SEO Checklist for Independent Websites: 9 Sections and Implementation Priorities

Detailed Explanation

1. Basic Settings

Basic website setup is the starting point for SEO efforts. Search engines need to be able to access the website, discover its pages, and understand its content, while website owners also need to use analytics tools to monitor website traffic and search performance.

 

1.1 Installing Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

GA4 is used to understand where users come from, which pages they visit, and what actions they take on the website.

Testing Method:

1. Sign up for or log in to Google Analytics.
2. Create a GA4 property.
3. Create the corresponding Web Data Stream.
4. Get the G- The ID at the beginning.
5. Deploy the tracking code to your website, or manage it through Google Tag Manager.
6. Open the website, go to the GA4 Real-Time reports, and verify that you are receiving visitor data.

Key points to check: Whether page view events are triggered correctly; whether data is collected correctly across different pages; whether the `page_view` event is triggered repeatedly on the same page; whether cross-domain redirects affect session statistics; and whether personal identifying information, such as email addresses and phone numbers, is included in the analytics parameters.

GA4 is primarily used to analyze traffic and user behavior; it is not a prerequisite for Google to index a website, nor does it directly guarantee search rankings.

 

1.2 Verify Google Search Console (GSC)

GSC is one of the most important monitoring tools for independent website SEO; it provides insights into how Google discovers, crawls, and indexes website pages, as well as click-through rates and impressions in organic search.

Setup Steps: Log in to GSC; add a website property; we recommend using the "Domain" property to verify the entire domain; add a TXT verification record with your DNS provider; wait for verification to complete; submit an XML sitemap.

After verification is complete, focus on checking the following:

Inspection Location	Main Functions
Search results	View search clicks, impressions, CTR, and average rank
Page Indexing	Check the indexing status of web pages and the reasons for non-indexing
Sitemaps	View the submission and retrieval status of the Sitemap
Core Web Vitals	View Core Web Vitals Performance
Manual actions	Check for any manual intervention
Security Issues	Check the website for security issues
Links	View external and internal links found by Google

Note: Pages displayed by GSC as not indexed are not necessarily errors. Login pages, search results pages, and auxiliary pages that are not intended to be indexed may not be supposed to be indexed in the first place.

 

1.3 Check the XML Sitemap

An XML sitemap is used to provide search engines with URLs that you want them to discover and index. Common URLs include https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml. WordPress can usually generate sitemaps using SEO plugins, and Shopify also automatically generates sitemaps.

Items to Check: Whether the sitemap can be accessed normally; whether it includes important articles, products, and category pages; whether URLs use the correct HTTPS domain; whether there are a large number of 404 errors or redirected URLs; whether it includes "noindex" pages; whether it includes non-canonical URLs; and whether newly published important pages are promptly added to the sitemap.

We recommend that your sitemap primarily include canonical URLs that you want to appear in Google search results. If there are a large number of invalid URLs, you should first check the page status, canonical URLs, and sitemap generation rules.

 

1.4 Check the Website Trust Page

Basic website information not only influences users' judgments but also helps clarify the entity operating the site and the purpose of its content. We recommend including the following pages: About, Contact, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service. Websites that regularly publish reviews, tutorials, and news can also include an Editorial Policy.

Independent e-commerce websites also need to refine the following policies based on their actual business practices: Shipping Policy, Return & Refund Policy, and Payment Policy.

These pages should accurately reflect the website's operations; do not simply copy generic templates that are unrelated to the website's functionality.

 

2. Technical SEO

 

2.1 Check the Canonical URL

Canonical is used to tell search engines which URL should be considered the primary version of a page when multiple URLs have identical or highly similar content. For example:

/products/white-marble
/products/white-marble?variant=123
/collections/marble/products/white-marble

Common Tags:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example.com/products/white-marble" />

How to check: Open the page; press F12 to open the Developer Tools; search in the "Elements" tab rel="canonical"; Check whether the links point to the correct pages; check whether HTTP/HTTPS and "www"/non-"www" versions are consistent; check whether filtering, sorting, and tracking parameters generate a large number of duplicate pages.

Note: "Canonical" is a signal rather than a mandatory directive; Google may still choose other canonical URLs based on the specific circumstances.

 

2.2 Check the Breadcrumb Navigation

Breadcrumbs help users understand their current location and also help search engines understand the content hierarchy. For example:

Home > Quartz Slabs > White Quartz > Product Name

Recommended checks: Verify that a reasonable hierarchical path is displayed; ensure that links are accessible; confirm that each level points to the correct category page; verify that the current page is displayed at the last level; and ensure that the content displayed on the page matches the BreadcrumbList structured data.

On e-commerce websites, breadcrumbs help users navigate back from a product page to a collection page or a higher-level category. If structured data is used, the hierarchy can be described using `BreadcrumbList`.

 

2.3 Review the Search, Filter, and Parameters Pages

E-commerce websites often generate a large number of parameterized URLs, such as:

/collections/white-quartz
/collections/white-quartz?filter=color
/collections/white-quartz?sort_by=price
/collections/white-quartz?filter=material

These pages may be necessary for users to navigate the website normally, but they do not necessarily have independent search value. Inspection method: Identify all automatically generated filter and search URLs; determine whether they contain unique and valuable content; check for a large number of similar or duplicate pages; select appropriate crawling and indexing management strategies for pages that should not appear in search results; and confirm that important collection pages and product pages have not been inadvertently blocked.

For search results that are purely internal to the site, meaningless parameter combinations, and duplicate archive pages, you can use the `noindex` tag or other appropriate methods as needed. However, do not simply block all URLs containing parameters, as some parameter pages may serve legitimate search queries and have independent value.

 

2.4 Checking Page Status Codes and Redirects

Normal content pages should typically return an HTTP 200 status code. Common status codes:

Status Code	Meaning	Inspection Recommendations
200	The page loads normally	Normal content pages should use
301	Permanent Redirect	Suitable for permanently changing URLs
302	Temporary Redirect	Use only when it is definitely a temporary redirect.
404	Page Not Found	Check for accidentally deleted items or broken links
410	This page has been permanently deleted.	Applies to content that is explicitly no longer available
5xx	Server Error	Check the server and application status

After modifying an article or product URL, we recommend setting up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new URL that is most relevant to the content. Avoid having the old URL first redirect to an intermediate page and then to the final page, as this creates unnecessary multiple redirects.

 

2.5 Checking Structured Data

Structured data helps search engines understand entities, products, articles, and other information on web pages. Common types:

Page Type	Schemas to Consider
Home	Website, Organization (if applicable)
Article Page	Article, Blog Post
Product Page	Product, Offer
Breadcrumbs	BreadcrumbList
Author Page	Person
About Us	Organization or Person (depending on the actual entity)

Taking a product page as an example, the `Product` element can describe the product name, image, brand, SKU, price, and inventory, among other details. When using the `Offer` element, the price, currency, and inventory status must match what the user actually sees. When using the `AggregateRating` element, user rating data must be authentic, visible, and compliant with Google’s requirements; do not fabricate ratings.

Verification tools: Google Rich Results Test, Schema.org Validator, and the GSC Rich Results Report. Structured data does not guarantee rich results and does not necessarily improve rankings.

 

3. Home Page

The homepage is typically a key entry point for users to learn about a brand, its scope of business, and its core products. The homepage of a company’s standalone website should clearly state what products or services it offers, while resource sites and content blogs should help readers quickly understand the content’s focus.

 

3.1 Optimize the Home Page Title

The title is a key piece of information that helps search engines understand a page’s topic, and it is also a primary source for search result titles. Check the following: Does it include your core business or main topic? Does it accurately summarize the content of the homepage? Does it duplicate the titles of other pages? Does it contain meaningless keyword stuffing? Is it too long, repetitive, or incomplete?

Example:

Quartz Slab Manufacturer & Supplier | Brand Name

This looks more natural than the one below:

Quartz Slabs, Quartz Stone, Best Quartz Slabs, Wholesale Quartz, Affordable Quartz Slabs

Title: There is no fixed character limit set by Google; search results are typically truncated based on the width of the display device. We recommend keeping your title concise and accurate.

 

3.2 Optimizing the Meta Description

The Meta Description is used to summarize the main content of a page. Example:

Explore a variety of engineered quartz slabs for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, and commercial interior projects.

Check: Does it clearly explain what the website offers? Does it include the site’s core business terms naturally? Does it match the actual content on the homepage? Does it duplicate descriptions from other pages? Does it contain keyword stuffing or irrelevant marketing copy?

There is also no fixed character limit for the meta description. Google may automatically generate a more relevant summary from the body text based on the search query.

 

3.3 Check the H1 and Page Title Hierarchy

We recommend that the homepage include a clear, easy-to-understand main heading, such as:

Premium Engineered Quartz Slabs for Modern Spaces

Check: Does the main heading align with the homepage’s theme? Does the H1 accurately convey the core business? Do the H2 headings correspond to the main business areas or content sections? Are H3 headings used to break down specific content? Are there any empty headings, duplicate headings, or混乱 in the heading hierarchy? Using a clear primary H1 helps organize content, but do not treat the number of H1s as a strict rule for Google rankings.

 

3.4 Add text content of practical value to the homepage

Many independent websites feature only banners and product displays on their homepages, lacking text that describes the company, products, or services. We recommend adding the following: a brand or company introduction; core products and services; key product categories; product use cases; core business strengths and supporting information; frequently asked questions; contact information; and key navigation links.

E-commerce websites can add text links for key product categories on their homepages to help users and search engines discover core collection pages. Don’t rely solely on images to display all important categories; it’s best to use accessible HTML text links as well.

 

4. Collection Page

Collection pages (also known as category pages) are important pages on standalone e-commerce sites such as Shopify; they showcase products, fulfill category search queries, and direct users to product detail pages.

 

4.1 Optimize the Title and Meta Description for Collection Pages

Each important collection page should have its own title and description. For example:

White Quartz Slabs for Kitchen Countertops | Brand

Meta Description Examples:

Explore white quartz slabs with subtle veining and various surface patterns for residential and commercial interior projects.

Do not use the same title for all collection pages, such as “All Quartz Slabs | Brand.” Titles should be tailored to the specific product characteristics and search needs of each category.

 

4.2 Check the Collection Page URL

We recommend using short, clear, and descriptive URLs, such as /collections/white-quartz, avoid /collections/collection-123456. You can include relevant keywords in the URL, but there is no need to include multiple similar keywords for SEO purposes. It is not recommended to frequently modify URLs that have already been indexed; if a change is absolutely necessary, set up a 301 redirect.

 

4.3 Add a meaningful description to the collection page

The collection page shouldn’t consist solely of product images and names. You can add a brief introduction above the product list and more detailed information below it. Suggested topics for the introduction include: what products are included in this category; how different products differ from one another; what usage scenarios they’re suitable for; how users should choose among them; and how they differ from other related categories.

For example, the White Quartz collection page can highlight the base colors, patterns, and surface finishes of various white quartz stones, as well as the differences in their applications for kitchen countertops and bathroom spaces. The content should focus on actual products and avoid repetitive descriptions solely for the purpose of including keywords.

 

4.4 Check the number of products on the collection page and how they are displayed

Don’t treat “at least 3 products per collection” as a strict SEO standard. What you really need to check is: whether the collection page serves a clear categorization purpose; whether it displays products that match the category’s theme; whether the product detail pages can be accessed normally; whether pagination works properly; whether there are a large number of empty collection pages; and whether product detail pages can be found via standard HTML links.

If a collection contains only one product but has a clear categorization and the page offers sufficient standalone value, it should not be automatically deleted simply because of its small size.

 

4.5 Creating Internal Links on Collection Pages

Collection pages can link to: related subcategories, related product lines, featured products, product selection guides, and related blog posts. For example, the “White Quartz” page can link to “Calacatta Quartz,” “Pure White Quartz,” and articles introducing different quartz textures. Internal links should be natural and relevant, and should use anchor text that describes the content of the target page.

 

4.6 FAQ Content and Structured Data

The collection page can include FAQs based on users' actual questions, such as: What is the difference between white quartz and marble? Is white quartz suitable for kitchen countertops? How do I choose a quartz surface finish?

The primary value of an FAQ is to help users understand a product and its selection criteria. If you use the FAQPage Schema, ensure that the marked-up content is actually visible on the page. Please note that Google has significantly restricted the scope of FAQ rich results; general commercial websites should not add this type of structured data solely to appear in FAQ search results.

 

5. Product Page

Product pages are among the pages on independent e-commerce sites that most directly address purchasing needs. A comprehensive product page not only displays product information but also helps users understand the product’s features, specifications, use cases, and purchase terms.

 

5.1 Optimize Product Page Titles and Meta Descriptions

Product page titles should include: the product name, key product attributes, important model or series information (if applicable), and the brand name (if applicable). Example:

Calacatta White Quartz Slab GQ-101 | Brand

The meta description can provide further details about the product's texture, color, and uses. Avoid using exactly the same titles and descriptions for different products within the same category.

 

5.2 Optimizing Product URLs

Recommendations /products/calacatta-white-quartz-gq-101, Not recommended /products/product-123456. Product URLs should be short, easy to understand, and as consistent as possible. If a product has already been indexed by search engines, avoid changing the URL frequently.

 

5.3 Writing Original Product Descriptions

Try to avoid directly copying product descriptions provided by suppliers. We recommend organizing your content from the following perspectives:

• Product Appearance: An introduction to primary colors, secondary colors, textures, grain, and surface effects.
• Material Characteristics: Describe the material categories, processing characteristics, and verifiable physical properties.
• Use Cases: Describe the spaces or projects for which this product is suitable, such as kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, commercial spaces, and wall decor.
• Selection Recommendations: An overview of how this product differs from similar models, as well as guidance on choosing the right option for different usage scenarios.

Don’t repeat product information over and over just to meet a word count. What really matters is ensuring that each product page has clear, unique content—not simply swapping out a few keywords in the same supplier copy.

 

5.4 Checking Product Structured Data

E-commerce websites that display product information may consider using the Product Schema. Fill in the following fields based on the actual content of the page: Product Name, Image, Description, SKU, Brand, Offer, Price, PriceCurrency, Availability, and AggregateRating (only if applicable).

Key Points to Check: The product name in the structured data matches the one on the page; product images can be accessed properly; prices match those displayed on the page; inventory status is accurate; SKUs are not duplicated or incorrect; Do not fabricate rating or review data. If the website supports multiple product variants, you must also select the appropriate Schema configuration based on the actual variant structure. You can use the Google Rich Results Test to verify that the markup is valid.

 

5.5 Optimizing Product Images and ALT Attributes

Recommendations: Use images that clearly showcase the product’s features; make image filenames as descriptive as possible; compress images to avoid large file sizes; use the appropriate WebP or AVIF format; set descriptive ALT text for images; and avoid uploading multiple meaningless versions of the same image.

<img src="calacatta-white-quartz.jpg" alt="Calacatta white quartz slab with soft gray veining" />

The ALT text should describe what the image actually shows, rather than cramming in all the product keywords.

 

5.6 Handling Keyword Competition on Product Pages

If a collection page and multiple product detail pages are all targeting the exact same keywords, it may result in unclear page themes. We recommend assigning page themes based on user search intent:

Page Type	Key Keyword Areas
Collection Page	White Quartz Slabs
Product Page	Calacatta White Quartz GQ-101
Blog Posts	How to Choose White Quartz Slabs
Guide Page	White Quartz vs. Marble

Different pages can naturally cover relevant keywords, but each page should have its own primary purpose and independent value.

 

6. Blog

Blog content is a key channel for independent websites to attract informational search traffic. Through product guides, tutorials, industry insights, and FAQs, you can address the various search needs users have before purchasing or using a product.

 

6.1 Define the topic and search intent for each article

Before publishing an article, first determine why users are searching for this keyword. Common search intents:

Search Intent	Content Format	Example
Information Overview	Informational Articles	What Is Engineered Quartz?
Tutorial Steps	Step-by-Step Guide	How to Clean Quartz Countertops
Product Comparison	Comparative Articles	Quartz vs. Marble
Purchasing Options	Buying Guide	Best Quartz Slabs for the Kitchen
Brands or Navigation	About the Brand	Brand-Name Products

The content of an article should genuinely meet users' search needs, rather than simply combining a few popular keywords and publishing it.

 

6.2 Review the Article Title and Content Structure

Each article should include: a clear title; a specific H1 heading; logically structured H2 and H3 headings; a concise introduction; body paragraphs with substantive content; necessary images, tables, or examples; and a conclusion that answers the reader’s questions.

Don't repeat the same keywords in every subheading just to increase keyword density. Headings should naturally convey the article's topic.

 

6.3 Add Original Information and Practical Experience

Tool recommendations, tutorials, and product knowledge articles should, whenever possible, provide unique, valuable information, such as: step-by-step instructions for using the tools in practice; comparisons of different tools’ features; issues encountered during use; reproducible solutions; real images, screenshots, and test results; and analyses of the pros and cons of different solutions.

If you haven't actually tested a feature, don't present it as a conclusion based on personal experience. The value of content isn't determined by word count; rather than padding your article with a lot of repetitive text, provide readers with practical information that they can't easily find on other pages.

 

6.4 Appropriately Increase the Number of Internal Links

For example, an article about quartz kitchen countertops could include links to a related product collection page, specific product detail pages, an article comparing quartz and marble, and a guide to choosing kitchen countertops.

When setting up internal links, keep the following in mind: Ensure the link destination is relevant to the current article’s content; use clear anchor text; do not use the exact same keyword for every link; do not force links just to meet a fixed number; check for broken links regularly. There is no need to strictly adhere to adding a link every 200–300 characters; links should be based on content relevance and user needs.

 

6.5 Avoid Duplicate Competition Between Blog Posts and Product Pages

Take white quartz as an example: The product collection page primarily showcases various white quartz products; the product detail page describes the features of specific models; and blog posts can cover how to choose white quartz, how to clean it, and how it differs from other materials.

If multiple pages actually provide the same content, you should consider merging them, re-targeting them, or optimizing their topics. Don’t assume that pages are necessarily competing with each other simply because they share the same keywords; what you really need to analyze is whether the search intent and page content overlap significantly.

 

7. Speed Optimization

Website speed affects the user experience. This is especially true for e-commerce sites, where product images, third-party scripts, and numerous plugins can all slow down page loading. It is recommended to monitor actual performance on both desktop and mobile devices.

 

7.1 Check Website Performance

Recommended tools: Google PageSpeed Insights, Chrome Lighthouse, Chrome DevTools, and the GSC Core Web Vitals report. PageSpeed Insights provides lab test data and, when available, real-world user experience data to help identify page loading and interactivity issues.

 

7.2 Check Core Web Vitals

Indicators	Meaning	Good Standards
LCP	Maximum Content Rendering: Measures the loading speed of the main content	No more than 2.5 seconds
INP	Next time you create an interactive element, measure the page's response time	Less than 200 milliseconds
CLS	Cumulative Layout Shift: A Measure of Page Visual Stability	Less than 0.1

These standards are typically determined based on the 75th percentile of real-user traffic data, rather than on the results of a single Lighthouse test.

When LCP is high, check the following first: whether the large image on the first screen is too large; whether the server response time is too long; whether there is CSS that blocks rendering; whether images on the first screen have been incorrectly set to lazy-load; and whether font files are affecting rendering.

When INP is high, check the following: Are there any time-consuming JavaScript tasks? Are too many third-party scripts being loaded? Do page interactions trigger a large number of computations? Are plugins continuously executing unnecessary scripts?

When the CLS is high, check the following: whether images have specified width and height; whether ad slots have reserved space; whether font loading causes changes in text layout; and whether any elements are suddenly inserted after loading is complete.

 

7.3 Optimizing Image Size and Format

Recommendations: Prioritize formats such as WebP or AVIF based on the actual image content; generate images based on the page’s actual display dimensions; do not upload images that are significantly larger than necessary for display; compress images while maintaining image quality; and appropriately enable lazy loading for images that are not visible on the first screen.

Do not set a blanket requirement that all images must be under 200 KB. Image size should be determined based on a comprehensive assessment of dimensions, image quality, usage context, and loading performance.

 

7.4 Proper Use of Image Lazy Loading

Recommendation: Prioritize the normal loading of the main image on the page's above-the-fold area; for images below the fold, you can use loading="lazy"; Avoid unnecessary lazy loading for LCP-critical images; set appropriate priorities for key images on the first screen. Incorrectly enabling lazy loading for all images may actually slow down the display of the main content on the first screen.

 

7.5 Optimizing JavaScript and CSS

Recommendation: Remove unnecessary code left over from disabled plugins; determine the scope of third-party script loading based on page functionality; use deferred loading for scripts that are suitable for it. defer; Use this for standalone scripts that are suitable for asynchronous loading async; Pay attention to compatibility when compressing and combining resources; check for duplicate JS or CSS files.

For WordPress sites, it’s especially important to check whether the theme, page builder, and plugins are all loading resources with overlapping functionality.

 

7.6 Proper Use of Preload and Preconnect

Preload is used to request important resources in advance during page loading; Preconnect is used to establish a connection with a specified third-party server in advance. For example:

<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">

<link rel="preload" as="font" href="/fonts/site-font.woff2" crossorigin>

These optimizations should not be added arbitrarily; they should only be applied to resources that are truly important and can improve the loading process. Otherwise, they may cause unnecessary resource contention.

 

8. External Links

External links generally fall into two categories: backlinks from other websites to your own site, and outbound links from your site to third-party sites. While these two types are managed differently, both should be based on relevance and genuine value.

 

8.1 Check a Website's Backlinks

You can view the external links to your website detected by Google through the "Links" report in GSC. Key points to focus on: which websites link to yours; which pages receive the most external links; what anchor text is used in the external links; whether there is an unnatural, large-scale increase in links; and whether there is any link buying or ranking manipulation.

Don’t simply assume that all links from low-authority websites are spam backlinks. Just because an unfamiliar website links to yours doesn’t necessarily mean your site has been penalized. Google is generally capable of identifying and handling many low-quality or spammy links. The Disavow Tool is not intended for routine cleanup of all suspicious backlinks; it should typically be used with caution only when there are a large number of manipulative links that have caused or may cause manual actions.

 

8.2 Checking External Link Anchor Text

External links in website content should use natural anchor text that describes the content of the target page. For example, use a natural phrase such as “Learn more about Google’s Search Essentials.” Avoid repeatedly using the exact same keywords. Do not use the same keywords repeatedly in all external links.

 

8.3 Building Valuable Backlinks

A new website can acquire backlinks by providing genuinely valuable content. Common methods include: publishing original tutorials and research content; creating practical online tools; establishing genuine partnerships with industry-related websites; participating in professional community discussions and sharing relevant resources; providing valuable materials and reference content to other websites; and earning organic backlinks through content marketing.

Avoid purchasing large quantities of low-quality backlinks, using automated backlink tools, and participating in link exchange networks or other practices designed to manipulate search rankings.

 

8.4 Managing External Links on Your Website

If an article recommends a third-party website or online tool, you should verify the following: whether the link is accessible; whether it points to the genuine official website; whether there are any malicious or unsafe redirects; whether the link destination is relevant to the article’s content; and whether any commercial partnerships or affiliate links have been appropriately disclosed.

Paid or sponsored links should be used as appropriate based on the actual circumstances. rel="sponsored"; For other links where you need to avoid passing a "recommendation" signal, you can use rel="nofollow". Don't assume you must use "nofollow" just because you're linking to other high-quality websites; normal, relevant, and helpful reference links do not need to be deliberately blocked.

 

9. Multilingual Pages

If an independent website targets multiple countries and regions, or offers multiple language versions such as Chinese and English, it is necessary to carefully plan the URL structure, page content, and language mappings.

 

9.1 Planning a Multilingual URL Structure

Common methods include:

• Subdirectory：example.com/en/、example.com/fr/、example.com/de/
• Subdomain：en.example.com、fr.example.com、de.example.com
• Domain Names Specific to Different Countries and Regions：example.com、example.co.uk、example.de

For most independent websites just starting to develop multilingual content, using subdirectories is generally easier to manage. The specific choice will depend on the website platform, server configuration, and business needs.

 

9.2 Configuring Hreflang

Hreflang is used to tell Google that a page has versions in other languages or for other regions. For example:

Among these,zh-CN Indicates that the Chinese-language page is intended for users in mainland China;en Indicates an English page;x-default This can be used as the default page when no matching language version is available. When configuring this, you should set it based on the actual correspondence for each page; do not direct all Chinese pages on the entire website to the same English homepage.

 

9.3 Checking Backlinks Between Language Pages

If a Chinese page declares an English version, the English page should also declare the corresponding Chinese version. Key points to check: Each language version includes an `hreflang` tag pointing to itself; there are mutual references between pages in the corresponding languages; language codes are formatted correctly; the URLs they point to are accessible; and there are no configurations pointing to 404 pages or redirect URLs.

 

9.4 Setting the Canonical Tag Correctly

Each language page should have a proper, standardized URL, such as /zh/white-quartz-guide/ and /en/white-quartz-guide/. If two pages provide complete content in Chinese and English, respectively, you should not simply set the canonical tag for all English pages to point to the Chinese page. Instead, you should set the canonical tag based on each page’s canonical URL and use the `hreflang` attribute to inform Google that the two pages are different language versions.

 

9.5 Avoiding Low-Quality Machine Translation Pages

Multilingual SEO is more than just translating Chinese into English. We recommend checking the following: whether the page content has been fully translated; whether product names and technical terms align with the target market’s conventions; whether the title and meta description read naturally; whether image ALT text is in the corresponding language; whether navigation, buttons, and page prompts are complete; and whether the translated pages contain a significant amount of duplicate or meaningless content.

If an article has not yet been fully translated into English, do not have the language switch button link to a blank or unrelated page.

 

Action List

1. Basic Settings

• GA4 has been installed and is receiving data normally
• GSC has verified and submitted the sitemap
• GSC: No serious errors (Coverage / Enhancement)
• All Trust Elements Are in Place: About Us Page, Contact Information, Return and Exchange Policy, Privacy Policy

2. Technical SEO

• Check the Robots.txt and Sitemap Files
• Product internal links must use standard URLs; multiple duplicate URLs should not be generated based on the source collection or filter criteria.
• Breadcrumbs are displaying correctly; the BreadcrumbList schema has been added.
• Automatically generated filter pages, search results pages, and archive pages are blocked by Robots.txt or marked as "noindex," such as ?q=、?filter=、?ref= Parameters Page, etc.
• Pages that are blocked or marked as "noindex" are not included in the sitemap to avoid conflicting signals.

3. Home Page

• Title: Includes core keywords, 50–60 characters
• Meta Description: Click-worthy copy, 130–160 characters
• There is only one H1 tag, which contains the main keyword—not a logo or the word “Welcome.”
• Text content includes: Brand Introduction, Featured Categories, FAQ
• Key categories include text links, not just images.

4. Collection Page

• Each collection has a unique Title and Meta Description
• URL slug: short and keyword-rich
• H1 Contains Target Keyword
• Collection description: Short paragraph above the product + optional expanded section below / FAQ
• Each collection must contain at least 3 products to avoid thin content.
• Includes internal links to subcategories or related collections
• The FAQ content now includes the FAQPage Schema

5. Product Page

• Unique Title + Meta Description, including keywords
• URL slug: short and descriptive
• Original product descriptions; do not copy supplier content; 150–300+ words
• Structured Data is Complete: Product / Offer / AggregateRating / BreadcrumbList
• All images have alt text that includes the product name and attributes.
• Keywords should not conflict with collection pages to avoid internal competition.

6. Blog

• Each article has a specific target keyword and an optimized title.
• Use H2 and H3 Subheadings Appropriately
• Internal links: Link to category pages, product pages, or related articles once every 200–300 characters
• The article recommends related products, complete with images and links.
• Blog keywords do not conflict with collection pages

7. Speed Optimization

• Correct image formats: WebP / JPEG product images, SVG icons
• The image has been compressed; the target size is less than 200 KB.
• The image dimensions are correct and do not exceed twice the display size.
• Images not on the first screen are now lazy-loaded
• Residual code from uninstalled plugins/themes has been removed
• Loading Third-Party Plugins/Scripts Based on Page Conditions
• JS / CSS has been minified
• Use `async` and `defer` for non-essential scripts
• Use "preload" and "preconnect" for critical resources

8. External Links

• No spam backlinks; regular checks; disavow when necessary
• Anchor Text Diversification: A Mix of Brand Terms, Exact-Match Keywords, and Natural Phrases
• Currently in progress: Outreach / Content Marketing / Broken Link Replacement

9. Multilingual Pages

• Use /en、/ja Equal Pagination for Multilingual Pages
• Use the hreflang attribute to configure language codes and corresponding backlinks

Execution Priority

1. P0 Basic Settings: Without GA + GSC installed, it's like flying blind.
2. P1 Technical SEO: Affects the entire site; fix it once and reap the benefits forever. Prioritize fixing canonical URLs and setting "noindex" for tag pages.
3. P2 Optimizing High-Value Pages: First, optimize the Title, Meta, and Description tags for the collection pages and product pages with the highest traffic.
4. P3 Speed Optimization: Image compression is the easiest way to see results, while script cleanup requires a developer
5. P4 Content + Blog: Medium- to long-term strategy: Continuously produce middle-funnel content
6. P5: Backlink Building: Long-term strategy to be implemented in conjunction with content
7. P6: Multilingual Website Development: It is recommended to implement this after achieving some results with a single language.