On-Page SEO Checklist

On-Page SEO Checklist

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This On-Page SEO Checklist ensures better rankings, improved user experience, and higher conversions.

1. Website Structure & Basics

  1. Optimize the logo with proper file name, alt text, and compressed size.
  2. Ensure each page has a unique, descriptive title tag (within 50–60 characters).
  3. Write compelling meta descriptions (within 150–160 characters) that include keywords and attract clicks.
  4. Check if your website shows sitelinks in Google search. If not, improve site structure, navigation, and internal linking.
  5. Implement clean URLs (short, keyword-rich, and descriptive).
  6. Ensure HTTPS is enabled for site security.

2. Heading & Content Optimization

  1. Add exactly one H1 tag per page, including the main keyword.
  2. Use H2 and H3 tags for subheadings to structure content logically.
  3. Place the primary keyword in the first paragraph and throughout content naturally.
  4. Add LSI keywords & long-tail keywords for better semantic relevance.
  5. Create comprehensive, long-form content (covering topics in-depth).
  6. Make content easy to read (short sentences, bullet points, proper formatting).
  7. Use bold/italics sparingly to highlight important terms.
  8. Add FAQs to cover common user questions.

3. Internal & External Linking

  1. Optimize internal linking – link to relevant pages with descriptive anchor text.
  2. Check external links – link only to high-quality, authoritative sources.
  3. Use nofollow attribute for sponsored or untrusted external links.

4. Media Optimization

  1. Optimize images (ALT text, file size, captions, descriptive filenames).
  2. Use WebP or next-gen formats for faster loading.
  3. Add video schema and optimize video titles, descriptions, and transcripts.
  4. Create and submit a video sitemap to search engines.
  5. Optimize infographics, audio, and PDFs with keywords and metadata.

5. User Experience (UX) & Technical On-Page SEO

  1. Ensure mobile-friendly (responsive) design.
  2. Improve page loading speed (compress files, use caching, CDN).
  3. Use breadcrumbs navigation for better structure.
  4. Add schema markup (structured data) for articles, products, FAQs, reviews, etc.
  5. Optimize category & tag pages with titles, descriptions, and content.
  6. Implement a clear Call-to-Action (CTA) on key pages.
  7. Ensure readability score (avoid jargon, target Flesch score 60+).
  8. Avoid duplicate content issues (use canonical tags where needed).
  9. Add custom 404 page with navigation back to main content.

6. Indexing & Search Engine Optimization

  1. Ensure all important pages are indexed (check with site:domain.com).
  2. Block unnecessary pages (admin, thank-you pages) using robots.txt.
  3. Submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
  4. Optimize Open Graph (OG) tags for social sharing (Facebook, LinkedIn).
  5. Add Twitter Card tags for better appearance on Twitter/X.

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