Before you write
- Primary intent defined (informational / commercial / transactional)
- Target keyword + 3 - 5 secondary phrases from brief
- SERP review - format must match intent (guide vs. list vs. tool)
- Internal link targets identified (pillar + 2 related spokes)
Title & meta
- Title ~50 - 60 characters; primary keyword near front
- Meta description ~140 - 160 characters; unique value prop + CTA
- URL slug short, hyphenated, no dates unless news
Headings & body
- One H1 matching reader promise (can differ slightly from title tag)
- Logical H2/H3 hierarchy - no skipped levels
- Answer the main question in first 100 words
- Short paragraphs; lists and tables for scanability
- Original insight - not a rephrased competitor outline
Links & media
- 3 - 8 contextual internal links per 1,500 words
- External citations to primary sources where claims need proof
- Images compressed; descriptive alt text
- No broken links (check on staging)
Technical publish checks
- Canonical URL set
- Article schema + breadcrumb schema
- Open Graph image 1200×630
- Mobile preview readable without horizontal scroll
Post-publish (48 hours)
- Request indexing in Search Console
- Add URL to relevant pillar "related guides" section
- Share to distribution channels
- Monitor GSC query impressions for unexpected cannibalization
Related
Scale quality with SEO content briefs and site-wide reviews in our SEO audit checklist.