On-page SEO checklist for small business websites

Pick the right page first

On-page work pays off most on pages that already sell something. Start with the service or product pages that bring in money, not the "about us" page or an old news post. If you're not sure which ones matter, check Search Console's Performance report for pages with plenty of impressions but few clicks. Those are often closest to paying off.

Give each page one main job. A page about "emergency plumbing" and "bathroom fitting" at once usually does both badly. If a page is trying to cover two different services, split it.

The checklist

Work through these in order. Tick each one before moving to the next page.

1. Title

• Says what the page offers in words a customer would use.
• Includes the place if the service is local, such as "Roof repairs in Swindon".
• Is unique across the site. Two pages with the same title confuse everybody.
• Reads naturally. Google may rewrite titles it finds unhelpful, as its title link documentation explains.

2. Meta description

• Summarises the page and gives a reason to click, such as prices, areas covered or same-day availability.
• Is specific to that page.
• Doesn't promise anything the page doesn't deliver.

It isn't a ranking factor, but it can affect whether people click. See our guide to meta descriptions.

3. Main heading (H1)

• One clear H1 that matches the topic of the title without copying it word for word.
• No slogans in place of a heading. "Built on trust" tells a searcher nothing. "Commercial cleaning in Reading" does.

4. Opening paragraph

• Answers the obvious questions in the first few lines: what, where, for whom, and what to do next.
• Avoids a long company history before getting to the point.

5. Body content

• Covers the questions customers ask on the phone: cost, timescales, what's included, what happens on the day.
• Uses subheadings so people can scan on a phone.
• Includes real details only you can give, such as the areas you cover, the brands you fit or the regulators you're registered with.

6. Proof

• Reviews or testimonials that are genuine and attributed.
• Photos of your actual work, not stock images.
• Accreditations with links to the register where customers can check them.

7. Internal links

• Links to closely related pages, such as from "boiler installation" to "boiler finance" or "boiler servicing".
• Descriptive link text rather than "click here".
• At least one link to the page from somewhere prominent, such as the menu or the home page.

8. Images

• Compressed and sized for the web.
• Descriptive file names and alt text where the image carries meaning.

9. Call to action

• A clear next step near the top and again at the end.
• A phone number that's tappable on mobile.

Before you publish

Read the page on your phone. Is the phone number easy to tap? Do any pop-ups cover the text? Does it load quickly on mobile data?

Then use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console to check Google can fetch the page and to request indexing if it's new or changed a lot. Google is clear that requesting indexing doesn't guarantee anything, but it does make sure the page is in the queue.

A quick example

A dog groomer in Harrogate had a services page titled "Services | Pampered Paws" with a heading reading "Welcome!". The opening paragraph described how the owner fell in love with dogs as a child.

After working through the checklist, the page became "Dog grooming in Harrogate: full grooms, baths and nail clips". The opening paragraph listed the breeds she specialises in, typical prices by dog size, how long a full groom takes and the online booking link. Below that she added a section on what happens at a first appointment and photos of real dogs she'd groomed, with owners' permission.

Nothing about that is technical. It simply makes the page answer the questions that people searching for a groomer actually have.

What not to worry about

• Keyword density. There's no magic percentage. Write naturally.
• Word count targets. Long isn't automatically better. Cover the topic properly and stop.
• Meta keywords. Google doesn't use the meta keywords tag.

Keep a record

Before you change anything, note the page's current title, heading and Search Console figures for the last three months. After the update, wait at least six to eight weeks before comparing. Search results move around naturally, so a week's change tells you very little. A simple spreadsheet with the page, the date, what you changed and the before-and-after numbers is enough. Over a year it becomes the most useful SEO document you own, because it shows what actually works for your customers rather than what someone online claims works.

How often to revisit

Recheck each important page at least twice a year, or whenever prices, services or staff change. Out-of-date pages quietly lose trust, both with customers and with search engines. A short note in your diary is enough.