Hey what’s up!
Today I’ve wanted to talk about the Content Optimization Checklist.
We’re going to be looking into the best tips for optimizing your content and page experience.
Table of Contents
- Finding Opportunities
- Search Intent
- Adding Content
- Adding NLP Terms
- Optimizing Headings
- Optimizing Content
- Building Links
- Competitor Research
- Featured Snippet
If you’ve ever struggled with SEO & writing a good performing article, be assured you’re in the right place.
So let’s get into the list!
Content Optimization Checklist
1. Finding Opportunities
- Look at pages ranking between positions 5-20
- Look at pages declining in ranking
You can use the Search Console Tool
2. Search Intent
- Are you matching the right search intent? (Informational, Transactional, Navigational, Commercial)
3. Adding Content
- What other content can you include on your page
1: Autosuggest within https://www.google.com/
2: People also ask section within https://www.google.com/
3: Related searches section within https://www.google.com/
More tips for adding content:
- Find unique angles to include in your content (Interviews, info of users / customers etc.)
- Include a FAQ at the end of your content, that is relevant to the page
4. Adding NLP Terms
- Look at NLP terms you haven’t used
5. Optimizing Headings
- Optimize headings, by looking at search data (Update with target keywords)
- Keep the title max 60+- characters
6. Optimizing Content
- Try to hook your readers in the first few sentences
- Make sure the content has a good UX (Readability, does it flow, is it skimmable)
- Do you have enough images or interactive elements?
- Use numbered or bullet lists within your content
- Use a Table of Contents or tables in general
- Use short sentences & paragraphs. Also try to keep everything concise and with a clear purpose
- Include CTAs that are relevant to the reader
- Can you make the meta title and description better and more compelling to click on?
You can use the Mangools SERP Preview Tool for this.
- Try to clearly explain what your images represent in the alt-text
- Check if your conclusion or wrap up, includes your topic
- Add bold text to emphasize important keywords, but don’t over-optimize
- Include a featured image of a minimum 1200px wide (this way you get a better chance to be featured on Google Discover)
- Try not to over-optimize your content for keywords you like to rank for. Try to use the focus keyword once or twice in your headings
- Include relevant structured data for your page
Use the TechnicalSEO tool.
- When you’re writing a blog, include an author (and optionally a dedicated author page)
- Aim to provide value instead of text. Re-evaluate if you’ve written text for the sake of writing text or that it’s potentially valuable for the reader
- Do you have duplicate content, aim to make one page for each specific subtopic. Else if appropriate, aggregate them together to make one extra powerful page
7. Building Links
- Internally link relevant pages to your current page
- Build relevant backlinks to pages you want to rank for
8. Competitor Research
- Look at a specific page: What topics have your competitors covered, that you haven’t
- Does your word count fall within 300 to 600 words of your competitors total?
- Use a tool to compare your content with your competitors content
9. Featured Snippet
- Can you get the featured snippet? (Some search queries have it, some don’t)
Conclusion
That was the Content Optimization Checklist, now the deal for you is to apply your new found knowledge.
Updating & improving content takes time and dedicated focus. Keep this in mind when getting started. Always try to aim at making it a little bit better, and you’ll get there in the end.
What you make, will often need to be optimized. Knowing that not everything starts out perfect, helps you to get you in the right state of mind.
Daily consistent effort to your content will make sure your pages don’t dissapear in the SERPS.
Content Optimization Checklist Notion Template
Now, if you’d like a free Content Optimization Checklist within Notion (to easily check items off).
Get it here!
Or if you want to check out some more templates, check out all templates here.
That’s all for now!
Have a good one!