- Identify whether the intent of the piece is informational, preferential, navigational, or transactional
- Select one primary keyword (high-volume, relevant) and several semantically-relevant secondary keywords (long-tail)
- Note whether the primary and secondary keyword searches trigger AI summaries, FAQs, or carousels in SERPs
- Note if top resulting content types are videos, listicles, etc and what makes it engaging (headings, visuals, depth, etc)
- Identify gaps that can be filled among the top performing results (new data, better examples, etc)
- Only use a single H1 with the primary keyword intact; it should be unique to the entire website
- Use descriptive H2s and H3s along with the secondary keywords for logical flow
- Break up long text into paragraphs (<5 sentences)
- Use bullet points and numbered lists where applicable
- Include a concise summary that states the intent by addressing the readers needs
- Make sure the content is H.E.E.A.T. (Helpful, Expertly-guided, Experienced, Authoritative, Trustworthy)
- Make sure image elements explicitly specify width and height in pixels
- Optimize images with descriptive alt text and compressed file sizes
- Title tag should be 51-60 characters and include primary keyword
- Meta description should be 50-160 characters
- URL slugs should be short, descriptive, exclude underscores, and avoid dynamic parameters unless necessary
- Content should link to at least 3-5 internal links using keyword-rich anchor text
- Run page through Google Search Console to submit / verify that it has been indexed
- Make sure PageSpeed Insights renders page load speed <2 seconds, interaction delay <100ms, and layout shift is minimal
- Add structured data markup where applicable and test schema
More comprehensive info: SEO Content Guidelines
Topic and keyword ideas: SEO Topical Authority & Prioritization