Tiny SEO StepsFive stops between “new site” and “launch-ready.”
Milestones aren't extra checkboxes — they unlock once every task in the categories behind them is complete. This is the order that actually matters.
1
SetupIn progress
The bare minimum before anything else can be measured. If this isn't done, every later step is guesswork.
Analytics connected — Google Analytics 4 installed and verified
Search Console verified — domain ownership confirmed
HTTPS enabled — all pages served securely
0 / 3 checkpoints complete (including earlier milestones)
2
FoundationsLocked
Structural fixes that let search engines actually crawl and understand the site correctly.
Technical Foundations — All 8 Technical Foundations checkpoints done
Crawlability — Sitemap, crawl rules, and internal links checked
0 / 10 checkpoints complete (including earlier milestones)
Unlocks after Setup is complete
3
GrowthLocked
The bulk of the real work — making individual pages worth ranking and worth reading.
On-Page Basics — All 7 On-Page Basics checkpoints done
Content Structure — All 7 Content Structure checkpoints done
0 / 24 checkpoints complete (including earlier milestones)
Unlocks after Foundations is complete
4
AuthorityLocked
Signals that tell search engines other sites trust this one — the slowest milestone to earn, and the hardest to fake.
Site Authority — All 6 Site Authority checkpoints done
Local & Maps — All 5 Local & Maps checkpoints done
0 / 35 checkpoints complete (including earlier milestones)
Unlocks after Growth is complete
5
Launch-readyLocked
Everything measurable is being measured, and the site is stable enough to stop actively watching every day.
Measure & Iterate — All 6 Measure & Iterate checkpoints done
All complete — All 39 checkpoints across every category complete
0 / 39 checkpoints complete (including earlier milestones)
Unlocks after Authority is complete