All 182 checks, in plain English

Whether search engines can reach, read and keep your pages: status codes, redirects, robots.txt, sitemaps, canonicals and duplicates.

• Homepage blocked from GoogleThe homepage can be indexed
• Site blocked in robots.txtrobots.txt lets Google crawl the homepage
• Unreachable robots.txtrobots.txt responds normally
• No robots.txt fileA robots.txt file is in place
• Errors in robots.txtEvery robots.txt line is a valid rule
• Oversized robots.txtrobots.txt is within Google’s size limit
• Sitemap not in robots.txtrobots.txt lists the sitemap
• Blocked CSS and JavaScriptGoogle can fetch the homepage’s CSS and JavaScript
• No XML sitemapAn XML sitemap is in place
• Broken sitemap filesEvery sitemap file loads and parses
• Broken URLs in sitemapEvery sitemap URL loads
• Redirects in sitemapSitemap URLs load without redirecting
• Noindex pages in sitemapNo noindex pages in the sitemap
• Non-canonical URLs in sitemapSitemap URLs are their own canonical
• Sitemap URLs blocked by robots.txtNo sitemap URL is blocked by robots.txt
• Unreliable sitemap datesSitemap dates look reliable
• Sitemap URLs on another hostSitemap URLs match the sitemap’s own host
• Oversized sitemap filesSitemap files are within size limits
• Pages missing from sitemapThe sitemap covers the indexable pages
• Broken pagesEvery linked page loads
• Server errorsNo server errors
• Pages that time outEvery page responds
• Redirect chainsNo redirect chains
• Redirect loopsNo redirect loops
• Redirects to broken pagesEvery redirect reaches a working page
• Temporary redirectsRedirects are permanent where they should be
• Meta refresh redirectsNo meta refresh redirects
• www and non-www both loadOne host name; the other redirects to it
• No real 404 for missing pagesMissing pages return a real 404
• Soft 404 pagesNo error pages disguised as normal pages
• Pages set to noindexNo pages are set to noindex
• Important pages set to noindexKey pages can be indexed
• Pages set to nofollowNo pages are set to nofollow
• Missing canonical tagsEvery page names its canonical address
• Conflicting canonical tagsOne canonical tag per page
• Canonical tag in page bodyCanonical tags sit in the <head>
• Relative canonical URLsCanonical tags use full addresses
• Canonicals pointing to errorsCanonical tags point at working pages
• Canonicals pointing to redirectsCanonical targets load without redirecting
• Canonicals pointing to noindex pagesCanonical targets can be indexed
• Canonical chainsCanonical tags point straight at the main page
• Canonicals pointing to httpCanonical tags use https
• Canonicals pointing to another domainCanonical tags stay on your own domain
• Duplicate pagesNo exact duplicate pages
• Near-duplicate pagesNo near-duplicate pages
• Uppercase letters in URLsPage addresses are lowercase
• Underscores in URLsPage addresses use hyphens
• Very long URLsPage addresses are a sensible length
• Session IDs in URLsNo session IDs in URLs
• Tracking tags on internal linksInternal links are free of tracking tags
• Filter and sort URLsFilter and parameter addresses are under control

How your pages link to each other: what’s broken, what detours through redirects, and how deep pages sit.

• Broken internal linksEvery internal link leads to a working page
• Internal links to redirectsInternal links point straight at final pages
• Orphan pagesEvery page in the sitemap is linked from the site
• Deeply buried pagesEvery page is within 5 clicks of the homepage
• Dead-end pagesEvery page links on to the rest of the site
• Nofollow on internal linksInternal links don’t use nofollow
• Vague link textLink text describes where each link goes
• Links with no textEvery link has readable text
• Links Google can’t followLinks use real, crawlable addresses
• Broken outbound linksNo dead outbound links found
• Internal links to http://Internal links all use https://
• Mixed www and non-www linksInternal links use one host name

What each page tells people and search engines: titles, descriptions, headings, text and images.

• Missing page titlesEvery page has a title
• Duplicate titlesEvery page has its own title
• Generic titlesTitles describe their pages
• Long titlesTitles fit in search results
• Multiple title tagsOne title tag per page
• Missing meta descriptionsEvery page has a meta description
• Duplicate meta descriptionsMeta descriptions are unique
• Meta description lengthMeta descriptions are a typical length
• Multiple meta descriptionsOne meta description per page
• Missing H1 headingsEvery page has an H1 heading
• Empty H1 headingsNo empty H1 headings
• Duplicate H1 headingsH1 headings are unique
• Multiple H1 headingsOne H1 heading per page
• Skipped heading levelsHeading levels run in order
• Thin contentPages have enough main content for their purpose
• Empty pagesNo empty pages
• Placeholder textNo placeholder text
• Default WordPress contentNo leftover default content
• Images without alt textEvery image has an alt attribute
• Images without dimensionsImages declare their dimensions
• Oversized imagesNo images over 500 KB
• Broken imagesEvery sampled image loads
• Missing language attributeEvery page declares its language
• Invalid language codeLanguage codes are valid
• Missing character encodingEvery page declares its character encoding
• Missing doctypeEvery page has a doctype
• Missing social preview tagsPages have social preview tags
• Missing faviconThe site has a favicon
• Articles without an authorArticles name their author
• Articles without datesArticles show a date

How fast pages load and respond for real visitors, and what slows them down, page type by page type.

• Slow main content (LCP)No page has a poor LCP (over 4 s) for real visitors
• Main content a little slow (LCP)No page in LCP’s "needs improvement" range (2.5–4 s)
• Slow response to taps (INP)No page has a poor INP (over 500 ms) for real visitors
• Sluggish response to taps (INP)No page in INP’s "needs improvement" range (200–500 ms)
• Content jumps around (CLS)No page has a poor CLS (over 0.25) for real visitors
• Content shifts a little (CLS)No page in CLS’s "needs improvement" range (0.1–0.25)
• Slow main content (lab test)Main content appears within 4 s in the mobile lab test
• Heavy scripts (lab test)Pages stay responsive while loading in the lab test
• Layout shifts (lab test)Pages load without big layout shifts in the lab test
• Slow server for real visitorsThe server responds in under 1.8 s for real visitors
• Slow server responsesEvery page started responding within 1.5 s
• Uncompressed pagesPages are sent compressed
• Uncompressed scripts and stylesCSS and JavaScript files are compressed
• Short browser cachingSite files are cached by browsers for at least a day
• Very large HTMLPage HTML stays under 500 KB
• No HTTP/2The server supports HTTP/2
• Render-blocking scriptsNo page loads three or more blocking scripts in its head
• Heavy third-party codeThird-party code is light
• Oversized imagesImages are well compressed and sized
• Render-blocking requestsNo files hold up the first view
• Main image found lateThe main image is requested early
• Slow first responseThe server answers quickly, without redirects
• Short cache lifetimesStatic files have long cache lifetimes
• Invisible text while fonts loadText shows while web fonts load
• Layout shift causesNo significant layout shifts in the lab test
• Outdated JavaScriptNo unnecessary code for old browsers
• Duplicated JavaScriptNo duplicated JavaScript
• Very large page structurePage structure is a manageable size
• Forced reflowsNo costly forced reflows
• Unused JavaScriptPages load little unused JavaScript
• Unused CSSPages load little unused CSS
• Heavy pagesPages are a reasonable download size
• Busy main threadPages are light on the processor
• Slow JavaScript executionJavaScript runs quickly
• Images without dimensionsImages have explicit dimensions
• Unminified JavaScriptJavaScript is minified
• Chained critical requestsCritical files load without long chains

The structured data that earns rich results in Google, checked against Google’s own requirements.

• Unreadable structured dataAll structured data is valid JSON
• Structured data without a typeStructured data declares its type
• No structured dataThe site has structured data
• No Organization markupOrganization markup on the homepage
• Organization logo missingOrganization markup includes a logo
• Social profiles not linkedOrganization markup links your profiles
• No WebSite markupWebSite markup on the homepage
• Product pages without markupProduct pages have Product markup
• Incomplete product markupProduct markup has the required properties
• Offers without price or currencyOffers include price and currency
• Merchant details missingProduct markup includes merchant details
• Incomplete ratings or reviewsRatings and reviews are complete
• Incomplete breadcrumb markupBreadcrumb markup is complete
• Incomplete article markupArticle markup is complete
• Incomplete local business markupLocal business markup is complete
• Incomplete event markupEvent markup is complete
• Incomplete recipe markupRecipe markup is complete
• Incomplete video markupVideo markup is complete
• Incomplete job posting markupJob posting markup is complete
• Incomplete software app markupSoftware app markup is complete
• Markup for retired resultsNo markup for retired rich results

Whether AI search engines and assistants can fetch, read and quote your site, and whether they mention you.

• AI search blocked in robots.txtAI search crawlers are allowed in robots.txt
• AI crawlers blocked by firewallAI search crawlers can reach your homepage
• AI search partly blockedNo section-level blocks for AI search crawlers
• AI training crawlers blockedNo AI training crawlers are blocked
• Different page for AI crawlersAI crawlers get the same homepage as browsers
• Cloudflare AI crawler settingsNo Cloudflare AI crawler settings to check
• Content needs JavaScriptPage text is in the HTML, not added by JavaScript
• Title added by JavaScriptEvery page title is in the HTML
• Main heading added by JavaScriptMain headings are in the HTML
• Structured data added by JavaScriptStructured data is in the HTML
• Links added by JavaScriptInternal links are in the HTML
• JavaScript changes robots rulesRobots rules are the same with and without JavaScript
• JavaScript changes the canonicalCanonical URLs are the same with and without JavaScript
• Snippets switched offNo page blocks snippets
• Very short snippet limitNo page limits snippets to a few words
• Text hidden from snippetsNo passages hidden from snippets
• Noarchive tagNo noarchive tags

HTTPS, certificates, mixed content, security headers, malware flags and the pages that show who runs the site.

• No HTTPSThe site is served over HTTPS
• HTTP not redirected to HTTPShttp:// redirects to https://
• Invalid security certificateThe security certificate is valid
• Certificate expiring soonThe security certificate isn’t close to expiring
• Mixed contentSecure pages load everything over HTTPS
• No HSTS headerHSTS is enabled
• Missing security headersBasic security headers are in place
• Software versions on showNo software versions on show
• Flagged as unsafe by GoogleNot on Google’s list of unsafe sites
• Missing trust pagesAbout, contact and policy pages are linked

Google indexes the mobile version of every site, so a page that doesn’t adapt to a phone is a ranking problem.

• No mobile viewportEvery page has a mobile viewport tag
• Fixed-width viewportViewport tags use the device width
• Zoom disabled on phonesVisitors can zoom on every page
• Sideways scrolling on phonesThe homepage fits a phone screen