The SEO design checklist for new builds
URL structure: shallow hierarchy (/services/seo not /our-stuff/services-area/seo), descriptive slugs, no dates or query strings.
Information architecture: pillar pages for each major topic, supporting pages linked back to the pillars, breadcrumb navigation showing structure.
Page templates: every template (service, blog post, location, product) should have built-in support for unique meta tags, OG tags, schema, and canonical URLs.
Speed budget: set a Lighthouse performance budget at design time (LCP < 2.5s, INP < 200ms, CLS < 0.1) and reject design choices that violate it.
What to plan before development starts
Keyword research and content briefs for every priority page — ideally before the designer touches Figma. Designers need to know how much content the page will hold.
Schema strategy: which pages need LocalBusiness, Service, FAQ, BreadcrumbList, Article, or Review schema. Plan implementation as part of the build, not as an afterthought.
Tracking and analytics setup: GA4, Search Console, conversion tracking, heatmaps. Validate them in staging before launch.
Migration plan if replacing an existing site: URL mapping, redirect plan, content audit. The single most common reason new sites tank rankings is a botched migration.