link to several pages internally that are related to your keyword. This means linking to the pages in on your website. These links can be followed as opposed to nofollow.

10.  If you link to external pages you should make it a nofollow link unless you feel like giving some link juice away.

I use SEOPressor to keep me on the ball when it comes to sticking to these rules, along with other important SEO tools.

7. Internal Linking

If you are really crazy about search engine optimization, when you are creating all of those lists that I mentioned above, you can make a list for internal linking. For example you should know which keywords are being targeted in which posts and therefore should be able to draw a mind map of which posts can be linked together that are related. The sooner you start internal linking the better as it really does make a big difference to your search engine optimization efforts. Yes the link that you create on your website, pointing to your own post, does count in Google’s eyes. Why else would they have a whole section of it in Google Webmaster tools?
I recently wrote a guest post on Anna Hoffmans blog called Why internal linking is crucial for SEO. This will explain my views even further!
I was using Scribe to find possible internal link partner pages in my blog. It was a great program but I found that I could never get around to using it. In fact it really went too deep for me and took too much time. I thought it would save time. I actually got rid of Scribe for Keyword Winner and have even made a mini website showcasing my Keyword Winner review.

8. Error Free Website

Avoid having errors on your website even if it is a new website as these errors can snowball into something that cannot be repaired. Some examples of errors that can affect your SEO efforts include:

  • Duplicate title and description tags.
  • Duplicate pages.
  • Broken links.
  • Errors on your site map.
  • crawling errors.
  • 404 errors.

This is just a sample of errors that can occur on a new website and hamper your search engine optimization efforts. Having your SEO checklist will make you aware of the errors and be ready to repair asap. I personally have had all of the errors mentioned above over the years and I only wish someone had told me that these factors can have a drastic affect on your search engine rankings.

9. Backlinking – SEO Checklist

Creating back links for your new website is where you really need your SEO checklist to keep you in line. This is one of the parts of search engine optimization that can make or break your new website. People often go a bit over board or try to take the easy way out when it comes to backlinking.

For each new website I start a guest posting promotion and build a few links from other websites I have that are related to the niche. Sometimes I might list the website in some top directories but do not go for bulk directory submissions or bulk social bookmarking. I do not believe in slamming a new website with tonnes of automated links as I do not want to risk all my hard work.

Rand Fishkin from SEOmoz.org mentions some good and bad linking methods for new websites in the video below.

Wistia


Lucky last on my SEO checklist is…

10. Create a SEO Maintenance Checklist

I know this sounds a bit crazy and you are probably groaning because I am mentioning another list, but this is important. A SEO maintenance list will stop you from falling behind in your SEO efforts. This might include:

  • Checking for broken links or any errors
  • Checking your rankings
  • Keeping an eye on your competitors
  • Checking stats in Google Anlaytics
  • Evaluating results of your last SEO campaign
  • Investigate rankings that are dropping
  • Internal linking upkeep
  • A list of jobs to keep up your rankings..

New and experienced webmasters have errors occurring with their websites because they are not keeping a close eye on what is going on. Having a SEO maintenance checklist can keep your website on the straight and narrow.

Hey I never said that creating WordPress website was easy!

What do you think about my SEO checklist?

About mitz

My name is Milica Pantic but everyone calls me Mitz. I am addicted to internet marketing and making money online. Who wouldn't want to live that life? I started out with one website as a hobby and now have over 20. Building websites and making money online is not that hard. You have to actually take action to make money...that is the biggest hurdle! :)

115 Comments

  1. Riki

    May 1, 2013 at 6:35 pm

    Other than that, the best plugin wodrpress very helpful too for new WordPress Webmaster. Thanks so much Mitz for your post and tips.
    Riki recently posted..Schwinn Turismo

    Reply

  2. Truong Nguyen

    April 14, 2013 at 3:52 pm

    i see all points you mentioned has been useful to present, thank for your great checklist about SEO
    Truong Nguyen recently posted..SEprince Review (dofollow)

    Reply

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  4. Prakash

    March 2, 2013 at 11:28 am

    Keyword density and interlinking are the important part of On page SEO. I am using SEO Pressor and it is awesome. As it tells us the importance of h1,h2 tags and alt tags.
    Prakash recently posted..Top 5 Free and Best Virtual Assistant for Android | Siri Alternatives

    Reply

  5. wasim

    February 17, 2013 at 11:41 am

    This is a really handy checklist to have when optimising a blog, especially for someone who is new to the whole SEO and blogging industry. Great post =].

    Reply

  6. Denis

    January 25, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    Thanks for an awesome checklist. As said before, many people forget about the site itself and focus solely on getting traffic to it. Getting traffic is good, but only if you have a good quality content. Otherwise, people will enter your site, leave in a few seconds, the bounce rate will be high
    and the Google ranking will go down. It all starts with good content.
    Denis recently posted..How to buy your first apartment refrigerator

    Reply

    • mitz

      January 26, 2013 at 12:44 am

      Yes a lot goes into a successful site. You have to please the humans and then Google will be happy too! :)

      Reply

  7. Richard

    January 15, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    I have carried out the majority of your suggestions and now rank high on page1 for the keywords which I used. These were Car Valeting Sussex. How do I aim for Kent and Surrey without changing the keywords which I have already aimed at. There is only a specific number of words you can use for your description and page title.
    Richard recently posted..F1 Review 2012

    Reply

    • mitz

      January 16, 2013 at 12:44 am

      You can write an article on your blog saying that you service the Kent area and then do seo on that article, both onpage and off page. Treat each page as unique. You could mention how far you are from Kent and how you are happy to service customers there also.

      Reply

  8. Lisa

    January 1, 2013 at 11:52 am

    Great checklist Mitz! I would just add to always reply to comments and network with other bloggers or websites in your niche. We cannot be an island on the net no longer. Social is starting to catch up with SEO.
    Lisa recently posted..Follow Friday Is Back and Newly Redesigned

    Reply

  9. Chaitanya

    December 17, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    Nice list Mitz. I would say it is a complete seo checklist for on page and off page seo. Good work.
    For me interlinking with main keyword in anchor text is most important for seo.
    Chaitanya recently posted..LSI Keywords Simple Yet Very Powerful (dofollow)

    Reply

  10. Denis

    November 26, 2012 at 1:36 pm

    Hi there,
    Thanks for a great list about new word-press sites.
    I have one comment: It was mentioned that the keywords must have at least 1000 monthly searches. What i usually do is promote a few keywords that are around 500 words a month,
    this is much easier. Another thins I wanted to mention: Do not use blog networks. I used one and my site got de-indexed. Is not worth the risk. Its better to use the traditional SEO methods like
    article directories and forum profile links. Promotion is much slower by safer.
    Denis recently posted..How important is technology in education

    Reply

    • Mitz

      November 27, 2012 at 12:30 am

      Yes great tips thanks Denis! I agree that blog networks do not work now days…but they did once upon a time… You are right to stick to traditional SEO tasks only.

      Reply

  11. Adam

    October 23, 2012 at 3:37 am

    This Seo Checklist always follow by me..

    The most important is choosing and studying niche!
    =)
    Adam recently posted..Pakej Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Dengan DIGI,MAXIS, dan CELCOM

    Reply

  12. Enstine Muki

    September 15, 2012 at 9:39 am

    Hey Mitz,
    Thanks for this resourceful checklist. I have just started blogging and I think this is a timely read.

    hope you have a splendid weekend
    Enstine Muki recently posted..How to make your blog popular : 10-week GamePlan review

    Reply

  13. Sandy Price

    July 25, 2012 at 9:38 pm

    I love my new WordPress site. My company has been online since 1995 and had many site changes and new sites since then. WordPress is my favorite site I have had so far. Not knowing much HTML I can still edit easily. I have quite a few static pages. I use plug-ins for my seo which reminds me what I need to do.
    Sandy Price recently posted..Retractable Awnings (dofollow)

    Reply

  14. Matt

    July 20, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    There was an awful lot to take in but a quality piece nonetheless. I was pleased to discover that I already do quite a few of these things but obviously there is more that I can and should be doing. Probably the most important thing this brings to light however is the haphazard manner in which I go about these things. I need to get a lot more organized.
    Matt recently posted..Man To Make Most Of The Mud

    Reply

  15. Search Engine Optimization

    July 18, 2012 at 8:40 am

    Yes it is true that our avatar on social media sites are our identity. People recognize by seeing the photo on our networking site, the purpose of using same photo in every networking site is to make easily recognize our profile everywhere by seeing the photo.After posting the blog social media is the best way to promote it as all the friends and business person will easily be able to know your activities, write the valuable post which gives some information to the readers.Using keywords and seo techniques are the best way to write the blog.

    Reply

  16. Garry

    July 17, 2012 at 11:06 am

    Amazing article thanks. Strongly agree with you.
    Without SEO do not need to start making the site.

    Reply

  17. Shane Ryans

    July 16, 2012 at 9:02 pm

    Great checklist. It can be hard to remember things when you do it so often. and it is easy to leave something out here and there.
    Shane Ryans recently posted..Why keyword negatives are important

    Reply

  18. ronan

    July 4, 2012 at 4:35 am

    I like your point about interlinking! This is one way to promote your
    other posts and by making the users stay more on your site because
    you have still more to offer by providing catchy and informative links…

    Thanks for this post! I will follow most of your recommendations…

    Reply

  19. Phil

    July 2, 2012 at 12:12 pm

    Thank you for a really helpful post. The contains some good ideas, I particularly liked item 2 about creating an SEO plan. You have explained it well and whilst my site has a PR3, it has been stuck there for about 18 months. I think you suggestion of a robust SEO plan will be very useful particularly with regard to targeting related keywords.

    Thank you for sharing !
    Phil recently posted..A few thoughts on planning your Photography Tour

    Reply

  20. Jon D.

    June 14, 2012 at 9:04 pm

    Good stuff post-panda. I liked the fact you set out how you go about your initial back-linking strategy once you launch a new site. That’s pretty cool. I think the guest-posting route is probably the best for the long-term. I’m proceeding with linking very slowly going forward and am instead focusing on generating absolutely top-notch content which includes loads of videos, some of which I upload to YouTube.
    Jon D. recently posted..Associate Child Theme Review Reveals Why It’s One of StudioPress’ Best Business Themes

    Reply

    • mitz

      July 17, 2012 at 11:14 am

      Yes that all sounds like a great way to go…As long as your not planning thousands of links in the next week, Google will think you are very normal and leave you alone.

      Reply

  21. Anna Amiche

    June 12, 2012 at 9:11 pm

    Useful info, thanks. My first wordpress blogs – it was total chaos, many not necesarry plugins, etc. Now, after reading artlicles like this – Im smarter :)

    Reply

  22. Ash

    June 12, 2012 at 4:11 pm

    Hey, thanks for the info, was very usefull as i have just started blogging in wordpress and can do with all the tips i can get. I think fourth tip on Great Content should be emphasized more, as in my opinion this is the bread and butter of a usefull world wide web. Keep up the good work!!!
    Ash recently posted..Why Making Your Own Website Is A Bad Idea.

    Reply

  23. Mich Rose

    June 11, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    I really love this post. This would be more effective in the google changes which is the PENGUIN. All spammers had been brought their sites down and some of them had been penalized. We need an advice for the master of SEO and I think this would be a great help. The algorithm of the google is crazy! so hard to build a new strategy. So i guess we must improve our skill for this stuff. :)
    Mich Rose recently posted..20k FHOG – No Bank Loan Needed

    Reply

  24. Felipe Veiga

    June 10, 2012 at 8:01 pm

    When you say about keyword targeting, I couldn’t disagree more. I believe we should write about what we know. If you want to be an expert on that field, then you should start learning, reading and studying the subject, to then start writing about it. Because otherwise, we would read a lot of crappy material on the web – which we do. That is why book publishers have editors. They want to review and avoid crappy material. And that is the thing about the web, it is not curated. And therefore, the same reason why newspapers wont die so soon.
    Felipe Veiga recently posted..3 Melhores sites para assistir aulas online grátis – Aprender online

    Reply

    • mitz

      June 10, 2012 at 10:29 pm

      Yes I agree we must write what we know but sometimes we get the words around the wrong way.. Why not have the right phrase that people are actually looking for? Seriously if you do not take keyword research seriously you are cutting your blogs throat. Why write an article without keyword research and hopefully get traffic. I would rather make sure I am putting the effort in for a good reason in the first place.

      There is a very real art to SEO and writing for humans and it is not easy. Being a professional blogger is not easy either and keywords lighten the load. :)

      Reply

  25. Ann Chu

    June 9, 2012 at 10:23 am

    Thanks for sharing this SEO pointers. Knowing that now a days SEO task encountering such problem. Just because they often mistaken us as a spammer. Your site is such a great help for us to make our tasl well. Thank you very much for sharing this article once again…
    Ann Chu recently posted..Fitness Blog

    Reply

  26. Salifuj

    June 9, 2012 at 4:54 am

    SEO is the two sided knife for a new blogger. When well understood, it serves your business well and definitely will lead you to a happy blogging life. Done wrongly and you will wish you never started a blog in the first place. I hope this article will help people narrow down to what really will work well for them, cheers to our online success guys
    Salifuj recently posted..By: Tips To Help Maximize Productivity in the Ofiice | Expert Author Database

    Reply

    • mitz

      July 17, 2012 at 11:01 am

      Yes I agree that SEO can be bad if you get it wrong but you will never have a problem with anything if you do a bit of everything…Nothing black hat and done manually and you cannot go wrong… SEO is simple if you do not try to cut corners.

      Reply

  27. Total Bounty

    June 8, 2012 at 2:48 pm

    When it comes to building your site’s SEO you gonna really need to find your niche and build your content from there. People love websites that are full of interesting and useful information in niche. – Jules
    Total Bounty recently posted..WordPress Beauty Themes for Sale

    Reply

  28. Leo

    June 8, 2012 at 12:06 pm

    Brilliant list! Comprehensive, thorough and all-inclusive. Hats off for this great piece of work! Would just like to add this to it: it would also be a good practice if new WordPress webmasters are able to get Google Analytics up and running ASAP, and familiarize themselves with all the stats and reports and with the suite in general.
    Leo recently posted..Ways of Making Money from Blogging

    Reply

    • mitz

      June 9, 2012 at 12:59 am

      Great tip!!1 So good I should probably add this one into the article!

      Reply

  29. Gary

    June 8, 2012 at 12:06 pm

    I know that internal linking is important for SEO (and for a good user experience) but I find it really distracting when I am actually writing content. I see some writers who link extensively but I find if I do this it ruins the flow of my writing. I tend to write the entire piece and then go back and add links where I think they are relevant/useful. Is that what everyone does?
    Gary recently posted..Breakthrough Breast Cancer Christmas Cards (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      June 9, 2012 at 1:00 am

      Yes it is best to write first and then add the finishing touches and edits.

      Reply

  30. Jasmine

    June 8, 2012 at 7:13 am

    Great checklist. Anyway, how do you check for broken links easily? Any tools we can use to “automate” this? Ya, I am lazy, haha!
    Jasmine recently posted..Recommended Plugins for WordPress (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      July 17, 2012 at 11:02 am

      I install a plugin called broken link checker..There are external softwares to use also…

      Reply

  31. Donald

    June 7, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    I often forget about internal linking but you’re right about how important it is. I mean you just need to have a quick look at Wikipedia and see how they let the link juice flow and how well they rank with well done internal linking!
    Donald recently posted..Win a Mini Fridge Filled With Beer

    Reply

  32. Sara

    June 7, 2012 at 4:44 pm

    Hello Mitz
    Great guidelines! I wish I had read your article earlier :) All the point you made are very important, but I think that the most crucial is planning a good SEO strategy! Definitely content is the king but you must figure out the right way to make your blog known!
    Thank you :)
    Sara recently posted..The Benefits of Olive Oil

    Reply

  33. Jason

    June 7, 2012 at 9:24 am

    Great guide! I love using WP as a CMS, the preset themes and plugins make the actual creation of the website so much easier. Since the recent Google Penguin my update my SEO strategy has changed somewhat. It always used to be a case of doing loads of keyword research then writing optimized articles for each keyword. Nowadays its more a case of writing un-optimized high quality content such as lists and guides- much like this one.
    Jason recently posted..Refund of Broker Fees | Unsecured Loan Finder

    Reply

    • Mitz

      June 7, 2012 at 9:57 pm

      My content is still optimized to the hilt but not for just one keyword. Also I do not want humans to know I am doing this. That is my aim even after Penguin.

      Reply

  34. Tan

    June 7, 2012 at 4:13 am

    Wow, this checklist is important so we are not miss out anything. Thanks for sharing. I should always follow this checklist for all of my sites.
    Tan recently posted..Examples Of Soft Skills Customer Service

    Reply

  35. John Ernest

    June 7, 2012 at 3:29 am

    One thing that you probably won’t need for the new Google Penguin update is the on-page SEO. They have announced that meta tags and other such things on your webpages will not be counted as a factor to rank your websites. But, it does not mean that you have to remove all of them. Other search engines will still want you to use these meta tags as they still use it for ranking your sites. Thanks for posting this great checklist!

    Reply

    • mitz

      July 17, 2012 at 11:04 am

      You still need a good title and meta description which shows up in the search engine results…SEO is not just for the search engines, as people see this too and get attracted to click on the article.
      mitz recently posted..Making Money While You Sleep – Is This True? (dofollow)

      Reply

  36. Bishwajeet

    March 23, 2012 at 8:26 am

    Google Adwords keyword tool is a must for every blogger and they should start looking for the keywords on which they should make their blog.
    Bishwajeet recently posted..Comptalks Giveaway: All new Nokia Lumia 800

    Reply

  37. Louisa

    March 13, 2012 at 11:33 pm

    Dear Mitz

    This is a very thorough post, nothing I didn’t really already know by now, but really good to see it presented in such a clear and logical way. I hadn’t heard of keyword winner though which looks like a great plugin and one I may buy when I make some more money!

    Reply

  38. joe rogier

    March 12, 2012 at 12:32 am

    I like that you listed everything people need to do and it is in th correct order. I see alot of people that never do keyword or niche research then try to get site or pags ranked well. you can get any website ranked number 1 if you have keywords that no one searches for on the internet. On site seo is anoher in some peple do not do as much as they should. i also think a link in post is worth more so geust posts are better then comments
    joe rogier recently posted..Cheap High Speed Internet Providers Service Deals.

    Reply

  39. Ming

    March 1, 2012 at 1:38 am

    Hi Mitz,

    I reckon one of the most overlooked tip is the internal linking. Internal links are essential to SEO and will also provide users option to read further on your post, which kills 2 birds with 1 stone.

    Cheers
    Ming

    Reply

  40. Matt

    February 8, 2012 at 4:44 am

    The SEO checklist is awesome. I enjoyed the video also. This is must have info for anyone trying to improve their rankings.
    Matt recently posted..Vacuum carpets regularly for long life.

    Reply

  41. Rick Castro

    February 1, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    Great list! Thanks Mitz for sharing.. I also do answering questions on yahoo answers! It’s effective to drive traffic too.

    Reply

  42. Chris Lucernoni

    January 25, 2012 at 10:56 am

    I am a firm believer in great content trumps all else. If you don’t have quality and valuable content, I wouldn’t worry about other SEO strategies. I do think these are very good techniques though once you have your content under control. I especially love the internal links strategy…it is very easy to overlook.

    Reply

  43. Mark Jenkins

    January 24, 2012 at 5:05 am

    Great article and a good checklist, using SEOMoz at the moment and it’s great!…Many thanks

    Reply

  44. Chris

    January 23, 2012 at 6:09 am

    I would say the keyword research is the single most important step. You’v got to choose the right keywords! If you get this stage wrong, your setting yourself up for failure. Regarding backlinks I never use any tools. I either do the Backlinking myself or outsource it to one of my team members.

    Anyway, great detailed post

    Reply

  45. Žogi

    January 22, 2012 at 4:05 am

    It sounds really easy if you read articles liekthis, but when you start doing it.. oh my god… :) Great post, thanks!

    Reply

  46. Luisa

    December 15, 2011 at 12:32 pm

    Concerning the link building point, I fully agree with it. There are software which automate link building, such as notorious XRumer, but it is certain that before long you will be banned from sites and search engines. Better to do it manually and with quality.
    Luisa recently posted..Straordinari risultati con le cellule staminali

    Reply

  47. Robert

    December 13, 2011 at 8:22 am

    Very informative video, thanks.
    A check list is a great idea! It’s amazing how fast time goes by and
    you really haven’t accomplished much because of not being organized.
    Thanks
    Robert recently posted..Atlantis Submarines – Family Adventure

    Reply

  48. Jack

    November 26, 2011 at 10:34 pm

    Hm, I never create lists of related keywords, but it sounds like an excellent idea. But I do always check the LSI kw’s that my Easy WP SEO plugin recommends.

    Thanks for the tips. Your checklist is very helpful!
    Jack recently posted..Anti-Snoring Devices (dofollow)

    Reply

  49. Latief

    November 20, 2011 at 4:50 am

    Choosing niche and keywords always important before we go to the next step and they are will be the key of success :)
    Latief recently posted..How to Assemble a Free Toolkit for Publishing on the Web (dofollow)

    Reply

  50. Isha Singh

    November 10, 2011 at 10:40 pm

    SEO for new blog is tough task at starting but, if you know every aspect of it will seems to be damn easy task. But, remember to always check the things are going right!
    Isha Singh recently posted..Simple Business Plan Format as a Recipe for Success (dofollow)

    Reply

  51. Matt Kinsella

    November 9, 2011 at 1:54 am

    A lot to consider, I will have to refer back again, I have saved this page in my favorites.
    Matt Kinsella recently posted..101 Ways To Be Lucky and Make Things Happen (dofollow)

    Reply

  52. Ivan Dickerson

    November 3, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    I love these tips. I have a wordpress website that’s been up for about a year and a half and I had to learn it all from scratch. I would have loved to have known this stuff back then, but sometimes experience really can be the best teacher, especially when you don’t give up!

    I’ve just discovered a really cool tool for any wordpress website owner that let’s you see just what your visitors are doing and where they are going, so you can make adjustments to content and positioning of the items that get the most action: Wp Clicks

    It’s quite an amazing tool even if your a complete novice. I hope it helps some of you. I’m using it to get more from my visitors.
    Ivan Dickerson recently posted..Tips to Make the Best Digital Wedding Photographs even Better (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      November 3, 2011 at 5:26 pm

      I happen to have that plugin too…and I agree that it is amazing to be able to spy on your visitors and see what actions they are taking. :)

      Reply

  53. Thomas

    November 3, 2011 at 4:01 am

    Great article, thanks a lot! And shy to say but Rand Fishkin is my personal hero :) )
    Thomas recently posted..Droši žogi (dofollow)

    Reply

  54. Lennart Heleander

    November 2, 2011 at 3:21 am

    Hi Mitz,
    Most do so very wrong in the beginning because they have to hurry and do not check and do the right, a very good check list.

    Reply

  55. Kudos

    October 28, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    This is a really handy checklist to have when optimising a blog, especially for someone who is new to the whole SEO and blogging industry. Great post =].

    Reply

  56. Dean Woodridge

    October 25, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    This is a very big help for me. im just a newbie in this industry and every bit of help from you guys is well appreciated.thanks!
    Dean Woodridge recently posted..New BeAnywhere.com website (dofollow)

    Reply

  57. Rio

    October 24, 2011 at 5:54 pm

    Your list is amazing, mitz! You’ve created some kind of a system on how to optimize your site so the people can follow it and avoid the most common mistakes. Great job!

    Reply

  58. Joseph Sebastian

    October 22, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    How important is to have solid contents n terms of successful SEO process!
    Joseph Sebastian recently posted..Announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 22, 2011 at 6:36 pm

      You need to have the best content you can…It needs to be better than your competitors for starters..to outrank them.

      Reply

  59. Kabeer

    October 20, 2011 at 9:57 pm

    Good seo checklist for blog promotions and seo. Really helpful to the start-up bloggers as well as pro bloggers. good effort by the author to give detailed information about the blog promotion and seo.
    Kabeer recently posted..Apple iPhone 4S Personal Assistant Siri Says Weird Things (dofollow)

    Reply

  60. Danny

    October 20, 2011 at 4:47 pm

    Great checklist Mitz!
    I think it can be a bit overwhelming and especially people new to the game use their enthousiasm in one way, focus on that. Then figure something new out, focus on that, then figure something else out, etc. etc. And in the end they just end up doing the things that they like the most, forgetting the other points. But it’s not all about fun, it’s still work, so a checklist like this will keep you focussed on doing what works and not on what you like and skipping the things that can be annoying or dreadful.
    Danny recently posted..Remington RM1015P 10-Inch 8 Amp Electric Pole chain Saw (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 20, 2011 at 9:03 pm

      I try not to skip the things I do not like…but it always ends up like that! I just put off stuff but keep doing the things I like over and over..Lucky I like most of internet marketing..:)
      I do not think it matters how experienced you are…you always need a reminder like a list…I know I do!:)

      Reply

  61. Chris

    October 20, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    You are right an easy site navigation is crucial especially in regard to optimizing sharing since google is trending more toward the social interaction on a site outweighing other factors when ranking. I’m still struggling to find the best site layout to optimize sharing and increase user involvement. You can have the best written content but if no one sees it it takes a bit of the joy of writing away. :) You mentioned internal linking – I need to better implement that as well, I’m sure that would help people get deeper into a site rather than reading one page and leaving.
    Chris recently posted..Sarah’s Silks Natural Homemade Halloween Costumes (dofollow)

    Reply

    • Alisha Neuron

      June 15, 2012 at 9:53 am

      I also agree with you Mr. Chris after Google penguin we have to make very changes if we want effective results upon the search engine result page. I prefer the white hat SEO technique, however no one this world use this technique. Almost optimizers use a mix of white hat and grey hat SEO techniques.
      Alisha Neuron recently posted..Visitors Insurance – Limited Vs Comprehensive Coverage

      Reply

  62. SteveBalliett

    October 18, 2011 at 6:49 am

    Your checklist is very comprehesive. It really makes me stop and think, “Did I forget to do this or that?

    I like going over the fundamentals again every so often. It reinforces what I have to remember when building a website.

    Especially keywords and making the website as fun and easy to use and quick loading.
    SteveBalliett recently posted..The Google Sniper Guide (dofollow)

    Reply

  63. Brian

    October 17, 2011 at 1:56 pm

    I’ll definitely be reading your blog post on internal linking. Just discovered Ana’s blog yesterday and am committed to reading a lot of posts over there. Her list of commentluv blogs is how I landed here. I also need to work better on backlinks and guest posts. On my social media /blogging blog http://blog.beethomas.com I do internal linking a lot more than I can on my pizza website. I’ll try to comment over on Ana’s blog when I read your post. Thanks.
    Brian recently posted..Coming Soon to PizzaSpotz.com (dofollow)

    Reply

  64. Hamish

    October 16, 2011 at 9:22 am

    Great list – very well laid out.

    You mentioned SEOPressor – and there are other plugins that do a similar job – but really, I think following the very logical steps that you outline above (if you can discipline yourself to do so) will do the trick. Failing that, get yourself a plugin!
    Hamish recently posted..Kindle Fire vs Nook Color (vs iPad) (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 16, 2011 at 9:28 am

      Yes you are right Hamish, a plugin is not needed if you can stick to your routine SEO. :)

      Reply

  65. Robert

    October 16, 2011 at 8:48 am

    Wow i didn’t think there was soo many things to do with SEO on my wordpress blog, but as I read through your post I realised that I actually do most of them. But I think one of the biggest assets for wordpress SEO is to have a good seo plugin to help you out
    Robert recently posted..Surviving The Blog Contest – Blogger Profiles (dofollow)

    Reply

  66. Benjamin Hübner

    October 15, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    Nice SEO Action plan! In fact will this work for nearly any website, not only blogs!
    Thanks!
    Benjamin Hübner recently posted..Easy Wp SEO Plugin Review (dofollow)

    Reply

  67. Thomas

    October 15, 2011 at 7:33 pm

    Great checkilst, even some new point for me :)

    Reply

  68. RonLeyba

    October 15, 2011 at 1:05 am

    Mitz, thanks for this checklist. I love how you summed it all up. Thanks a lot!
    RonLeyba recently posted..Halloween Infographics That You Must See Before Attending The Spooky Party (dofollow)

    Reply

  69. Nimmi

    October 14, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    your SEO Maintenance Checklist was good. Analysing the competitors SEO is the good key to the success .
    Nimmi recently posted..Blackhead Removal – How to Remove Blackheads (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 15, 2011 at 9:51 am

      Hi Nimmi
      Yes analyzing competitors is important. you might come up with all the right results but if you do not check out your competitors this is where you could hit a roadblock. I find that checking out your competitors is one of the most important things to do. :)
      mitz recently posted..Making Money From a Wordress Website Even After it is SOLD (dofollow)

      Reply

  70. Clemens

    October 14, 2011 at 9:35 pm

    I find the Navigation-Part very interesting. Sounds convincing that an structured and easy accessable navigation has a big influence to your SEO. But are the google-bots so clever, that they can decide whether a navigation is well-placed on your website?

    Reply

  71. Azhar

    October 14, 2011 at 7:57 am

    I have understood some points that first of all choose a niche that should be rewarding.
    Choose a keywords that have appreciable searches
    Write a content for that and rewrite a killer contents for that.
    Never try to forget on site optimization of website as off site optimization always give you results because of on site optimization.

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 15, 2011 at 9:37 am

      That’s pretty much it Azhar! It is all a package deal! :)

      Reply

  72. Astro

    October 14, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    Hey Mitz, went looking for another article of yours, found this one, and it’s great! I really wish I had set up some reasonable categories from the beginning. Then again, if I knew that it wouldn’t have been my first blog. Lots of good stuff here. Wanted to leave a quick comment and am going back to absorb more!
    Astro recently posted..You Don’t Know Your Best Ideas (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 15, 2011 at 9:36 am

      Great Astro..
      Thanks for dropping by and commenting…glad you are finding some interesting stuff! :)

      Reply

  73. Zhyra Bonete

    October 14, 2011 at 12:42 pm

    Your SEO cheklist is complete and it’s simplified for easy understanding. Thanks for the guidelines. This is a big help for new marketers.
    Zhyra Bonete recently posted..הדרכת הורים (dofollow)

    Reply

  74. Melly Lifshitz

    October 13, 2011 at 6:07 am

    A bit hard to digest for newbie bloggers. Re-reading and bookmarking this post is a must.

    Reply

  75. karen

    October 13, 2011 at 3:00 pm

    Thanks for sharing this great article. Make sure you have a clear plan for how you are going to create the necessary quality content.I was also interested in your thoughts on page loading speed and the effect on SEO.

    Reply

  76. Agent Mango

    October 13, 2011 at 11:54 am

    Thanks for this SEO checklist mitz. Get a free SEO friendly WP theme first before the contents :)
    Thesis theme for WP is the most SEO friendly theme I guess.

    Reply

  77. Luke A

    October 12, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    Thanks for this article, its nice to have a sort of check list when i build wordpress or infact other sites..I was also interested in your thoughts on page loading speed and the effect on SEO.. given that most people now have high speed internet where i am based are you allowed more than the 2 seconds thats recommended?

    Thanks,

    Luke

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 12, 2011 at 9:02 pm

      Yes I agree that page speed matters as it has a lot to do with user experience. Also if Google comes crawling and your page timesout they list it as not found until next time they crawl. I am working on page speed now..

      Reply

  78. Jean

    October 13, 2011 at 4:31 am

    Good point about focusing equally on content as on SEO. A lot of people get so caught up in maximizing their sites SEO that they forget that once people arrive at the site, they have to want to come back or all that SEO effort is for nought. Prepare some solid content first as well as work on optimizing the site’s navigation and design before starting out on my SEO efforts and then build on it as I get more visitors.

    -Jean
    Jean recently posted..The risks of driving on worn tires (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 13, 2011 at 9:12 am

      True Jean
      Get solid content first..SEO it second..And make sure you grab your visitors attention somehow! :)

      Reply

  79. Amanda Rose

    October 13, 2011 at 1:45 am

    It’s a good list, but I would take the content creation a bit further to add: Make sure you have a clear plan for how you are going to create the necessary quality content. Don’t take for granted that you can just sit down and let it flow.
    Amanda Rose recently posted..Apple Peeler, Corer, Slicer Review (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 13, 2011 at 9:13 am

      Good tips.

      Reply

  80. Marty

    October 12, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    Great checklist for building a SEO wordpress blog, however people should now that after that it all depends on them to create great articles that people love and come back for. Just following a SEO checklist won;t get you very far.
    Marty recently posted..Facebook App for the iPad Now Available for Download (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 13, 2011 at 9:21 am

      That’s what it says in the post Marty. You need a balance of everything to be successful…:)

      Reply

  81. jan

    October 12, 2011 at 7:42 pm

    Hi Mitz
    This is a great check list and it makes me kind of glad to realise that I am past the beginners stage (but only just!!). I haven’t used the CPC as a consideration for words to date as I was never sure what value to choose so will add that into the mix. Also I think the time has come for me to buy SEOPresser – so that will be pay day next week! I am gradually buying tools as I can afford them so will come back to your link.
    Could you tell me what you think about sites like SocialMonkee and Only Wire? If you use the free part only, with SocialMonkee, they submit your link to 25 sites over 2 days and Only Wire I think they submit however many sites you chose all at the same time. I have wondered if this is not building links too quickly and will get you put in the Google sandbox? I have assumed that it is OK because if not and you have a negative experience you will never go on to become a paid member. Would appreciate your thoughts as I know that Ben uses Only Wire.
    jan recently posted..Three things I learned at Weight Watchers (dofollow)

    Reply

    • mitz

      October 12, 2011 at 8:58 pm

      Hi Jan
      I do not use any sites like onlywire but I have in the past…I had a site de-indexed from it..I was a paid member but I do not rely on that kind of traffic any longer. I guest post and go right to the real people… The traffic seems like better quality for me..

      I also use Youtube and sometime Yahoo answers…Believe it or not that’s about it lately…My sites are increasing with traffic everyday so what I am doing is working.

      I would do more article marketing for SEO but haven’t time at the moment..
      mitz recently posted..10 Must See Tips for New WordPress Webmasters (dofollow)

      Reply

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