On-page SEO checklist for indie makers

Indie teams do not need a 90-item audit PDF. You need a repeatable pass before publish. Run this checklist on every money page and every post you care about ranking.

Intent and title

One primary query (or cluster) per URL. Title tag: clear benefit + brand where it fits; avoid keyword stuffing. H1 matches the promise of the title — not a clever non-sequitur.

First screen answers what the page is for. If a stranger needs three scrolls to know the topic, rewrite.

Structure and scannability

H2s outline the argument. Short paragraphs. Lists for steps. Tables for comparisons. No wall of undifferentiated prose.

Internal links to hubs and next actions. External links only when they help the reader — and preferably open in a way that does not strand them.

Media and metadata

Compress images. Meaningful alt text. og:title / og:description / og:image set so shares do not look broken. Canonical points at itself unless you intentionally consolidate.

JSON-LD only when it matches visible content (Article, FAQ, Organization). Fake rich-result markup is a liability.

Index and performance hygiene

Page returns 200. Not noindex by accident. In sitemap if it should be discovered. Core content in HTML. LCP image prioritized. No interstitial that blocks the first paint on mobile.

Fix thin pages: merge, redirect, or expand. Do not leave ten stubs competing with each other.

After publish

Share a tracked link if you want click data (SEOheist /go works for listed sites). Submit or inspect the URL in Search Console when it is strategic. Revisit in two weeks: impressions up, CTR flat → rewrite title/description; position stuck → strengthen internal links and uniqueness.

Checklist done beats perfect strategy decks. Ship, measure, iterate.