SEO Ranking Checklist — 25 Points to Audit Your Website

Want to know why your site isn’t showing up on Google — or how to improve its ranking? This checklist covers the 25 essential points to verify. Check each box and identify your gaps.

✅ Technical (foundations)

• HTTPS active — your site uses https:// (padlock in the browser)
• Mobile-optimized — test with Google Mobile-Friendly Test
• Loading speed under 2.5s — test with PageSpeed Insights
• XML Sitemap present and submitted — verify in Google Search Console
• Robots.txt configured — accessible at yoursite.ma/robots.txt, no accidental blocking
• No 404 errors — check in Google Search Console > Coverage
• 301 redirects in place for old URLs
• Core Web Vitals green — LCP, INP, CLS passing in PageSpeed Insights

✅ On-page (each key page)

• Unique <title> tag on each page, contains the main keyword (max 60 characters)
• Unique meta description on each page (max 160 characters, enticing)
• One H1 per page, contains the main keyword
• H2/H3 structure the content, include semantic variations
• Clean, readable URL: /services/web-design not /page?id=42
• Internal links to other relevant pages on your site
• alt attributes on all images — descriptive, not generic

✅ Content

• Main keyword in the first paragraph
• Long-form and complete content — covers the topic in depth (minimum 500 words for informational pages)
• No duplicate content — each page is unique
• Open Graph tags — title, description, and image configured (for social media display)
• Content kept up to date — no pages abandoned for 3+ years without revision

✅ Authority (backlinks)

• Presence in local directories — Moroccan business directories, industry listings
• Google Business Profile complete and verified
• Backlinks from partner sites, clients, or associations
• No toxic backlinks — check in Google Search Console > Links

✅ Local SEO (if you have a physical address)

• Google Business Profile created, verified, and up to date (photos, hours, categories)
• Consistent NAP — Name, Address, Phone identical on the site, GBP, and everywhere online
• Google reviews — at least 10 reviews, with responses to comments
• Local pages on your site if you cover multiple cities (e.g., /services/tetouan, /services/tanger)

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How to interpret your results

20+ boxes checked: your site is well-optimized. Work on authority (backlinks) and content consistency to progress further.

12–19 boxes: significant gaps exist. Start with technical points (HTTPS, mobile, speed) — they have the highest impact and are quickest to fix.

Under 12 boxes: your site needs a thorough SEO audit and possibly a partial structural overhaul.

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Tools for this audit

Tool	Use	Price
Google Search Console	Performance, errors, coverage	Free
Google PageSpeed Insights	Speed and Core Web Vitals	Free
Ubersuggest	Keywords, competitor analysis	Free (limited)
Ahrefs / SEMrush	Full audit, backlinks	Paid
Screaming Frog	Technical crawl	Free up to 500 URLs

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You’ve identified gaps but don’t know where to start? AjialSkills performs comprehensive SEO audits for businesses in Tétouan and Tanger, with a prioritized action plan and monthly reporting.