On-Page SEO Checklist: 15 Things to Check on Every Page

On-page SEO covers everything you control on individual pages of your website. Title tags, content, images, internal links—elements you can optimise without waiting for anyone else. This checklist covers the 15 elements that matter most.

Use this as a reference when creating new pages or auditing existing ones. You don't need perfect scores everywhere, but covering these basics puts you ahead of most competitors.

1. Title Tag: Is It Optimised?

Your title tag appears in search results and browser tabs. It's one of the most important ranking factors.

Keep it under 60 characters to avoid truncation. Include your primary keyword near the beginning. Make it compelling—this is your headline in search results. Each page needs a unique title; don't duplicate across pages.

2. Meta Description: Does It Encourage Clicks?

Meta descriptions don't directly affect rankings but influence click-through rates.

Stay under 160 characters. Include your keyword naturally. Focus on what the reader will get from clicking. Add a call to action if appropriate. Unique descriptions for each page.

3. URL Structure: Is It Clean and Descriptive?

URLs should be readable by humans and include relevant keywords.

Good: /blog/on-page-seo-checklist. Bad: /blog/post-id-12847. Use hyphens between words. Keep URLs short but descriptive. See our URL structure guide for detailed best practices.

4. H1 Tag: Is There Exactly One?

Each page needs exactly one H1 tag, typically matching or closely related to your title.

The H1 tells Google and users what the page is about. Include your primary keyword. Make it descriptive and compelling. Multiple H1s confuse search engines about your page's main topic.

5. Header Hierarchy: Are H2s and H3s Logical?

Headers structure content for readability and help Google understand your page organisation.

Use H2s for main sections, H3s for subsections within those. Don't skip levels (H1 to H3 without H2). Include secondary keywords naturally in subheadings. Headers break up content and improve user experience.

6. Content Quality: Is It Genuinely Useful?

Content should thoroughly answer what searchers are looking for.

According to Google's helpful content guidelines, pages should demonstrate expertise and provide substantial value. Thin content won't rank. Ask: would someone be satisfied finding this page, or would they return to search for something better?

7. Keyword Usage: Natural or Forced?

Include keywords naturally. If it sounds awkward when read aloud, you're overdoing it.

Your primary keyword should appear in the title, H1, first paragraph, and naturally throughout. Related terms and synonyms matter too—Google understands semantic relationships. Never sacrifice readability for keyword density.

8. Internal Links: Are You Connecting Related Pages?

Internal links help Google understand your site structure and spread ranking power.

Each page should link to 2-5 relevant internal pages. Use descriptive anchor text—"learn what SEO means" beats "click here." Link to your most important pages from multiple locations across your site.

9. External Links: Are You Citing Quality Sources?

Linking to authoritative external sources signals that you've done your research.

Reference official sources, research, and industry publications where relevant. It builds credibility and helps Google understand your content's context. Don't link to competitors' commercial pages, but educational resources are fair game.

10. Images: Are They Optimised?

Images need alt text, compression, and descriptive file names.

Every image needs alt text describing what it shows—important for accessibility and Google Image search. Compress images to reduce file size without visible quality loss. Use descriptive file names: "kitchen-renovation-falmouth.jpg" not "IMG_4521.jpg."

11. Page Speed: Does It Load Fast?

Slow pages hurt rankings and frustrate users. Test every important page.

Use PageSpeed Insights to check. Target above 50 on mobile at minimum, above 80 ideally. Common fixes: compress images, enable caching, minimise JavaScript. Speed matters more on mobile where connections vary.

12. Mobile Experience: Does It Work on Phones?

Google uses mobile-first indexing. Your mobile experience determines your ranking ability.

Test on actual devices, not just browser resizing. Text should be readable without zooming. Buttons should be tappable with thumbs. Forms should be easy to complete. Content shouldn't require horizontal scrolling.

13. Schema Markup: Have You Added Structured Data?

Schema helps Google understand your content and can enable rich results in search.

Local businesses should add LocalBusiness schema. Articles can use Article schema. Products get Product schema with reviews and pricing. Use Google's Rich Results Test to validate your markup.

14. Content Freshness: Is Information Current?

Outdated content can hurt rankings, especially for time-sensitive topics.

Review important pages annually at minimum. Update statistics, fix outdated advice, refresh examples. Add "Last updated" dates where relevant. Google prefers fresh, accurate content over stale information.

15. Call to Action: Is the Next Step Clear?

Every page should guide visitors toward taking action.

What do you want visitors to do after reading? Contact you? Read another article? Make a purchase? Make the next step obvious. Clear CTAs improve user experience and conversion rates—both indirect SEO signals.

For broader guidance beyond individual pages, explore our complete SEO fundamentals guide or learn about free tools to audit your site.