On-page SEO Checklist for New Websites
Just launched your website? Use this on-page SEO checklist to make sure your site is ready to rank on Google. Free template included.
On-page SEO Checklist for New Websites (Free Template)
Launching a new website is exciting—but without a solid on-page SEO foundation, your site won’t show up where it matters: Google Search.
This checklist will help you optimize every important on-page SEO element step-by-step—perfect for founders, marketers, and developers. Bonus: Downloadable template included.
1. Keyword Research – Before You Touch the Page
💡 What to do:
- Identify primary keyword for each page.
- Find 2–3 supporting keywords (related/search intent match).
- Use tools like: Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, or Keywordtool.io.
✅ Example: For a service page →
Primary: “SEO services for startups”
Secondary: “affordable SEO packages”, “SEO agency for small business”
2. Optimized Title Tag & Meta Description
💡 What to do:
- Keep title tag under 60 characters and include the main keyword near the front.
- Meta description under 155 characters, written to attract clicks.
- Avoid duplicate titles/meta across pages.
✅ Example:
Title: Affordable SEO Services for Startups | Optivize
Meta: Get results-driven SEO built for startups. Transparent, flexible, and proven to work.
3. Clean & Keyword-Friendly URLs
💡 What to do:
- Use short, descriptive URLs with target keyword.
- Avoid unnecessary words or numbers (e.g.,
optivize.com/seo-for-startupsinstead ofoptivize.com/page?id=12)
✅ Tip: Use hyphens -, not underscores _.
4. Use Headings Strategically (H1 → H2 → H3)
💡 What to do:
- One H1 tag per page (should match the page topic).
- Break down content with H2s, H3s, etc. for readability & SEO.
- Include keywords naturally in headings.
✅ Bonus: Use headings to match search intent – e.g., use H2s like “How much does SEO cost?” or “Benefits of SEO for startups”.
5. Optimize Images and Use Alt Text
💡 What to do:
- Compress images to reduce load time.
- Use descriptive file names (e.g.,
seo-strategy-2025.png) - Add alt text with target keyword where relevant.
✅ Alt Text Example: “SEO strategy framework for startup websites in 2025”
6. Internal Linking
💡 What to do:
- Link to relevant pages within your website using anchor text.
- Helps Google crawl your site & distributes SEO authority.
“See our Google Ads Audit Guide”
7. Mobile & Page Speed Optimization
💡 What to do:
- Use responsive design (your Webflow site is likely mobile-ready ✅).
- Test your site on Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix
- Optimize fonts, animations, and images for speed.
✅ Pro Tip: Avoid using heavy popups or autoplay videos on mobile.
8. Structured Data & Schema Markup
💡 What to do:
- Use schema markup for business info, articles, FAQs, reviews.
- Helps Google understand your content and show rich snippets in search.
✅ Tool: Use Schema Markup Generator by Merkle
9. Set Up Google Search Console & Sitemap
💡 What to do:
- Submit your XML sitemap to Google via Search Console
- Monitor crawl errors, indexing, and keyword queries.
- Check your robots.txt file and make sure no important pages are blocked.
✅ Bonus: Set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for performance tracking.
Bonus: Free On-page SEO Template (Download)
We’ve compiled all of these steps into a simple Google Sheets checklist you can copy and use across all your pages.
Need Help With SEO?
On-page SEO is just the beginning. At Optivize, we help businesses rank, convert, and grow through full-service SEO and performance marketing.
👉 Want us to audit your new site?
Get a free SEO audit + strategy call → Book Now
