SEO Development Tasks: Monthly Maintenance Checklist
Regular SEO maintenance is crucial for website visibility, improving rankings, and enhancing user experience. Follow our monthly checklist for success.
Staying on top of SEO is critical to keeping your website visible and competitive. Search engine algorithms change constantly, and regular updates to your website's performance, content, and technical health are essential.
Pro Tip: Use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and Semrush to simplify these tasks.
Consistent SEO maintenance not only improves search rankings but also ensures a better user experience and higher ROI. Whether you handle it in-house or outsource to a service like Midday, sticking to a monthly checklist is key to long-term success.
Keeping your website in top shape through monthly performance checks is key to maintaining strong SEO rankings. Even a small improvement - like shaving off 0.1 seconds from page load time - can increase page views and conversions.
Core Web Vitals are now critical for SEO. These metrics measure how well your site performs for users:
| Metric | Target Value | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Largest Contentful Paint | Under 2.5s | Directly affects rankings |
| Interaction to Next Paint | Under 200ms | Improves user experience |
| Cumulative Layout Shift | Under 0.1 | Ensures page stability |
Tools like DebugBear and Google PageSpeed Insights can provide accurate performance data. Set monthly goals, such as:
Mobile devices accounted for 59.16% of global website traffic in Q4 2022. Optimizing for mobile is no longer optional. David Murphy, Founder of Mobile Marketing Daily, highlights:
"The future of mobile is the future of online. It is how people access online content now".
Run these mobile checks every month:
Regular server monitoring helps you avoid downtime and performance hiccups. Stephen Watts from Splunk explains:
"Server monitoring is the process of gaining visibility into the activity on your servers - whether physical or virtual".
Key server metrics to track include:
| Metric | What to Watch | Why It’s Important |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Usage | Load averages, temperature | Avoids bottlenecks |
| Memory | RAM usage | Keeps operations smooth |
| Storage | Disk space, I/O rates | Prevents crashes |
| Network | Response times, throughput | Ensures fast loading times |
Set up real-time alerts for performance dips and analyze historical data to spot trends that might hurt your SEO. After server checks, move on to reviewing page-level updates to keep your site optimized.
Once your site's technical foundation is solid, it's time to focus on individual pages. These updates, guided by your monthly performance data, can improve user engagement and help your pages rank better in search results.
Meta tags play a big role in SEO: titles help with rankings, while descriptions can improve click-through rates. John Mueller from Google Search Central highlights their importance:
"If you don't have time to create a description for every single page, try to prioritize your content; at the very least, create a description for the critical URLs like your home page and popular pages."
Here’s a quick guide for optimizing meta tags:
| Element | Optimal Length | Best Practices |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Title | 50-60 characters | Start with your target keyword |
| Meta Description | 155 characters | Use active voice, include a strong CTA |
| Focus Keywords | 1-2 per page | Place them naturally in both elements |
Start by updating meta tags for high-traffic pages with low click-through rates (check Google Search Console for insights). Track the results for 30 days to see how these changes impact performance.
After meta tags, shift your attention to header tags to ensure your content’s structure is clear.
Headers are more than just formatting - they help search engines understand your content. As Google's John Mueller says:
"Header elements are a 'really strong signal' that informs Google's understanding of a page's topics."
Here are a few rules to follow for header optimization:
Once meta tags and headers are optimized, review your internal links to improve site navigation and distribute page authority effectively.
| Check Type | Tool | Action Items |
|---|---|---|
| Broken Links | Screaming Frog | Fix or remove any broken links |
| Orphan Pages | Google Search Console | Link isolated pages to relevant content |
| Redirect Chains | Ahrefs | Update links to point directly to final URLs |
Jonas Sickler from Terakeet explains the importance of internal links:
"The anchor text and the paragraph around the internal link inform search engines about the content on the target page"
Google's John Mueller also notes:
"We do use internal links to better understand the context of content on your site"
Aim for 10-20 meaningful internal links per page, connecting related content to improve user experience and search engine understanding.
Once you've optimized individual pages, it's important to ensure your website's foundation is strong enough to support those changes. Regular backend checks can help keep your site easy for search engines to crawl and index.
Performing these checks monthly ensures your site stays in good shape.
Broken links can hurt your rankings and damage your site’s reputation. As Backlinko puts it:
"Broken links are a surefire way to destroy your credibility and waste your SEO efforts, but thankfully, they're pretty easy to fix".
Here’s how to address them:
| Task Type | Recommended Tools | Action Items |
|---|---|---|
| External Analysis | Google Search Console, Screaming Frog | Find and fix broken external links |
| Backlink Check | Semrush Site Audit, Ahrefs | Repair broken incoming links |
For pages that have moved, use 301 redirects to maintain link equity and avoid losing valuable traffic.
An XML sitemap helps search engines find and index your content more effectively. To stay on top of this, make it a habit to:
As a reminder:
"Your sitemap acts as a tour guide for search engines to understand website structure and should be updated when your site changes or new content is added".
After updating your sitemap, double-check your robots.txt file to ensure it’s set up correctly.
The robots.txt file determines which parts of your site search engines can access. Starting January 2024, Shopify users can customize crawl rules for better control.
Keep an eye on the following:
| Element | Check Points | Resolution Steps |
|---|---|---|
| File Location | Accessible at root directory | Confirm at yourdomain.com/robots.txt |
| File Format | UTF-8 encoding | Use Google’s validation tools |
| Crawl Rules | Blocked/allowed pages | Check with URL Inspection in Search Console |
| Updates | Recent changes | Request a recrawl after updates |
After handling technical and on-page updates, it's time to evaluate how your content is performing and analyze your search term data.
Monitoring keyword rankings is essential for assessing your SEO progress. As Backlinko emphasizes:
"An unmonitored SEO campaign is a half-finished one. Tracking your Google keyword rankings is vital if you want to determine if your SEO efforts are heading in the right direction."
Here’s a quick breakdown of effective ranking tracking methods:
| Approach | Tool | Highlights | Monthly Tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Analysis | Google Search Console | Tracks positions and clicks | Compare 30-day periods |
| Advanced Tracking | Semrush ($449.95/mo) | Covers 5,000 keywords, competitors | Track ranking changes |
| Budget-Friendly | Keyword.com | Free for up to 10 keywords | Monitor core terms |
These insights help pinpoint areas that need improvement and guide your next steps.
Keep an eye on content that’s underperforming. Look for signs like declining traffic, high bounce rates, low engagement, negative reviews, or a drop in backlinks.
"Industries evolve as new trends and technology emerge, resulting in new information. Content referencing outdated statistics or practices becomes less relevant, losing credibility and user trust." - Jacqueline Zote, Writer, ClearVoice
Updating older content can make a big difference. In fact, 42% of marketers have reported better results after refreshing existing content. Once you've addressed outdated material, focus on identifying content gaps to further enhance your SEO.
After tracking your rankings and fixing low-performing content, the next step is finding opportunities where content is missing. For instance, addressing gaps in beginner investment topics increased organic traffic by 45% and boosted qualified leads by 20%.
When analyzing content gaps, consider these areas:
| Gap Type | Analysis Method | Action Items |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Gaps | Competitor ranking analysis | Target missing terms |
| Topic Coverage | SERP analysis | Develop new content |
| Media Format | Content audit | Add videos or images |
Since 75% of searchers never go beyond the first page of results, filling these gaps is crucial for improving your rankings.
"Content Gap Analysis is the process of identifying and evaluating missing content pieces that could and should align with the various stages of your target audience's buyer's journey." - Backlinko
Tools like Semrush or Ahrefs can help you compare your content to competitors and uncover areas for improvement. Focus on keywords with high search volume and moderate competition to get the best results.
Streamline your monthly SEO tasks with tools designed to simplify technical and content checks. These tools ensure your SEO efforts stay on track and deliver results.
A combination of free and paid tools can help you effectively monitor and improve your SEO. Here’s a quick overview:
| Tool Category | Recommended Solution | Cost | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Monitoring | Google Search Console | Free | Performance reports, indexing, mobile usability |
| Technical Auditing | Screaming Frog SEO Spider | $259/year | Site crawling, broken link detection, metadata analysis |
| Rank Tracking | Semrush | $139.95/month | SERP monitoring, competitor analysis, site audits |
| Content Optimization | Clearscope | $189/month | AI-powered content optimization, keyword research |
| Local SEO | SE Ranking | $65/month | Local marketing dashboard, rank tracking |
These tools provide a solid foundation for tracking your SEO efforts and identifying areas for improvement.
Organize your findings into structured reports to monitor progress and spot trends. Key components to include:
Clear reporting not only keeps your strategy focused but also helps communicate results to stakeholders.
Maximize efficiency with these practical methods:
For simpler tasks, rely on tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, and Answer the Public (limited to 3 free searches per day). Combining free and paid options ensures you get actionable insights without overspending.
Midday provides businesses with customized subscription plans for monthly SEO maintenance, paired with expert full-stack development support. Many companies find monthly SEO tasks overwhelming, and Midday's service helps to manage these essential responsibilities efficiently.
Midday's plans combine SEO monitoring with development support, offering solutions tailored to different business needs:
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Hours | Key SEO Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain | $2,700 | 20 | SEO monitoring, code management, unlimited requests |
| Grow | $5,400 | 40 | Enhanced SEO monitoring, priority support, unlimited requests |
| Scale | $8,000 | 60 | Advanced SEO monitoring, dedicated support, unlimited requests |
These plans include core SEO services like performance monitoring, technical audits, and regular health checks. This setup provides a more affordable option compared to hiring an in-house SEO specialist, whose starting salary is typically around $40,000 per year.
Let’s dive into how Midday simplifies SEO tasks to ensure consistent results.
Midday focuses on three main areas to support your SEO efforts:
This structured approach ensures your website stays optimized and competitive.
Effective SEO requires regular upkeep. Tanisha Mitchell, Senior SEO Strategist at Ignite Visibility, emphasizes this point:
"If you put off monthly SEO maintenance tasks, you risk losing your search engine ranking to competitors, damaging your site's health, and diminishing the user experience, which could be significantly more challenging and costly to resolve down the line".
To keep your SEO on track, focus on these core areas each month:
| Task Category | Key Actions | Tools to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Health | Monitor site speed, fix crawl errors, ensure mobile optimization | Google Search Console, GTmetrix |
| Content Quality | Update outdated content, fix broken links, refresh meta tags | Screaming Frog, Ahrefs |
| Performance Tracking | Track keyword rankings, analyze traffic, monitor conversions | Google Analytics, SEMrush |
| Local Presence | Update Google Business Profile, maintain directory listings | Google Business Profile |
These areas should serve as your monthly action plan.
Kick off your SEO maintenance efforts with a structured monthly workflow. The strategies outlined above - both technical and content-focused - are the foundation of long-term search visibility.
"The real secret to continuously ranking well in search engines lies in consistent, strategic maintenance." - backlinko.com
Whether you handle it internally or hire experts, regular SEO maintenance is critical for maintaining visibility in search results. Stick to these steps to ensure your SEO efforts pay off over time.