Complete SEO Checklist for 2025

Technical Foundation

• Install SSL certificate (HTTPS)
• Set up Google Search Console
• Set up Google Analytics or privacy-friendly alternative
• Create and submit XML sitemap
• Create robots.txt file
• Implement responsive mobile design
• Optimize site speed (target under 3 seconds)
• Fix broken links and 404 errors
• Set up 301 redirects for old URLs (if applicable)
• Enable Gzip compression

On-Page SEO Basics

• Optimize title tags (include primary keyword, under 60 characters)
• Write compelling meta descriptions (150-160 characters)
• Use proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3)
• Optimize URLs (short, descriptive, keyword-rich)
• Add alt text to all images
• Implement internal linking strategy
• Create custom 404 error page
• Add breadcrumb navigation

• Identify primary target keywords for each page
• Research long-tail keyword variations
• Analyze keyword difficulty and search volume
• Study search intent for target keywords
• Map keywords to specific pages
• Find LSI (related) keywords to include
• Analyze competitor keywords
• Create keyword tracking spreadsheet

• Include primary keyword in first 100 words
• Use keyword in H1 and at least one H2
• Write minimum 1,500 words for blog posts
• Add images, videos, or infographics
• Include 3-5 internal links per article
• Add 2-3 external links to authoritative sources
• Write clear, actionable content
• Use bullet points and short paragraphs
• Add table of contents for long articles
• Include call-to-action (CTA)
• Check readability score (aim for 8th grade level)
• Proofread for grammar and spelling

Crawlability & Indexing

• Verify robots.txt isn't blocking important pages
• Check for noindex tags on pages that should be indexed
• Fix crawl errors in Google Search Console
• Ensure all important pages are in XML sitemap
• Remove duplicate content issues
• Implement canonical tags where needed
• Set up pagination correctly

Site Speed & Performance

• Optimize and compress images
• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML
• Enable browser caching
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
• Reduce server response time
• Eliminate render-blocking resources
• Pass Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS)

Mobile Optimization

• Test mobile usability in Google Search Console
• Ensure text is readable without zooming
• Make buttons and links easy to tap
• Avoid intrusive interstitials
• Test on multiple devices and browsers

• Create linkable asset content (guides, research, tools)
• Reach out for guest posting opportunities
• Fix broken links (broken link building)
• Reclaim unlinked brand mentions
• Create and promote infographics
• Analyze competitor backlinks
• Submit to relevant directories (niche-specific only)
• Build relationships with industry influencers
• Monitor backlink profile monthly
• Disavow toxic/spammy backlinks

• Create and verify Google Business Profile
• Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency
• Add local schema markup
• Get listed in local directories
• Encourage and respond to reviews
• Create location-specific landing pages
• Add business to Google Maps
• Optimize for "near me" searches

• Set up conversion tracking
• Configure goal tracking in analytics
• Set up event tracking for important actions
• Monitor keyword rankings weekly
• Track organic traffic growth
• Monitor bounce rate and time on page
• Set up custom dashboards
• Create monthly SEO reports

• Add Organization schema to homepage
• Implement Article schema for blog posts
• Add Product schema for e-commerce
• Implement FAQ schema where applicable
• Add Review schema for testimonials
• Implement Breadcrumb schema
• Test schema with Google's Rich Results Test
• Monitor rich snippets in search results

Weekly Tasks

• Monitor Google Search Console for errors
• Check keyword rankings
• Respond to new reviews

Monthly Tasks

• Publish 4-8 new blog posts
• Update 2-3 old posts with fresh content
• Audit backlink profile
• Check for broken links
• Review analytics and adjust strategy
• Monitor site speed

Quarterly Tasks

• Comprehensive SEO audit
• Update keyword strategy
• Analyze competitor performance
• Review and update meta descriptions
• Evaluate content performance

These are high-impact, low-effort optimizations you can complete quickly:

• Fix missing alt text on images
• Update old publish dates on evergreen content
• Add internal links from high-authority pages
• Compress large images
• Update thin content (under 300 words)
• Fix broken internal links
• Improve low-performing meta descriptions
• Add schema markup to key pages