Free download · 45 checks
The 45-check SEO list our audit runs
One page. Every check. Plain fixes. Run it by hand in one sitting.
This is the same set our free audit scores. Nothing extra. Nothing hidden. Type your email and we send the full list.
Get the full list by email
Join the list. We send the checklist plus the quarterly digest. No spam. Leave with one click.
What the list covers (45 items)
Six groups. Each line matches one audit check. The email version adds tick boxes and space for notes.
Indexing and reach
Let search engines index the page
Remove noindex unless the page must stay out of search.
Keep meta robots clean
Drop nosnippet, nofollow, or noimageindex left over from staging.
Declare one absolute canonical URL
Add a single rel=canonical with the full https address.
Point the canonical at this page
Self-reference unless this URL is a deliberate duplicate.
Serve the page over HTTPS
Add a certificate and redirect http to https.
Keep the URL short and readable
Use words in the slug and cut session IDs.
Link to related pages on your site
Add 5 or more descriptive internal links.
Search appearance
Write a unique title tag
Name the page topic with the key phrase first.
Fit the title in 30 to 60 characters
Trim wide words so Google shows the full title.
Add a meta description
Summarise the page payoff in one or two lines.
Fit the description in 120 to 155 characters
Expand thin ones and tighten long ones.
Give title and H1 separate jobs
Let the title win the click and the H1 name the topic.
Add og:title for shares
Mirror the page title in the Open Graph tag.
Add og:description for shares
Mirror the meta description for social apps.
Add a 1200 by 630 share image
Set og:image so shared links show a picture.
Add og:locale and og:site_name
Declare both so cards show the right brand.
Complete the X card tags
Set twitter:card plus image, title, and description.
Content and structure
Use exactly one H1
Keep one H1 and demote the rest to H2.
Step headings down in order
Never jump from H1 to H3.
Split text under 4 or more subheads
Break long prose into H2 and H3 sections.
Write enough words to cover the topic
Expand stubs or merge them into a fuller page.
Describe every image with alt text
Mark decorative images alt="" with aria-hidden.
Declare the page language
Add lang="en" or your language code to html.
Name every link destination
Swap filler text for words that say where it goes.
Remove dead href="#" links
Give each link a real address or use a button.
Use lists for steps and sets
Turn sequences into bulleted or numbered lists.
Wrap content in one main landmark
Use a single main element per page.
Add a skip to content link
Place it as the first focusable item.
Mobile and performance
Add the mobile viewport tag
Use width=device-width, initial-scale=1.
Keep width=device-width in the viewport
Fix the content value so layout adapts.
Keep page weight under 150 KB
Trim inline data and defer extra scripts.
Set width and height on images
Reserve space to stop layout shift.
Clear render-blocking head scripts
Add defer or async to head scripts.
Lazy-load below-fold images
Keep only the main image eager.
Serve modern image formats
Ship AVIF or WebP with a fallback.
Add apple touch icons
Declare 180, 152, and 120 pixel sizes.
Head and machine data
Declare UTF-8 charset
Add meta charset="UTF-8" in head.
Put charset first in head
Move it to the top of head.
Add a favicon
Link an icon at 48 pixels or larger.
Ship valid JSON-LD schema
Fix syntax so parsers can read it.
Declare a real schema type
Add context plus Article, Product, or FAQPage.
Fill each type required fields
Add the missing headline, author, or date.
Declare og:type and og:url
Set both to the true type and address.
Add install hints
Add manifest, theme-color, or touch icon.
Links and safety
Load every asset over HTTPS
Rewrite http scripts, styles, and media to https.
Run the audit too
The list works by hand. The tool scores the same points in seconds. Use both. Start with the page that matters most.