Best SEO Checklist
ONE FOCUSED ACTION

Minimize and defer render-blocking CSS and JavaScript.

Core Web Vitals optimization · Website performance SEO

1 checklist items

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    Why this matters

    Reducing render-blocking resources shortens First Contentful Paint and improves perceived loading speed and interactivity.

    A STARTING-POINT EXAMPLE

    Hypothetical standard operating procedure

    Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.

    1. Audit page source to identify render-blocking CSS and scripts in the head.
    2. Inline critical CSS for above-the-fold content only.
    3. Add async or defer attributes to JavaScript files where appropriate.
    4. Remove unnecessary third-party scripts or delay their loading until after user interaction.
    5. Validate page load performance improvements with Lighthouse or similar tools.

    Watch for

    Blocking CSS or JS in the head delays page rendering, deferring user display and interaction.

    Definition of done

    All critical CSS is inlined or loaded early; non-critical CSS and JS are loaded async or deferred, with minimal blocking.

    Sources & attribution

    1. Website Audit Checklist ↗
    2. Understanding Core Web Vitals and Google search results ↗

    Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.