Modern search visibility is the result of content quality plus on-page fundamentals. Google explicitly provides best practices for title links, snippets (meta descriptions), URLs, crawlable links, and image alt text. 

Title links (title tag + on-page title)

Google explains it uses multiple sources to generate title links and recommends making the main title clear and avoiding boilerplate or confusing repeated headings. 

Checklist

• Title tag is unique and descriptive
• H1 clearly matches the topic and is visually the main title
• Avoid stuffing or repeating the same phrase

Meta descriptions (snippets)

Google states you can help improve snippet quality by following best practices for creating quality meta descriptions, turning them into a click-worthy summary of the page. 

Template “Learn how to [result]. This guide covers [key steps] so you can [benefit]. Includes [bonus: checklist/template/examples].”

URL slugs

Google recommends simple, human-intelligible URL structures and descriptive URLs. 

Checklist

• short
• descriptive
• hyphen-separated
• no outdated years in the slug unless the SERP demands freshness 

Internal linking

Google’s link best practices emphasize crawlable links and descriptive anchor text, and Ahrefs’ SEO writing workflow includes internal links as a standard step. 

Images and alt text

Google’s image SEO guidance explicitly warns against keyword stuffing in alt attributes and recommends useful, information-rich alt text that fits context. 

Alt text rule Describe what the image shows and why it matters; include the keyword only if it naturally describes the image.

Writer pre-submit checklist

• Intent match confirmed (type/format/angle)
• 1 primary keyword selected (no duplicate KZ page)
• Draft follows the KZ template (title, intro, skimmable sections, FAQ, conclusion)
• 1+ real KZ example included
• 2–5 internal links with descriptive anchors
• At least 1 authoritative external source cited
• Images added and alt text written
• Slug is clean and descriptive
• Meta description drafted 

Editor/SEO final pass checklist

• Title tag aligns with H1 and is distinct 
• Meta description improved for clarity and click intent 
• Internal linking strengthened (including links from older posts → new post) 
• Images reviewed (file size + alt text quality) 
• CTA matches intent and sits near the conclusion 

AI search readiness

Google’s AI features guide states there are no special additional optimizations required beyond foundational SEO: ensure content is crawlable, internal links are solid, and structured data matches visible content.