How do you test your digital publications for SEO optimization?

1 Check your keywords

Keywords are the words and phrases that users type into search engines to find your digital publications. They are the foundation of your SEO strategy and help you target your audience and match their intent. To test your digital publications for SEO optimization, you need to check if you are using the right keywords, if they are relevant to your content, and if they are competitive enough. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Moz to research and analyze your keywords and compare them with your competitors.

2 Analyze your content

Content is the core of your digital publications and the main factor that determines your SEO ranking and user engagement. To test your digital publications for SEO optimization, you need to analyze your content for quality, readability, structure, and originality. You can use tools like Yoast SEO, Hemingway, or Copyscape to check your content for SEO best practices, such as using headings, subheadings, paragraphs, images, links, and meta tags. You also need to check your content for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and tone, and make sure it is clear, concise, and compelling.

3 Test your speed

Speed is the measure of how fast your digital publications load on different devices and browsers. It is a crucial factor for SEO optimization, as it affects your user experience, bounce rate, and conversion rate. To test your digital publications for SEO optimization, you need to test your speed and identify any issues that slow down your loading time, such as large images, heavy scripts, or poor hosting. You can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom to test your speed and get recommendations on how to improve it.

4 Monitor your traffic

Traffic is the number and behavior of users who visit your digital publications from various sources, such as search engines, social media, or referrals. It is a key indicator of your SEO optimization success and helps you understand your audience and their needs. To test your digital publications for SEO optimization, you need to monitor your traffic and track metrics such as sessions, page views, bounce rate, time on page, and conversions. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or SimilarWeb to monitor your traffic and get insights on your performance and opportunities.

5 Audit your links

Links are the connections between your digital publications and other websites or pages. They are essential for SEO optimization, as they help you build authority, credibility, and relevance. To test your digital publications for SEO optimization, you need to audit your links and check their quality, quantity, and diversity. You can use tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, or Screaming Frog to audit your links and find out how many links you have, where they come from, what anchor text they use, and if they are broken or toxic.

6 Optimize your mobile-friendliness

Mobile-friendliness is the degree to which your digital publications are compatible and accessible on mobile devices. It is a vital factor for SEO optimization, as more and more users are using mobile devices to search and consume content online. To test your digital publications for SEO optimization, you need to optimize your mobile-friendliness and ensure that your design, layout, navigation, and functionality are responsive and user-friendly. You can use tools like Google Mobile-Friendly Test, Responsive Design Checker, or BrowserStack to test your mobile-friendliness and fix any issues that affect your usability.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?