Key takeaways
- An SEO audit checks technical health, indexing, on-page optimisation, content quality, links and performance, then prioritises fixes.
- Free tools cover most of it: Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, a crawler and GA4.
- The output that matters is a prioritised action list, not a 90-page PDF.
I run SEO audits as an SEO Manager for brands of all sizes. The goal is always the same: find what’s holding the site back and fix the most impactful things first. Here’s my step-by-step process, which you can follow for your own site.
Step 1: context and goals#
- What does the business sell, to whom, and where?
- Which pages generate leads or revenue?
- Any recent changes: redesign, migration, new plugins, traffic drops?
- Main competitors in search.
Step 2: crawl the site#
Use Screaming Frog (free up to 500 URLs), Sitebulb or a cloud crawler. Export:
- Status codes (4xx, 5xx, redirects and chains)
- Titles and meta descriptions (missing, duplicate, too long)
- H1s (missing, multiple, duplicate)
- Canonicals and noindex tags
- Internal links (orphans, low inlinks, broken)
- Images (missing alt, large files)
- Depth (pages more than 3–4 clicks from home)
Step 3: indexing and coverage#
- Search Console → Pages: review every “not indexed” reason.
- Compare indexed count with the number of pages you want indexed.
- Check robots.txt and sitemaps — see technical SEO checklist.
- Inspect key URLs: correct canonical? mobile render OK?
Step 4: performance and experience#
- Core Web Vitals report (field data) and PageSpeed Insights for main templates.
- Mobile usability: tap targets, font sizes, intrusive pop-ups.
- HTTPS and mixed content.
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Step 5: on-page and content#
| Check | Look for |
|---|---|
| Keyword targeting | Each important page has a clear primary topic and intent match |
| Cannibalization | Multiple pages competing for the same queries |
| Thin or outdated content | Low-word, low-traffic or outdated pages — see content pruning |
| E-E-A-T signals | Authors, About page, sources, contact information |
| Internal linking | Money pages receive enough contextual links |
| Structured data | Valid, non-duplicated schema |
Step 6: off-page#
- Referring domains vs competitors (Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz or Search Console Links).
- Broken backlinks to redirect.
- Spammy link patterns (only matters if you built them).
- Google Business Profile and citations for local businesses.
Step 7: analytics and opportunities#
- Pages ranking 5–20 with high impressions.
- Queries with high impressions and low CTR (title/description improvements).
- Pages with traffic but no conversions (CTA and intent fixes).
- Content gaps vs competitors.
Step 8: prioritise#
| Priority | Examples |
|---|---|
| Critical (fix now) | Noindex on key pages, robots blocks, broken checkout, hacked content |
| High impact, low effort | Titles for high-impression pages, internal links, redirect fixes |
| High impact, high effort | Speed overhaul, content consolidation, new topic clusters |
| Nice to have | Minor validation errors, cosmetic issues |
SEO audit FAQ#
How often should I audit my site?#
A full audit once or twice a year, plus monthly checks in Search Console. Always audit before and after migrations or redesigns.
Can I audit my site for free?#
Yes — Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, a free crawler tier and GA4 cover most of it.
Can you audit my site?#
Yes. Get in touch for a practical, prioritised audit.