This is the list I go through before a site goes live and in the first weeks after. No theory and no items that can't be done: each one is something that either gets done or doesn't.
Before launch: the technical foundation
Every page has its own title. Different, up to about 60 characters, with a term people actually search for. A title that reads "Home" is a missed chance.
Every page has a meta description. Up to 155 characters. It doesn't affect rankings directly, but it decides whether someone clicks.
One h1 per page, containing what the page is about.
Subheadings contain what people search for. This is the one most often missed: a subheading Our approach tells a search engine nothing, How much does a website cost does.
Addresses are readable. /services/custom-websites, not /page?id=42.
The certificate works and every version of the address leads to one: with www and without, http and https.
The site has a sitemap.xml and it has been submitted to Search Console.
robots.txt doesn't block what should be visible. The classic mistake is a test block left in place after launch, and the whole site drops out of search.
Canonical tags each point to their own page.
Structured data for the business, services and FAQs. Check it with the Rich Results Test: Google silently ignores invalid data.
If there are several languages, the hreflang tags are reciprocal. Details in multilingual websites.
A 404 page exists and leads back into the content.
Before launch: speed and mobile
A mobile score above 70 in PageSpeed Insights. Below 50 means you're losing traffic.
Images in modern formats, sized appropriately, with set dimensions.
Checked on a real phone, not just in browser emulation.
Nothing jumps while it loads.
The measures are explained in Core Web Vitals for business owners.
Before launch: content
Every service has its own page. One page listing five services ranks for none of them. Five pages rank for five.
The text answers the questions people actually ask: what it costs, how long it takes, what's included, who owns it.
Prices, or at least a range. A page without a single number loses to one that has it.
Proof. Projects, numbers, reviews. A claim without proof is the same as anyone else's claim without proof.
Internal links. Pages that link to each other rank better than ones reached only from the menu.
Contact details are visible on every page.
Before launch: if you're moving an existing site
This is where the most gets lost.
A list of every existing address before anything is switched off.
One-to-one redirects. Every old address to its counterpart. Never everything to the home page: Google reads that as deleted content.
The new site is live and checked before the old one is redirected. A redirect to a page that doesn't exist loses everything.
The old sitemap stays live for a few more weeks, so Google picks up the redirects faster.
After launch: measurement
Search Console set up and ownership verified. It's the only source that shows what people actually search for before they arrive.
Sitemap submitted.
Analytics works and a goal is set: a sent form, a call, an order. Without it you're measuring visits instead of business.
Google Business Profile filled in completely, with category, opening hours, photos and address.
The first 90 days
A new site doesn't rank straight away, and that's normal.
The first week: check in Search Console that the pages are indexed. If they aren't, request indexing manually.
The first month: look at which queries you appear for. They'll be different from what you expected, and that's the most useful data you'll get.
The second and third month: write content for the questions that show up in that data. Don't guess topics.
The whole time: don't change addresses. Every change resets part of the progress.
What to skip
Don't buy links. The risk is greater than the benefit.
Don't stuff keywords. Text written for a search engine reads like text written for a search engine, and people leave.
Don't expect results within a month. Three to six months is realistic for a new site.
Don't believe a promise of first place. Nobody can guarantee it.
Frequently asked questions
How long until results show?
Three to six months for a new site on even moderately competitive queries. Faster for local queries and your own name.
Do I need a blog?
If you're targeting queries where people look for information before buying, yes. If the site is a business card, not necessarily.
Is SEO a one-off job?
The technical foundation is. Content isn't.
What's the most important thing on this list?
That every service has its own page and the subheadings contain what people search for. Those two carry more than everything else put together.
How to check where you stand
If you're not sure which of these are done on your site, send me the address and I'll go through the list and tell you what's missing.