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SEO7 min read
The 12-Point SEO Checklist Every Startup Website Should Pass
Forget the 200-point audits. If your startup site passes these 12 basics, you'll out-rank 80% of your competitors.
Round Social · 2 April 2026
Most startup SEO advice is overcomplicated. Here are the 12 fundamentals that matter, in order of impact.
- Unique <title> tag per page (50–60 chars, primary keyword first).
- Unique meta description per page (140–160 chars).
- One H1 per page that includes the main keyword naturally.
- Semantic HTML, proper H2/H3 hierarchy, lists, sections.
- All images have descriptive alt text.
- Canonical URL on every page.
- Open Graph + Twitter Card tags for shareable previews.
- JSON-LD structured data (Organization sitewide, Article on posts).
- Mobile viewport meta tag and responsive layout.
- sitemap.xml and robots.txt at the root.
- Fast Largest Contentful Paint, under 2.5s on 4G.
- HTTPS everywhere, no mixed content warnings.
Run any URL through our free Website SEO Grader at /tools/seo-grader to see where yours stands.