Identify primary and secondary keywords
Use a keyword research tool to find terms with high intent and manageable difficulty.
Analyze competitor keyword rankings
Identify gaps in competitor content that you can exploit.
Map keywords to specific pages
Each page should target a primary keyword and 2-3 secondary keywords.
Check keyword search intent alignment
Ensure the content type matches what searchers actually want.
Optimize title tag (50-60 characters)
Include primary keyword near the beginning of the title.
Write compelling meta description (150-160 chars)
Include keyword and a clear call-to-action.
Use keyword in H1 heading
The H1 should be unique on each page and contain the primary keyword.
Optimize image alt text
Describe images accurately and include relevant keywords where natural.
Add internal links to relevant pages
Connect related content to distribute link equity and improve crawlability.
Ensure URL is clean and keyword-rich
Short, descriptive URLs with hyphens between words.
Verify page loads in under 3 seconds
Use Core Web Vitals data from Search Console to track LCP, FID, CLS.
Check page is indexable
Ensure the page is not accidentally blocked by robots.txt or noindex meta tag.
Validate structured data markup
Use Google's Rich Results Test to ensure schema is valid.
Ensure site is mobile-friendly
Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test or inspect on real devices.
Verify HTTPS is enabled and cert is valid
Mixed content warnings and expired SSL certs hurt rankings.
Content covers the topic comprehensively
Outperform competitors by answering all related questions.
Author bio and credentials are visible
Demonstrate expertise — especially critical for YMYL topics.
Content is original and not duplicated
Use Copyscape or similar tools to check for duplicate content.
Update outdated content with fresh data
Refresh old posts regularly — Google rewards freshness.