The 40-Point SEO Checklist
We Actually Run for Every Client.

Part 1, Technical foundation (10 points).

If the foundation is broken, nothing else matters. Start here.

1. HTTPS everywhere. Every page on your site must use HTTPS, redirect HTTP to HTTPS at the server level, and present a valid SSL certificate. Mixed-content warnings are a ranking drag.
2. Mobile-friendly (tested in Google's tool). Not just "responsive." Actually tested at Google's Mobile-Friendly Test. Google indexes mobile first.
3. Core Web Vitals: all green. LCP under 2.5s, FID under 100ms, CLS under 0.1. Measured in Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights.
4. XML sitemap submitted. Exists at /sitemap.xml, includes every important URL, excludes low-value pages (tag archives, paginated blog pages, etc.), submitted to Google Search Console.
5. Robots.txt controlled. Blocks admin paths, allows all public pages, references the sitemap.
6. Canonical tags on every page. Self-referential on normal pages; pointing to the canonical version of duplicated / paginated pages.
7. No orphaned pages. Every indexable page should be reachable from the homepage within 3 clicks.
8. No crawl-blocking redirects. 301s, not 302s. No chained redirects (A → B → C). No redirect loops.
9. 404s monitored. Broken internal links fixed. Legitimate 404s returning actual 404 status, not 200.
10. Page speed under 3s on 4G. Real-world mobile loading, not desktop fiber. Target under 2s for the homepage.

Part 2, On-page SEO (10 points).

Every page should be built like it's competing for a specific keyword. If it isn't, don't publish it.

11. One primary keyword per page. Researched (volume, intent, competition). Exactly one. Not five.
12. Title tag: 50 to 60 chars, includes keyword, front-loaded. Keyword in the first half. Brand name (if included) at the end.
13. Meta description: 140 to 160 chars, compelling, includes keyword. Not for ranking, for click-through. Write it like ad copy.
14. H1 matches intent, includes keyword. Exactly one H1 per page.
15. H2/H3 structure scannable. Use headings the way readers skim. Include related keywords.
16. Keyword in first 100 words. Not forced. Just naturally present.
17. Internal links to 3 to 5 related pages. Contextual, natural anchor text. Never "click here."
18. External links to authoritative sources. Where a fact or stat is cited. Links out signal trust.
19. Images: compressed, descriptive filenames, alt text. "img_3842.jpg" becomes "bay-area-seo-consultant.jpg" with alt "SEOD consultant meeting with restaurant owner."
20. Structured data (schema.org). LocalBusiness for your site, Article/BlogPosting on posts, Product for e-commerce, FAQ where applicable. Validated in Schema Validator.

Part 3, Content quality (10 points).

Google's "Helpful Content" updates have made thin content radioactive. Every page needs to earn its place.

21. Word count matches intent. A product page doesn't need 2,000 words. A buyer's guide does. Match depth to user need.
22. Expertise signals on every page. Author byline, credentials, year of publication or update.
23. Unique angle or proprietary data. If your post is 80% the same as the top 10 results, it will never rank. Bring something new.
24. Updated regularly. Content older than 18 months should be reviewed and refreshed annually.
25. Addresses the actual search query. Read the top 10 results. Identify the gap. Fill it. Don't just write another version.
26. Scannable formatting. Short paragraphs, bulleted lists, descriptive subheadings. Mobile reading is skim-reading.
27. Clear CTA per page. Every page should have a next step, even informational posts.
28. No thin or duplicate pages. Tag archives, empty category pages, boilerplate templates, either beefed up or noindexed.
29. FAQ or "People Also Ask" content. Capture long-tail queries and SERP features.
30. Engagement tracked. Time on page, scroll depth, bounce rate. Poor engagement data tanks rankings over time.

Part 4, Local + authority (10 points).

For local businesses, this is where the biggest gains usually are.

31. Google Business Profile optimized. Full description, all categories, hours, services, 15+ photos, Q&A answered, regular posts.
32. NAP consistency. Name, Address, Phone identical across every directory, your website, every social profile, every citation.
33. 20+ local citations. Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Nextdoor, chamber of commerce, industry-specific directories.
34. Review acquisition system. Process for asking happy customers for reviews. Reply template for every review, good or bad.
35. Location pages for multi-location businesses. Each location its own URL, schema, photos, reviews.
36. Backlinks from locally-relevant sites. Local news, chamber of commerce, local blog mentions, sponsorships. Quality over quantity.
37. No toxic backlinks. Run Search Console's link report. Disavow spam.
38. Brand search branded. When someone searches your exact business name, you own positions 1 to 5 (site, GMB, Yelp, FB, LinkedIn).
39. Social signals present. Active, consistent presence on 2 to 3 platforms relevant to your audience. Not all 7.
40. Analytics + Search Console reviewed monthly. Not quarterly. Not annually. Monthly. Without data, everything above is guesswork.

How SEOD uses this checklist.

Every new Get Found engagement starts with Eric running this exact audit on your site. Whatever's broken becomes part of your 6-month roadmap. Whatever's already solid, we document and monitor.

If you want to hand us the checklist and the keys, Get Found is $497/mo.

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