# AEO and SEO Pre-Publish Checklist

- Version: 1.0
- Updated: September 15, 2026
- Author: Bob Bodily
- License: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
- Method: https://bobbodily.com/guides/aeo-seo-dos-and-donts/
- Limit: This checklist improves review quality. It does not guarantee crawling, indexing, citation, traffic, or rank.

## Reader and answer

- [ ] Name the real reader and the choice this page helps them make.
- [ ] Use one clear H1 that matches the page purpose.
- [ ] Give the direct answer before a long background section.
- [ ] Put the most important limit beside the answer.
- [ ] Use headings that state questions or useful topics.
- [ ] Remove repeated setup, filler, and claims that do not help the task.

## Evidence and trust

- [ ] Link important facts to the closest direct source.
- [ ] Label measured results, owner statements, expert views, and inferences.
- [ ] Check names, dates, math, comparisons, and units.
- [ ] State who owns the measured property and who did the work.
- [ ] State what the evidence does not prove.
- [ ] Add author, updated date, next review, method, and correction path.

## Access and discovery

- [ ] The main answer is in the first HTML response.
- [ ] The page returns the intended status and content type.
- [ ] The canonical URL, sitemap URL, and internal links agree.
- [ ] Robots and firewall rules match the chosen crawler policy.
- [ ] Important links work without JavaScript.
- [ ] Structured data matches visible facts and passes the right validator.

## Use and next action

- [ ] The page solves a useful task without an email gate.
- [ ] The main action predicts its destination.
- [ ] A related guide, tool, file, or service follows the answer.
- [ ] Images add meaning and include useful alternative text.
- [ ] Keyboard focus, tap targets, color contrast, and mobile layout are checked.
- [ ] The final page has been read once as a person and fetched once as a basic client.

## Release record

- Page URL:
- Owner:
- Reviewer:
- Published or updated at:
- Evidence files:
- Known limits:
- Next review: