The SEO Blog
Checklist
15 things to check before you hit publish. Covers keyword placement, title optimization, on-page SEO, internal linking, and CTAs — the specific items that separate content that ranks from content that ranks and bounces.
Prefer reading first?
The Complete Guide to Writing SEO Content That Actually Resonates →Get the Free Checklist
Instant PDF download — no waiting.
Inside the Checklist
6 sections. 15 checks.
One publish-ready post.
Every item exists because I've seen its absence cause a well-written post to underperform. No arbitrary rules — just the specific things Google and your readers both need.
Keyword & Intent Check
Confirm your keyword matches the actual search intent before a word is written. The most common reason well-written content underperforms.
Title & Headline Optimization
Your title is your ad copy in search results. It needs to promise a specific outcome and include your keyword — in that order.
Opening & Structure
The first 100 words determine whether the reader stays. Start with their pain, not your credentials. Every paragraph must pass the "so what?" filter.
On-Page SEO Essentials
The mechanical layer. Takes 10 minutes on a finished draft. These are the items most writers skip — and the ones Google notices first.
Internal Linking Strategy
Internal links serve two masters: Google's crawlers and your engaged reader. Both need to be guided deeper into your ecosystem.
CTA & Conversion Check
The CTA is where most SEO content breaks down. It should feel like the natural next chapter — not a generic pitch bolted onto the end.
Bonus: Headline Formulas
8 proven headline structures with real examples. Plug in your keyword and topic — the formula is the scaffold, not the ceiling.
PDF Preview
The SEO Blog
Checklist
5 pages · 15 checks · Bonus headline formulas
Who It's For
Built for anyone who publishes
blog content that needs to rank
Business Owners & Founders
You're writing your own blog content and want to make sure it's actually optimized before you hit publish. This checklist takes 10 minutes and catches the most common mistakes.
Content Writers & Copywriters
Use this as your standard pre-delivery checklist. Run it on every piece before you send it to a client. It's the difference between "good writer" and "writer who gets results."
Marketing Managers
Standardize your team's content quality. Share this checklist with every writer on your team and use it as the baseline for content review before anything goes live.
SEO Specialists
Use the on-page section (Section 4) as a rapid audit tool for existing content. It's the fastest way to identify what's missing from your top-traffic posts.
Get the checklist now
Free, instant, and built for people who want their content to rank and resonate — not just rank.
Jessica Neutz
SEO Content Strategist · 20+ Years
From the Writer
"Every item on this checklist is there because I've watched its absence cost a client rankings they should have had."
After 20+ years of writing SEO content for healthcare providers, law firms, B2B companies, and executives, I've seen the same mistakes over and over. Not bad writing — bad pre-publish habits.
This checklist is what I run on every piece before it goes live. It takes 10 minutes. It catches the things that matter. And it's the difference between content that ranks and content that ranks and actually converts.
See My SEO Content ServicesYou Might Also Find Useful
This site uses cookies for analytics
I use Google Analytics to understand how visitors find and use this site — no ads, no tracking across other sites, no selling your data. Privacy Policy · Google's policy