Quick answer: Before any page goes live, check six areas: the page targets one clear search intent, the title tag and meta description are written for people, the headings and content answer the query fully, internal links connect it to related pages, images are compressed with alt text, and technical basics like indexability, canonical tags and structured data are correct. Running the same checklist every time catches most problems that quietly hold pages back.
How to use this checklist
On-page SEO covers everything you control on the page itself. It does not replace links from other sites or a healthy technical setup, but it is the part you can get right every single time.
Copy the checklist into your publishing process. Ideally the writer runs the content items and the person who publishes runs the technical items. For a site-wide review, our technical SEO checklist and SEO audit guides go wider.
1. Intent and targeting
- The page has one primary topic or query, written down before writing starts
- You have checked the current results for that query and the page matches the winning format (guide, product page, comparison, local service page)
- No other page on your site already targets the same query; if one does, update or merge instead of competing with yourself
- Related terms and sub-questions from the results page are covered where they help the reader
Intent mismatch is the most common reason a well-written page does not rank. A service page will not rank for a query where Google shows only how-to guides, and the reverse is true too.
2. Title tag
- Unique across the site
- Includes the main topic, near the start where it reads naturally
- Short enough that it is not cut off in search results on most screens
- Gives a reason to click: a benefit, a specific, or a clear promise
- Brand name at the end if there is room, not at the start
The title tag is still one of the strongest on-page signals and the first thing a searcher reads. Google sometimes rewrites titles it finds unhelpful, so write one that describes the page honestly.
3. Meta description
- Unique and written for this page
- Summarises what the visitor will get in one or two plain sentences
- Includes the topic naturally, since matching words are often shown in bold
- Short enough to display without being cut mid-sentence
Meta descriptions do not directly affect rankings, but they affect clicks. Our post on organic CTR covers how to test and improve them over time.
4. URL
- Short, readable and descriptive
- Uses hyphens between words
- No dates, session IDs or unnecessary folders
- Will not need to change later; if it ever does, a 301 redirect is in place
5. Headings and structure
- One H1 that matches the page topic and the visitor’s expectation from the search result
- H2s for main sections, H3s for subsections, in a logical order
- Headings describe what the section covers rather than trying to be clever
- Key questions phrased as headings where it helps, followed by a direct answer
Clear structure helps readers skim and helps search engines understand each section. It also improves your chance at featured snippets for question-style queries.
6. Content quality
- The main question is answered near the top
- The page covers the topic fully for the intent, without padding
- Includes something original: an example, process, data you own, photos or a clear opinion
- Facts that a reader might doubt are supported or linked to a source
- Author, date or last-updated information is visible where it matters
- Reads well: short paragraphs, plain words, lists and tables where they help
- No spelling or grammar errors that undermine trust
For local businesses, include location-specific detail that only a real local business would know: areas served, local landmarks, team members and photos. Thin pages that swap a town name into the same template rarely perform well.
7. Internal links
- The page links to two to five related pages where they genuinely help the reader
- At least two existing, relevant pages now link to this new page
- Anchor text describes the destination
- Important pages are reachable within a few clicks of the homepage
- No links to redirects or broken pages
This is the step most often skipped. A new page that nothing links to may take much longer to be discovered and will have less internal authority.
8. Images and media
- Images are resized to the dimensions they display at and compressed
- File names describe the image (blue-running-shoes.jpg, not IMG_4021.jpg)
- Alt text describes the image for someone who cannot see it, without keyword stuffing
- Images below the first screen are lazy loaded
- Videos are embedded efficiently and have a text summary or transcript nearby
Our guide to WordPress image optimization covers the tools that handle most of this automatically.
9. Structured data
- Appropriate schema is in place for the page type: Article, Product, LocalBusiness, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList or others
- Schema matches what is visible on the page
- Tested with Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool or the Rich Results Test
- No errors in the Enhancements reports in Search Console after launch
FAQ markup is useful on pages with genuine questions and answers. We covered how and when to use it in FAQ schema.
10. Technical checks before publishing
- The page is indexable: no noindex tag, not blocked in robots.txt
- The canonical tag points to the page itself, or to the right original if it is a variant
- The page is included in the XML sitemap
- It works and reads well on a phone
- It loads quickly; test with PageSpeed Insights and fix anything obvious
- It is served over HTTPS without mixed content warnings
- Open Graph and social tags are set so shares look right
11. After publishing
- Request indexing in Search Console if the page is important and time-sensitive
- Add links from related older pages
- Share it with the people it was written for: email list, social channels, sales team
- Set a reminder to review performance in four to six weeks
- Note the publish date and target query in a simple content log
Common on-page mistakes
- The same title on many pages. Often caused by templates. Check with a crawler.
- Keyword stuffing. Repeating a phrase unnaturally makes the page worse for readers and does not help rankings.
- Hidden or tabbed content that matters. Make key content visible by default where you can.
- Missing H1 or several H1s from theme templates. Check the rendered page source.
- Orphan pages. Pages with no internal links in are easy to miss for crawlers and visitors.
- Forgetting to remove noindex after launch. A surprisingly common cause of “why is this page not ranking”.
FAQ
Does on-page SEO matter if I have good backlinks?
Yes. Links help a page compete, but on-page work tells search engines what the page is about and helps visitors stay. You need both.
How many times should the keyword appear?
There is no target number. Use it in the title, H1 and opening where it fits naturally, then write for the reader.
Should I go back and apply this to old pages?
Yes, starting with pages that already get impressions in Search Console but sit just off page one. Small on-page fixes often move those pages most.
Make it a habit
On-page SEO is not complicated, but it is easy to skip under deadline pressure. A checklist turns it into routine. If you want help building that routine or reviewing pages that are not performing, see our Get found service.
