SEO Audit & Optimization Workflow

Run a comprehensive SEO audit using this 10-step framework. Each step includes actionable checks and links to detailed reference guides.

Step 1: Basic Technical SEO Foundation

Verify core technical infrastructure is in place: Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, robots.txt, XML sitemap, SSL certificate, and mobile responsiveness. Eliminate duplicate content issues. Ensure the site provides a good user experience.

→ Full checklist: references/technical-seo.md

Step 2: Site Speed Optimization

Compress all images (use WebP format). Enable lazy loading for below-fold content. Minify CSS/JS. Enable CDN caching (Cloudflare recommended). Target page load under 3 seconds. Pass Core Web Vitals.

→ Full checklist: references/technical-seo.md (Speed section)

Step 3: Keyword Research (200-300+ targets)

1. Define 5-10+ seed keywords for the niche
2. Run seeds through Semrush, filter KD 0-20 first
3. Extract all relevant keywords, then repeat for higher KD ranges
4. Run discovered keywords through AI to generate additional variations
5. Classify by search intent: informational, commercial, transactional
6. Group into content clusters

→ AI prompts for keyword research: references/seo-checklists.md

Step 4: Create SEO Landing Pages

Build 10-50+ landing pages targeting high buyer-intent keywords. Interlink them in navbar and footer. Ensure all blog content links to relevant landing pages. Each page needs clear value prop at top, search-optimized content below.

→ Template patterns: references/programmatic-seo.md

Step 5: Optimize Landing Pages (On-Page SEO)

For every page, verify:

• Target keyword in H1, H2, body, first 100 words, URL, title tag, meta description
• Semantically related keywords throughout
• SEO-friendly FAQ section at bottom
• Keyword-rich anchor text for internal links
• Content depth 1.5x competitors

→ Full on-page checklist: references/on-page-seo.md

Step 6: Content Operations Setup

Target 10-20+ articles/month. Create detailed content outlines manually (AI is weak at this). Hire 2-5+ writers. Use AI as writing assistant, not replacement. Every piece must beat competitors in depth and quality.

Key AI content workflow:

1. Set up AI project with brand voice, top content, competitor articles
2. Build outline manually after analyzing top 3 SERP results
3. Collaborate with AI iteratively - give feedback, fix output
4. Inject real expertise: case studies, screenshots, specific numbers
5. Edit ruthlessly - kill all AI red flags

→ Full workflow + blacklist: references/content-strategy.md

Step 7: Internal Linking Strategy

All new content must link to older relevant posts. Monthly interlinking audit: connect old and new content. Use keyword variations as anchor text (never "click here"). 3-5 internal links minimum per post. No orphan pages.

→ Linking checklist: references/on-page-seo.md (Internal Linking section)

Step 8: Competitor Backlink Audit

Run a competitor backlink gap analysis using Semrush to determine how many links per month are needed to close the gap. Filter for quality do-follow links only.

→ Full audit process + calculation method: references/link-building.md

Step 9: Link Building Operations

Set up outreach infrastructure:

• Branded email domain, 30-50 emails/day per inbox, 2-3 inboxes
• 2 follow-ups per prospect (day 3 and day 7)
• Minimum 3,000 outreach emails/month
• 20+ campaigns/month
• Always offer value (guest post, feature, data)

Focus on quality: DA 40+ sites with 1,000+ monthly traffic. Budget $75-150 per placement. 10 quality links > 200 garbage links.

→ Sprint plan + email templates: references/link-building.md

Step 10: Ongoing Operations

• Monitor rankings weekly, find content improvement opportunities
• Publish more and better content than competitors
• Build more and better links than competitors
• Update existing content every 6 months
• Create stats pages as backlink magnets
• Run digital PR campaigns based on search trends

→ Growth strategies: references/link-building.md (Digital PR section)

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Quick Reference: Which File Has What

Topic	Reference File
Domain, hosting, robots.txt, sitemap, speed, mobile, Core Web Vitals, schema	references/technical-seo.md
Title tags, meta descriptions, headers, URLs, images, internal links, E-E-A-T	references/on-page-seo.md
AI content workflow, writing blacklist, system prompts, editing checklist	references/content-strategy.md
Backlink audit, 10-day sprint, outreach, digital PR, HARO, stats pages	references/link-building.md
Programmatic SEO templates, city pages, comparison pages, AI batch generation	references/programmatic-seo.md
Keyword placement, pre/post-publish, launch checklist, AI prompts	references/seo-checklists.md