# SEO Guidelines — SmartCrawl

A comprehensive reference repository for configuring and using the [SmartCrawl SEO plugin](https://wpmudev.com/project/smartcrawl-wordpress-seo/) across Keylink IT managed WordPress sites. Includes SmartCrawl configuration guides, SEO keyword strategy, and reusable templates.

## Purpose

When working on SEO for any Keylink IT client site that uses SmartCrawl, this repository serves as:

1. **Configuration reference** — How to set up every SmartCrawl module with optimal settings
2. **SEO strategy playbook** — Keyword research, on-page optimization, local SEO, and content strategy
3. **Reusable templates** — Audit checklists, keyword research worksheets, and per-page optimization checklists

## Repository Structure

```
├── smartcrawl/
│   ├── overview.md                    Feature inventory, Pro vs Free, version info
│   ├── configuration.md              Module-by-module setup with recommended settings
│   ├── titles-and-meta.md            Template macros, per-page overrides, best practices
│   ├── schema-markup.md              All supported types, LocalBusiness, WooCommerce
│   ├── sitemaps.md                   XML, News, Image sitemaps config + exclusions
│   ├── social-og-twitter.md          Open Graph + Twitter Card setup
│   ├── redirects.md                  301/302/307, regex, bulk import, gotchas
│   ├── breadcrumbs.md                Shortcode usage, schema output, styling
│   ├── content-analysis.md           Focus keywords, SEO checks, readability scoring
│   ├── hooks-and-filters.md          Developer API reference (wds_* hooks)
│   └── known-issues.md              Gotchas, conflicts, limitations
├── seo-strategy/
│   ├── keyword-research.md           Fundamentals, free tools, competitor analysis
│   ├── keyword-selection-by-page.md  Strategy per page type (home, service, blog, etc.)
│   ├── on-page-optimization.md       Title tags, meta descriptions, headers, content, images
│   ├── local-seo.md                  GBP, NAP consistency, local schema, geo-keywords
│   ├── technical-seo.md             Core Web Vitals, mobile-first, crawlability, canonicals
│   └── content-strategy.md           Topic clusters, gap analysis, seasonal, prioritization
└── templates/
    ├── site-audit-checklist.md        Pre-optimization audit template
    ├── keyword-research-template.md   Worksheet for keyword research per site
    └── page-optimization-template.md  Per-page SEO checklist
```

## How to Use

### Starting SEO on a new site

1. Run the [Site Audit Checklist](templates/site-audit-checklist.md) to assess current state
2. Follow [SmartCrawl Configuration](smartcrawl/configuration.md) to set up the plugin
3. Use the [Keyword Research Template](templates/keyword-research-template.md) to identify targets
4. Apply the [Page Optimization Template](templates/page-optimization-template.md) to each priority page

### Optimizing an existing site

1. Review [On-Page Optimization](seo-strategy/on-page-optimization.md) for current best practices
2. Check [Known Issues](smartcrawl/known-issues.md) for any relevant gotchas
3. Use Search Console data mining from [Keyword Research](seo-strategy/keyword-research.md) to find quick wins

### Local business sites

Start with [Local SEO](seo-strategy/local-seo.md) — for small businesses, local optimization often has the highest ROI.

## SmartCrawl Version

This documentation is based on **SmartCrawl v3.15.0** (January 2026). Check for updates at [WPMU DEV](https://wpmudev.com/project/smartcrawl-wordpress-seo/).

## License

Internal reference — Keylink IT