Run this top to bottom on any site. Most issues fall into four buckets, and fixing them is usually the fastest ranking win available, because you are removing what is holding good pages back rather than starting from scratch.
Crawlability and indexing
- A clean XML sitemap that lists your real pages
- A robots file that does not accidentally block important pages
- No stray noindex tags on pages you want ranked
- Canonical tags that point at the primary version of each page
Speed and experience
- Fast loading and a stable layout as the page renders
- Compressed, modern-format images that are sized correctly
- No render-blocking scripts on critical pages
- A layout that works and stays fast on mobile
On-page signals
- One clear H1 and a logical heading structure per page
- A unique title and meta description on every page
- Descriptive alt text on meaningful images
- Structured data for articles, products, and FAQs where relevant
Architecture
- A shallow, logical URL and navigation structure
- Deliberate internal links between related pages
- Redirects in place for any URL you change or retire
- Thin or duplicate pages pruned or consolidated