Checklist
SEO Audit Checklist: 10 Things to Check on Every Page
A repeatable checklist prevents things from falling through the cracks. Whether you are reviewing a page before launch, after a content update, or as part of a regular quality cycle, these 10 items cover the on-page factors that most consistently affect rankings.
This checklist is focused on on-page SEO — what is visible and controllable on the page itself. It does not cover backlinks, site speed infrastructure, or crawl budget, which belong to a broader technical SEO review.
01
Title tag is present, unique, and under 60 characters
Every page needs a distinct title tag. Check that it includes the primary keyword, stays under 60 characters to avoid truncation, and is not duplicated from another page on the site.
02
Meta description is written and under 160 characters
A missing or auto-generated meta description reduces click-through rate from search results. Write a unique, descriptive meta description between 120 and 160 characters for every page.
03
Page has exactly one H1 tag
The H1 is the main heading and should clearly state the page topic. Having zero or multiple H1 tags sends mixed signals to search engines. Check that the H1 includes the primary keyword.
04
Heading hierarchy is logical (H1 → H2 → H3)
Heading levels should descend in order without skipping. Jumping from H1 to H4 breaks the structure search engines use to understand page sections. Review the full heading outline before publishing.
05
Primary keyword appears in the first 100 words
Search engines give more weight to keywords that appear early in the body text. The primary keyword should be present in the opening paragraph without forcing it unnaturally.
06
Content matches the search intent of the target keyword
A page targeting a how-to query should include steps. A page targeting a comparison query should compare options. Mismatched intent is one of the most common reasons pages fail to rank despite good optimization.
07
All images have descriptive alt text
Alt text helps search engines index images and improves accessibility. Check every image on the page — especially hero images and infographics — and ensure the alt text describes what the image shows.
08
Page includes at least 2–3 internal links to related content
Internal links distribute authority and help users navigate to related pages. Every page should link out to at least a few relevant pages on the same site using descriptive anchor text.
09
Canonical tag is set correctly
A canonical tag tells search engines which version of a page is the primary one. Missing or incorrect canonicals can cause duplicate content issues, especially on pages with URL parameters or multiple access paths.
10
Page loads without obvious errors
Broken images, 404 errors on linked resources, and JavaScript errors that prevent content from rendering all affect how search engines crawl and index the page. Do a quick visual check after implementing changes.
Run the checklist automatically with MetryxSEO
Submit any public URL and MetryxSEO checks all 10 factors above — plus more — and returns a prioritized report with specific fixes. No manual review required.
Start free →How often should you run this checklist?
For active landing pages and high-traffic content, a monthly review is a reasonable baseline. For pages you are actively trying to rank, audit after every significant content change. For lower-priority pages, a quarterly pass is usually sufficient.
The goal is consistency. A page that passes this checklist once and is never reviewed again will drift out of compliance as content is updated, templates change, or site structure evolves. Build the checklist into your publishing and editing workflow rather than treating it as a one-time task.