# SEO Guidelines Reference

## On-Page SEO Checklist

### Title Tag
- 50-60 characters
- Primary keyword near the beginning
- Include a power word (Build, Master, Complete, Essential)
- Format: "[Action] [Topic] with [Technology] — [Benefit]"

### Meta Description
- 150-160 characters
- Include primary keyword naturally
- End with a call-to-action or value proposition
- Make it a complete, compelling sentence

### Headings (H2/H3)
- H2 for main sections (5-8 per post)
- H3 for subsections within H2
- Include keywords in 2-3 headings naturally
- Make headings scannable — reader should understand the post from headings alone

### Content Structure
- First 100 words must include the primary keyword
- Use short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
- Include bullet/numbered lists every 300-400 words
- Add a table of contents for posts over 2000 words
- Bold key terms and definitions

### Internal & External Links
- 2-3 internal links to related content
- 3-5 external links to authoritative sources
- Use descriptive anchor text (not "click here")
- Open external links in new tab

### Images
- Alt text with relevant keywords
- Descriptive file names (not IMG_001.png)
- Compress to under 200KB
- Use WebP format when possible

## Keyword Strategy
- **Primary keyword**: Use 3-5 times naturally
- **Secondary keywords**: Use 1-2 times each
- **LSI keywords**: Related terms that appear naturally in good content
- **Never keyword stuff** — if it reads awkwardly, remove the keyword
