What is an SEO audit & how to do it
Search engine optimization (SEO) has become one of the most crucial elements of a successful website in recent years. With the digital boom seeming to go on for decades, it is no wonder that merely having an online presence is no longer enough for businesses to attract new customers.
Optimizing your website and the content it contains to appear high in search engine results pages (SERPs) is a surefire way to meet new potential customers, and to generate more traffic for your website.
One key aspect of establishing and maintaining a functional SEO strategy is to conduct an SEO audit. An SEO audit is a thorough analysis of a website’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of SEO. Let’s take a closer look at what makes a good SEO audit, how to carry one out, and how to turn these audits into comprehensive analyses and reports for your partners.
How to perform a technical SEO audit: On-site SEO, off-site SEO, technical SEO
To paraphrase Boromir, one does not simply perform a technical SEO audit. Carrying out an SEO audit requires a comprehensive understanding of on-site SEO, off-site SEO, and technical SEO. These may sound similar to those unfamiliar with SEO, but the differences are very important.
On-site SEO refers to the process of optimizing the content, structure, and design of a website to make it easier to find for search engines. Off-site SEO, on the other hand, involves building high-quality backlinks to your website which increases the site’s authority and credibility. Finally, we have technical SEO, which focuses on the technical aspects of your website, including its loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and security.
To perform a technical SEO audit, you must start by looking at the website’s on-site SEO. Identify any broken links, duplicate content, missing meta descriptions, and other SEO elements. After you’ve done this, take a look at your off-site SEO by analyzing your backlink profile. You will want to make sure your backlinks are relevant and of high quality. Otherwise, these links can harm your SEO efforts.
Finally, you must analyze your website’s technical SEO by checking your website’s loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and security. Ensuring mobile optimization is vital because most users will be visiting from their phones. Identify any security issues, such as malware or outdated software, as these can, as you may have guessed, damage your website’s SEO.
What SEO audit tools are there
The idea of performing an SEO audit may seem like a daunting task, but there are many fantastic tools available to make the process easier for you. Here are some of the most popular SEO audit tools.
Google Analytics
This tool is vital as it provides valuable insights into your website’s traffic and user behavior. It is also one of the most user-friendly tools out there.
Google Search Console
This particular tool helps you monitor your website’s performance in Google search results and it also provides tips on how to improve your website’s SEO.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs enables you to analyze your website’s backlink profile, as well as track your competitors’ backlinks, so you can see how you stand up against the competition.
SEMrush
SEMrush provides a thorough analysis of your website’s on-page and off-page SEO and helps you identify any opportunities to improve them.
Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is a tool that crawls your website and provides an extremely detailed report on that site’s technical SEO.
Creating correct SEO audit reports
Having performed the SEO audit, the next – and perhaps most important – step is to turn these results into a comprehensive report to track your progress and identify areas for improvement. Here are some great tips that will help you create an effective SEO audit report.
Start with an executive summary
This section will include a brief overview of your website’s performance and key findings, summarizing the entire report in one page, or a few short paragraphs.
Include detailed analysis
Provide as much detail as possible across all SEO efforts, including detailed analysis of your website’s on-page, off-page, and technical SEO.
Use visuals
Be sure to use charts and graphs to make your report easy to understand and visually appealing. Too much text can be a problem with poorly constructed reports.
Provide actionable recommendations
You must include actionable recommendations for improving that website’s SEO. Such suggestions can include ways to optimize the website’s loading speed or tips on building high-quality backlinks.
Track your progress
Set regular goals and track your progress continuously – and meticulously – to ensure that your SEO efforts are paying off.
Need a technical SEO agency? inSegment will provide you with a free SEO audit to start with!
Performing an SEO audit can be a time-consuming and complex process, but it’s vital if you want to improve your website’s SEO and generate traffic. If you’re not sure where to start, consider working with a technical SEO agency, such as inSegment.
inSegment’s team of SEO experts is qualified to execute and walk you through every step of the SEO audit process. Our team has decades of experience performing SEO audits and, importantly, turning the results into digestible, actionable recommendations for partners.
Contact inSegment today to take the first step on your road to a fully optimized website.
