How to Check Your Website's SEO: 8-Point Checklist
Published: February 2, 2026 · 4 min
TL;DR: Check 8 basic parameters: Title, Description, H1, robots.txt, sitemap.xml, HTTPS, mobile version, and page speed. Takes 10 minutes and reveals critical issues. For deeper analysis, you need a full audit.
Clients often ask: "How do I know if my website's SEO is okay?" The answer is simple — you can check the basics yourself, no specialist needed. Here's how.
What to Check
Eight parameters that affect indexing and ranking. If even one is broken, your site loses positions.
1. Title Tag
What it is: The text in the browser tab and search results.
How to check: Open your site, look at the tab. Or find <title> in the page source.
What it should be:
- 50-60 characters
- Keyword at the beginning
- Unique for each page
Common mistakes:
- "Home" or "Welcome" instead of description
- Same Title on all pages
- Too long (gets cut off in search results)
What it is: Page description in search results (gray text under the title).
How to check: Find <meta name="description"> in page source.
What it should be:
- 120-160 characters
- Contains keyword
- Call to action or benefit
Common mistakes:
- Missing entirely
- Same on all pages
- First paragraph copied verbatim
3. H1 Heading
What it is: The main heading on the page.
How to check: Find <h1> in page source. Should be exactly one.
What it should be:
- One H1 per page
- Contains keyword
- Different from Title
Common mistakes:
- Multiple H1s on the page
- H1 missing
- Logo wrapped in H1
4. robots.txt
What it is: Instructions file for search engine bots.
How to check: Open yoursite.com/robots.txt
What it should be:
- File exists (not 404)
- Allows indexing of important pages
- Points to sitemap.xml
Common mistakes:
- File missing
- Blocks entire site (
Disallow: /)
- Blocks important sections
5. sitemap.xml
What it is: Site map for search engines — list of all pages.
How to check: Open yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
What it should be:
- File exists
- Contains all important pages
- URLs are current (not 404)
Common mistakes:
- File missing
- Contains outdated URLs
- Doesn't update when pages are added
6. HTTPS
What it is: Secure connection (lock icon in address bar).
How to check: Look at the address bar — should be https://, not http://.
What it should be:
- Entire site on HTTPS
- No "mixed content" (images over HTTP)
- Redirect from HTTP to HTTPS
Common mistakes:
- Site on HTTP
- Some resources load over HTTP
- No redirect
7. Mobile Version
What it is: How the site looks on a phone.
How to check: Open the site on your phone or use Google Mobile-Friendly Test.
What it should be:
- Text readable without zooming
- Buttons large enough to tap
- No horizontal scrolling
Common mistakes:
- Desktop version on mobile
- Text too small
- Elements overlapping
8. Page Speed
What it is: Time until page fully loads.
How to check: PageSpeed Insights from Google.
What it should be:
- Score 50+ for mobile
- LCP (main content load) < 2.5 sec
- No critical errors
Common mistakes:
- Heavy images without compression
- Too many external scripts
- No caching
What's Next
This checklist covers the basics. But SEO is more than 8 points. A full audit includes:
- Schema.org markup
- Internal linking
- Competitor analysis
- Backlink profile
- E-E-A-T signals
- Local SEO
On the SEO Audit page there's a free Health Score — automatic check of these 8 parameters in 30 seconds.
FAQ
- Can I rank my site with just this checklist?
- No. This is the minimum for indexing. To grow rankings, you need content, links, and user engagement work.
- How often should I check?
- After every major site update. Or monthly for maintenance.
- What if I find errors?
- Fix by priority: robots.txt and sitemap.xml first (affect indexing), then Title and Description (affect CTR), then everything else.
Author: Vlas Fedorov · vlasdobry.ru