SEO Audit Checklist for 2026

This is the checklist I work through on every audit, organized in the order problems should be fixed. Indexing problems come first, because nothing else matters if Google is not keeping your pages. Each item lines up with Google Search Central guidance.

• In Search Console, open the Pages report. Note how many pages are indexed and the top reasons the rest are not.
• Use URL Inspection on your five most important pages. Each should say the URL is on Google.
• Check robots.txt does not block pages or the CSS and JavaScript they need.
• Your XML sitemap should list only canonical, indexable pages that return a 200 status.
• Each page should carry a self-referencing canonical tag, and no important page should be marked noindex.
• Missing pages should return a real 404 or 410, not a 200 "not found" page (a soft 404).
• Redirects should be a single hop to the final URL, and internal links should point at the final URL.

• Look for templated pages that differ only by a city or service name. Google treats these as doorway or scaled content, and a large number can hold the whole site back.
• Merge thin pages that cover the same topic into one stronger page, and 301 the rest.
• Find duplicate titles and descriptions: they usually point to duplicate pages.

• Core Web Vitals in Search Console, using real-user data: Largest Contentful Paint 2.5 seconds or less, Interaction to Next Paint 200 milliseconds or less, Cumulative Layout Shift 0.1 or less.
• Every page works on a phone without sideways scrolling, and tap targets are easy to hit.
• HTTPS everywhere, with HTTP redirecting to HTTPS.
• No pop-ups that cover the content as soon as someone arrives from search.
• Images have width and height set so the layout does not jump.

• A unique title on every page that says what the page is, with the most important words first.
• A unique meta description that summarizes the page.
• One H1 and a heading order that reads like an outline.
• Internal links with descriptive anchor text, and no important page left without links pointing to it.
• Descriptive alt text on images that carry meaning.
• Short, readable URLs that stay stable.

• Markup matches what is visible on the page. Test it with the Rich Results Test.
• Organization or LocalBusiness on the home page, BreadcrumbList on inner pages, Article on guides.
• Do not rely on FAQ markup: since 2023 Google shows FAQ rich results only for well-known government and health sites. HowTo rich results are retired.
• No review or star-rating markup about your own business on your own site.

• Each important page answers the search it targets better than the pages already ranking.
• It is clear who wrote it and why they are qualified, with a real author page.
• Claims are specific and backed by evidence, not filler.
• Contact details, business address and policies are easy to find.

• Google Business Profile complete: correct primary category, services, hours, photos.
• Business name, address and phone identical across your site and major listings.
• Steady, real reviews with owner responses.
• A page per location that says something specific about that location.

• Which sites link to you and why. Earned links from relevant local and industry sites matter most.
• No paid links or link schemes. A disavow file is rarely needed, so do not panic over spammy links you did not build.
• The pages competitors earn links to that you lack.

• GA4 tracking calls, form submissions and bookings as key events.
• Search Console verified for the domain and linked to GA4.
• A baseline recorded before work starts, so results can be measured honestly.

Run the free instant scan for a quick read, or ask me to audit your site against this list. The deeper version is on the SEO audit services page.