On-page SEO checklist: what to verify before publishing
Page-level SEO is a sequence of concrete checks, not magic. Most of it happens once before publishing and needs no specialist.
Match the intent
Before optimising anything, look at what already ranks for your query. Service pages ranking means write a service page; articles mean write an article.
One cluster, one page. If you already have something close, extend it rather than creating a competing second page.
Headings and meta tags
Title up to about 60 characters with the main query near the front, readable and unique. Description up to 160 characters giving a reason to click — a price, a timeframe, a difference.
Exactly one H1 aligned with the title, and a meaningful H2–H3 hierarchy that reflects the structure rather than serving as font sizing.
Text, images and the final look
The main query appears naturally in the first paragraph, with related phrasing through the text. Keyword lists have not worked for years and read badly.
Compress images and write real alt text, link internally with descriptive anchors, then open the page on a phone: if it is clear within ten seconds what it is and what to do next, it will hold visitors — and that helps rankings too.