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SEOSeptember 10, 2026 · 4 min read
An SEO checklist for news sites
8 things to check before you publish every story.
Headline and description
The headline should say what happened clearly and spark curiosity. Write the search description to summarize the story too.
URL structure
Story URLs should be short, readable and match the headline. Avoid changing a URL after publishing.
Images
Add a large, high-quality image to every story with descriptive alt text. Large images get more attention in Discover.
Internal links
Link your story to related older stories. It keeps readers on your site longer and helps search engines understand it.
Speed and mobile
Most readers come from phones. Fast mobile pages matter for both reader experience and rankings.
Structured data and sitemap
Make sure stories are marked up with NewsArticle structured data and added to your sitemap. Ulakom does this for every story automatically.