A 47-point SEO audit framework you can run against your mass tort case pages this week

This checklist is built for in-house marketing teams, legal marketing managers, and digital agencies managing mass tort case acquisition pages. It assumes you have 3+ case-specific landing pages (asbestos, talc, defective drugs, etc.) and are competing for multi-district litigation keywords.

If you're a solo practitioner or brand-new to SEO, work through the sections in priority order (Technical Foundation first, then Content & Authority, then Conversion). If you're already ranking for some terms, use the audit sections to find and fix gaps in underperforming pages.

Scope: This checklist covers on-page and technical SEO factors. It does not cover paid search, link building strategy, or PR outreach — those are separate programs.

Use this framework:

• Phase 1 (Week 1): Run the Technical Foundation section against each of your 3+ case pages. Flag errors (broken links, crawl issues, missing schema). These are high-impact, fast fixes.
• Phase 2 (Week 2 – 3): Work through Content & Authority. Audit your title tags, headers, and E-E-A-T signals. Identify pages missing attorney credentials or case results.
• Phase 3 (Week 4): Compliance & Conversion. Verify jurisdiction disclaimers, state bar advertising compliance (varies by jurisdiction — verify with your state bar), and form optimization.
• Phase 4 (Ongoing): Prioritize fixes by the impact matrix below. Start with high-impact, low-effort items.

Document findings in a spreadsheet with columns: Page URL, Issue, Severity, Fix Owner, Due Date. This keeps accountability clear and progress visible.

Core Issues to Check:

• Page speed (mobile): under 3 seconds. Use PageSpeed Insights. Flag pages over 4 seconds.
• Mobile usability: Test on actual mobile devices. Check form fields are touch-friendly and CTA buttons are tap-sized (48px minimum).
• Crawlability: Run GSC (Google Search Console) crawl errors report. Fix redirect chains, 404s, and blocked resources (CSS, JS, images).
• Indexation: Verify your case pages are indexed. Use site: operator in Google. If missing, check robots.txt and meta robots tags.
• Canonical tags: Each page should have a self-referential canonical. Check for mixed http/https, www/non-www variants.
• SSL certificate: Ensure all pages use HTTPS. Green padlock visible to visitors.
• XML sitemap: Submit sitemap to GSC. Include case pages. Update monthly as content changes.
• Internal linking: No orphaned pages. Each case page should link to 2 – 3 related pages (related torts, related jurisdictions, resources).

Schema Markup Essentials: Add LocalBusiness schema (firm name, address, phone), Attorney schema (name, credentials, credentials issuer), and Article schema (publish date, author, headline). Use schema.org validator.

Title Tag & Meta Description:

• Title format: [Tort Type] + [Jurisdiction] + [Outcome/Benefit]. Example: 'Mesothelioma Lawyer in Texas | Settlements | Free Consultation'. Max 60 chars.
• Include jurisdiction (state name or city) in title. Google weights local intent heavily for litigation.
• Meta description: Lead with problem/benefit, include jurisdiction, add CTA. Example: 'Diagnosed with mesothelioma in Texas? Get free case review. Our firm recovered $X+ for clients. Call now.'
• Avoid keyword stuffing (repetition of 'mesothelioma mesothelioma lawyer mesothelioma settlement'). One natural mention per field.

H1 & Header Structure:

• One H1 per page. Match it closely to title tag but customize for readability.
• Use H2 for major sections (e.g., 'Mesothelioma Settlements & Verdicts', 'Why Choose [Firm Name]').
• H3 for subsections. Example: Under 'Settlements', add H3: 'Average Settlement Amounts'.

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness):

• Attorney credentials: Display bar license number, law school, years in practice. Link bar license to state bar verification page.
• Case results: Show actual settlements/verdicts with redacted client names or anonymized data (check state bar rules on advertising). Include year and jurisdiction.
• Client testimonials: At least 2 – 3 on each case page. Video testimonials outrank text. (Note: Verify compliance with FTC endorsement guides and state bar advertising rules regarding testimonial disclosures.)
• Industry recognition: Mention awards, peer recognition (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers), speaking engagements, published articles.

Legal Compliance (CRITICAL for YMYL): This section is educational guidance. Verify compliance with your state bar and legal counsel.

• Jurisdiction disclaimer: Add a clear statement: 'We practice in [specific states/jurisdictions]. We do not provide legal advice outside those jurisdictions.' Place at top or footer.
• Results disclaimer: Include statement like: 'Results vary based on case facts, jurisdiction, and representation. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.' Link to state bar ethics rules if required.
• Advertising compliance: Check your state bar's Model Rules 7.1 – 7.3 (general restrictions on deceptive advertising, testimonial rules, fee advertising). Many states prohibit guarantees or comparative claims without substantiation.
• No unauthorized practice: Ensure all legal content is written or reviewed by licensed attorneys. Disclose non-attorney contributors (e.g., 'Written by [Paralegal Name] under attorney supervision').

Conversion Funnel:

• Form placement: Above-the-fold CTA (phone, form, chat) on every case page. Mobile form should have max 3 fields (name, email, phone).
• Form fields: Ask only essential information. Long forms reduce conversion rates.
• Trust symbols: Display attorney photo, bar license badge, client testimonial count, Google reviews widget (if 4.5+ rating).
• Exit-intent offer: Offer free guide ('Free Guide to Mesothelioma Claims') to reduce bounce rate. Capture email.

High Impact, Low Effort (Do First):

• Fix page speed issues over 4 seconds (consolidate CSS, compress images, enable caching).
• Add missing jurisdiction disclaimers to all case pages.
• Update title tags to include jurisdiction + tort type.
• Add 2 – 3 client testimonials to under-performing pages.
• Fix crawl errors in GSC (404s, redirects, blocked resources).

High Impact, Medium Effort (Do Next):

• Build internal linking structure across related tort pages and jurisdictions.
• Add attorney credentials and bar license numbers to all attorney bios.
• Implement schema markup for LocalBusiness, Attorney, and Article.
• Rewrite meta descriptions to include jurisdiction and benefit statement.
• Audit form fields; reduce to 3-field mobile version.

Medium Impact, Low Effort (Quick Wins):

• Add Google review widget if rating is 4.5+.
• Add FAQ schema markup to FAQs on each page.
• Create internal linking anchors between related tort pages.

Defer (Lower Priority or Longer Timelines):

• Link building campaigns (handled separately).
• Blog content strategy (separate from case pages).
• Paid ad spend optimization (separate channel).