1. Phase 1: Audit

2. Which pages and keywords do you need to optimise? • Identify pages declining in performance • Focus on keywords nearly ranking (positions 3-20)
3. Are you matching the intent? • Match the content type (e.g. blog vs landing page) • Match the content format (e.g. how-to vs list)
4. Can you do better than the current top 3 results?

5. Phase 2: Filling Gaps

6. What have your competitors covered that you haven’t?
7. What topics or entities are you missing (i.e. NLP terms)? • Use tools like Surfer or Frase to identify topic gaps
8. Can you write new sentences, paragraphs, or sections around the keywords you’re nearly ranking for?
9. What other search data can you include as new sections to rank for even more searches? • Analyse autosuggest, People Also Ask, and related searches directly in the SERP

10. Phase 3: Improvements

11. Do you have new data or info from customers, interviews, or similar that you can include to make the content even better?
12. Is the content organised in an optimal structure? ↳ Ensure it flows, it’s skimmable, covers all subtopics, and has a good readability experience
13. Have you used enough images or other media (i.e. showing product in action)?
14. Have you used numbered or bullet lists where possible?
15. Have you used tables where possible?
16. Have you used short sentences and paragraphs, and removed any fluff?
17. Should you add a table of contents to the top of the page?

18. Phase 4: Optimisation

19. Does your introduction hook the reader and include your target topic or keyword in the content?
20. Have you included the topic (to tie it back) in the conclusion or final section?
21. Can you optimise the headings using your target keyword(s)?
22. Have you over-optimised for the target keyword by using it more than once in headings? • Ensure you avoid keyword stuffing
23. Have you boldened the key text (sentences and/or paragraphs)? • Use bold and italics to emphasise important text
24. Is there a featured snippet you can win? If so, how?
25. Can you make the meta title more compelling for higher CTR?
26. Can you make your meta description more compelling to click?
27. Does your image alt-text concisely explain what the images are?
28. What relevant pages can you internally link from?
29. Are there any pages you can link to?
30. Are you including CTAs relevant to the reader’s awareness level or search intent?

31. Phase 5: “New” SEO

32. Have you optimised for Google’s AI Overview? • Structure your content to be easily summarised by AI • Focus on concise answers and bullet points
33. Have you incorporated EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)? • Highlight author credentials and link to authoritative sources to build trust
34. Have you adapted headings for voice search? • Use conversational language and question headings
35. Have you optimised for multi-device usability? • Ensure content is accessible and user-friendly across different devices
36. Original Post by Jake Ward