On page SEO checklist: what to check before you publish any page

On page SEO means making each page clear to both people and Google. For every important page, choose one main topic, put it in the title, URL and main heading, answer the searcher's question early, use clear subheadings, link to related pages, describe images with alt text, and write a meta description that earns the click. Then make sure the page loads quickly and works on a phone.

Use this checklist before publishing any page. Google's own SEO starter guide covers many of the same basics.

Before you write

• [ ] One main keyword or topic chosen for the page

• [ ] Searched it on Google to see what type of page ranks

• [ ] No other page on your site targets the same topic

Title tag

The title shows as the blue link in search results.

• [ ] Includes the main topic, ideally near the start

• [ ] Unique, not shared with any other page

• [ ] Short enough to avoid being cut off, usually under about 60 characters

• [ ] Written to make someone want to click, not just a list of keywords

URL

• [ ] Short and readable, such as /services/roofing

• [ ] Uses words, not random numbers

• [ ] Will not need to change later

Headings

• [ ] One main heading that matches the topic

• [ ] Subheadings that break the page into clear sections

• [ ] Headings describe what is in each section, not clever wordplay

Content

• [ ] Answers the main question in the first paragraph

• [ ] Covers what the searcher needs to know or do next

• [ ] Includes real experience, examples or specifics only you can give

• [ ] Short paragraphs and lists where they help

• [ ] No copied or thin filler text

Google says it aims to reward content made for people first. Writing from genuine experience is the strongest on page signal you control.

Internal links

• [ ] Links to two or three related pages on your own site

• [ ] Descriptive link text, such as "local SEO checklist" rather than "click here"

• [ ] At least one other page links to this new one

Internal links help Google discover pages and understand how your site fits together.

Images

• [ ] Alt text that describes what the image shows

• [ ] File sizes compressed so the page stays fast

• [ ] File names that describe the image, not IMG_4021.jpg

Meta description

• [ ] Summarizes the page in about one or two sentences

• [ ] Gives a reason to click

• [ ] Unique to the page

Google may rewrite descriptions, but a good one often gets used.

Technical basics

• [ ] Loads quickly on mobile

• [ ] Easy to read and tap on a small screen

• [ ] Not blocked from indexing by a noindex tag or robots.txt

• [ ] Uses HTTPS

After publishing

• [ ] Check the page in Google Search Console's URL Inspection tool

• [ ] Watch impressions and clicks for the main topic over the following weeks

For the keyword step, see our keyword research guide. Our SEO team runs this checklist on every page we optimize.