An SEO audit is the process of evaluating a website with the goal of determining how well it is currently optimized for search engines, and what can be done to improve its visibility and organic search traffic. It also includes specific audit points on how you can improve a site as it relates to best practices.
This is a first step to creating a website implementation that can end in long lasting results.
If any of this looks intimidating, or you would just rather that you have something to help you along the way, our SEO Audit Template is quite effective.
The audit can be performed manually, or with the help of specialized tools. In many cases, the issues typically examined in an SEO audit could include:
On-Page Factors:
- Page titles and meta descriptions
- Headings and content
- Keywords
- Internal linking
- URL structure
- Images and multimedia
- Mobile optimization
Off-Page Factors:
- Backlinks
- Social media signals
- Directory listings
Local Search Factors
- Google My Business,
- Citations,
- and reviews
Other types of problems typically identified by an SEO audit may also include:
- Technical SEO problems
- Website Architecture problems
- User Experience problems
- Any content gaps and new opportunities to beat your competitors
- Any marketplace insights from a competitor vantage point
Both on-page and off-page SEO can be addressed as part of an SEO audit. Once the audit is complete, you should have a list of actionable items to improve your website’s search engine optimization.
SEO audits are important for any website that wants to rank higher in search engines and drive more organic traffic. If you’re not sure where to start, or if your website needs a boost, an SEO audit can be a helpful first step.
What Should Be Included in an SEO Audit?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the contents of an SEO audit will vary depending on the specific website and its goals. However, there are some common elements that most audits should include:
- An analysis of your website’s current keyword rankings, and how they have changed over time
- A review of your website’s on-page elements, including title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and content
- An analysis of your website’s off-page SEO, including backlinks and social media signals
- A review of your website’s technical SEO, including site speed, indexation, and mobile optimization
- A review of your website’s local SEO, including listings, citations, and reviews
- An analysis of your website’s user experience, including navigation, design, and overall usability
- A review of your website’s content, including an assessment of any content gaps or opportunities to improve your existing content
In addition to these common elements, your SEO audit should also include any other specific points that are relevant to your website and your goals. For example, if you’re trying to improve your website’s e-commerce SEO, your audit might include a review of your product pages and your checkout process.
What Should an SEO Audit Not Be?
An SEO audit is not a simple checklist of things to fix on your website. While it’s important to identify and address any technical, on-page, off-page, and local SEO issues that may be holding your website back, an audit should also be strategic.
In other words, an SEO audit should not just be a list of things that need to be fixed. Instead, it should be a comprehensive analysis of your website’s strengths and weaknesses that provides actionable insights into how you can improve your SEO.
How Much Does an SEO Audit Cost?
The cost of an SEO audit will vary depending on the size and complexity of your website, as well as the specific goals you’re hoping to achieve. However, most audits will fall into one of three general pricing categories:
Basic audits: These audits typically start at $500 and can be completed in a few hours. Basic audits are typically done by automated tools and include a review of your website’s technical SEO, on-page SEO, and off-page SEO.
Intermediate audits: These audits typically start at $1,500 and can take a few days to complete. Intermediate audits are more comprehensive than basic audits and usually include a manual review of your website in addition to an automated analysis.
Advanced audits: These audits can cost upwards of $5,000 – $10,000 (sometimes upwards of $20,000, depending on the size of the site) and can take several weeks or more to complete. Advanced audits are the most comprehensive type of audit and usually include an in-depth analysis of your website’s SEO, as well as competitor research and market analysis.
How Often Should You Do an SEO Audit?
The frequency with which you should do an SEO audit will depend on the size and complexity of your website, as well as your goals. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to do a full audit at least once a year, and more frequently if you’re making significant changes to your website or your SEO strategy.
If you have a large website with multiple sections and pages, you may want to do a partial audit more frequently, focusing on specific areas of your website as needed. For example, if you’re making changes to your website’s design, you might do an audit of your website’s user experience. Or if you’re launching a new product, you might
do an audit of your product pages.
What Are the Benefits of Doing an SEO Audit?
There are many benefits of doing an SEO audit, including:
- Identifying and addressing any technical, on-page, off-page, or local SEO issues that may be holding your website back
- Gaining insights into your website’s strengths and weaknesses
- Benchmarking your website’s SEO performance against your competitors
- Developing an actionable plan for improving your website’s SEO
What Are the Steps of an SEO Audit?
There are many different steps that can be involved in an SEO audit, but the specific steps will depend on the size and complexity of your website, as well as your goals. However, most audits will generally follow these steps:
1. Identify your goals: The first step in any audit is to identify your specific goals. What are you hoping to achieve with the audit? Are you trying to improve your website’s traffic or rankings? Are you trying to improve your website’s conversion rate or user experience? Once you know your goals, you can tailor the audit to meet your needs.
2. Review your website’s current performance: The next step is to review your website’s current performance. This includes reviewing your website’s traffic, rankings, conversion rate, and user experience. This will give you a good baseline to work from as you start the audit.
3. Identify any technical SEO issues: The next step is to identify any technical SEO issues that may be holding your website back. This includes reviewing your website’s structure, code, and content to make sure it’s optimized for search engines.
4. Identify any on-page SEO issues: The next step is to identify any on-page SEO issues that may be holding your website back. This includes reviewing your website’s title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and content to make sure it’s optimized for search engines.
5. Identify any off-page SEO issues: The next step is to identify any off-page SEO issues that may be holding your website back. This includes reviewing your website’s backlinks and social media signals to make sure they’re helping your website, rather than harming it.
6. Identify any local SEO issues: The next step is to identify any local SEO issues that may be holding your website back. This includes reviewing your website’s listings in directories and search engines, as well as your website’s NAP (name, address, and phone number) to make sure it’s accurate and up-to-date.
7. Benchmark your website against your competitors: The next step is to benchmark your website against your competitors. This includes reviewing their websites, traffic, rankings, conversion rates, and user experience to see where you stack up.
8. Develop an actionable plan for improving your website’s SEO: The final step is to develop an actionable plan for improving your website’s SEO. This includes identifying the most important areas to focus on, as well as setting realistic goals and timelines.
What to Expect During Your Website Audit
When you contact an SEO company or consultant to request a website audit, they will likely ask you a few questions about your website and your goals. They may also ask for access to your website’s analytics so they can review your website’s current performance.
Once the audit is underway, you can expect the SEO company or consultant to provide you with a report that outlines their findings. This report will likely include a
list of technical, on-page, off-page, and local SEO issues, as well as recommendations for improving your website’s SEO.
After you receive the report, you’ll need to review it and decide which recommendations you want to implement. This also depends on the kind of audit you are working with.
If you are working with a technical SEO audit, then you will need to implement all recommendations. This is not a pick and choose endeavor.
Once you have a plan in place, you can start working on improving your website’s SEO.
