SEO can feel overwhelming for a new site. Here's a focused checklist covering what actually matters in the early stages, without overcomplicating it.
Technical basics
- SSL enabled (https, not http)
- A submitted, valid sitemap.xml in Google Search Console
- A correctly configured robots.txt file
- Mobile-friendly design, since most searches happen on mobile
- Reasonably fast load times
On-page basics
- A unique, descriptive title tag on every page
- A clear meta description summarizing each page's content
- One clear H1 heading per page that matches the page's topic
- Descriptive, readable URLs rather than random strings
Content basics
- Content that genuinely answers what someone searching the topic would want to know
- Internal links between related pages on your own site
- Regularly added content rather than a single static set of pages
Off-page basics
- Consistent business name, address, and details if applicable (for local SEO)
- A small number of genuine, relevant backlinks rather than many low-quality ones
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