Tools and checklists
SEO starter checklist.
The steps that help Google find and rank your website.
Your progress
0 of 24 done
- On-page0 of 6
- Technical0 of 9
- Local0 of 5
- Content0 of 4
01
On-page
0 of 6 done
Titles are the blue links in Google. Put the main topic first and keep it under about 60 characters.
02
Technical
0 of 9 done
03
Local
0 of 5 done
04
Content
0 of 4 done
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SEO starter checklist
0 of 24 done. lilacfragment.co.za/free/seo-checklist/
1. On-page
- Give every page its own title. Titles are the blue links in Google. Put the main topic first and keep it under about 60 characters.
- Write a description for every page. Google often shows it under your title, and a clear one wins more clicks.
- Use one clear main heading on each page. The H1 tells visitors and Google what the page is about at a glance.
- Keep page addresses short and readable. yoursite.com/services/plumbing is easier to trust, share and understand than a string of numbers.
- Describe your images with alt text. Google reads it to understand images, and screen readers read it aloud.
- Link your pages to each other with clear words. Links help Google find every page and show which pages matter most.
2. Technical
- Connect Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. Both are free. They show which searches find you and warn you when pages cannot be indexed.
- Publish an XML sitemap and submit it. It lists the pages you want found, so new pages are picked up sooner.
- Check robots.txt does not block important pages. One wrong line can hide your whole site from search engines.
- Serve every page over HTTPS. Google uses HTTPS as a ranking signal, and browsers warn visitors on pages without it.
- Make every page work well on a phone. Google ranks the mobile version of your site, and most visitors arrive on a phone.
- Pass Core Web Vitals. Loading (LCP), response to taps (INP) and layout shifts (CLS) are how Google measures page experience.
- Set a canonical address for each page. When one page loads at several addresses, it tells Google which one to rank.
- Fix broken links and redirect old addresses. A 301 redirect keeps the visitors and links an old page earned, where a 404 loses them.
- Add structured data for your business. Schema markup such as LocalBusiness, Product or FAQ helps Google understand the page and can earn richer results.
3. Local
- Claim and complete your Google Business Profile. It decides whether you appear in the map results for searches near you.
- Use the same name, address and phone everywhere. Matching details on your site, profile and directories help Google trust that they are correct.
- Ask happy customers for reviews, and reply to every one. The number of reviews, their rating and your replies affect local ranking and whether people call.
- Say where you work on your website. Name the towns, cities or countries you serve, so you can show up for searches there.
- List your business on Bing Places and Apple Business Connect. They feed Bing search and Apple Maps, where some customers look first.
4. Content
- Give each service its own page. One focused page can rank for that service. A long list on one page rarely does.
- Use the words your customers use. Search Console and Google's own suggestions show what people type. Use those words naturally.
- Answer the questions customers ask. Clear answers in plain words match how people search, and save you the same phone call.
- Show who is behind the business. An about page, real photos, qualifications and examples of your work help people and Google trust you.
Optional
Email me my results and what to fix first.
- Your checklist, with what is done and what is still open.
- The three changes likely to help your ranking most, in order.
- An honest note on what you can do yourself and where help saves time.