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Najam Shaikh
Najam Shaikh

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The Technical SEO Checklist I Run After Every Post (And You Should Too)

#seo #tips #gsc

Most people think SEO ends when you hit publish. But if you want your content to rank consistently—especially in competitive niches like mine (streaming and VPNs)—technical SEO cleanup is where the real game starts.

I run a quick but powerful checklist after every post on HowToStream.co.uk, and it has helped me land featured snippets and top 3 positions without backlinks. Here's what I check (and you should too):

  1. URL Slug Optimization
    I always make sure my URL slug is short, keyword-rich, and human-readable. For example, instead of /how-to-watch-hbo-max-on-firestick-in-the-uk-in-2025, I use /watch-hbo-max-firestick-uk.

  2. Mobile Usability & Core Web Vitals
    Using Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights, I make sure my pages:
    Pass the Core Web Vitals (especially LCP and CLS)
    Are fully responsive on mobile
    Avoid layout shifts and font loading delays

  3. Indexation Check
    Once the article is live, I manually submit the URL to Google Search Console and monitor its index status. If it shows as “Discovered – currently not indexed,” I tweak the meta or internal linking to encourage crawling.

  4. Schema Markup
    I use FAQ Schema at the bottom of every “How to Watch” post. This not only enhances my chances of getting a featured snippet but also adds visibility in search with rich results.

  5. Image Optimization
    Every image has:
    Descriptive file names
    Alt-texts with relevant keywords
    Lazy loading enabled to avoid slowing down the LCP
    Bonus: I compress all images using TinyPNG.

  6. Internal Linking
    I always link back to 2–3 related posts on my site to keep users engaged and help Google understand topic relationships. Example: A Hulu post will link to Firestick, iOS, or payment method guides.

  7. Broken Link & Redirect Audit
    Using Screaming Frog or a quick browser extension like Check My Links, I scan for:

  • Broken outbound links
  • Redirect chains
  • Misspelled URLs
  1. Meta Title & Description Review Even though Google rewrites these often, I still write compelling meta titles (under 60 characters) and descriptions (under 155 characters) that include my primary keyword.

By doing this after every single post, I’ve built a technically sound site that ranks reliably—even against giant publishers. If you’re an indie hacker, SaaS founder, or solo creator, technical SEO isn’t optional anymore. It’s your edge.

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