SEO Checklist 2026: AI Era Edition
This is a 200+ item SEO checklist built specifically for developers. It covers traditional SEO fundamentals plus 100+ AI-era items that most checklists don't include.
In 2026, being cited by ChatGPT is as valuable as ranking #1 in Google.
- Markdown format (track in Git)
- Specific code snippets (not vague advice)
- Priority-tagged items (fix what matters first)
- Updated for 2026 (AI crawlers, answer engines)
If You Only Do 10 Things
Don't have time for 200+ items? Start here. Highest-impact optimizations for 2026.
AI Crawler Strategy Guide
Choose how AI bots interact with your content. The checklist includes robots.txt templates for each approach.
| Strategy | Best For | Allow | Block | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation-FocusedRecommended | Content sites, affiliate sites, SaaS | ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot | GPTBot, CCBot, Google-Extended | Low |
| Full Openness | Maximum AI visibility seekers | All AI crawlers | None | Medium - content trains models |
| Fully Restrictive | Premium/gated content | Traditional search only | All AI crawlers | High - invisible to AI search |
Who This Is For
Built for:
- Developers building affiliate sites
- Startups shipping MVPs that need to rank
- Engineers inheriting SEO responsibilities
- Anyone tired of vague "optimize your content" advice
NOT for:
- Non-technical marketers (too code-heavy)
- Enterprise teams with dedicated SEO staff
- Sites that don't need organic traffic
What's Inside: 13 Categories
Organized into 4 focus areas. Click to expand.
Technical Foundation
Rendering, meta tags, performance, structured data
4 categories
Technical Foundation
Rendering, meta tags, performance, structured data
Rendering & Crawlability
SSR, SSG, canonicals, sitemap
Meta Tags & SERP Control
Title, description, OG, Twitter cards
Core Web Vitals
LCP, CLS, INP performance
Structured Data (JSON-LD)
Schema.org, author, organization
Content Optimization
Content structure, images, internal linking
4 categories
Content Optimization
Content structure, images, internal linking
Content & Search Intent
Structure, readability, intent matching
Image & Media
WebP/AVIF, alt text, lazy loading
Internal Linking
Architecture, anchor text, breadcrumbs
Conversion SEO
CTAs, affiliate disclosure, comparison tables
Trust & Analytics
E-E-A-T signals, tracking, testing
2 categories
Trust & Analytics
E-E-A-T signals, tracking, testing
Analytics & Testing
GSC, Bing, A/B testing, monitoring
Trust & E-E-A-T
Author pages, citations, human authenticity
AI & Answer Engines
AI crawler control, citation optimization
3 categories
AI & Answer Engines
AI crawler control, citation optimization
AI Crawler Management
GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot configs
Answer Engine Optimization
Featured snippets, AI citations, zero-click
AI Bot Control & Rights
Training decisions, licensing, crawl delays
Sample Items (Preview)
Here's a taste of what's in each category.
AI Crawler Management
21 items- [ ] GPTBot allowed or blocked intentionally
- [ ] PerplexityBot configured for AI search
- [ ] CCBot managed based on training preference
- [ ] ChatGPT-User vs GPTBot distinction
- [ ] AI training vs search bots separated
- [ ] anthropic-ai bot rules configured
- [ ] Google-Extended for Gemini training
...Why it matters: AI search is growing fast. If you're not configuring these crawlers, you're either invisible to AI search or training models for free.
Core Web Vitals
16 items- [ ] LCP under 2.5s on mobile
- [ ] CLS under 0.1 (explicit dimensions)
- [ ] INP under 200ms (interaction delay)
- [ ] Hero image uses fetchpriority="high"
- [ ] Critical CSS inlined or preloaded
- [ ] Third-party scripts deferred
- [ ] Font display: swap configured
...Why it matters: Core Web Vitals are a ranking factor. More importantly, slow sites lose visitors before they convert.
Answer Engine Optimization
23 items- [ ] TL;DR or "Quick Answer" at top
- [ ] Definition paragraphs use "X is..."
- [ ] Lists and tables for scannable data
- [ ] Statistics as quotable snippets
- [ ] FAQ section with clear Q&A structure
- [ ] "How to" steps numbered explicitly
- [ ] Brand name for attribution
...Why it matters: When ChatGPT or Perplexity answers a question, they cite sources. These optimizations increase your chances of being that source.
What You Get
SEO Checklist
.md
200+ items, 13 categories, priority-tagged
Robots.txt Template
.txt
AI crawler configs for 15+ bots, copy-paste ready
Code Snippets
.md
Schema markup, meta tags, ready to use
Priority Guide
.md
What to fix first based on impact
Format & Usage
📋 Markdown Format
The checklist is a .md file you can:
- Open in VS Code and check items off
- Commit to your repo and track progress
- Share with your team
- Customize for your specific stack
🎯 Priority Levels
Each item is tagged with priority:
- P0 (Critical): Fix before launch
- P1 (High): Fix within first month
- P2 (Medium): Optimize when possible
- P3 (Low): Nice to have
Starter Kit FAQ
How is this different from other SEO checklists? +
Most checklists were written 2020-2023 and don't address AI search. This checklist includes 100+ items specifically for AI crawlers, citation optimization, and answer engine visibility—plus robots.txt templates for 15+ AI bots.
Why is SSR/rendering emphasized so heavily? +
AI crawlers read your HTML. If your content renders client-side only (CSR), it literally doesn't exist to ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google. SSR for money pages is non-negotiable in 2026.
Should I block AI training crawlers? +
It depends. The checklist includes 3 strategies: (1) Citation-focused: allow AI search, block training (2) Full openness: maximum visibility (3) Restrictive: protect premium content. Most sites should start with citation-focused.
What is "zero-click optimization"? +
When ChatGPT answers a question, users may never visit any website. Zero-click optimization ensures your brand still gets mentioned. The checklist covers citation-friendly formatting and brand mention placement.
Do I need coding experience? +
Basic familiarity with HTML, robots.txt, and Git helps. The checklist works in any text editor, and the robots.txt template is copy-paste ready. For SSR and Schema.org, you'll need developer skills.
How often is it updated? +
Quarterly, or after major AI search platform updates. The AI search landscape changes fast—last update was February 2026.
Complete SEO Starter Pack
Download the complete 200+ item AI-era checklist, robots.txt templates for 15+ AI crawlers, and the priority guide.
Instant download - No spam - Markdown + JS files