SEO Checklist - Improving Website Traffic
Need help with search engine optimization and boosting traffic to your website? Review our SEO Checklist and apply these 10 helpful tips to ensure you are doing everything you can to help drive local, relevant traffic to your website.
1. Write Search-Friendly Content
Writing local, search-friendly content is arguably the most important thing you can do for SEO and it’s a lot easier than you might think. Website content should be locally-focused, appeal to site visitors and it should be relative to the business. The content on a site should accurately reflect the company and the main products and services it offers. Create content that talks directly to potential customers with the information they are looking for. Be sure to use keywords and terms throughout the content that potential customers would use.
The three critical elements to writing local, search-optimized content is including the Business Name + Main Services (Keywords) + Location throughout the site. Here is an example how to optimize generic content and incorporate these three key elements to create local, search friendly content for any site.
Before:
Our company provides the best services in the community.
After:
ABC Roofing provides the best roofing service in East Meadow, NY.
Key Takeaway:
Replacing generic terms like “our company” “best service” and “community” with the actual business name, main service, and the geographic area they serve, will help this site rank for the terms and locations specific to their business. Be sure to apply this practice throughout the entire site.
2. Include Business Info & Description in the Footer
Make sure your website footer includes your full business name, address, phone number, and email (NAP details). This not only helps visitors contact you easily, but also plays a key role in local SEO. Search engines rely on this information to verify your business and improve your rankings in local search results—especially when it's consistent with other listings across the web.
In addition to your contact info, add a short 3–5 sentence business description that includes your core services, the areas you serve, and relevant keywords like your business name and location. This reinforces your local relevance and improves your chances of showing up in nearby searches.
Click Here to Learn How to Edit the Website Footer
3 Connect Your Social Media Profiles
Link your website to your business’s social media pages like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others. Add social icons in your website body or footer that lead to your official profiles. Just as important—make sure each social media page includes a link back to your website in the bio or contact section. This creates a strong connection between your website and social presence, helping build trust and improve SEO.
4. Set SEO Titles, Descriptions & Keywords
Make sure to fill out the SEO settings for both the entire site and each individual page. This includes the Meta Title, Meta Description, and Meta Keywords. These tags help search engines understand what your site is about and influence how your pages appear in search results. Use relevant keywords and write clear, compelling descriptions to improve visibility and click-through rates.
Here’s how:
Adding Site-Wide SEO Terms
Individual Page-Specific SEO Terms
5. Submit Your Website to Search Engines
It's important to submit your website to the major search engines including Google, Yahoo and Bing. Submitting your site URL can help index your site faster. It can also improve search engine rankings, increase online visibility and help drive traffic to your site. You can order this service for your client and charged them what ever you like. We suggest around $25.00 you can order this service by submitting a support ticket. support@affordable-sites.org
Please Note: There is a one-time fee associated with this service that you charge your clients.
6. Use Descriptive ALT Tags for Images
Add keyword-rich ALT tags to every image on your site. Since search engines can’t "see" images, ALT tags provide a text description that helps them understand and index your visuals properly—improving your site’s SEO. ALT tags also support screen readers, making your website more accessible for visually impaired users.
A. Add Image Captions & ALT Tags
A good portion of your website content will likely consist of images. So it’s important that images are optimized for search engines just like regular text content. Adding search-friendly image captions and ALT Tags will help you optimize all of your site’s images for better search results.
Image Captions are the visible text that visitors will see on some images when they are enlarged. Image ALT Tags are used “behind the scenes” and are added to the HTML of a site. Since search engines like Google can’t visually "see" an image, ALT Tags provide a text alternative to help search engines properly identify and index photos on your site for better search results.
How to Add Image Captions & ALT Tags
7. Claim Your Free Google My Business Account
Google is the leading search engine and can account for over 50% of search traffic to a website alone. Businesses with Google My Business listings tend to rank higher in search results than other sites. That’s why it’s important to claim your free GMB account and add your website URL to your profile. Be sure to check that all information including the Business Name, Address and Phone Number are correct and match up to your website.
Create or Claim Your Google My Business Account here:
https://www.google.com/business/
8. Submit Your Website to Search Engines
Submitting your website to major search engines like Google and Bing helps boost visibility and ensures your site gets indexed faster. With AWF, you can submit any website with just one click—making it easy to start driving traffic right away.
Search Engine Submission Tool
*There is a fee associated with this service.
7. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Create or claim your free Google Business Profile and be sure to add your website URL to the listing. This is a crucial step for boosting your local SEO, improving your visibility in Google Search and Maps, and driving more traffic to your website. Since Google powers over 50% of all search traffic, having an optimized profile can make a big difference in how easily customers find your business online.
Create or Claim Your Google Business Profile
8. Get Listed in Online Business Directories
Make sure your business is listed on popular online directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and others where consumers search for local services. Include your website URL and ensure that your business name, address, phone number, and hours are accurate and consistent with your website. Inconsistent or outdated information can hurt your credibility and negatively affect your search engine rankings.
9. Be Active on Social Media
Maintaining an active presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn can help boost your brand’s visibility and drive more traffic to your website. Share valuable content regularly, promote your services, and include links back to your site in your posts and profile. Encourage your followers to visit your website for updates, special offers, or to learn more about your business.
10. Encourage Positive Reviews to Boost SEO
Positive online reviews—especially on your Google Business Profile—play a major role in local search rankings. Businesses with more reviews, higher ratings, and recent feedback are more likely to show up in Google’s local pack and map results. Reviews also build trust with potential customers and can influence whether someone clicks on your site.
Encourage happy customers to leave reviews by sending follow-up emails, sharing direct review links, or simply asking after a successful service. Be sure to respond to all reviews to show you value customer feedback.
Pro Tip: Use AWF’s Reputation Management Tool to monitor reviews, request new ones, and respond quickly. It’s a valuable add-on service you can offer clients to improve their SEO.
11. Promote Your Website Both Online and Offline
Driving traffic starts with active promotion. Online methods like social media, banner ads, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising are powerful ways to attract visitors—but don’t overlook offline opportunities. Always include your website URL on business cards, brochures, flyers, menus, print ads, and signage. Encourage customers to “visit us online” for more details, special offers, or updates. The more visibility your website has, the more likely people are to search for and return to it.
12. Be Patient and Set Realistic Expectations
SEO is a long-term strategy, not an overnight fix. Many new businesses expect instant results, but in reality, search engines like Google tend to favor established websites that have built credibility over time. It can take weeks—or even months—for a new website to be fully indexed and begin ranking in search results.
Factors like domain age, online popularity, and customer reviews all influence rankings. While some of these are out of your control, consistently following SEO best practices and staying active online will help improve your visibility over time. The key is to get your website online early and stay the course—results will come with patience and persistence.