SEO Checklist

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Quick Reference

• ✅ 2,000+ words
• ✅ Primary keyword density 1-2%
• ✅ Keyword in H1, first 100 words, 2-3 H2s
• ✅ 3-5 internal links
• ✅ 2-3 external links
• ✅ Meta title 50-60 chars
• ✅ Meta description 150-160 chars
• ✅ 8th-10th grade reading level

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Content Checklist

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Length & Depth

• Minimum 2,000 words (2,500-3,000+ preferred)
• Exceeds or matches top 10 SERP average
• Covers topic comprehensively
• Answers all “People Also Ask” questions
• Provides unique value vs competitors

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Keywords

• Primary keyword identified
• Keyword density 1-2% (not stuffed)
• Keyword in H1 title
• Keyword in first 100 words
• Keyword in 2-3 H2 headings
• Keyword in meta title
• Keyword in meta description
• Keyword in URL slug
• 5-10 LSI keywords included
• Semantic variations used naturally

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Internal Links

• 3-5 internal links minimum
• Descriptive anchor text (not “click here”)
• Links to relevant content
• Links to pillar pages
• At least one link in first 300 words
• All links working (no 404s)
• Links open in same tab

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External Links

• 2-3 external authority links
• All statistics cited with sources
• Links to credible sources (.gov, .edu, industry leaders)
• No broken external links
• External links open in new tab
• No links to direct competitors

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Content Quality

• Factually accurate
• Statistics current and cited
• Examples are specific and real
• Actionable advice provided
• No spelling errors
• No grammar errors
• Brand voice maintained
• Passes plagiarism check

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On-Page SEO Checklist

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Title (H1)

• Only one H1 per page
• Includes primary keyword
• 60 characters or less
• Compelling and clickable
• Unique (not duplicate on site)

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Meta Title

• 50-60 characters (required)
• Includes primary keyword
• Keyword near beginning
• Includes year if freshness important
• Unique across site
• Compelling (includes benefit/number/power word)

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Meta Description

• 150-160 characters (required)
• Includes primary keyword
• Clear value proposition
• Includes call-to-action
• Unique across site
• Actionable language

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URL Slug

• Includes primary keyword
• Short and descriptive
• Lowercase letters
• Hyphens (not underscores)
• No stop words (a, an, the, for)
• Permanent (won’t change)

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Heading Structure

• Only one H1 (title)
• H2 headings every 300-400 words
• H3 headings for subsections
• Proper hierarchy (never skip levels)
• Descriptive headings (not “Introduction”)
• 2-3 H2s include keyword variations
• Total: 5-12 headings

H1: Main Title (Primary Keyword)
  H2: Section 1
    H3: Subsection 1.1
    H3: Subsection 1.2
  H2: Section 2 (Keyword Variation)
    H3: Subsection 2.1
  H2: Section 3 (Keyword Variation)

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Images

• Featured image at top
• At least 1 image per 500 words
• All images have descriptive alt text
• Alt text includes keyword (naturally)
• Images compressed (less than 200KB each)
• Images responsive on mobile
• File names descriptive (keyword-related.jpg)
• Proper image format (JPG for photos, PNG for graphics)

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Schema Markup

• Article schema implemented
• FAQ schema (if applicable)
• How-to schema (if applicable)
• Breadcrumb schema
• Author schema
• Organization schema

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Readability Checklist

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Reading Level

• 8th-10th grade Flesch-Kincaid
• Flesch Reading Ease 60-70
• Simple words over complex
• Technical terms defined
• Jargon avoided or explained

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Sentences

• Average length 15-20 words
• Maximum 30 words
• Varied sentence lengths
• Active voice preferred
• Passive voice less than 10%

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Paragraphs

• 2-4 sentences per paragraph
• Maximum 5 sentences
• One idea per paragraph
• Logical flow between paragraphs
• Transition words used

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Formatting

• Bullet points for lists
• Numbered lists for steps/rankings
• Bold for emphasis (used sparingly)
• Tables for comparisons
• Adequate white space
• Short paragraphs
• Scannable structure

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Structure Checklist

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Introduction (100-150 words)

• Hook in first sentence
• Problem/pain point identified
• Promise (what they’ll learn)
• Primary keyword in first 100 words
• Engaging and clear

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Body

• Logical section flow
• Each section builds on previous
• Transitions between sections
• Examples in every major section
• Data/statistics to support claims
• Subsections for complex topics
• Answers search intent completely

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Conclusion (100-200 words)

• Summarizes key points
• Clear call-to-action
• Next steps provided
• Reinforces main benefit
• Engaging close

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Technical SEO Checklist

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Performance

• Page loads in less than 3 seconds
• Images optimized/compressed
• No render-blocking resources
• CSS/JS minified
• Lazy loading implemented

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Mobile

• Mobile-responsive design
• Text readable without zooming
• Buttons/links easy to tap
• No horizontal scrolling
• Fast mobile load time

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Indexing

• No noindex tag (unless intentional)
• Robots.txt allows crawling
• Canonical URL set correctly
• Sitemap updated
• No duplicate content issues

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Links

• All internal links working
• All external links working
• No redirect chains
• HTTPS (secure) links only
• Links use descriptive anchors

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SERP Features Checklist

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Featured Snippet

• Concise answer in first 100 words
• Clear definition/answer format
• 40-60 word summary
• Uses paragraph or list format
• Targets question-based queries

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People Also Ask

• FAQ section added
• 5-10 related questions answered
• Concise answers (2-3 sentences each)
• FAQ schema markup added
• Questions from SERP research included

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Rich Snippets

• Schema markup implemented
• Star ratings (if applicable)
• Author information
• Published/updated dates
• Breadcrumbs

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Video Results

• Video embedded (if applicable)
• Video schema markup
• Descriptive video title
• Transcript included

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Image Pack

• High-quality images
• Descriptive file names
• Comprehensive alt text
• Proper image dimensions
• Images unique/original

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Competitive Analysis Checklist

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Before Writing

• Analyzed top 10 SERP results
• Identified content gaps
• Noted average word count
• Reviewed content types
• Checked SERP features present
• Studied competitor structure

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Differentiation

• Unique angle or perspective
• Better/more examples than competitors
• More current data
• Superior formatting
• Additional value (templates, tools, etc.)
• Better visual content

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Competitive Advantage

• Exceeds average competitor word count
• More comprehensive coverage
• Better readability score
• More internal links
• Better visual content
• Unique insights or data

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Pre-Publishing Checklist

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Final Review

• Read entire article aloud
• Check for flow and clarity
• Verify all facts and statistics
• Test all links (internal and external)
• Preview on mobile device
• Check image loading
• Verify meta elements display correctly
• Confirm proper formatting

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Tools Check

• Run /optimize command
• Content Analyzer score 80+
• SEO score 80+
• Address all CRITICAL issues
• Address all HIGH priority issues
• Review MEDIUM issues

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Publishing Readiness

• All CRITICAL issues resolved
• All HIGH priority issues resolved
• Content score 80+
• Pre-publishing checklist 100% complete
• Final approval obtained (if required)

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Post-Publishing Checklist

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Immediate (Day 1)

• Submit URL to Google Search Console
• Share on social media
• Send to email list (if applicable)
• Internal team notification
• Add to content calendar

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Week 1

• Check for crawl errors in GSC
• Verify page indexed by Google
• Monitor initial impressions/clicks
• Check for broken links
• Review user engagement metrics

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Month 1

• Track keyword rankings
• Monitor organic traffic
• Analyze user behavior (GA4)
• Check for ranking improvements
• Identify optimization opportunities

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Quarterly

• Update statistics and examples
• Refresh outdated content
• Add new sections if needed
• Check competitor updates
• Re-optimize if rankings dropped

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Scoring Guide

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Content Quality Score

• Comprehensive coverage
• Perfect SEO optimization
• Highly readable
• Unique value
• Publication-ready

• Good coverage
• Strong SEO
• Readable
• Some unique value
• Small improvements needed

• Adequate coverage
• Basic SEO
• Somewhat readable
• Limited uniqueness
• Significant improvements needed

• Incomplete coverage
• Poor SEO
• Hard to read
• No unique value
• Substantial rewrite needed

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Priority Levels

• Missing meta title/description
• No primary keyword
• less than 1,500 words
• Broken links
• Keyword stuffing
• Plagiarized content

• Low keyword density
• Poor heading structure
• Few internal links
• Low readability
• Missing images
• Generic content

• Could add more examples
• Could improve formatting
• Could add more LSI keywords
• Could strengthen conclusion

• Style preferences
• Minor tweaks
• Future enhancements

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Common Issues & Fixes

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Issue: Low Content Score

1. Run Content Analyzer
2. Check which dimension is low
3. Focus on lowest score first
4. Use specific fixes for that dimension
5. Re-test until score >80

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Issue: Keyword Density Too High

1. Check current density (should be 1-2%)
2. Replace keyword mentions with:
   • Synonyms
   • “It”, “this”, “that”
   • Related terms
3. Focus on natural language
4. Re-check with Keyword Analyzer

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Issue: Poor Readability

1. Shorten sentences (break at commas)
2. Replace complex words with simple ones
3. Add more paragraph breaks
4. Use more lists
5. Add more subheadings
6. Use transition words

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Issue: Low SEO Score

1. Run SEO Optimizer
2. Check all on-page elements:
   • Meta title/description
   • Keyword placement
   • Internal links
   • Heading structure
3. Fix issues in priority order
4. Re-test until score >80

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Issue: Missing Internal Links

1. Review context/internal-links-map.md
2. Identify 3-5 relevant pages
3. Find natural places to link
4. Use descriptive anchor text
5. Add at least one link in first 300 words

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Tools Reference

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Commands

• /optimize [file]: Complete optimization check
• /scrub [file]: Remove AI patterns

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Agents

• Content Analyzer: 5-module comprehensive analysis
• SEO Optimizer: On-page SEO scoring
• Meta Creator: Meta title/description options
• Internal Linker: Link suggestions
• Keyword Mapper: Keyword distribution analysis
• Editor: Readability and humanity improvements

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Python Modules

• seo_quality_rater.py: 0-100 SEO score
• readability_scorer.py: Readability metrics
• keyword_analyzer.py: Keyword density
• content_scorer.py: 5-dimension scoring
• search_intent_analyzer.py: Intent classification

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Quick Start

1. ✅ Use /research-serp [keyword] for requirements
2. ✅ Write 2,000+ words following brief
3. ✅ Run /optimize [file] before publishing
4. ✅ Address CRITICAL and HIGH issues
5. ✅ Verify checklist 100% complete
6. ✅ Publish when score >80

• Content Score: 80+
• SEO Score: 80+
• All CRITICAL issues: 0
• Pre-publishing checklist: 100%