SEO Checklist 2025: Key Points to Ensure a Truly Well-Optimized Site

1. Technical SEO – The Invisible but Essential Foundation

• The site loads in less than 2 seconds on mobile and desktop

• The Google PageSpeed score is ≥ 90 on mobile and desktop

• All important pages are in HTTPS

• The URL is clean, readable, and without unnecessary parameters (e.g., /services/web-development)

• The site is mobile-first and responsive

• The sitemap.xml is properly generated and submitted to Google Search Console

• The robots.txt file is clean and doesn't block anything essential

• All important pages are indexable (no accidental noindex)

• No broken links (404) or redirect chains (301 > 301 > ...)

• Redirects are properly set up (301 permanent, not 302)

• Schema.org markup is implemented (Organization, Breadcrumb, Article…)

• Images are in optimized formats (WebP) and use lazy loading

• Fonts are loaded efficiently (avoid FOIT/FOUT blocking)

• No duplicate content (via canonical tags or a clear structure)

2. Structure and Content – To Be Understood by Google (and Your Clients)

• One single <h1> tag per page, clear and descriptive

• A logical hierarchy of headings (h1 > h2 > h3, no jumps)

• Main keywords placed in:

  • The SEO title (the <title> tag)

  • The <meta description> tag (without over-optimizing)

  • The URL

  • The H1

  • The first 100 words of content

• Pages have unique, useful, user-focused content

• Content is structured in short paragraphs, lists, subheadings

• Images have descriptive ALT attributes

• The site answers a clear search intention (informational, transactional, navigational)

• CTAs are well integrated and clear

• No hidden text or keyword stuffing

3. User Experience (UX) – Because Google Measures Satisfaction

• The site is intuitive and easy to navigate

• Menus are simple, clear, and work well on mobile

• Bounce rate is monitored and optimized

• Time spent on pages is high (engaging content)

• The site meets Core Web Vitals:

  • LCP < 2.5s

  • FID < 100ms

  • CLS < 0.1

• Forms are short and functional

• No intrusive pop-up blocking content upon arrival

4. Internal Linking – To Guide Robots (and Visitors)

• Each page is linked to other relevant pages of the site

• Link anchors are descriptive (avoid "click here")

• No orphan pages (not linked from other pages)

• Links to high-conversion pages are placed in hot zones

• Blog posts link back to service or product pages

5. Backlinks and Authority – For Credibility and Positioning

• The site has quality backlinks (trustworthy sites, similar themes)

• No dubious link purchases / blog networks

• Local citations if location-based activity (Yellow Pages, Google Maps, etc.)

• The link profile is diversified (not 100% on the homepage or exact keyword)

• The content is good enough to be naturally shared

6. Monitoring & Analysis – For Continuous Improvement

• Google Search Console is properly connected

• Google Analytics 4 is installed and tracks conversions

• Position tracking with tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, SEObserver…

• Regular analysis of page performance: traffic, click-through rate, average time, conversions

• A/B tests on high-traffic pages to improve conversion rates

• Technical error monitoring (via Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, etc.)