Where is my progress saved?

In your browser's local storage on this device. Nothing is sent to a server, and clearing site data or switching browsers will start the list fresh.

Do I need to complete every item?

No. Some won't apply — a SaaS site may not need LocalBusiness markup, for example. Tick off what doesn't apply so your progress reflects what's left to do.

How is this different from an automated audit?

Crawlers are great at finding broken links and missing tags, but they can't judge whether content matches search intent or whether your brand is described consistently. This list covers both kinds of work.

What's included in the AI search section?

Steps that make it easier for tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity to find, understand and accurately cite your site — crawler access, llms.txt, consistent brand facts and direct answers.

How often should I go through it?

Fully when launching a site or after a major change, then a lighter review every quarter. Search Console reports are worth checking monthly.

Checklist

SEO & AI Search Checklist

A practical, tick-as-you-go checklist covering indexing, on-page basics, content, speed, structured data and visibility in AI search.

0/41

items done · saved in this browser

Crawling & indexing

0/9

Site verified in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster ToolsBoth are free and are the only direct view of how each engine sees your site.
XML sitemap lists every page you want indexedSubmitted in both consoles and referenced from robots.txt.
robots.txt doesn't block important pages, CSS or JSCheck for leftover staging rules like Disallow: /.
No stray noindex tags on pages meant to rankCommon after launches and theme changes.
Important URLs return 200, not redirects or errorsFix or redirect 404s that still get traffic or links.
Every page has a self-referencing canonicalAnd duplicate variants point to the preferred URL.
Whole site served over HTTPS with one preferred hosthttp:// and www/non-www variants redirect to a single version.
Page indexing report reviewed for excluded URLsLook at 'Crawled – currently not indexed' in particular.
New and updated pages are submitted promptlyVia IndexNow, the Indexing API or an automatic submission service.

Page basics

0/7

Unique, descriptive title on every pageMain topic near the start, roughly 50-60 characters.
Meta description written to earn the clickUnique per page, around 150 characters.
One clear H1 that matches the page's purposeHeadings below it form a logical outline.
Short, readable URLsLowercase words separated by hyphens; no session IDs.
Meaningful images have descriptive alt textDecorative images use an empty alt attribute.
Every important page is linked from at least one other pageNo orphans; descriptive anchor text instead of 'click here'.
Open Graph and X card tags setSo shared links show the right title and image.

Content

0/6

Each page targets one main search intentCompare against what already ranks for the query.
The answer or key point comes earlyReaders and AI tools both favour pages that get to the point.
Covers the questions a searcher would ask nextRelated subtopics, examples, and common objections.
Dates, prices and stats are currentUpdate and show a 'last updated' date when it matters.
No two pages compete for the same keywordMerge or differentiate overlapping pages.
Thin or outdated pages improved, merged or removedA smaller site of strong pages beats a big site of weak ones.

Performance & UX

0/5

Core Web Vitals pass on mobileLCP under 2.5s, INP under 200ms, CLS under 0.1.
Layout works well on small screensReadable text, tappable buttons, no horizontal scrolling.
Images compressed, sized and lazy-loadedModern formats like WebP or AVIF where supported.
No intrusive interstitials on arrivalEspecially full-screen pop-ups on mobile.
Basic accessibility checks passColour contrast, keyboard navigation, labelled form fields.

Structured data

0/3

Organization (or LocalBusiness) markup on the homepageName, logo, contact details and social profiles.
Page-type markup where it appliesArticle, Product, Event, Breadcrumb and so on.
Markup passes Google's Rich Results TestAnd matches what's visible on the page.

Authority & trust

0/5

Clear About and Contact pagesReal people, a way to get in touch, and a physical address if relevant.
Articles show who wrote them and why they're qualifiedLink to an author page with background.
Claims backed by sourcesLink to original research and data.
Earning links from relevant sitesThrough useful content, partnerships and digital PR — not paid link schemes.
Reviews and mentions on third-party sitesProfiles on relevant directories, marketplaces and review sites.

AI search

0/6

Decided which AI crawlers may access the siteAnswer-engine bots can be allowed even if training bots are blocked.
llms.txt published with your key pagesA short, curated guide for AI assistants.
Brand described consistently everywhereSame name, category and one-line description across your site and profiles.
Key facts stated in short, quotable sentencesDefinitions, prices, specs and comparisons AI tools can lift accurately.
Common questions answered directly on the pageUse the wording real customers use.
Checked how AI assistants describe your brandAsk ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity and fix the pages behind any wrong answers.

Tick off indexing for good

The indexing items never really stay done — every new page needs to be discovered. IndexBoost watches your sitemap and feeds and submits each new and updated URL to Google, Bing and IndexNow automatically.

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SEO & AI Search Checklist

Crawling & indexing

Page basics

Content

Performance & UX

Structured data

Authority & trust

AI search

Tick off indexing for good

Getting the most from the checklist

Start with indexing

Work page type by page type

Revisit it after big changes

Good SEO and AI visibility overlap

Common questions