Technical SEO & Performance Checklist
Combined checklist for technical SEO and performance optimization. Ensure your site ranks well and loads fast.
Technical SEO
0/7Create XML sitemap
highGenerate and submit sitemap to Google Search Console
Configure robots.txt
highEnsure important pages are crawlable
Add canonical tags
highPrevent duplicate content issues with canonical URLs
Implement structured data
mediumAdd JSON-LD schema markup for rich snippets
Optimize meta titles
highWrite unique, keyword-rich titles under 60 characters
Optimize meta descriptions
mediumWrite compelling descriptions under 160 characters
Use descriptive URLs
mediumCreate clean, keyword-rich URL slugs
Page Speed
0/4Pass Core Web Vitals
highEnsure LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, INP < 200ms
Achieve Lighthouse score 90+
mediumTarget green scores in all Lighthouse categories
Optimize TTFB
highKeep server response time under 800ms
Enable text compression
highServe Gzip or Brotli compressed responses
Mobile
0/4Implement responsive design
highEnsure all pages work well on mobile devices
Use mobile-friendly fonts
mediumEnsure text is readable without zooming (16px minimum)
Size tap targets appropriately
mediumMake buttons and links at least 48x48 pixels
Avoid intrusive interstitials
highDon't block content with popups on mobile
Accessibility
0/3Add alt text to images
highDescribe images for screen readers and SEO
Use semantic HTML
mediumUse appropriate heading hierarchy and semantic elements
Ensure color contrast
mediumMeet WCAG 2.1 AA contrast requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
How does page speed affect SEO?+
Page speed is a direct ranking factor through Core Web Vitals. Slow sites also have higher bounce rates and lower engagement, indirectly hurting rankings.
Which is more important: speed or content?+
Content quality is still the primary ranking factor, but speed is increasingly important. A slow site with great content will be outranked by a fast site with equally great content.
How long until speed improvements affect rankings?+
Google recrawls sites regularly, but ranking changes can take weeks to months. Focus on sustained improvements rather than expecting immediate results.
Test Your Progress
Run a speed test to see how your optimizations have improved your Core Web Vitals.