
Checklist
SEO Checklist 2025: Key Points to Ensure a Truly Well-Optimized Site
Do you think your site is optimized for SEO? Here's the complete checklist to make sure. Technical aspects, content, UX, linking, authority: everything Google looks at, line by line.
Apr 6, 2025
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 descriptiveA 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.)