SEO Checklist: 7 Primary Questions for an SEO Specialist Before Taking on a Project

I often find myself at crossroads when it comes to taking on new projects. Will it be worth my time and effort? Can I realistically propel this project to the top of search engine rankings? These are the questions that linger in my mind every time I contemplate diving into a new SEO endeavor. Let me share my playbook with you.

1. Is the Website Multi-page?

For single-page websites, the scope for advancement is limited to 1-5 queries, given the presence of just one landing page. This aspect is crucial to consider when engaging with a client.

Multi-page websites offer greater optimization prospects for tailoring each page to specific keywords and phrases. This versatility attracts traffic from diverse queries, thereby enhancing the site's visibility on search engines.

The more pages a site hosts, the likelier it is for visitors to discover it through search engines. Each page can be optimized for unique queries, heightening the likelihood of users stumbling upon the site while seeking information.

Example: An online store for children's clothing features distinct pages for product categories such as "kids' dresses," "boys' jackets," "girls' footwear," and so forth. Each page is optimized for its unique keywords, like "buy kids' dresses online."

2. Is the Site Suitable for Technical Optimization?

From a technical standpoint, assessing the feasibility of optimizing a given resource is imperative. It entails following a structured approach of accessing the site's backend and evaluating editing capabilities.

Consider a children's clothing store as an example:

A. Meta Tag Editing Capabilities:

Example: The backend should facilitate the editing of meta tags (titles, descriptions, keywords) for each product page, category, and other sections. For instance, the administrator of a children's clothing store should easily modify meta tags for a specific dress model's page or the "children's jackets" category.

B. URL Structure Management:

Example: It's pivotal to ascertain if administrators can alter the URL structure of site pages. For instance, if a children's clothing store intends to optimize the URL for a new collection of kids' dresses, the administrator should be able to configure the URL to include relevant keywords, such as https://www.carnivalbambini.com/childrens-dresses/new-collection.

C. Page Content Management:

Example: Administrators should seamlessly edit page content, encompassing text, images, videos, and other multimedia elements. For instance, for a page featuring promotional offers on children's jackets, the administrator should update discount information, add new images, and so forth.

D. Product Card Configuration for Search Engines:

Example: It's crucial to verify if administrators can manage product card content, including product name, description, price, SKU, and other specifications. For a new collection of kids' t-shirts, the administrator should be able to add a product card with relevant details.

Scrutinizing these aspects within the site's backend ensures that the children's clothing store possesses the requisite technical capabilities for successful search engine optimization.

Is the Website Suitable for Promotion in Terms of Behavioral Factors?

From the perspective of behavioral factors, the website should possess:

A. Engaging and Appealing Design.

B. User-Friendly Navigation and Experience.

C. High Conversion Rate. Meaning, the site features clear and enticing calls to action (CTAs) such as "Buy Now" or "Add to Cart," motivating visitors to make purchases. Additionally, the site provides detailed product information, including descriptions, sizes, photos, and customer reviews, convincing visitors to make a purchase.

D. Minimal Bounce Rate. This implies the site has optimized product pages with fast loading times, convenient checkout forms, and secure payment methods. This helps minimize bounce rates and increases the likelihood of completing a purchase.

3. Are There Fatal Errors on the Site?

To analyze technical issues that could negatively impact the site's search engine visibility, tools like Google Search Console should be utilized.

Google Search Console provides information about the indexing status of your site, server errors detected by Googlebot, inaccessible pages, and other technical issues affecting its visibility in search results.

4. Are There Aggregators for Similar Products?

Aggregators are websites or services that gather information or provide search results from various sources or websites. For example, hotel aggregators gather information on available rooms and prices from various online booking platforms.

If analysis reveals a significant presence of aggregators in search results for certain queries, such as "hotels in New York," it may indicate high competition and difficulty in promoting the site in that niche. In such cases, even if the site is optimized and promoted, its ability to rank highly in search results may be limited due to aggregator dominance.

Therefore, if you find that aggregators dominate search results for your key queries, it may raise doubts about the effectiveness of promoting your site. In such situations, it may be wise to reconsider taking on the project or revising the strategy to find alternative methods of attracting the target audience or niches with less intense competition.

5. When Does the Client Expect to See Results from Our Collaboration?

The answer to this question in SEO can be crucial for planning strategy and assessing realistic expectations. Does the client expect to see returns from SEO in the short or long term? Here's how this can be explained:

Short-term expectations: If the client seeks quick results, this may indicate expectations of increased traffic, conversions, or sales within a few weeks or months. In such cases, the SEO strategy may involve optimizing site pages, improving meta tags, creating content for rapid traffic acquisition, and using paid advertising campaigns.

Long-term expectations: If the client anticipates stable and long-term growth from SEO, this may require a more thorough and long-term approach to site optimization. In such cases, the strategy may involve creating high-quality content, building authoritative backlinks, technical site optimization, and regular content updates.

Clarifying expectations: It's important to clarify with the client specific success metrics they expect from SEO. This could be an increase in organic traffic by a certain percentage, higher conversions, improved search engine rankings, increased sales, etc. Defining specific goals will help align efforts towards meeting the client's expectations.

Ultimately, understanding the client's timelines and expectations is important for developing a realistic and effective SEO strategy that meets their needs and achieves desired results.

6. Can We Provide Quality Service to the Client?

We must ensure we have the necessary resources and tools to perform the work: our expertise, access to key SEO tools for analysis, monitoring, and reporting, as well as access to SEO specialists and experts if needed.

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So, to take on a project, I answer these 7 questions to myself. There have never been guarantees in SEO, but if we know for sure that a project is hopeless, then it's not worth working on it, as we can tarnish our reputation and disappoint the client.