Search is changing: people still use Google, but many now also ask AI assistants for answers. The good news is that the fundamentals are the same — be easy to crawl, fast, trustworthy and genuinely helpful. Use this checklist to cover the essentials.
Part 1 – Make sure Google can find and understand your site
- HTTPS everywhere. Secure the whole site and redirect
httptohttps. - Submit an XML sitemap in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Check robots.txt so you are not blocking important pages by mistake.
- Use canonical URLs so each page has one preferred address.
- Fix broken links and redirect chains.
- Clean URL structure, for example
/services/or/blog/topic-name/. - Add internal links. Link related pages together — it helps Google discover new pages and understand their importance.
- Make it mobile friendly. Most visitors use phones.
Part 2 – Page-level basics
- A unique, descriptive title (around 50–60 characters) for every page.
- A compelling meta description that earns the click.
- One clear H1 per page, with logical H2/H3 headings.
- Descriptive image alt text and compressed images.
- Fast loading — see our Core Web Vitals guide.
Part 3 – Structured data
Structured data (schema markup) tells search engines what a page is about. Useful types for business sites:
| Page | Schema type |
|---|---|
| Company | Organization / ProfessionalService |
| Articles and guides | Article / BlogPosting |
| Questions and answers | FAQPage |
| Navigation | BreadcrumbList |
| Products | Product (with reviews and price) |
Validate with Google’s Rich Results Test. Only mark up content that is actually visible on the page.
Part 4 – Content that deserves to rank
Google’s own guidance asks you to create helpful, reliable, people-first content. In practice:
- Answer real questions your customers ask, in plain language.
- Show real experience and expertise — examples, process, honest pros and cons.
- Be original. Do not copy other websites; duplicated content adds nothing and can be ignored.
- Keep content fresh and fix outdated information.
- Make it easy to contact you and clear who is behind the site.
Part 5 – Answer-engine optimisation (AEO)
AI assistants and search “answer boxes” prefer content that is easy to quote. To be included:
- Lead with the answer. Put a one-to-two-sentence direct answer under each question heading, then explain.
- Use question-style headings such as “How much does a website cost?”.
- Add FAQ sections with concise answers (and FAQPage markup).
- Use lists and tables for steps, comparisons and prices.
- Be specific and consistent about who you are, what you do and where — across your website, Google Business Profile and social profiles.
- Cite credible sources and keep facts accurate.
Part 6 – Local SEO (if you serve a local area)
- Claim and complete your Google Business Profile with services, hours and photos.
- Keep your business name, address and phone number consistent everywhere.
- Collect genuine customer reviews and respond to them.
Part 7 – Measure and improve
- Add your site to Google Search Console and verify ownership.
- Submit your sitemap and use URL Inspection → Request indexing for key pages.
- Review which queries bring impressions and clicks and improve those pages.
- Publish helpful pages regularly rather than occasional bursts.
Quick checklist
- HTTPS and mobile friendly
- Sitemap submitted, robots.txt checked
- Unique titles and descriptions
- Structured data added and validated
- Fast Core Web Vitals
- Helpful, original content with FAQs
- Google Business Profile completed
- Search Console monitored monthly
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