# Universal Website SEO Audit Checklist > **Purpose:** Reusable SEO checklist for auditing any website, > regardless of industry, CMS, framework, or site size. > > **How to use:** Mark each item as `☐ Pass`, `☐ Fail`, or `☐ N/A`. For > every failure, record the affected URL(s), evidence, severity, and > recommended action. > > **Important:** Not every item applies to every website. Items marked > **[Conditional](#conditional)** should be evaluated only when the > relevant feature exists. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ## 0. Audit Information - [ ] Website/domain recorded. - [ ] Production environment confirmed. - [ ] Audit date recorded. - [ ] Primary target country/region recorded. - [ ] Primary target language(s) recorded. - [ ] Website type recorded: business / service / ecommerce / publisher / SaaS / portfolio / community / other. - [ ] Main conversion goals recorded. - [ ] Important indexable page types identified. - [ ] Important non-indexable/private page types identified. - [ ] Staging/development environments identified. - [ ] Previous domain/site migration history identified. - [ ] Previous major SEO issues or penalties identified, if applicable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 1. Google Search Eligibility & Search Essentials ## 1.1 Technical eligibility - [ ] Important public pages are accessible without login, password, or other unintended barriers. - [ ] Important pages return a successful HTTP response, normally `200 OK`. - [ ] Important pages contain indexable content. - [ ] Important pages are not accidentally blocked by `robots.txt`. - [ ] Important pages are not accidentally marked `noindex`. - [ ] Googlebot can access the resources required to render important pages. - [ ] The site does not rely on search-engine-specific content that differs deceptively from the user experience. - [ ] The site does not use cloaking. - [ ] The site does not use doorway pages. - [ ] The site does not use hidden text or hidden links for ranking manipulation. - [ ] The site does not use keyword stuffing. - [ ] The site does not use manipulative link schemes. - [ ] The site does not publish large volumes of unoriginal/scaled content primarily to manipulate search rankings. - [ ] The site does not intentionally scrape or republish content without meaningful added value. - [ ] The site does not contain hacked, injected, malicious, or deceptive content. - [ ] Public user-generated areas are protected from spam. - [ ] The site does not use deceptive functionality or misleading redirects. ## 1.2 Search Console - [ ] Google Search Console property is verified. - [ ] Correct domain/property type is being monitored. - [ ] Sitemap is submitted where appropriate. - [ ] Page Indexing report has been reviewed. - [ ] URL Inspection has been used on representative important URLs. - [ ] Core Web Vitals report has been reviewed. - [ ] HTTPS/security issues have been reviewed. - [ ] Manual Actions report has been reviewed. - [ ] Security Issues report has been reviewed. - [ ] Search performance data is being monitored. - [ ] Major traffic/ranking changes are investigated rather than assumed to be algorithm-related. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 2. Crawlability ## 2.1 Robots.txt - [ ] `https://domain.com/robots.txt` exists where appropriate. - [ ] `robots.txt` is served successfully. - [ ] `robots.txt` is valid plain text. - [ ] `User-agent` rules are intentional. - [ ] Important HTML pages are not accidentally disallowed. - [ ] Important CSS, JavaScript, image, and other rendering resources are not accidentally disallowed. - [ ] Search-result/internal-search URLs are handled appropriately. - [ ] Low-value crawl spaces are controlled where necessary. - [ ] Ecommerce filters/faceted URLs are reviewed where applicable. - [ ] Session IDs and unnecessary URL parameters are controlled. - [ ] `Sitemap:` directive points to the correct sitemap URL(s), where used. - [ ] No unsupported `noindex` directive is being relied upon inside `robots.txt`. - [ ] Robots rules have been tested against important URLs. ## 2.2 Crawlable links - [ ] Important pages are reachable through normal crawlable links. - [ ] Important links use ``. - [ ] Links are not dependent solely on JavaScript click handlers. - [ ] Important pages are not accessible only through forms, buttons, or user actions that crawlers cannot perform. - [ ] No important pages are orphaned. - [ ] Internal links point to the intended canonical URLs. - [ ] Broken internal links are fixed. - [ ] Redirecting internal links are minimized. - [ ] Link text is descriptive and relevant. - [ ] Generic anchor text such as "click here" is avoided where a descriptive label is practical. - [ ] Image links have meaningful `alt` text when the image is the link's only anchor text. - [ ] Paid/sponsored outbound links use appropriate link qualification. - [ ] User-generated outbound links use appropriate `ugc`/`nofollow` qualification where needed. - [ ] Untrusted outbound links are handled appropriately. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 3. Indexing & Indexation Control ## 3.1 Indexable pages - [ ] Every page intended to rank is indexable. - [ ] Every page not intended to rank has an intentional indexing strategy. - [ ] Important pages do not have accidental `noindex`. - [ ] `noindex` pages are still crawlable when Google needs to see the directive. - [ ] X-Robots-Tag is used correctly for non-HTML resources when required. - [ ] Private/confidential content is protected with authentication or equivalent access control. - [ ] Staging/test environments cannot accidentally enter the production index. - [ ] Internal search results are not unintentionally indexed. - [ ] Thin/empty/error pages are not unintentionally indexed. - [ ] Duplicate or near-duplicate URL variants have an intentional indexing strategy. - [ ] Parameter-generated URLs are reviewed. - [ ] Faceted navigation is reviewed where applicable. ## 3.2 Index coverage - [ ] Important URLs appear in the expected indexing reports. - [ ] Unexpected "Crawled - currently not indexed" pages are investigated. - [ ] Unexpected "Discovered - currently not indexed" pages are investigated. - [ ] Unexpected redirects are investigated. - [ ] Unexpected 404/410 pages are investigated. - [ ] Soft 404s are identified and corrected. - [ ] Canonical-related indexing issues are investigated. - [ ] Indexed URLs are compared against the site's intended indexable URL inventory. - [ ] `site:` searches are used only as a supplementary diagnostic, not as the sole source of indexing truth. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 4. URL Structure - [ ] URLs are descriptive and understandable. - [ ] URLs use stable, logical paths. - [ ] URLs avoid unnecessary IDs and opaque strings where practical. - [ ] Words are separated consistently, preferably with hyphens. - [ ] URL casing is handled consistently. - [ ] HTTP and HTTPS versions are consolidated. - [ ] WWW/non-WWW versions are consolidated according to the chosen preferred host. - [ ] URL parameters are used only when necessary. - [ ] Tracking parameters do not create uncontrolled duplicate crawl paths. - [ ] Session IDs are not unnecessarily placed in URLs. - [ ] URL fragments are not used as the primary mechanism for representing separate indexable pages. - [ ] SPA routes use real, unique URLs. - [ ] URL hierarchy reflects the site's information architecture where useful. - [ ] URLs remain stable unless there is a clear reason to change them. - [ ] If URLs change, redirects and migration procedures are planned. - [ ] Internationalized URLs are consistent with the site's language/region strategy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 5. HTTPS, Domain & Server Configuration - [ ] Production site uses HTTPS. - [ ] HTTPS certificate is valid and correctly configured. - [ ] No important mixed-content errors exist. - [ ] HTTP requests redirect to the preferred HTTPS URLs. - [ ] Preferred host redirects correctly. - [ ] No conflicting canonical/redirect signals exist between HTTP and HTTPS. - [ ] DNS configuration is correct. - [ ] CDN/proxy configuration does not unintentionally block crawlers. - [ ] Firewall/WAF rules do not unintentionally block legitimate search crawlers. - [ ] Server availability is stable. - [ ] Important pages do not intermittently return 5xx errors. - [ ] Server response times are monitored. - [ ] Appropriate caching/compression is configured. - [ ] Server logs can be reviewed when deeper crawl diagnostics are required. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 6. Status Codes, Redirects & Errors ## 6.1 Status codes - [ ] Valid pages return `200 OK`. - [ ] Permanently removed pages return `404` or `410` where appropriate. - [ ] Temporarily unavailable pages are handled appropriately. - [ ] Server errors are monitored. - [ ] Soft 404s are eliminated. - [ ] Error pages provide a useful user experience. ## 6.2 Redirects - [ ] Permanent moves use appropriate permanent redirects, normally `301` or `308`. - [ ] Temporary moves use appropriate temporary redirects. - [ ] Redirects go directly to the final relevant destination. - [ ] Redirect chains are minimized. - [ ] Redirect loops do not exist. - [ ] Old URLs redirect to equivalent/relevant new URLs. - [ ] Large numbers of unrelated old URLs are not redirected blindly to the homepage. - [ ] Internal links are updated to final URLs rather than relying unnecessarily on redirects. - [ ] Redirect mappings are documented during migrations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 7. Canonicalization & Duplicate Content - [ ] Every important indexable page has an intentional canonical strategy. - [ ] Canonical URLs use absolute URLs. - [ ] Canonicals point to the preferred URL. - [ ] Self-referencing canonicals are used where appropriate. - [ ] Canonical URLs return valid responses. - [ ] Canonical URLs are indexable. - [ ] Canonicals are not blocked by `robots.txt`. - [ ] Canonical tags are not contradictory. - [ ] Sitemap URLs and canonical URLs are aligned. - [ ] Redirect targets and canonical targets are aligned. - [ ] Duplicate URL variants are identified. - [ ] HTTP/HTTPS duplicates are consolidated. - [ ] WWW/non-WWW duplicates are consolidated. - [ ] Trailing-slash variants are handled consistently. - [ ] Parameter variants are controlled. - [ ] Print/AMP/alternate versions are handled appropriately where applicable. - [ ] Duplicate content is not being mistaken for a penalty; the actual duplication problem is evaluated in context. - [ ] Canonical tags are not being used as a substitute for necessary redirects. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 8. XML Sitemaps - [ ] Sitemap exists when useful/appropriate for the site. - [ ] Sitemap URL is accessible. - [ ] Sitemap contains only URLs intended for search discovery/indexing. - [ ] Sitemap uses absolute URLs. - [ ] Sitemap URLs are canonical/preferred URLs. - [ ] Sitemap does not contain unnecessary redirects. - [ ] Sitemap does not contain 4xx/5xx URLs. - [ ] Sitemap is correctly encoded. - [ ] Sitemap syntax is valid. - [ ] Sitemap is kept automatically updated when practical. - [ ] `lastmod` values are accurate and reflect meaningful changes. - [ ] Deprecated/ignored sitemap fields are not relied upon. - [ ] Sitemap size limits are respected. - [ ] Large sites split sitemaps when necessary. - [ ] Sitemap index is used when multiple sitemap files are required. - [ ] Sitemap is submitted through Search Console where appropriate. - [ ] Sitemap is referenced in `robots.txt` where appropriate. - [ ] Sitemap processing errors are monitored. ## 8.1 Specialized sitemaps [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Image sitemap evaluated for image-heavy or difficult-to-discover image content. - [ ] Video sitemap/mRSS evaluated for video-focused sites. - [ ] News sitemap evaluated for eligible news publishers. - [ ] `hreflang` sitemap implementation evaluated for large international sites where appropriate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 9. Page-Level Metadata ## 9.1 `` integrity - [ ] `` contains valid supported elements. - [ ] No invalid elements prematurely terminate the ``. - [ ] Metadata intended for Google appears in the valid `` section. - [ ] Character encoding is declared correctly. - [ ] Viewport metadata is present. - [ ] Important metadata is present in the initial/rendered HTML as appropriate. ## 9.2 Title tags For every indexable page: - [ ] `` exists. - [ ] Title is unique or intentionally similar only where page templates genuinely require it. - [ ] Title accurately describes the page. - [ ] Title is useful to searchers. - [ ] Important topic/intent is represented naturally. - [ ] Keyword stuffing is avoided. - [ ] Boilerplate is controlled. - [ ] Brand naming is consistent where appropriate. - [ ] SPA routes receive unique titles. ## 9.3 Meta descriptions For every important indexable page: - [ ] Meta description exists where useful. - [ ] Description is unique where practical. - [ ] Description accurately represents the page. - [ ] Description is concise and useful. - [ ] Important value proposition or intent is communicated naturally. - [ ] Keyword stuffing is avoided. - [ ] Description is not treated as a guaranteed Google snippet. ## 9.4 Robots directives - [ ] Robots directives match the intended indexing state. - [ ] No accidental `noindex`. - [ ] No accidental `nofollow`. - [ ] `nosnippet`, `max-snippet`, `max-image-preview`, `max-video-preview`, or `noimageindex` are used only when intentionally required. - [ ] Robots directives do not conflict with `robots.txt`. - [ ] X-Robots-Tag is checked for PDFs and other indexable non-HTML resources. ## 9.5 Unsupported/low-value metadata - [ ] No SEO strategy depends on the obsolete `meta keywords` tag. - [ ] No SEO strategy depends on unsupported/obsolete metadata. - [ ] Metadata is not duplicated unnecessarily. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 10. Headings & Content Structure - [ ] Every important page has a clear main topic. - [ ] Main heading is present where appropriate. - [ ] Headings accurately describe the content that follows. - [ ] Heading structure is understandable to users. - [ ] Headings are not stuffed with keywords. - [ ] Heading count/order is not treated as a ranking formula. - [ ] Content is divided into logical sections. - [ ] Important information is accessible without requiring crawler-incompatible interaction. - [ ] Navigation and content hierarchy are understandable. - [ ] Breadcrumb navigation is present where useful. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 11. Content Quality & Search Intent - [ ] Content is primarily created to help people. - [ ] Content satisfies the likely search intent. - [ ] Content provides original value. - [ ] Content demonstrates appropriate first-hand experience where relevant. - [ ] Claims are accurate and trustworthy. - [ ] Important factual claims are supported where appropriate. - [ ] Content is clear and easy to understand. - [ ] Content is grammatically readable. - [ ] Content is not written to an arbitrary word-count target. - [ ] Content is not padded with unnecessary text. - [ ] Content is kept current when freshness matters. - [ ] Dates are not changed merely to make old content appear fresh. - [ ] Content is not mass-generated without meaningful value. - [ ] AI-assisted content, where used, is reviewed for accuracy, originality, usefulness, and appropriate transparency. - [ ] Content does not simply summarize competitors without adding value. - [ ] Content is appropriate for the intended audience. - [ ] YMYL topics receive an appropriately high standard of accuracy, expertise, and trust. ## 11.1 Trust & authorship - [ ] Author/byline information is provided where users would reasonably expect it. - [ ] Author information is meaningful and accurate. - [ ] About/company information is available where appropriate. - [ ] Contact information is available where appropriate. - [ ] Business identity is clear. - [ ] Policies/disclosures are provided where relevant. - [ ] First-hand experience is demonstrated where relevant. - [ ] Affiliate/sponsored relationships are disclosed where appropriate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 12. Internal Linking & Site Architecture - [ ] Site has a logical hierarchy. - [ ] Important pages are linked from relevant pages. - [ ] No important page is orphaned. - [ ] Navigation is crawlable. - [ ] Contextual internal links are used where helpful. - [ ] Anchor text describes the destination naturally. - [ ] Internal links do not use excessive exact-match keyword repetition. - [ ] Footer/header links are useful rather than manipulative. - [ ] Breadcrumbs link to appropriate hierarchy levels. - [ ] Important content is not buried excessively deep. - [ ] Internal links do not point unnecessarily to redirects. - [ ] Broken internal links are fixed. - [ ] Pagination/infinite-scroll architecture is crawlable where applicable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 13. External Links & Link Quality - [ ] External links are relevant and useful. - [ ] External references are trustworthy where trust matters. - [ ] Paid/sponsored links use `rel="sponsored"` or appropriate qualification. - [ ] User-generated links use `rel="ugc"` where appropriate. - [ ] Untrusted links use `nofollow` where appropriate. - [ ] Link exchanges are not being conducted primarily for ranking manipulation. - [ ] Purchased links are not passing ranking signals improperly. - [ ] Automated link-building schemes are avoided. - [ ] Spammy outbound links are removed or properly qualified. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 14. Images For important images: - [ ] Image is relevant to surrounding content. - [ ] Image quality is appropriate. - [ ] Image file size is optimized. - [ ] Modern formats such as WebP/AVIF are considered where appropriate. - [ ] Image dimensions are appropriate for display. - [ ] Images are responsive where needed. - [ ] Important images are crawlable. - [ ] Important images are not hidden behind crawler-inaccessible interactions. - [ ] `alt` text is descriptive when the image conveys meaningful information. - [ ] Decorative images use appropriate empty alt handling. - [ ] Alt text is not stuffed with keywords. - [ ] Image filenames are meaningful where practical. - [ ] Images are placed near relevant contextual text. - [ ] Image URLs are stable. - [ ] Lazy loading does not prevent Google from discovering important images. - [ ] Image sitemap is considered when needed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 15. Video & Rich Media [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Important videos are crawlable. - [ ] Videos have descriptive titles. - [ ] Videos have useful descriptions. - [ ] Video thumbnails are accessible. - [ ] Video content is relevant to the surrounding page. - [ ] Important videos are placed on appropriate pages. - [ ] Video structured data is valid where applicable. - [ ] Video sitemap/mRSS is considered where useful. - [ ] Videos are accessible on mobile. - [ ] Video content does not depend on crawler-inaccessible user interaction. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 16. Structured Data - [ ] Structured data is used only where it genuinely describes visible page content. - [ ] Appropriate schema types are selected for the site's actual content. - [ ] JSON-LD is used where practical. - [ ] Structured data is valid. - [ ] Structured data matches visible content. - [ ] Required properties are present for the chosen eligible feature. - [ ] No misleading or fabricated structured data exists. - [ ] Structured data is not duplicated unnecessarily. - [ ] Structured data is present in mobile-rendered content where required. - [ ] Dynamically generated structured data is tested in rendered HTML. - [ ] Rich Results Test is used where applicable. - [ ] Search Console enhancement reports are monitored where available. ## 16.1 Applicable schema types [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Organization. - [ ] LocalBusiness. - [ ] Breadcrumb. - [ ] Article. - [ ] Event. - [ ] Product. - \[Review/ReviewSnippet where eligible\]. - [ ] SoftwareApplication. - [ ] Recipe. - [ ] VideoObject. - [ ] JobPosting. - [ ] Course. - [ ] Dataset. - [ ] DiscussionForum/ProfilePage. - [ ] Other currently supported Google Search feature relevant to the site. > Do not add schema simply because it exists. Add it only when the page > genuinely qualifies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 17. Mobile SEO & Responsive Design - [ ] Site works correctly on mobile devices. - [ ] Mobile version contains the primary content needed for indexing. - [ ] Mobile and desktop content are appropriately equivalent. - [ ] Important headings are present on mobile. - [ ] Important metadata is equivalent. - [ ] Important structured data is equivalent. - [ ] Important images and videos are accessible on mobile. - [ ] Mobile pages are not blocked by `robots.txt`. - [ ] Mobile pages do not accidentally use different robots directives. - [ ] Mobile navigation is usable. - [ ] Text is readable without excessive zooming. - [ ] Buttons/interactive controls are usable. - [ ] Intrusive interstitials do not obstruct important content. - [ ] Responsive design is used where appropriate. - [ ] Separate mobile URLs, if used, have correct relationships and redirects. - [ ] Mobile rendering is tested with real devices and crawler tools. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 18. JavaScript SEO \[Conditional for JS-heavy websites, SPAs, frameworks, and dynamic rendering\] - [ ] Important content exists in rendered HTML. - [ ] Googlebot can fetch required JavaScript. - [ ] Googlebot can fetch required CSS. - [ ] Important content does not require clicks, scrolling, typing, permissions, or other user actions to become available to crawlers. - [ ] Client-side routing uses crawlable URLs. - [ ] SPA routes return appropriate HTTP status codes. - [ ] SPA 404 pages return true 404/410 responses or are otherwise correctly excluded. - [ ] Unique titles are generated for routes. - [ ] Unique meta descriptions are generated where appropriate. - [ ] Canonicals are correct after rendering. - [ ] Structured data is present after rendering. - [ ] Important links render as `<a href>`. - [ ] Shadow DOM/Web Components expose important content in rendered output. - [ ] Lazy-loaded content becomes available without requiring crawler actions. - [ ] Infinite scroll has crawlable URL equivalents. - [ ] Browser permissions are not required to access important indexable content. - [ ] Local/session state is not required for crawlers to discover important content. - [ ] Rendered output is tested with URL Inspection. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 19. Page Experience & Core Web Vitals - [ ] Core Web Vitals are measured for representative page types. - [ ] Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is monitored. - [ ] Interaction to Next Paint (INP) is monitored. - [ ] Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is monitored. - [ ] Performance is checked on mobile and desktop. - [ ] Server response time is monitored. - [ ] Render-blocking resources are reviewed. - [ ] Images are optimized. - [ ] Fonts are optimized. - [ ] JavaScript bundle size is controlled. - [ ] Unnecessary third-party scripts are reduced. - [ ] Layout shifts are minimized. - [ ] Above-the-fold content loads efficiently. - [ ] Lazy loading is used appropriately. - [ ] Caching is configured appropriately. - [ ] Compression is enabled where appropriate. - [ ] CDN is considered where geographically useful. - [ ] Intrusive ads/interstitials do not obstruct primary content. - [ ] Page experience is assessed holistically rather than treating one metric as a guaranteed ranking factor. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 20. Accessibility-Related SEO Checks > Accessibility is not simply an SEO ranking checklist, but many > accessibility practices improve usability, content understanding, and > crawlability. - [ ] Important content is available as text rather than being image-only. - [ ] Images have appropriate alternative text. - [ ] Links have meaningful labels. - [ ] Interactive controls have accessible names. - [ ] Keyboard navigation works. - [ ] Content is usable without JavaScript where practical for essential navigation/content. - [ ] Color/visual presentation does not make essential information inaccessible. - [ ] Form controls have labels. - [ ] Headings and page regions are understandable. - [ ] Error messages are understandable. - [ ] Accessibility testing is performed separately from SEO validation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 21. International & Multilingual SEO [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Each language/region version has a stable, crawlable URL. - [ ] Language/region targeting strategy is documented. - [ ] `hreflang` is implemented when appropriate. - [ ] `hreflang` URLs are absolute. - [ ] `hreflang` URLs are indexable. - [ ] Each alternate references the other alternates correctly. - [ ] Self-referencing `hreflang` is present where required. - [ ] `x-default` is used where appropriate. - [ ] Language codes are valid. - [ ] Region codes are valid where used. - [ ] Localized pages contain genuinely localized content. - [ ] Canonical and `hreflang` signals are consistent. - [ ] Automatic IP-based redirection does not prevent crawler/user access to localized URLs. - [ ] Language selector links are crawlable. - [ ] International XML sitemap implementation is valid if used. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 22. Local SEO [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Business name is consistent. - [ ] Business address is consistent where applicable. - [ ] Business phone number is consistent. - [ ] Business hours are accurate. - [ ] Service areas are clearly described where applicable. - [ ] Contact/location page exists where appropriate. - [ ] LocalBusiness structured data is accurate where eligible. - [ ] Organization/business identity is clear. - [ ] Google Business Profile is claimed/managed where applicable. - [ ] Website and business listing information are consistent. - [ ] Location pages provide unique value rather than doorway-style city pages. - [ ] Local testimonials/reviews are handled appropriately. - [ ] Maps/location information is accessible to users. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 23. Ecommerce SEO [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Product pages are indexable where intended. - [ ] Product titles are unique and descriptive. - [ ] Product descriptions provide useful original information. - [ ] Product images are crawlable and optimized. - [ ] Product variants have an intentional URL/indexing strategy. - [ ] Product structured data is accurate. - [ ] Price information is accurate. - [ ] Availability information is accurate. - [ ] Review information is genuine and eligible for markup. - [ ] Merchant Center setup is considered where relevant. - [ ] Shipping information is accurate. - [ ] Return policy information is accurate. - [ ] Faceted navigation is controlled. - [ ] Filter combinations do not create uncontrolled crawl spaces. - [ ] Product pagination is crawlable. - [ ] Out-of-stock products have an intentional strategy. - [ ] Permanently discontinued products are handled appropriately. - [ ] Internal search pages are controlled. - [ ] Category pages provide meaningful content and navigation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 24. Pagination, Infinite Scroll & Dynamic Lists [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Each important page/list segment has a unique URL. - [ ] Next/previous pages are discoverable through crawlable links. - [ ] "Load more" functionality has a crawlable fallback where necessary. - [ ] Infinite-scroll content has persistent URLs. - [ ] Important items are not hidden exclusively behind user interaction. - [ ] Paginated pages have intentional canonical strategies. - [ ] Pagination does not create duplicate or infinite URL spaces. - [ ] Search engines can discover all important items in the sequence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 25. Security & Search Safety - [ ] HTTPS is enforced. - [ ] Security certificates are valid. - [ ] No malware is present. - [ ] No phishing content is present. - [ ] No hacked pages are present. - [ ] No injected spam links exist. - [ ] No unauthorized redirects exist. - [ ] CMS/framework/plugins are maintained. - [ ] User-generated areas are protected against abuse. - [ ] File uploads are secured. - [ ] Administrative areas are protected. - [ ] Security headers are reviewed separately where appropriate. - [ ] Search Console Security Issues report is monitored. - [ ] Safe Browsing/security status is monitored where appropriate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 26. Privacy, Legal & Trust Pages > These are not universal direct ranking requirements, but they are > important website-quality, trust, compliance, and business checks. - [ ] Privacy Policy exists where required. - [ ] Terms & Conditions exist where appropriate. - [ ] Cookie/consent mechanism is implemented where legally required. - [ ] Contact information is available where appropriate. - [ ] Refund/return policy exists for relevant businesses. - [ ] Shipping policy exists for relevant ecommerce sites. - [ ] Affiliate disclosures exist where required. - [ ] Advertising/sponsorship disclosures exist where required. - [ ] Business identity is clear. - [ ] Legal/company information is accurate. - [ ] Sensitive information is not unintentionally exposed in URLs, page source, documents, metadata, or public files. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 27. PDFs & Other Indexable Files [Conditional](#conditional) - [ ] Public PDFs/documents intended for search are accessible. - [ ] Documents have meaningful filenames. - [ ] Document content is useful and indexable. - [ ] Important documents have an intentional canonical/indexing strategy. - [ ] Duplicate HTML/PDF versions are handled appropriately. - [ ] Sensitive/redacted information is actually removed rather than visually covered. - [ ] Document metadata does not expose unintended sensitive information. - [ ] X-Robots-Tag is used when non-HTML resources need indexing control. - [ ] PDF/document links are crawlable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 28. Search Appearance - [ ] Brand/site name is represented consistently. - [ ] Favicon is present and crawlable. - [ ] Favicon is appropriate for search appearance requirements. - [ ] Page titles are optimized. - [ ] Meta descriptions are useful. - [ ] Breadcrumbs are implemented where useful. - [ ] Structured-data enhancements are used only when eligible. - [ ] Image search appearance is considered. - [ ] Video search appearance is considered where relevant. - [ ] Site links are supported through strong site architecture. - [ ] Search appearance is reviewed for representative queries. - [ ] Snippet controls are used intentionally. - [ ] `nosnippet`/preview restrictions are not accidentally suppressing desired search visibility. - [ ] AI search/AI feature considerations are handled through people-first content and valid Google-supported controls rather than special manipulation tactics. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 29. Analytics & Measurement - [ ] Google Search Console is configured. - [ ] Analytics platform is configured. - [ ] Organic traffic is measurable. - [ ] Organic landing pages are measurable. - [ ] Conversions are measurable. - [ ] Important business events are tracked. - [ ] Search Console and analytics data are interpreted together. - [ ] Tracking parameters do not create indexing problems. - [ ] Analytics implementation does not materially harm performance. - [ ] Consent/privacy requirements for analytics are handled appropriately. - [ ] SEO KPIs are defined. - [ ] Baseline performance is recorded before major SEO changes. - [ ] Regular reporting schedule is established. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 30. Migration & Site Change Checklist [Conditional](#conditional) Use this section whenever changing domain, URL structure, CMS, hosting, protocol, or major architecture. - [ ] Complete old URL inventory created. - [ ] Complete new URL inventory created. - [ ] One-to-one URL mapping created. - [ ] Important backlinks/landing pages identified. - [ ] Redirect plan created. - [ ] New canonical tags prepared. - [ ] New sitemap prepared. - [ ] New robots.txt reviewed. - [ ] Staging environment blocked from indexing. - [ ] Staging site tested. - [ ] New Search Console property verified where needed. - [ ] Old and new properties monitored. - [ ] 301/308 redirects implemented where appropriate. - [ ] Redirect chains avoided. - [ ] Internal links updated. - [ ] Structured data updated. - [ ] `hreflang` updated where applicable. - [ ] Analytics/tracking updated. - [ ] Post-launch crawl performed. - [ ] Indexing monitored after launch. - [ ] Traffic/rankings monitored after launch. - [ ] Old redirects are maintained for an appropriate period. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 31. Content & URL Inventory Create a complete inventory for the website. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- URL Page Index? Canonical Title Meta H1 Status Internal Sitemap Schema Mobile Notes Type Description Code Links ----- ------ -------- ----------- ------- ------------- ----- -------- ---------- --------- -------- -------- ------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 32. Page-by-Page Audit Checklist Repeat this section for **every important indexable page**. ## Page: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ### Basic - [ ] Correct URL. - [ ] Correct page type/template. - [ ] HTTP status is correct. - [ ] Page is accessible. - [ ] Page is indexable as intended. ### Metadata - [ ] Unique `<title>`. - [ ] Useful meta description. - [ ] Correct robots directive. - [ ] Correct canonical. - [ ] Correct viewport/charset. - [ ] Correct social metadata where applicable. ### Content - [ ] Search intent is satisfied. - [ ] Main topic is immediately clear. - [ ] Main heading is appropriate. - [ ] Content is useful and original. - [ ] Content is accurate. - [ ] Content demonstrates appropriate expertise/experience. - [ ] Important information is accessible to crawlers. - [ ] No keyword stuffing. - [ ] No unnecessary content padding. ### Links - [ ] Important internal links present. - [ ] Internal links are crawlable. - [ ] Anchor text is descriptive. - [ ] No broken links. - [ ] External links are trustworthy/relevant. - [ ] Paid/UGC links are appropriately qualified. ### Media - [ ] Images are optimized. - [ ] Images have appropriate alt text. - [ ] Important images are crawlable. - [ ] Videos are crawlable where applicable. - [ ] Media is relevant to surrounding content. ### Structured Data - [ ] Applicable schema identified. - [ ] Schema is valid. - [ ] Schema matches visible content. - [ ] Schema is tested. - [ ] No misleading structured data. ### Mobile - [ ] Mobile rendering works. - [ ] Primary content is present. - [ ] Metadata parity is correct. - [ ] Structured-data parity is correct. - [ ] Navigation works. - [ ] No intrusive mobile experience issues. ### Performance - [ ] LCP reviewed. - [ ] INP reviewed. - [ ] CLS reviewed. - [ ] Images/resources optimized. - [ ] JavaScript performance reviewed. ### Page Result - [ ] Pass - [ ] Pass with minor issues - [ ] Needs improvement - [ ] Critical issue **Issues / Evidence:** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Recommended Action:** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 33. Technical Validation Tools Use appropriate tools rather than relying on one automated audit. - [ ] Google Search Console URL Inspection. - [ ] Google Search Console Page Indexing. - [ ] Google Search Console Core Web Vitals. - [ ] Google Search Console Enhancements/Rich Results reports where available. - [ ] Google Search Console Manual Actions. - [ ] Google Search Console Security Issues. - [ ] Google Rich Results Test. - [ ] Browser developer tools. - [ ] HTTP status/header inspection. - [ ] HTML source inspection. - [ ] Rendered DOM inspection. - [ ] Mobile-device testing. - [ ] Lighthouse/PageSpeed-style performance testing. - [ ] Server log analysis when necessary. - [ ] Sitemap validation. - [ ] Robots.txt testing/inspection. - [ ] Broken-link crawling. - [ ] Structured-data validation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 34. Final SEO QA / Launch Gate Do not mark the website SEO-ready until all critical checks have been reviewed. ## Critical - [ ] Important pages are accessible. - [ ] Important pages return correct status codes. - [ ] Important pages are not accidentally blocked. - [ ] Important pages are not accidentally `noindex`. - [ ] Canonicals are correct. - [ ] Robots.txt is correct. - [ ] Sitemap is correct where applicable. - [ ] HTTPS works correctly. - [ ] No widespread 4xx/5xx errors. - [ ] No widespread soft 404s. - [ ] No major rendering/indexability problems. - [ ] Mobile version is indexable and usable. - [ ] No serious security/hacking issues. - [ ] No serious spam-policy violations. ## Important - [ ] Titles reviewed. - [ ] Meta descriptions reviewed. - [ ] Headings reviewed. - [ ] Internal linking reviewed. - [ ] Content quality reviewed. - [ ] Images reviewed. - [ ] Structured data reviewed. - [ ] Core Web Vitals reviewed. - [ ] Analytics/Search Console configured. - [ ] Search appearance reviewed. ## Conditional - [ ] Ecommerce checks completed if applicable. - [ ] Local SEO checks completed if applicable. - [ ] International SEO checks completed if applicable. - [ ] Video checks completed if applicable. - [ ] News checks completed if applicable. - [ ] Job/course/event/etc. structured data checked if applicable. - [ ] Migration checks completed if applicable. - [ ] UGC checks completed if applicable. - [ ] Paywall/subscription checks completed if applicable. - [ ] Age-restricted content checks completed if applicable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 35. Issue Log ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Priority URL/Area Issue Evidence Category Recommended Status Action ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- Critical High Medium Low ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # 36. Final Audit Summary **Overall SEO Status:**\ - \[ \] Ready - \[ \] Ready with minor improvements - \[ \] Needs improvements before launch - \[ \] Critical SEO issues present **Critical issues:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **High-priority issues:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Medium-priority issues:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Low-priority issues:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Pages audited:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Indexable pages audited:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Sitemap status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Robots.txt status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Canonical status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Structured data status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Mobile status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Core Web Vitals status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Search Console status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ **Security status:** \_\_\_\_\_\_ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Appendix A --- What Was Covered by the Source Document The supplied Google SEO master guide already provides substantial coverage of: - Google Search Essentials and technical eligibility. - Search spam policies. - People-first content and content quality. - E-E-A-T concepts. - Crawling, indexing, and serving. - URL structure. - Crawlable links and anchor text. - Internal/external links. - Sitemaps and sitemap extensions. - Robots.txt. - Canonicalization. - Mobile-first indexing. - JavaScript SEO. - Page metadata. - Robots meta directives and X-Robots-Tag. - Redirects and site migrations. - Search appearance. - Snippets. - Structured data. - Images and videos. - International/hreflang. - Ecommerce SEO. - Monitoring and debugging. - Security and user-generated spam. - Specialized sitemap types. - Page experience/Core Web Vitals. The source therefore forms a strong **reference knowledge base**, but it is not, by itself, an operational audit checklist for every website. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Appendix B --- Important Checklist Additions Made Beyond the Source The following were added or made more explicit so the document works as a reusable website audit checklist rather than only as a Google documentation summary: - [ ] Audit setup and website inventory. - [ ] Explicit pass/fail/N/A workflow. - [ ] Page-by-page audit template. - [ ] URL/page inventory table. - [ ] Title/meta/head validation as operational checks. - [ ] HTTP/HTTPS/host consistency. - [ ] Server availability and error monitoring. - [ ] Redirect-chain and redirect-target QA. - [ ] Comprehensive internal-link QA. - [ ] Orphan-page checking. - [ ] Broken-link checking. - [ ] Image optimization and accessibility checks. - [ ] Accessibility-related SEO checks. - [ ] Privacy/legal/trust-page checks. - [ ] Analytics and conversion measurement. - [ ] Migration readiness and post-launch validation. - [ ] Ecommerce operational checks. - [ ] Local SEO operational checks. - [ ] International SEO operational checks. - [ ] PDF/document indexing checks. - [ ] Issue-priority tracking. - [ ] Final launch gate. - [ ] Evidence/URL tracking for every issue. - [ ] Conditional handling so irrelevant specialty checks do not become false requirements. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Appendix C --- Items That Should NOT Be Treated as Universal Requirements A reusable checklist must distinguish **required**, **recommended**, and **conditional** items. Do not automatically require: - [ ] An XML sitemap for every tiny, perfectly internally linked website. - [ ] Structured data on every page. - [ ] Every possible schema type. - [ ] AMP. - [ ] News sitemaps on non-news websites. - [ ] Video sitemaps on websites with no meaningful video content. - [ ] Image sitemaps on every website. - [ ] hreflang on a single-language/single-region website. - [ ] LocalBusiness schema on businesses with no applicable local presence. - [ ] Product schema on non-ecommerce websites. - [ ] Merchant Center on non-commerce websites. - [ ] Infinite-scroll fallback on sites without infinite scroll. - [ ] Paywall checks on sites without paid content. - [ ] UGC moderation checks on sites without public user-generated content. - [ ] Adult-content/SafeSearch checks on sites without such content. - [ ] Migration checks when no migration is occurring. - [ ] AMP checks on sites that do not use AMP. - [ ] Arbitrary keyword density targets. - [ ] Arbitrary minimum/maximum word counts. - [ ] Meta keywords. - [ ] A specific number/order of headings as a ranking requirement. - [ ] Third-party "domain authority" scores as Google ranking requirements. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Appendix D --- Audit Status Definitions ### PASS The requirement is implemented correctly and evidence confirms it. ### FAIL The requirement is applicable and there is a confirmed problem. ### PARTIAL The requirement is partly implemented or has inconsistent implementation. ### N/A The requirement genuinely does not apply to the website. ### REVIEW The item requires manual judgment or business/context information before it can be classified. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Final Rule **Use this document as a checklist, not as a collection of ranking myths.** For every audit: 1. Verify the actual implementation. 2. Record the affected URL(s). 3. Record evidence. 4. Separate Google requirements from recommendations. 5. Mark conditional features as N/A when they genuinely do not apply. 6. Prioritize issues by impact and severity. 7. Re-test after fixes. 8. Do not assume that passing a checklist guarantees crawling, indexing, ranking, rich results, or traffic.