28 — SEO Checklist#

Check discoverability, crawl/index controls, content quality, usability, and measurement for sites meant to appear in search results.

Scope: Backend / API-specific. This file is one part of the 28_SEO.md checklist. Apply the domain-wide release gate across all applicable scope files; each checklist ID remains unique.

Review details#

Project / product:
Release / version / environment:
Scope and applicable jurisdictions / markets:
Reviewer / owner:
Review date:
Decision: Pending / Approved / Approved with documented exceptions / Blocked

How to use#

Copy this template into each project's review records; keep the shared repository template unchecked.
Check [x] only after verifying the item with evidence. For any inapplicable item, record N/A and the reason in the project's own review notes or issue tracker using its checklist ID; do not mark it as passed.
Record evidence links or artifact references by checklist ID. Open an issue for every failed item, assign an owner and due date, and retest after remediation.
Apply the release gate below. These checklists guide review; they do not replace qualified specialist review when required.

Crawlability and indexation#

SEO-008 noindex, authentication, staging restrictions, and HTTP response statuses are correct for each page type.
SEO-038 Check server-origin 404/410 behavior for missing or permanently removed content, including client-routed pages.

On-page metadata and semantics#

SEO-042 Validate title and description generation when API-driven content is empty, missing, or duplicated.

API Checks#

Apply to API endpoints, client integrations, webhooks, or data feeds present in the project. Record N/A with reasons if none exist.

Reference basis: Google Search Central — JavaScript SEO basics; Google Search Central — Structured data introduction; Google Search Central — Search appearance guidance.

SEO-049 Inventory content APIs feeding indexable pages; determine which fields affect titles, headings, canonical URLs, and main content.
SEO-050 Verify API-backed pages produce meaningful HTML content for crawlers via the chosen rendering strategy.
SEO-051 Test slow, failed, and empty API responses so critical pages do not return indexable blank shells or misleading content.
SEO-052 Map deleted records and API not-found conditions to appropriate page-level 404/410 handling.
SEO-053 Ensure localized API content, slugs, and hreflang mappings agree with rendered language versions.
SEO-054 Check sitemap-generation APIs include only correct, canonical, crawlable URLs and update after content changes.
SEO-055 Verify cache invalidation and freshness for API-fed pricing, availability, dates, and other time-sensitive snippets.
SEO-056 Prevent API parameters and filter combinations from generating uncontrolled duplicate/indexable URLs.
SEO-057 Verify URL migrations preserve stable identifiers and emit proper redirects instead of silently breaking content.
SEO-058 Measure the API and server-render path latency affecting first contentful response and LCP.
SEO-059 Keep private endpoints, tokens, and user-specific responses out of publicly crawlable page output.
SEO-060 Publish helpful HTML API documentation only if developers are an intended search audience; raw JSON endpoints are not assumed to be SEO landing pages.

Release gate#

All applicable high-priority checks above pass, or an authorized decision-maker has explicitly accepted and documented each residual risk.
Failed items have tracked remediation, owners, and deadlines; material blockers remain blocked until resolved.
Evidence links and the reviewer, review date, and final decision are recorded.

Domain-specific approval rule: Do not sign off if important production pages are unintentionally blocked, canonicalized away, broken, or missing essential content. Search ranking is not guaranteed.

Trusted references and scope#

The checks above are adapted into practical verification questions from these authoritative publications (not copied as standards text). Verify current versions and the project's scope before sign-off.

Search engines may crawl, render, and index differently. Follow documentation for each target engine; passing these checks cannot guarantee indexing, ranking, or rich results.

Source review date: 2026-11-12.

Suggested testing tools#

Choose tools appropriate to the project's stack and risks; automation supports evidence but does not approve the checklist.

Test focus: crawlability, robots/canonical, rendered metadata, and structured data; include API and service behavior where applicable.
Cross-stack: Lighthouse + Rich Results Test.
Python: Beautiful Soup + pytest; for pytest-based suites, run python -m pytest -q.
TypeScript: Playwright + schema-dts + Vitest; for Vitest-based suites, run npx vitest run (or npx playwright test for E2E).
JavaScript: Playwright + Ajv + Jest; for Jest-based suites, run npx jest --ci (or npx playwright test for E2E).
Evidence: Save tool versions, configuration, test environment, fixtures, results, and links in project-specific review records using the existing checklist IDs. Expert review remains necessary where relevant.

Suggested AI skills for verification#

These are optional agent review aids, not automated passes or release approval. Each linked repository had at least 1,000 GitHub stars when checked on 2026-11-12; counts are per repository, not per skill, and do not indicate security or correctness.

seo-audit — Review crawlability and on-page SEO (coreyhaines31/marketingskills, 59,899 repo stars).
schema — Inspect structured-data markup (coreyhaines31/marketingskills, 59,899 repo stars).
site-architecture — Check navigation and indexable URL structure (coreyhaines31/marketingskills, 59,899 repo stars).

How to check: In a project-specific copy, have the agent audit the backend / API scope and map findings to this file's existing checklist IDs, with code/configuration references, reproducible test results, failed or inapplicable cases, and uncertainties. Independently verify findings; keep shared template boxes unchecked and retain human approval requirements.

Before use: Read the skill's SKILL.md, referenced scripts, license, and requested tool permissions. Only execute vetted skills with appropriate access in a controlled environment.

Important warning: reference only#

⚠️ Reference only — not a definitive or exhaustive checklist. This template is a starting point for review, not the ultimate authority or a guarantee of project safety, quality, regulatory compliance, accessibility, security, or launch readiness.

Use project-specific judgment and independent verification. Requirements and risks evolve and differ by project, technology, and jurisdiction. Adapt the checks, consult current authoritative sources, perform relevant tests, and obtain qualified specialist review or approval when appropriate. Checking every box does not replace these steps.