GEO Content Checklist

The GEO content checklist ensures every article meets the standards required for AI search visibility and citation eligibility.

Pre-Publication Checklist

Content Structure

• [ ] Single H1 matching the page topic
• [ ] Answer in first 2 sentences (answer-first pattern)
• [ ] AI Summary block after first paragraph
• [ ] Logical H2/H3 heading hierarchy
• [ ] No heading level skips
• [ ] Sections are self-contained

Content Quality

• [ ] Clear definition of the core concept
• [ ] No marketing fluff or filler language
• [ ] Specific entities named (not "it" or "they")
• [ ] Data supported with sources
• [ ] Current and accurate information
• [ ] Actionable takeaways included

Formatting

• [ ] Tables for comparisons/structured data
• [ ] Numbered lists for procedures
• [ ] Bullet lists for unordered items
• [ ] Code blocks with language specification
• [ ] Alt text on all images

Metadata

• [ ] Meta title (50-60 characters)
• [ ] Meta description (120-160 characters)
• [ ] Canonical URL set
• [ ] Open Graph tags
• [ ] Publication date
• [ ] Author information

Technical

• [ ] JSON-LD structured data present
• [ ] FAQ schema (if FAQ section exists)
• [ ] Internal links to related content (3-5 per article)
• [ ] External links to authoritative sources
• [ ] Page loads in under 3 seconds
• [ ] Mobile-responsive layout

AI Readiness

• [ ] Content accessible without JavaScript
• [ ] No content locked in images/PDFs only
• [ ] Clean URL structure
• [ ] Included in sitemap
• [ ] Listed in llms.txt (for key pages)

Related Articles

• GEO Content Strategy — Planning guide
• Answer Format Patterns — Format reference
• AI Readability Score — Quality scoring