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Per-Article SEO Checklist

Complete this checklist for every blog post, comparison page, or landing page before publishing. Copy this checklist into your content management workflow (Notion, Google Docs, etc.)

Pre-Writing​

  • Primary keyword identified with search volume and difficulty assessed
  • Secondary keywords (2-3) identified for natural inclusion
  • Search intent verified: Does the content match what searchers actually want?
  • Competitor analysis: Top 3 ranking pages reviewed for structure, length, and angle
  • Content angle determined: What unique perspective or value does this add?
  • Content pillar assigned: Maps to one of 5 pillars (Operations, Documentation, Billing, Technology, Growth)
  • Buyer journey stage assigned: Awareness, Consideration, or Evaluation

Content Structure​

  • Title tag: 50-60 characters, primary keyword front-loaded
    • Format: "[Primary Keyword]: [Value Proposition]" or "[Number] [Topic] for [Audience]"
    • Example: "Best EHR for Mental Health Group Practices: 2026 Buyer's Guide"
  • Meta description: 150-160 characters, includes keyword and CTA
    • Format: "[Brief description with keyword]. [Benefit statement]. [CTA]."
    • Example: "Compare the best EHR platforms for mental health group practices in 2026. AI documentation, billing automation, telehealth. See our top picks."
  • H1 tag: Matches or closely mirrors the title, includes primary keyword
  • URL slug: Short, keyword-rich, no dates, no stop words
    • Good: /blog/best-ehr-mental-health-group-practice
    • Bad: /blog/2026/02/the-best-ehr-for-your-mental-health-group-practice-guide
  • H2 subheadings: Include secondary keywords naturally, break content into scannable sections
  • H3 subheadings: Used for sub-sections, include variations/long-tail keywords

Content Quality​

  • Word count: 1,500-2,500 words (guides/comparison posts: 3,000+)
  • Primary keyword in first 100 words
  • Keyword density: 1-2% for primary keyword (natural usage, never forced)
  • Secondary keywords included naturally throughout
  • Readability: Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences), bullet points, numbered lists
  • Original value: Provides insights, data, or perspective not found in competing articles
  • Accuracy: All claims are verifiable, evidence-based, or appropriately hedged
  • Tone: Professional, warm, empathetic -- matches brand voice guidelines
  • No HIPAA violations: No real patient data, no exploitative language

Internal Linking​

  • 2-3 internal links to related blog posts
  • 1 internal link to relevant product/feature page
  • Link to comparison page if applicable
  • Link to demo/trial page in CTA sections
  • Anchor text is descriptive and keyword-relevant (not "click here")

External Linking​

  • At least 1 external link to authoritative source (research, government site, industry report)
  • External links open in new tab (target="_blank")
  • No links to direct competitors (unless comparison post)
  • Sources are recent (within 2 years) and credible

Images & Media​

  • At least 1 image per 500 words of content
  • Alt text on every image: descriptive, includes keyword where natural
    • Good: "WithinEHR multi-provider dashboard showing group practice schedule"
    • Bad: "screenshot" or "image1"
  • File names are descriptive: withinehr-group-practice-dashboard.png not IMG_2847.png
  • Image compression: Under 200KB per image (use TinyPNG or similar)
  • All product screenshots use demo data only (HIPAA compliance)
  • Infographics or tables for data-heavy sections

CTAs (Calls to Action)​

  • End-of-post CTA: Email signup or demo request
    • Example: "Ready to see how WithinEHR works for group practices? [Book a 15-minute demo →]"
  • In-content CTA after approximately 40% of the article
    • Example: Callout box with lead magnet offer or demo link
  • CTA matches content intent: Awareness posts → email signup; Consideration posts → lead magnet; Evaluation posts → demo/trial
  • CTA button text is action-oriented: "Book a Demo", "Download the Guide", "Start Free Trial"

Technical SEO​

  • Schema markup applied:
    • Article schema with author, datePublished, dateModified, description
    • FAQ schema if the post includes Q&A sections
    • HowTo schema if the post is a step-by-step guide
    • BreadcrumbList schema for navigation
  • Open Graph tags configured:
    • og:title -- matches or optimized version of title tag
    • og:description -- matches or optimized version of meta description
    • og:image -- featured image (1200x630px for Facebook)
    • og:type -- "article"
  • Twitter Card tags configured:
    • twitter:card -- "summary_large_image"
    • twitter:title, twitter:description, twitter:image
  • Canonical URL set (self-referencing for original content)
  • Mobile-friendly: Content renders properly on mobile devices
  • Page speed: Loads in under 3 seconds (check with PageSpeed Insights)

Post-Publishing​

  • Submitted to Google Search Console for indexing (URL Inspection → Request Indexing)
  • Internal links added from 2-3 existing posts to this new post
  • Shared on social media within 24 hours of publishing
  • Featured in weekly newsletter on the following Tuesday
  • YouTube video planned or recorded based on this content
  • Social media assets created (carousel, quote graphics, Reel script)
  • Posted in relevant Facebook groups when naturally answering a question

Monthly Content Audit (Every 30 Days)​

For each published post, check:

  • Rankings: Is it ranking for target keyword? Moving up or down?
  • Traffic: How much organic traffic is it receiving?
  • Engagement: Time on page, bounce rate, scroll depth
  • Conversions: How many email signups or demo requests from this post?
  • Updates needed: Is any information outdated? Competitor features changed?
  • Opportunities: Can we add sections to capture additional keywords?

SEO Tools Reference​

ToolPurposeCost
Google Search ConsoleKeyword performance, indexing, errorsFree
Google Analytics (GA4)Traffic, engagement, conversionsFree
PageSpeed InsightsPage load speed, Core Web VitalsFree
Ubersuggest (free tier)Keyword research, competitor analysisFree (3 searches/day)
AnswerThePublic (free tier)Question-based keyword ideasFree (3 searches/day)
Google Keyword PlannerSearch volume estimates (with Google Ads account)Free
Schema Markup ValidatorValidate structured dataFree
Ahrefs Webmaster ToolsBacklink monitoring, site auditFree
Screaming Frog (free tier)Technical SEO audit (up to 500 URLs)Free