The SEO checklist you can implement this week on your one-page site

A multi-page site spreads authority across 20+ URLs. A one-page site concentrates all signals—backlinks, engagement, freshness, and topical authority—onto a single URL. This is a constraint and an advantage.

The constraint: you cannot segment keyword intent across separate pages. A law firm with a one-page site cannot dedicate one page to "injury law" and another to "employment law." Both topics live on the same URL.

The advantage: one-page sites rank faster when properly optimized because Google doesn't have to crawl and evaluate multiple pages. Authority signals don't dilute across a site structure. A single-page site with 100 quality backlinks concentrates all that link equity on one URL. A 20-page site with the same 100 backlinks spreads that equity across 20 pages—each gets 5 links on average.

In our experience working with one-page websites, the sites that rank well share a common trait: they treat the page like a micro-site with distinct content sections, not a glorified homepage. Each section targets a related keyword or subtopic. Navigation between sections uses anchor links. This structure signals to Google that the page covers a topic comprehensively.

1. Enable HTTPS and verify it's active everywhere
Check all page assets (CSS, images, JavaScript) load over HTTPS, not HTTP. Mixed content (some secure, some not) triggers browser warnings and causes Google to deprioritize ranking signals.

2. Set a canonical tag pointing to itself
Single-page sites rarely need canonicals, but add one anyway: <link rel="canonical" href="https://yoursite.com/" />. This prevents confusion if the page is accessible via multiple URLs (with/without www, with/without trailing slash).

3. Create an XML sitemap with anchor sections
Most sitemap tools ignore anchor links. Create a custom sitemap that lists your main URL plus anchor sections: https://yoursite.com/#about, https://yoursite.com/#services, https://yoursite.com/#contact. This helps Google discover content blocks.

4. Enable gzip compression
Single-page sites often bundle large CSS, JavaScript, and images into one payload. Gzip compression reduces file size by 50–70%. Test with Google PageSpeed Insights.

5. Set up Core Web Vitals monitoring
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) must stay under 2.5 seconds. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) below 0.1. First Input Delay (FID) below 100ms. Use Google Search Console to monitor real-world performance.

One H1 tag, multiple H2 sections
Your page title is the H1. Each major content block (About, Services, Pricing, Contact, FAQ) becomes an H2. Subsections under each become H3. This hierarchy tells Google how content relates and what keywords matter most within each section.

Anchor links with keyword-relevant anchor text
Create a sticky navigation menu that links to sections: <a href="#services">Our Services</a>. Use keyword-relevant text where possible. "Learn More" is generic. "SEO for Healthcare Practices" targets a keyword while linking users to that section. Google treats anchor text as weak on-page signal—weaker than words in headers, but stronger than nothing.

Dense, scannable content per section
Each anchor section should stand alone. A user landing on yoursite.com/#pricing should understand pricing without scrolling back to the intro. Use bold text for key phrases, short paragraphs, and bullet lists. Scannable content reduces bounce rates and keeps users on the page longer—both positive ranking signals.

Keyword distribution across sections
If your main keyword is "custom web design," your H1 uses it once. Spread related keywords across H2 sections: "Custom Web Design Process" (H2), "Custom Design Pricing" (H2), "Portfolio of Custom Web Design Work" (H2). This signals topical depth without keyword stuffing.

Schema markup helps Google understand page content and can trigger rich snippets in search results. For one-page sites, schema is especially valuable because it organizes multiple business concepts on a single URL.

Organization schema (required)
Add this to every one-page site:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Your Business Name", "url": "https://yoursite.com", "logo": "https://yoursite.com/logo.png", "sameAs": ["https://facebook.com/...", "https://linkedin.com/..."] } </script>

LocalBusiness schema (if location matters)
If you serve a geographic area: "@type": "LocalBusiness" with address, phone, hours. Combine with Organization.

Service schema (for service pages)
If your page offers services (design, consulting, coaching), add Service schema:
"@type": "Service", "name": "Web Design", "areaServed": "US", "availableLanguage": "en"

FAQPage schema (if you have FAQ section)
If your page includes FAQs, use FAQPage schema to mark question-answer pairs. This can trigger FAQ rich snippets in Google search results, increasing click-through rates.

Use Google's Rich Results Test to verify schema validity before publishing.

One-page sites often load everything at once—large hero images, embedded videos, heavy JavaScript—because there's only one URL to work with. This creates a page speed penalty that multi-page sites avoid by breaking content across pages.

Image optimization is your biggest win
Compress images to under 100KB each. Use modern formats (WebP with fallbacks). Implement lazy loading so images below the fold don't load until users scroll. Industry benchmarks suggest image optimization alone reduces page load time by 30–40%.

Minify CSS and JavaScript
Remove unnecessary characters from code without breaking functionality. Minified files are 20–40% smaller. Many hosting providers offer one-click minification in the control panel.

Defer non-critical JavaScript
JavaScript blocks page rendering. Defer scripts that aren't needed immediately (analytics, chat widgets, social embeds). Load critical JavaScript inline and defer the rest.

Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
CDNs cache your site on servers worldwide, reducing latency. Users in New York load assets from a New York server, not from your origin server in California. Page speed improves by 15–25% depending on your geography.

Set aggressive caching headers
Tell browsers to cache static assets (CSS, JavaScript, images) locally for 30 days. This eliminates repeat downloads on return visits. Configure via .htaccess or your hosting control panel.

Test with Google PageSpeed Insights monthly. Focus on Largest Contentful Paint first—it's the most important Core Web Vital for rankings.

Week 1: Technical Foundation
Enable HTTPS, set canonical tag, create XML sitemap with anchor sections, enable gzip compression. These take 1–2 hours and improve everything else. No technical debt can compound if fundamentals are wrong.

Week 2: On-Page Structure
Add H1, H2, H3 hierarchy. Create anchor links in navigation menu. Make sure each section uses 300–500 words of unique, scannable content. Rewrite generic sections with keyword-relevant headings.

Week 3: Schema Markup
Add Organization schema, then Service or LocalBusiness schema if relevant. Test with Google's Rich Results Test. Schema doesn't directly improve rankings, but it helps Google understand your content faster.

Week 4+: Page Speed
Optimize images first (largest impact). Then minify CSS/JavaScript. Then implement lazy loading. Then add CDN if budget allows. Track Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console. Speed improvements compound—a 1-second reduction in LCP often translates to measurable ranking gains within 6–8 weeks.

This sequence avoids rework. Don't optimize page speed before you've fixed heading structure—fixing structure might require page restructuring that changes page speed baselines anyway.