Kick Off the New Year with Confidence: Your 2026 SEO Growth Checklist from EMILY®
- Emily Team
- Jan 12
- 3 min read
As the new year unfolds, it’s the perfect time to ensure your business is primed for digital success. Whether you're a local brand or expanding globally, a solid digital foundation rooted in SEO best practices can mean the difference between being seen… or being forgotten.
At EMILY®, we don’t just offer SEO services — we craft strategic, data-driven solutions designed to build lasting credibility, drive visibility, and position your business for long-term digital growth.
Here’s your kickstart checklist for 2026, inspired by the powerful tools and insights we use every day:
✅ 1. Run a Full Technical SEO Audit
Before you can grow, you need to know where you stand. Our SEO audits scan for:
Page speed and mobile readiness
Meta tags, titles, ALT text
Indexability and broken links
Schema markup for AI/voice search
Google Search Console, Tag Manager, and Clarity connectivity
Accessibility and ADA compliance
We grade each site using our proprietary F-12 SEO Essentials method — flagging what’s working, what’s manageable, and what needs priority fixes.
👉 Real Example: For Bentley Pontoons, EMILY® identified duplicate meta tags, missing keyword integration, and JSON-LD gaps — all fixed through our technical + content strategy.
✅ 2. Refresh Your Keywords (and Understand What’s Ranking)
Keyword research isn’t a one-and-done task. In 2026, your content must align with real-time search intent — including voice and AI-driven queries.
Using SERanking, Google Keyword Planner, and behavioral heatmaps, we help you:
Discover high-volume, low-competition phrases
Target local and industry-specific opportunities
Update metadata and headlines accordingly
Plan your content calendar around what your customers are searching for
✅ 3. Optimize for Local Search & Mobile Users
If you’re not optimizing for “near me” or local service searches, you’re missing high-converting traffic.
EMILY® helps you:
Optimize your Google Business Profile
Integrate local JSON schema for AI indexing
Ensure Apple Maps and Bing Places are claimed and updated
Use geotargeted keywords across your content
🛠️ Pro Tip: Don’t forget your image SEO and location tagging — especially if you're service-based or B2C!
✅ 4. Create or Refresh Engaging, Intent-Driven Content
Search engines favor useful, relevant, original content — and so do your customers.
Our team helps businesses:
Develop blogs, landing pages, and service pages built to rank
Integrate LPO (Landing Page Optimization) for higher conversions
Balance SEO keywords with brand voice and storytelling
Add accessibility improvements like descriptive ALT tags and mobile-friendly layouts
💡 We also offer video, photography, and drone content services to help your brand stand out visually.
✅ 5. Leverage Reporting & Behavior Analytics
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. That’s why EMILY® clients receive custom digital reports each month with insights such as:
Where your traffic is coming from
What pages users spend time on
What’s converting — and what’s not
Recommendations for improving page performance
We use tools like Google Search Console, Clarity heatmaps, and Tag Manager to show you what matters — not just data, but direction.
✅ 6. Invest in Trust: ADA, Security, and Consistency
Search engines reward sites that show trustworthiness and user consideration. We help ensure:
ADA compliance (WCAG 2.1 basics)
Secure HTTPS protocols
Consistent branding and messaging across your site and listings
Author bios, citations, and schema to build authority
Let’s Grow — Together
Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an already successful digital strategy, the new year is your opportunity to move forward with clarity and confidence.
👥 At EMILY®, we combine experience and expertise with tools and strategy to build your search visibility, credibility, and conversions — the right way.
📌 Let’s Connect and Build Your 2026 SEO Roadmap
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