What this task involves
Open each of the client's top landing pages one at a time. For each page, review the meta title, meta description, H1, heading structure, body content, internal links, and image alt text against the keyword map. Document every specific change needed in a spreadsheet — current state, proposed state, and the reason (which keyword or audit finding it addresses).
Bulk recommendations like "rewrite all H1s" don't count. Each page gets its own specific recommendation.
Why it matters
This is the bridge between research and execution. Without it, whoever implements the changes makes their own judgement calls per page and the work drifts off-keyword. A well-mapped tweaks sheet means the implementer can move fast and consistently — and the client has a clear before/after record of what was changed.
Skipping this step means the keyword research and audit findings never make it onto the live site in a controlled, traceable way.
Scope — which pages to cover
Focus on the main service and category pages — typically the top 5–10 pages that are mapped to target keywords. Do not attempt every page on the site in round one.
- All pages in the keyword map (from the keyword research task)
- Homepage
- Top service / category pages by organic impressions (use GSC)
- Any pages flagged during the technical audit as having missing or duplicate meta tags
- Skip blog posts, news articles, and thin supporting pages for now — those come later
Tools you need open
- Keyword map — the output of the keyword research task (Google Sheet or Drive doc). Every page in this sheet must be covered.
- Google Search Console — to check current impressions, clicks, and average position per page
- The live site — open in a browser tab. View source (Ctrl+U or right-click → View Page Source) to check what's actually in the HTML, not just what the CMS shows
- Screaming Frog (optional but faster) — export of all page titles and meta descriptions from the crawl you ran during the tech audit
- The page tweaks spreadsheet — your output document. Set it up before starting (see Step 1)
Create the page tweaks spreadsheet
Make a copy of the IM Page Tweaks template in the client's Google Drive folder. Name it: Client Name — Page Tweaks — [Month Year] (e.g. "Vergola — Page Tweaks — Jun 2026").
If no template is available, create a new Google Sheet with these column headers:
List all pages to audit
In a separate tab (or the first few rows), list every URL you'll be reviewing. Pull this list from:
- The keyword map — every page that has a target keyword assigned
- GSC Performance report, filtered to Organic, sorted by Impressions descending — add any top pages not already in the keyword map
- The technical audit — add any pages flagged for missing or duplicate meta tags
Aim for 5–10 pages for a standard client. Do not try to cover every page — depth matters more than breadth at this stage.
Order pages by impact potential
Work high-value pages first. Use GSC to pull impressions and average position for each page. Pages ranking positions 5–20 with high impressions are your biggest opportunity — they're already getting visibility but not converting it into clicks.
Note cannibalisation risks
While listing pages, check whether two or more pages are targeting the same keyword. In GSC, search for the target keyword under Performance → Queries, then click through to see which URLs are appearing for it.
If two pages are both appearing for the same keyword, flag this in the spreadsheet. You'll need to decide which page should "own" that keyword before optimising. Record both URLs and note "potential cannibalisation — review before optimising".
For each page, check the existing meta title against these rules and write a replacement if needed.
Find the current meta title
Do not rely on what the CMS shows — check what is actually in the HTML. Open the live page in a browser, right-click → View Page Source (Ctrl+U), and search for <title>. Copy the exact text into the "Current State" column.
Alternatively, if you have the Screaming Frog export from the tech audit, pull it from there.
Check against the rules
A good meta title must satisfy all of these. Flag each failure in your notes:
- Contains the target keyword — check it is present, not just a related term
- Keyword appears near the front of the title, not buried at the end after the brand name
- Includes the brand name (usually at the end, after a pipe or dash)
- Between 50–60 characters — use a character counter. Over 60 gets truncated in search results.
- Unique across the site — no two pages should have the same title
- Not just the page heading repeated — the title should be written for search, not for the page layout
- No keyword stuffing — one primary keyword, naturally written
Write the proposed title
Use this structure as a starting point: [Primary Keyword] + [Location if local] | [Brand Name]
Examples:
Paste the proposed title into a character counter before recording it. Target 55–60 characters. If you can't fit the keyword, location, and brand within 60 characters, prioritise keyword and brand — drop the location.
Character count guide
| Length | Result in Search | Action |
|---|---|---|
| < 30 chars | Shows in full but wastes space — missed opportunity | Rewrite |
| 30–49 chars | Fine but could include more keyword/brand context | Acceptable |
| 50–60 chars | Ideal — full title likely to show without truncation | Ideal |
| 61–70 chars | May truncate on mobile — review wording | Trim if possible |
| > 70 chars | Will truncate — Google will rewrite it or cut it | Rewrite |
The meta description does not directly affect rankings, but it is the sales copy for your search result — it drives click-through rate.
Find the current meta description
In the page source, search for name="description". Copy the content attribute value exactly into the Current State column. If there is no meta description tag, record "Missing".
Check against the rules
- Between 140–160 characters. Under 140 wastes the space. Over 160 gets cut off mid-sentence.
- Unique for this page — not shared with any other page
- Contains the target keyword — Google bolds matched terms in results, which improves click-through
- Includes a value proposition — what does the user get or learn on this page?
- Ends with a soft call to action — "Get a free quote", "Learn more", "View our range"
- No keyword stuffing — it must read naturally as a sentence
- Written in the client's voice — not generic filler
Write the proposed description
Use this structure: [What the page offers] + [Key benefit or differentiator] + [Location if local] + [CTA]
Example: "Expert pergola installation across Melbourne. Fully engineered, weather-rated systems built to last. Over 30 years of experience. Get a free measure and quote today." — 156 characters
Count the characters before recording. Rewrite until it lands between 140–160.
Check the H1
Every page must have exactly one H1. In the browser, open DevTools (F12), go to Elements, and search for <h1. Alternatively, use a browser extension like Detailed SEO or check the Screaming Frog crawl export.
- Is there an H1? If missing — record "Missing H1" as a High priority item
- Is there more than one H1? Record each one and flag "Multiple H1s — consolidate to one"
- Does the H1 contain the target keyword? It should. Record the current H1 and a proposed version that includes the keyword naturally
- Is the H1 different from the meta title? It should be — they can both contain the keyword, but they should not be identical. The title is for search results; the H1 is for the page visitor.
Check the heading hierarchy
Heading tags must flow in order: H1 → H2 → H3. Skipped levels (H1 directly to H3 with no H2) and heading tags used purely for visual styling are both problems.
- Open DevTools → Elements and scan through the heading tags in order
- Note any skipped levels (e.g. H1 → H3) — record a fix for each
- Note any headings that are purely decorative (e.g. a small label styled as H4 that has nothing to do with document structure) — these should be converted to styled
<span>or<p>elements - Check that each H2 represents a genuine section of the page
Check keyword presence in H2s
The target keyword or a close variant should appear in at least one H2 on the page — not crammed into every heading, but present where it makes sense. If none of the H2s mention the topic at all, that is a signal to Google that the page content may not match the keyword it's targeting.
Record the current H2 text and a proposed version where appropriate. Do not force it — if the heading naturally contains the concept, you do not need to change the exact wording.
Read the page as a user would. Identify what is missing or thin, then record specific additions — not vague improvements.
Check keyword presence in the body
The target keyword should appear in the first 100 words of the page body (not counting nav, header, or footer). Use Ctrl+F to find it on the live page.
- If the keyword doesn't appear in the first 100 words: record a specific sentence to add at the top of the main content area
- If the keyword appears zero times on the page at all: flag as High priority content gap
- Keyword density is not a target number — natural usage is the goal. If it appears once or twice in a short page, that's fine. Don't stuff.
Check for thin content
Pages under 300 words of actual body copy (not counting menus, footers, or boilerplate) are considered thin by search engines. Use the browser's reading view or count words in the visible content area.
- Under 300 words: flag as content expansion needed — record what topics are missing and recommend specific additions
- 300–600 words: acceptable for simple service pages, but review whether competitors are covering topics you're not
- Over 600 words: check quality — is it all relevant, or is it padded filler?
Identify missing topic sections
Read the top 3–5 competing pages for the target keyword. Look at what headings and sections they cover that this page does not. Common gaps include:
For each gap, write a specific recommendation in the spreadsheet — e.g. "Add a 'How it works' section with 3–4 steps explaining the installation process." Not "add more content."
Check for internal links on the page
Open DevTools → Elements and scan through the page for <a href= links pointing to other pages on the same domain. Note how many internal links exist and what anchor text they use.
- Pages with zero internal links are isolated — they receive no link equity and are harder for users to navigate to from elsewhere. Flag these.
- Pages with "click here" or generic anchor text are missing keyword signals. Record the specific link and a proposed keyword-rich anchor text replacement.
Identify internal linking opportunities
Look at the page content and ask: what other pages on the site are relevant to what this page discusses? Those are linking opportunities.
- Service pages should link to related services and to the contact or quote page
- Location pages should link to the parent service page and to nearby location pages
- Blog posts or articles should link to the relevant service page they support
- The homepage should link to all top-level service and category pages
For each opportunity, record: the source page, the anchor text to use, and the destination URL. Keep anchor text descriptive — "commercial cleaning services" not "our services" or "click here".
Check for broken internal links
If you have the Screaming Frog crawl from the tech audit, filter to the 4xx errors list and check whether any broken links originate from the pages you're reviewing. If you don't have the crawl open, you can quickly test links manually by clicking through — broken links will show a 404 page.
Record any broken links found as High priority items with the current broken URL and the correct destination URL.
Check image alt text
In DevTools → Elements, look at each <img> tag on the page. Check the alt attribute on each one.
- Missing alt attribute entirely — record as Medium priority. Propose a descriptive alt text.
alt=""(empty) — acceptable for decorative images only. If the image is content-relevant (a photo of the product, a team photo, a before/after), it needs descriptive alt text.- Alt text that is just the filename (e.g. "IMG_0234.jpg") — record a fix
- Alt text that is keyword-stuffed (e.g. "plumber Sydney plumber cheap plumber") — record a fix. One keyword reference, naturally written.
Write proposed alt text
Good alt text describes the image as if you were explaining it to someone who cannot see it. It should be specific and, where natural, include the target keyword once.
Review every row for completeness
Before handing off the sheet, check that every row has all columns filled in — no blanks in Current State, Proposed State, or Reason. A handoff with blank cells forces the implementer to guess or come back and ask.
- Every "Proposed State" cell must contain ready-to-paste text — not a description of what to write
- Every "Reason" cell must reference a specific keyword, audit finding, or rule — not "needs improvement"
- Priority must be set for every row — nothing left unrated
Sort by priority
Sort the sheet by the Priority column so the implementer sees the most impactful changes first. Within the same priority tier, keep rows grouped by page URL so they can work through one page at a time.
Add a summary tab
Add a second tab called "Summary" with a count of changes by type and by page. This gives the account manager a quick overview to share with the client, and it helps prioritise which pages to implement first if there's a backlog.
Log the deliverable in Zoho
Add a comment to the relevant Zoho task with: the Google Sheet link, the number of pages covered, the total number of change recommendations, and any flags or notes (e.g. "2 pages flagged for full content optimisation — not included in tweaks sheet").
Use this checklist to confirm the task is complete before handing off.
Sheet completeness
Meta titles
Meta descriptions
Headings
| Mistake | Why it's a problem | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Paraphrasing the current state | The implementer can't check what's actually on the page against what you recorded. Discrepancies cause rework. | Copy the exact text from the page source or Screaming Frog export — character for character. |
| Writing "needs improvement" as the reason | This tells the implementer nothing about what rule was broken or what keyword is being targeted. | Name the specific rule or keyword: "Target keyword 'pergola installation' missing from title" or "Title exceeds 60 characters — truncated in search results". |
| Bulk recommendations | "Rewrite all meta descriptions" cannot be implemented page by page without guessing. | Write a specific proposed description for each individual page. The sheet should be ready to implement, not a list of instructions. |
| Proposing titles over 60 characters | They will be truncated or rewritten by Google. The effort is wasted. | Count every character before recording. Use a free character counter tool — do not estimate. |
| Putting the brand name at the front of the title | Wastes the most prominent characters on brand, not keyword. Most users aren't searching by brand name. | Lead with the target keyword. Put the brand name at the end after a pipe: "Keyword Phrase | Brand Name". |
| Using the same anchor text for all internal links | Repetitive anchor text looks unnatural and doesn't add keyword diversity. | Vary the anchor text while keeping it descriptive and relevant to the destination page. |
| Trying to cover every page on the site | Breadth over depth at this stage means every page gets a shallow review instead of the important pages getting a thorough one. | Cap at the top 5–10 service and category pages. Flag the rest for later rounds. |
| Marking content gap pages as done in this sheet | Pages needing a full rewrite can't be fixed with a meta title tweak alone. Logging a partial fix creates a false sense of completion. | Record the flag "Needs full content optimisation" and move on. That work is handled separately. |