SEO on-page checklist: turn one URL into a short, ordered fix list
A copyable on-page SEO checklist prompt that checks intent, title, headings, copy, links and indexability without returning a generic wall of advice.
- Works in
- ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini
- You need
- Page URL or pasted page copy · Primary query · What the page should persuade the visitor to do
- Written for
- seo on page checklist
A checklist should shorten the work, not turn one URL into 80 vague recommendations. This prompt checks the page in the order a reader and crawler meet it, caps urgent work at three changes, and makes the model show its evidence.
Why the evidence column matters
Models are very good at completing the familiar shape of an SEO audit. That is the danger. If no evidence is required, the output can contain true-sounding advice that has no relationship to your page.
“Improve keyword density” is not evidence. “The title says ‘Services’ and never identifies the service or city” is. Keep the second kind and delete the first.
What to check yourself
Confirm indexability, canonical tags, rendered HTML and real-user performance with tools built for those jobs. Confirm conversions in analytics. The prompt can organise those results after you supply them; it should not pretend to have measured them.
For a fuller explanation of how the pieces interact, read our on-page SEO guide. Run the finished URL through the audit after publishing rather than treating the draft review as the final test.
Audit this one page against the query and outcome I give you. Return a table
first. Do not open with a summary.
Columns: Check | Evidence on the page | Verdict (pass/fix/not testable) |
Exact change | Priority (now/next/leave).
Check, in this order:
1. Search intent: does the page answer the job behind the query?
2. Indexability and canonical: only if I supplied a URL and you can inspect it.
3. Title: specific, truthful and useful before truncation.
4. Description: a reason to click, not a duplicate of the title.
5. H1 and opening: confirm the answer and scope immediately.
6. Heading structure: one clear hierarchy, no level jumps used for styling.
7. Coverage: missing decisions, examples or objections a reader needs.
8. Claims: flag every number or factual claim needing a source.
9. Internal links: suggest a link only when I supplied a relevant destination.
10. Images: alt text based on function; decorative images should be empty.
11. Conversion: one clear next step appropriate to the page.
Rules:
- Quote the page as evidence. Never claim something is missing without naming
where you looked.
- Do not invent search volume, rankings, competitors or technical test results.
- Do not recommend adding words to reach a word count.
- Do not repeat the primary query mechanically.
- Limit NOW to three changes. If more than three qualify, rank them.
- If the page already does something well, say pass and leave it alone.
After the table, write READY-TO-PASTE COPY containing only the title,
description, H1 or opening sentences you changed. Then write NOT TESTABLE,
listing the checks that require crawl data, analytics or Search Console.
Page: [URL_OR_COPY]
Primary query: [QUERY]
Desired visitor action: [ACTION]What to change
Everything in square brackets is yours to replace. Nothing else needs editing.
[URL_OR_COPY]- The public URL if the model can browse, otherwise the title, description, headings and main copy. Pasted copy gives a more auditable result than asking a model to guess what a blocked page contains.
[QUERY]- One primary query from your research. A cluster can be supplied underneath it, but do not paste an unfiltered keyword export.
[ACTION]- The useful next step for this page: buy, book, compare, download, contact or continue reading.
How to run it
- 01Supply the page and one real query
Use the query assigned to this URL in your keyword map. If the page targets three unrelated jobs, the prompt will hide that planning problem rather than fix it.
- 02Challenge the evidence column
Every fix should point to words or markup on the page. Delete any row that relies on an assumed ranking factor or a test the model could not run.
- 03Ship the three NOW changes
The cap is deliberate. Make the highest-confidence edits first, then re-read the page before accepting the NEXT list.
Questions people ask
What is included in an on-page SEO checklist?
A useful checklist covers intent, indexability, title, description, H1, opening answer, heading structure, topical coverage, claims and sources, internal links, image alternatives and the page’s next step. It separates what can be read on the page from what needs crawl or performance data.
How many times should I use the primary keyword?
There is no useful fixed count. Use the phrase where it accurately names the page, normally in the title, main heading or opening, then use natural language. Repetition that does not help a reader is not optimisation.
Can ChatGPT perform an on-page SEO audit?
It can review supplied copy and structure well. It cannot safely infer rankings, traffic, index status, rendered HTML or Core Web Vitals without access to those sources, which is why this prompt creates a separate not-testable list.
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