A complete checklist for manually auditing a website. Covers technical SEO, content, performance, security, and AI search readiness. Use it alongside the automated tool or on its own.

🕷️ Crawlability

robots.txt exists and does not block important pagesXML sitemap exists and includes all indexable pagesNo pages blocked by noindex that should be indexedNo orphan pages (pages with zero internal links pointing to them)Crawl depth: all important pages reachable within 3 clicks from homepageNo infinite redirect loopsServer returns appropriate status codes (200, 301, 404)

📇 Indexability

Important pages return HTTP 200Canonical tags present and self-referencing on each pageNo conflicting noindex and canonical signalsDuplicate content addressed with canonicals or redirectsPages are in Google Search Console index reportHreflang tags correct if serving multiple languages/regions

🏷️ Titles and descriptions

Every page has a unique title tagTitle tags are 50-60 charactersPrimary keyword appears near the start of the titleEvery page has a unique meta descriptionMeta descriptions are 120-160 charactersDescriptions accurately summarize page contentNo duplicate titles or descriptions across pages

🔗 Canonical URLs

Every indexable page has a self-referencing canonicalCanonical URLs use HTTPSCanonical URLs use consistent www/non-www formatNo canonical pointing to a redirected or 404 URLPaginated pages use correct canonical strategyQuery parameters excluded from canonical URLs

📑 Headings

Exactly one H1 per pageH1 contains the primary topic/keywordHeading hierarchy is logical (H1 → H2 → H3, no skipped levels)Headings describe the section content accuratelyHeadings are not used for styling only

✍️ Content quality

Content fully answers the search intent for target queriesMinimum 300+ words for informational pages (more for competitive topics)Content includes original information, data, or perspectiveAuthor information present where appropriatePublication and last-updated dates visibleNo thin pages with little valueNo keyword stuffing or unnatural repetitionContent written for readers, not search engines

🔄 Internal links

Every important page has internal links pointing to itAnchor text is descriptive (not "click here")High-priority pages linked from the homepage or main navigationTopic clusters interlinked (pillar ↔ cluster pages)No broken internal links (404s)Reasonable link count per page (not hundreds)

🏗️ Structured data

Organization schema on homepageArticle or BlogPosting schema on content pagesBreadcrumbList schema matching visible navigationProduct schema on product pages (if applicable)LocalBusiness schema for physical businessesJSON-LD format used (preferred by Google)Validated with Google Rich Results TestNo FAQPage schema unless genuine FAQ content visible on page

🖼️ Images

All images have descriptive alt textImages compressed (WebP or AVIF format preferred)Explicit width and height attributes set (prevents layout shift)Lazy loading on below-fold imagesFile names are descriptive (not IMG_0234.jpg)Responsive images with srcset for different screen sizes

📱 Mobile usability

Viewport meta tag present: width=device-width, initial-scale=1Text readable without zooming (minimum 16px font)Tap targets at least 48x48px with spacingNo horizontal scrolling requiredAll content accessible on mobile (not hidden behind desktop-only elements)Test with real devices, not just browser emulation

⚡ Core Web Vitals

LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) under 2.5 secondsINP (Interaction to Next Paint) under 200 millisecondsCLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) under 0.1Check real user data in Google Search Console or PageSpeed InsightsOptimize largest above-fold image (common LCP element)Defer non-critical JavaScript (common INP cause)Reserve space for dynamic content like ads and embeds (common CLS cause)

🔒 HTTPS and security

Valid SSL certificate installedAll pages served over HTTPSHTTP redirects to HTTPS (301 redirect)No mixed content (HTTP resources on HTTPS pages)HSTS header presentSecurity headers configured (X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options)

🗺️ Sitemap

XML sitemap exists at /sitemap.xmlSitemap referenced in robots.txtContains only canonical, indexable pagesDoes not include redirected, noindexed, or 404 URLsLast-modified dates are accurateSitemap submitted to Google Search Console

🤖 robots.txt

Accessible at /robots.txtDoes not accidentally block CSS, JS, or image filesDoes not block pages that should be indexedReferences sitemap URLBlocks private/admin/staging areas

🧠 AEO / AI content structure

Sections start with a direct answer (40-60 words) before expandingContent uses specific entity names instead of vague pronounsKey definitions and explanations are self-contained (extractable)Lists and tables used for structured informationSchema markup present to help AI understand content typeAuthor and publication date visible for trust signalsContent covers the full topic (not just surface level)

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SEO Audit Checklist