What it is.
The checks come in four groups: the basics of intent and heading hierarchy, content optimization for AI readability, the technical layer, and the AI-specific items. Each one is a line you can tick.
Put direct answers to core questions in the first 100-150 words, then structure the rest so it scans as lists, tables, and definitions.
Slate's own checklist and Slate sells the platform behind it. Every item runs on Search Console and a schema validator.
What you get.
- Four grouped checklists, from basics through to the AI-specific layer.
- The 100-150 word answer placement rule, stated as a threshold.
- Formatting rules that name the formats: lists, tables, and definitions.
- A human review step for accuracy and tone, held separate from the automated checks.
How to set it up.
Confirm one clear primary search intent per page before you touch anything else.
Put the direct answer to the page's core question inside the first 100-150 words.
Add the definition or summary early, since that is the passage most likely to be lifted.
Check that the H1 to H3 hierarchy nests, because a flat heading structure reads as one long block.
Confirm pages are crawlable and indexable, then check load time on mobile.
Run a human review for accuracy and tone last, on the content the checks passed.
Use cases
Check a single draft
Run the grouped lists against one article before it publishes.
Place the answer correctly
Follow the placement rule so the answer sits where it can be lifted.
Give a writer a number
Score the draft so the feedback is not a matter of taste.
Best for
A quick pass before publishing
Short enough to run against a single draft without opening a project plan.
Training a new writer
The four groups map onto what a writer controls and what an engineer controls.
Retrofitting a page that stalled
Most stalled pages fail on answer placement, and that's the first check here.