So you want to learn about what happens during a search engine optimization (SEO) audit. An SEO audit is an in-depth analysis and evaluation of all the elements that affect how a website ranks and performs in search engines like Google. As you read through this post, you’ll get a clear understanding of the main things that SEO auditors check when assessing a site’s optimization. By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of the SEO audit process works and why it’s important.
Examining The Website’s Technical Health
One of the first things done in an SEO audit is a check of the website’s technical health and infrastructure. This includes examining elements like the site speed, responsive design, Trusted SSL certificate, page titles, URL structure, and code quality. Site speed is a ranking factor. Google wants websites to load quickly. So auditors will assess page load times on mobile and desktop to flag any issues. Similarly, making sure the site works properly on all devices with responsive design is checked.
Evaluating The Internal Link Structure
The internal link structure, or how pages on a domain connect to each other, is then reviewed. Proper internal links allow both users and search bots to navigate seamlessly through a site. In this step, auditors analyze if important pages have enough links pointing users to them from other related pages. This includes seeing if the blog, service pages, contact page and other key areas are being linked to from top and side menus.
Checking Keyword Targeting And Optimization
As you can probably guess, keywords are a huge deal in SEO. So auditors dig into how well you have optimized pages for your core focus keywords. This starts with an analysis of which keywords and phrases are currently ranking for. Any major terms missing where you could be getting traffic from are added to a list for further on-page and content optimization later on. Auditors also assess how well pages actively target primary and secondary keywords they should be ranking for in the title tags, URL, and content.
Measuring And Analyzing Rankings In Search Engines
The main goal of all this SEO stuff is to improve search rankings, so that part is checked thoroughly during an audit. Using a variety of tools, your current search engine positions are measured for benchmarking.
Common areas auditors report on include:
- Overall domain authority in Google
- Rankings for key pages and posts
- Rankings by keyword for top services and products
Seeing how you stack up vs. competitors for important keywords is key too. If there are ranking spots you should be filling but aren’t, the audit identifies what gaps need work whether that’s link building, technical fixes, content creation, etc.
Checking Social Media And Local Listing Presences
Being active on relevant social media platforms provides another stream of visitors alongside search engines. Local business listings also help searchers find you both online and in-person. Auditors examine your social media accounts on networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to see current follower counts, engagement levels, posting frequency and optimization tactics used. For local listings, a full inventory is done to confirm your NAP (name, address and phone number) details are correct and consistent across 50+ directories like Google My Business, Apple Maps and more. This helps build local SEO authority.
Analyzing Backlink Profile And Opportunities
The number, quality and relevance of external websites linking back to your pages,called backlinks, is a ranking factor search engines use in their algorithms. During this step in the audit process, the entire current backlink profile is examined. Link opportunity checks are also done to spot prospects to reach out to for earned backlink placements moving forward via content, outreach, etc.
And there you have it, a complete overview of what happens during a professional SEO audit from start to finish. As you saw, getting deep insights into a website’s current optimization status across critical elements like technical health, content, backlinks and more is key. Understanding how you stack up compared to competitors is also very telling. Armed with all this data around what’s working well and what needs fixing or improving, companies can then better focus time and resources on the projects and initiatives that will boost their search rankings and traffic the most.
