Here's your actionable SEO checklist for beginners, organized into phases so you don't get overwhelmed. Start with Phase 1 and work down—don't try everything at once.

Phase 1: Technical Foundation (Do This Week)

Set up your tracking:

• Verify Google Search Console (free) – Submit your sitemap.xml immediately so Google can find your pages
• Install Google Analytics 4 – Connect it to Search Console to see which keywords bring traffic
• Run a mobile-friendly test (Google Search Console > Mobile Usability) – Fix any "clickable elements too close" errors
• Check site speed (PageSpeed Insights) – Compress images over 100KB using TinyPNG or ShortPixel
• Ensure HTTPS – If you see "Not Secure" in your browser, install an SSL certificate (most hosts offer this free)

Quick Win: Submit your sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools too—it's often forgotten but drives 10-15% of search traffic.

Phase 2: Keyword Research (Week 2)

Find your first 10-20 targets:

• Brainstorm "seed keywords" – What would YOU type to find your business? (e.g., "vegan meal prep," "plumber Austin")
• Check search volume – Use free tools like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner (requires Ads account, but free)
• Analyze intent – Google your keyword. If results are all product pages, don't try to rank a blog post there.
• Map keywords to pages – Assign 1 primary keyword per page. Don't target "best coffee maker" on 5 different pages.

Beginner Rule: Target long-tail keywords first (3+ words, lower competition) like "best coffee maker under $100" instead of just "coffee maker."

Phase 3: On-Page Optimization (Ongoing)

For every new page:

• Title Tag: 50-60 characters, put keyword near the front (e.g., "Best Vegan Meal Prep Services | Fresh Daily Delivery")
• Meta Description: 150-160 characters, include a call-to-action (e.g., "Discover affordable vegan meal prep... Try your first week 50% off.")
• H1 Header: One per page, includes primary keyword naturally
• URL Structure: Short, descriptive, hyphenated (/vegan-meal-prep not /page?id=123)
• Image Alt Text: Describe the image for screen readers ("Red leather handbag on white background")—don't keyword stuff
• Internal Links: Link to 2-3 other relevant pages on your site using descriptive anchor text (not "click here")

Monthly Task: Audit for broken links using Screaming Frog (free up to 500 URLs) or Ahrefs free broken link checker.

Phase 4: Content Strategy (Month 1+)

Build authority:

• Create a content calendar – Start with 4 posts/month: 2 informational ("How to..."), 1 commercial ("Best..."), 1 comparison ("X vs Y")
• Write for search intent – Informational queries get guides; transactional queries get product pages
• Add "People Also Ask" content – Check Google's PAA box for your keyword and answer those questions in an FAQ section
• Update old posts quarterly – Refresh statistics, add new sections, update the "Last Updated" date

Content Formula for Beginners:

• 300+ words for service pages
• 1,000+ words for competitive blog posts
• Include one image every 300 words

Phase 5: Off-Page SEO (Month 2+)

Build credibility:

• Claim Google Business Profile (if local) – Fill out every field, add photos weekly, get 5 reviews ASAP
• Get listed in directories – Yelp, industry-specific sites (Avvo for lawyers, Houzz for contractors), local chambers of commerce
• Unlinked brand mentions – Set up Google Alerts for your brand name; email sites mentioning you without a link to add one
• One genuine outreach attempt per week – Find a blog in your niche, offer a helpful guest post or collaboration

Avoid: Buying links, link exchanges ("you link me, I link you"), or spammy directory submissions.

Phase 6: Monitoring (Monthly)

Track progress:

• Check Search Console – Look for queries you're ranking #5-15 for (page 2), then optimize those pages to push to page 1
• Monitor Core Web Vitals – Keep Largest Contentful Paint under 2.5 seconds
• Watch for indexing issues – If pages drop from "Valid" to "Excluded," investigate immediately
• Track 3-5 target keywords – Use the free version of SERPWatcher or just manually check weekly (incognito mode)

Free Tool Stack to Start

1. Google Search Console – Essential for indexing and keyword data
2. Google Analytics 4 – Traffic behavior
3. AnswerThePublic – Find question keywords (3 free searches/day)
4. Screaming Frog – Technical audits (500 URLs free)
5. PageSpeed Insights – Speed diagnostics
6. Keywords Everywhere (Chrome extension) – Search volume in Google itself ($10 for 100k credits)

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Keyword cannibalization – Don't write 5 posts targeting "best running shoes"
❌ Ignoring/schema markup – Add basic LocalBusiness or Article schema (use Google's Structured Data Markup Helper)
❌ Perfect paralysis – Publish at 85% quality rather than waiting for 100%. You can always update.
❌ Forgetting about CTR – If you rank #3 but get no clicks, rewrite your title tag to be more compelling than #1 and #2.

What type of website are you optimizing—a local service business, an e-commerce store, a blog, or something else? And do you currently have any content published, or are you starting from scratch?

Also, what's your biggest pain point right now—getting Google to index your pages, finding the right keywords to target, or something technical like site speed? I can give you a more targeted action plan based on your specific situation.

SEO can feel overwhelming, but it is essentially a series of small, logical steps that help search engines understand your content.

This checklist is designed to get you from a blank slate to a fully optimized page.

Phase 1: The Essential Setup

Before you write a single word, you need the right tools to measure your success.

1. Install Google Search Console (GSC): This is the most important tool. It tells you how Google sees your site, which keywords you rank for, and if there are errors.
2. Set up Google Analytics (GA4): Use this to track how visitors behave once they arrive at your site.
3. Generate and Submit a Sitemap: Most CMS platforms (like WordPress or Wix) create a sitemap.xml automatically. Submit this URL in Google Search Console under the "Sitemaps" tab.
4. Create a Robots.txt File: Ensure your site has a robots.txt file (usually yourdomain.com/robots.txt) to tell search engines which pages they should or shouldn't crawl.

Phase 2: Actionable Keyword Research

Don't guess what people are searching for. Use data to find out.

1. Identify Your "Seed" Keyword: What is the main topic? (e.g., "vegan protein powder").
2. Analyze Search Intent: Type your keyword into Google. Are the results blog posts (informational) or product pages (transactional)? Your content must match this intent.
3. Find Long-Tail Variations: Use tools like Google Autocomplete, AnswerThePublic, or Ahrefs/Semrush to find longer, more specific phrases (e.g., "best vegan protein powder for muscle gain").
4. Check the Competition: Look at the top 3 results. Can you create something significantly better, more updated, or more comprehensive than them?

Phase 3: On-Page SEO (The Content Polish)

Every page on your site should be optimized for a specific primary keyword.

• Title Tag: Keep it under 60 characters. Place your primary keyword near the beginning.
• Meta Description: Keep it under 160 characters. Write a "hook" to encourage people to click.
• H1 Header: Every page must have exactly one H1 tag containing your primary keyword.
• Subheaders (H2, H3): Use these to break up the text. Include variations of your keywords here.
• URL Structure: Keep it short and descriptive (e.g., yoursite.com/vegan-protein-powder/ instead of yoursite.com/p=123).
• Image Alt Text: Describe what is in the image for screen readers and search engines.
• Internal Linking: Link to 2–3 other relevant pages on your own website to keep users engaged.

Phase 4: Technical SEO (The "Engine Room")

If your site is slow or broken, Google won't rank it, regardless of how good the content is.

1. Check Mobile Friendliness: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure your site looks good on phones.
2. Optimize Page Speed: Use PageSpeed Insights. Aim for "Green" scores by compressing large images and using a fast hosting provider.
3. Ensure HTTPS: Make sure your site has an SSL certificate (the padlock icon in the browser).
4. Fix Broken Links: Use a free tool like "Screaming Frog" to find 404 errors (broken links) and redirect them to live pages.

Phase 5: Off-Page SEO & Authority

SEO doesn't stop on your website. You need to prove to Google that your site is trustworthy.

1. The "Shareable" Factor: Create content that people actually want to reference (original data, unique infographics, or deep-dive guides).
2. Claim Your Social Profiles: Even if you aren't active, claim your brand name on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and Instagram to create "social signals."
3. Basic Link Building: Reach out to partners, vendors, or local directories to get a link back to your site.

How to Get Started Today

If you want to start right now, follow these three steps:

1. Pick one page on your website.
2. Run it through a speed test (PageSpeed Insights).
3. Update the Title Tag and H1 to match the keyword you actually want to rank for.

To give you more specific advice, could you tell me:

• What platform are you using (WordPress, Shopify, Wix, or custom)?
• What is the main goal of your website (Selling products, getting leads, or ad revenue)?
• Do you already have a list of keywords you want to target?