Before you write
Choose one main reader problem. Review the existing page so you do not publish another page with the same purpose. Plan examples, supporting evidence and a useful next step.
Make the page easy to understand
- Use a descriptive title and one clear main heading.
- Break the explanation into meaningful sections.
- Write accurate image descriptions when an image conveys information.
- Link to relevant pages with descriptive anchor text.
- Check important links and mobile readability.
Publish, then learn
Review impressions and clicks in Search Console, alongside the actions visitors take. Search snippets and ranking positions can change. Avoid stuffing repeated keywords into a page to meet an arbitrary density target.
Turn the checklist into a page brief
Before editing a page, write down the reader, the question and the useful next step. This gives the on-page SEO review a purpose. A title, heading structure and internal links should support the page’s task rather than exist as isolated boxes to tick.
Check whether another page already answers the same question. If it does, consider whether improving that page is more useful than creating another near-duplicate. Keep separate pages when they serve genuinely different needs, and explain their relationship through relevant navigation and internal links.
Review titles, headings and opening paragraphs
A descriptive page title should make the subject clear. The main heading should help the visitor recognise that they reached the right page. In the opening paragraphs, answer the central question or explain what the reader will learn. Avoid delaying the answer behind a long introduction full of repeated keywords.
Use subheadings to organise actual ideas: a process, a comparison, a limitation or a common question. Do not add several headings that say almost the same thing simply to repeat variations of a keyword. A readable structure helps someone scan the page and choose the section they need.
Check information quality before adding more words
Length should follow the subject. A practical checklist may need definitions and examples, while a narrow question may have a concise answer. Add content when it resolves uncertainty, explains a step or helps the reader make a decision. Remove filler that repeats the same advice without adding a useful detail.
Use examples you can explain. Clearly identify an illustrative example, and avoid presenting imagined results as a case study. When discussing a platform-specific feature, link to the relevant primary guidance and review the wording when that guidance changes.
Make internal links serve the reader
Use links to connect a page with the next useful resource. An article about on-page optimisation can link to an SEO beginner guide for definitions and to a relevant service or category page where the reader needs to explore further. Choose anchor text that explains the destination.
Review the links during publishing. Confirm that they open the intended page, and avoid sending readers to an empty archive or a removed article. A large number of links is not the goal. A coherent route through the topic is more useful.
A final quality check before publication
- Read the title and opening without the rest of the page. Is the purpose clear?
- Scan the headings. Do they follow a useful order?
- Check facts, permissions and examples.
- Test contact links, downloads and important navigation.
- Read the page on a phone and check tables or long words.
- Confirm that the page has a relevant place in the site.
On-page SEO FAQs
Should every keyword have a separate article?
No. Closely related questions may belong in one useful page. Separate pages should have distinct purposes rather than exist only to target spelling variations.
Does a longer article automatically rank better?
No word count guarantees visibility. Use enough detail to answer the reader’s task well, then review whether the information remains accurate and useful.
What should I review after publishing?
Check that the page works, review available search data and observe useful visitor actions. Note changes to the page so later comparisons have context. See our measurement guide.
Further reading
Google SEO Starter Guide · Google Ads conversion measurement · Our beginner guides
Educational content and editorial views. Advice depends on your circumstances; external sources are references rather than blanket endorsements.