SEO Checklist

Foundation items that tell search engines your site is healthy and crawlable.

• Install and verify Google Search Console

  easy

  Verify ownership of your domain in Google Search Console so you can monitor indexing, submit sitemaps, and catch ranking drops early.

• Submit an XML sitemap

  easy

  Generate an XML sitemap listing every indexable URL on your site and submit it in Search Console. This accelerates discovery of new content.

• Set up a robots.txt file

  easy

  Create a robots.txt at the root of your domain that blocks non-public areas (admin, staging, cart) and references your sitemap URL.

• Force HTTPS sitewide

  easy

  Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS with a 301. Google treats HTTPS as a minor ranking factor and browsers flag HTTP sites as 'Not secure'.

• Fix crawl errors in Search Console

  medium

  Check the Pages report weekly for 404s, 5xx errors, and soft 404s. Redirect or repair broken URLs so crawl budget is spent on pages that matter.

• Set canonical tags on every page

  easy

  Add a self-referencing canonical tag to every page. This prevents duplicate content issues from URL parameters and paginated versions.

• Ensure mobile-friendly rendering

  easy

  Test your top pages in Google's Mobile-Friendly Test. Mobile-first indexing means Google uses the mobile version for ranking.

• Hit Core Web Vitals thresholds

  hard

  Keep LCP under 2.5s, INP under 200ms, and CLS under 0.1. Poor Core Web Vitals directly hurt rankings on mobile search.

• Use structured data (schema markup)

  medium

  Add JSON-LD schema for Article, Product, FAQ, Breadcrumb, and LocalBusiness where applicable. Schema unlocks rich results and raises CTR.

• Enable hreflang for international sites

  medium

  If you serve multiple countries or languages, add hreflang tags so Google serves the right version to each audience.

• Check for indexation bloat

  medium

  Look for thin pages (tag archives, empty categories, search results) that pollute your index. Noindex them or remove entirely.

Page-level optimizations that help Google understand what each URL is about.

• Target one primary keyword per page

  medium

  Pick one primary keyword for each page and match search intent precisely. Supporting keywords cluster naturally once the primary is locked.

• Optimize every title tag

  easy

  Include the primary keyword near the front of the title. Keep under 60 characters so it does not get truncated in search results.

• Write compelling meta descriptions

  easy

  Each page needs a unique meta description under 160 characters. It will not rank you, but it heavily influences click-through rate.

• Use one H1 per page

  easy

  Every page should have exactly one H1 containing the primary keyword. Use H2 and H3 for subsections in a logical hierarchy.

• Add keyword-rich alt text to every image

  easy

  Describe what the image shows and include your keyword naturally when relevant. Alt text helps accessibility and image search rankings.

• Use descriptive, short URL slugs

  easy

  URLs should be 3-5 words, lowercase, hyphenated, and match the primary keyword. Avoid dates, IDs, and stop words.

• Internal link to and from new pages

  medium

  Every new page should receive at least 3-5 internal links from existing relevant pages and link out to related content.

• Use descriptive anchor text

  easy

  Link with relevant anchor text like 'SEO audit guide' rather than 'click here'. Google uses anchor text as a ranking signal.

• Optimize for featured snippets

  medium

  Answer common questions in 40-60 word paragraphs. Use tables and lists where they match query intent. Structured answers earn position zero.

• Compress and serve images in modern formats

  medium

  Convert images to WebP or AVIF, compress without visible loss, and serve properly sized versions for each viewport.

The content layer. This is what drives long-term organic growth.

• Build a keyword-to-URL map

  medium

  Maintain a spreadsheet mapping every target keyword to a specific URL. Prevents keyword cannibalization and clarifies where new content fits.

• Publish content matching search intent

  medium

  Look at the top 10 ranking pages for each keyword. If they are all how-to guides, a product page will not rank. Match the dominant content type.

• Create pillar pages and topic clusters

  hard

  Build one comprehensive pillar page per major topic, surrounded by 5-15 focused cluster articles that link back. This architecture wins topical authority.

• Target long-tail keywords first

  easy

  Start with low-competition, long-tail keywords (4+ words) where you can rank fast. Use those wins to build authority for shorter head terms.

• Refresh existing content every 6-12 months

  medium

  Update top-performing posts with current stats, new examples, and expanded sections. Content refresh often lifts rankings more than new posts.

• Add author bylines with E-E-A-T signals

  easy

  Include real author names, bios, credentials, and links to social profiles. Especially important for YMYL (health, finance, legal) content.

• Write content over 1,500 words for competitive queries

  medium

  Long-form content earns more backlinks, ranks for more keywords, and drives longer dwell times. Only when the topic justifies the length.

• Add a FAQ section to every article

  easy

  FAQs help you rank for question variants, earn People Also Ask placements, and add Schema.org/FAQPage markup for rich results.

• Publish original research or data

  hard

  Original studies, surveys, and proprietary data become backlink magnets. One good data piece can earn links for years.

Off-page signals that prove your site deserves to rank.

• Audit your existing backlink profile

  medium

  Use Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Search Console to list every domain linking to you. Disavow spammy or unnatural links.

• Reclaim unlinked brand mentions

  medium

  Find sites mentioning your brand without linking and politely ask them to add a link. Highest-conversion outreach you can do.

• Pitch guest posts to niche-relevant sites

  hard

  Target sites in your niche with real traffic. A single link from a relevant domain outperforms 10 links from irrelevant blogs.

• Create linkable assets (tools, stats pages, guides)

  hard

  Build pages designed to earn links: calculators, original research, definitive guides. One linkable asset can compound for years.

• Build broken-link replacement opportunities

  medium

  Find broken outbound links on relevant sites and suggest your page as the replacement. High success rate with minimal effort.

• Get listed in relevant directories

  easy

  Submit to industry-specific directories and aggregators. Avoid paid low-quality directories, but niche-relevant ones still pass authority.

• Turn podcast appearances into backlinks

  medium

  Guest on 3-5 relevant podcasts per quarter. Each episode usually links back to your site in the show notes.

For businesses serving specific geographic areas. Skip if you do not have a physical location or service area.

• Claim and optimize Google Business Profile

  easy

  Claim your listing, add photos, complete every field, choose the right category, and respond to every review.

• Ensure NAP consistency everywhere

  easy

  Your Name, Address, and Phone number must match exactly across every directory, social profile, and citation.

• Get reviews on Google Business Profile

  medium

  Ask every satisfied customer for a Google review. Quantity, recency, and response rate all influence local rankings.

• Build local citations in top directories

  medium

  List your business on Yelp, BBB, Apple Maps, Bing Places, and industry-specific local directories.

• Create location-specific landing pages

  medium

  If you serve multiple cities, build a unique landing page for each with localized content, testimonials, and embedded maps.