The Ultimate 15-Step SEO Audit Checklist
Are you looking to boost your website’s organic traffic and search engine rankings? A comprehensive SEO audit is the perfect place to start. At IncRev, we’ve developed a proven 15-step SEO audit process that has helped countless clients dramatically improve their search visibility.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll walk you through our step-by-step SEO audit checklist, covering everything from technical optimizations to content improvements. Follow along to uncover hidden opportunities and fix issues that may be holding your site back in search results.
Step 1: Ensure Your Site is Mobile-Friendly
With over 60% of Google searches now coming from mobile devices, having a mobile-optimized site is absolutely critical. Google’s mobile-first indexing means they now use the mobile version of your site for ranking in both mobile and desktop search results.
To check if your site is truly mobile-friendly:
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Testing Tool
- Test your site’s responsiveness across various device sizes
- Ensure text is readable without zooming
- Verify buttons/links are easily tappable on mobile
If your site isn’t fully optimized for mobile, make it a top priority to improve the mobile experience.
Step 2: Implement Proper Site Indexing
It’s crucial that Google can properly crawl and index your site. Common indexing issues we often uncover during audits include:
- Multiple versions of the site indexed (www vs non-www, http vs https)
- Important pages accidentally blocked by robots.txt
- Orphaned pages not linked internally
To check for and fix indexing problems:
- Verify preferred domain and protocol are set in Google Search Console
- Use the “site:” search operator to see indexed pages
- Review robots.txt and meta robots tags
- Analyze internal linking structure
Proper indexing ensures Google can find and rank all of your important content.
Step 3: Improve Site Speed
Site speed is a confirmed ranking factor and crucial for user experience. Slow load times lead to higher bounce rates and fewer conversions.
To speed up your site:
- Optimize and compress images
- Enable browser caching
- Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML
- Upgrade to faster hosting
- Implement a content delivery network (CDN)
Use tools like PageSpeed Insights and WebPageTest to identify specific areas for improvement.
Step 4: Identify and Remove “Zombie” Pages
Many sites have a large number of low-value pages indexed that provide little to no SEO benefit. We call these “zombie pages.” Common examples include:
- Thin content pages
- Old press releases
- Duplicate category/tag pages
- Outdated product pages
Removing or consolidating these pages can provide a significant rankings boost. Use Google Search Console and crawling tools to identify candidate pages for pruning.
Step 5: Analyze and Improve Organic Traffic
Dig into your Google Analytics data to understand your current organic search performance. Look for:
- Overall organic traffic trends
- Top landing pages from organic search
- Queries driving traffic
- Conversion rates from organic visitors
This data will help inform your SEO strategy and identify quick wins for improvement.
Step 6: Optimize On-Page SEO
On-page optimization is still crucial for rankings. Key on-page elements to optimize include:
- Title tags
- Meta descriptions
- Header tags (H1, H2, etc.)
- URL structure
- Image alt text
- Internal linking
Focus on optimizing your most important pages first for maximum impact.
Step 7: Set Up Proper Keyword Tracking
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Set up keyword rank tracking to monitor your positions for target keywords over time.
We recommend using an enterprise SEO platform like Semrush or Ahrefs for the most comprehensive keyword data.
Step 8: Analyze Your Backlink Profile
Backlinks remain one of the most important ranking factors. Analyze your backlink profile to identify:
- Total number of referring domains
- Link quality/authority
- Anchor text distribution
- Potentially toxic links
Look for opportunities to earn more high-quality, relevant backlinks to boost your site’s authority.
Step 9: Fix Broken Links
Broken links create a poor user experience and can waste valuable “link equity.” Use a broken link checker tool to find and fix:
- Broken internal links
- Broken outbound links
- 404 errors
Redirect broken pages when possible to preserve any existing link value.
Step 10: Conduct Competitor Analysis
Analyzing your top organic competitors can uncover valuable insights and opportunities. Look at:
- Keywords they rank for that you don’t
- Their top-performing content
- Sites linking to them
- Technical SEO setup
Use competitor data to inform your own SEO strategy and content creation.
Step 11: Improve Your Content Quality
High-quality, comprehensive content is essential for SEO success in 2024. To improve your content:
- Update and expand existing content
- Add relevant images, videos, and infographics
- Improve readability with shorter paragraphs and bullets
- Include expert quotes and statistics
- Optimize for featured snippets
Focus on creating the absolute best, most thorough content for your target keywords.
Step 12: Optimize for User Experience (UX) Signals
Google is placing increasing emphasis on user experience signals like:
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Bounce rate
- Time on page
- Pages per session
Improve these metrics by enhancing your content quality, site speed, and overall user experience.
Step 13: Flatten Site Architecture
An efficient, logical site structure helps both users and search engines navigate your content. Aim for a flat site architecture where pages are no more than 3 clicks from the homepage.
Use techniques like:
- Clear, descriptive navigation menus
- Strategic internal linking
- XML sitemaps
Step 14: Create a “Skyscraper” Piece of Content
The Skyscraper Technique involves:
- Finding a popular piece of content in your niche
- Creating something even better
- Promoting it extensively
This can earn valuable backlinks and significantly boost organic traffic to your site.
Step 15: Optimize for Featured Snippets
Featured snippets appear above traditional organic listings and can drive significant traffic. To optimize for snippets:
- Target question-based keywords
- Provide clear, concise answers
- Use proper formatting (lists, tables, etc.)
- Include relevant images
Earning featured snippets can dramatically increase your search visibility and click-through rates.
Get Expert Help with Your SEO Audit
While this checklist covers the core elements of a comprehensive SEO audit, properly executing each step requires significant time and expertise. At IncRev, our team of SEO specialists has years of experience conducting in-depth audits and developing data-driven strategies to boost organic traffic.
We leverage enterprise-level tools and proprietary processes to uncover hidden opportunities and provide actionable recommendations tailored to your unique business goals.
Contact us today to learn how we can help take your organic search performance to the next level with a professional SEO audit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I conduct an SEO audit?
We recommend conducting a full SEO audit at least once per year, with more frequent check-ups on specific elements like technical SEO and content performance. For rapidly growing sites or those in competitive niches, quarterly audits may be beneficial.
How long does a comprehensive SEO audit take?
A thorough SEO audit can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks for a small to medium-sized website. Larger, more complex sites may require 4-8 weeks or more. The exact timeline depends on the size of the site, competitiveness of the industry, and depth of analysis required.
What tools do you use for SEO audits?
We utilize a variety of enterprise-level and proprietary tools for our audits, including Semrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and more. Our comprehensive toolset allows us to gather in-depth data on all aspects of your site’s SEO performance.
How much does an SEO audit cost?
The cost of an SEO audit can vary widely based on the size and complexity of your website. Basic audits may start around $1500, while in-depth enterprise-level audits can cost $5000-$25,000+. We provide custom quotes based on your specific needs and goals.
What deliverables are included with an SEO audit?
Our SEO audits typically include a comprehensive report with detailed analysis, prioritized recommendations, and specific action items. We also provide a presentation of key findings and a roadmap for implementing changes. Ongoing support for executing recommendations is available as an additional service.