Strategic Questions to Answer:

1. What keywords will this site target? Define 10-20 primary keywords before any design begins. This informs site structure
2. What pages does the site need? Not just "homepage, about, services." But "service pages per type? Location pages? Resource hub?" Based on keyword demand
3. What's the information architecture? How should pages be organized? What's the hierarchy? This shapes URL structure
4. Local, national, or both? Does it rank for one city or multiple? This affects page strategy
5. Who are the competitors? What pages/keywords do they rank for? Learn from their structure

Site Architecture Foundation:

• Homepage: Clear value prop, not too many links competing for authority
• Service/product pages: Organized by logic customer understands (not internal company logic)
• Resource hub (optional): Blog, guides, education content for topical authority
• Support pages: FAQ, guide, how-to content. Builds topical depth
• Location pages (if applicable): One per geographic service area, unique content per page

Technical Decisions That Impact SEO:

• Framework choice: Next.js, Astro, Hugo = fast, static-friendly, SEO-good. React SPA = slow to crawl, indexation issues. Choose wisely
• Performance first: Set Core Web Vitals budgets BEFORE building. LCP <2.5s, FID <100ms, CLS <0.1. Build with these constraints
• Mobile-first design: Develop mobile experience first, then desktop. Not the reverse
• Clean URL structure: /service-name/, not /services?id=123&page=advanced. URLs should be readable and keyword-relevant
• Internal linking strategy: Plan internal links during architecture phase. What pages should link to what? Build structure accordingly
• Schema markup ready: Code schema.org markup during build, not after. Use JSON-LD format

Core Technical Checklist:

• ☐ HTTPS enabled from day 1
• ☐ Mobile responsive design (test on real devices, not just browser resizing)
• ☐ Clean, semantic HTML (proper heading hierarchy, meaningful tags)
• ☐ Image optimization built-in (compression, lazy loading, responsive sizing)
• ☐ CSS minified and deferred where possible
• ☐ JavaScript deferred or lazy-loaded (critical JS only on page load)
• ☐ robots.txt and sitemap.xml ready
• ☐ 404 error page created (graceful error handling)
• ☐ Canonical tag strategy planned (especially for dynamic content)

Content Strategy Integration:

• Homepage content: 300-600 words explaining what the business does, who it serves, why it's unique. Value prop immediately clear
• Service pages: 800-1,500 words per service. Cover: what is it, who needs it, process/methodology, benefits, objection handling, CTA
• About page: 500-800 words. Team bios, credentials, mission, why customers should trust you
• Blog/resource content (optional but recommended): Start with 5-10 cornerstone articles covering main topics. 1,500-2,500 words each
• Schema markup in content: BlogPosting for articles, LocalBusiness for location pages, FAQPage for Q&A sections

On-Page Checklist Per Page:

• ☐ Primary keyword in H1 title
• ☐ Meta title: 50-60 chars, keyword early, power word, brand name
• ☐ Meta description: 140-160 chars, includes keyword, action-oriented
• ☐ Primary keyword in first 100 words
• ☐ Proper heading hierarchy (H2, H3 nested correctly)
• ☐ 4-8 relevant internal links to related pages
• ☐ Images with descriptive alt text and optimized filenames
• ☐ Appropriate content length for keyword difficulty
• ☐ Clear CTA aligned with page goal
• ☐ Author bio (for blog content)

Pre-Launch Verification:

• Google Search Console setup and property verification
• Sitemap.xml submission
• Mobile-Friendly Test: confirm all pages pass
• Page Speed Insights: confirm Core Web Vitals pass
• Schema markup validation
• Analytics setup (Google Analytics 4 minimum)
• Heat mapping/session recording (to understand user behavior)

First 90 Days Monitoring:

• Week 1-2: Monitor for crawl errors in GSC. Fix immediately if any appear
• Week 2-4: Begin seeing organic impressions in GSC. Track which keywords start appearing
• Week 4-8: Early rankings appearing (usually positions 15-50). Monitor and iterate
• Week 8-12: Organic traffic ramp should accelerate. Position improvements visible
• Month 4+: Position stagnation signals need for: more content, backlink strategy, or on-page optimization improvements

Conversion Design Principles:

• Single Primary CTA per page: Don't confuse visitors with multiple competing CTAs
• Trust signals above fold: Testimonials, certifications, case study results visible immediately
• Short forms: Ask only essential info. Ask more later (progressive profiling)
• Fast page load: Every second of delay costs conversions. Set performance budgets
• Mobile-optimized: Forms must be mobile-friendly. Touch targets 44x44px minimum
• Clear value proposition: Visitor should understand your offering within 5 seconds of landing
• Multiple contact options: Phone, email, form, chat. Let users choose their method