If you own a website, then you already know that it is not just a one-time thing. Websites are similar to cars, in that they require ongoing maintenance to run. The same is required for SEO. In order to rank well in search results, then you must maintain your overall SEO campaign. Part of that includes a site audit. We know, the dreaded word audit can sound intimidating. But hang on, in this blog we will explain what an SEO audit is, why you need one, and how we can help.
What is involved in an SEO audit?
Simply put, the goal of an SEO audit is to check on the overall health and well-being of your website. We take a look at a multitude of items to ensure things are running smoothly. The audit also tells you what your actionable insights are and how you can go about implementing changes.
We recommend having an SEO audit once a year at the very least. Having an effective SEO campaign is just a piece of a puzzle when it comes to gaining traffic that converts. Couple that with an SEO audit, and you’ll soon find yourself with droves of visitors!
It is important to note that similar to cars, all websites are not created equally. There are many different facets that set websites apart and each one has something unique to offer. That is why one SEO site audit might look drastically different from the next.
With that said, here are the types of things that we typically look at in an SEO audit:
- On-page optimization – does your website have an effective keyword strategy? Ensuring that your pages have keywords and content written so that both users and search engines can find them will help you rank better. If you write how people search, it makes it easier to be found on Google.
- Off-page optimization – things like backlinks, local search management, social engagement, domain and brand authority are important for your website’s digital ecosystem. One of Google’s ranking factors is domain credibility. Meaning, they look at your overall brand and decide who you are, what you provide, and how they can match users to your content. Getting a better understanding of your overall digital ecosystem can be helpful to create actionable insights.
- Technical SEO and User Design – This part is the foundation of your website. We take a look at how crawlable your website is. Ensuring there are no robots.txt files blocking your pages from being indexed, making sure the site architecture is clean and does not have code bloat, and many other items that ensure your website is readable by search engines.
What if I haven’t even started an SEO campaign yet, can I still benefit from an SEO audit?
The answer is a resounding yes! Even if you do not have an active SEO campaign, an SEO audit can be a great first look at your website to see where you currently stand. The audit will take a look at all aspects of your website and can point out any red flags that might stall your SEO efforts to begin with. Having these things in mind ahead of time can help you focus on an effective SEO strategy.
To recap: Having an SEO audit is an essential part of your website maintenance. In order to keep things running smoothly, you really do need to have a baseline of how your website operates and functions.
Need help getting started? Give us a call! Our experts are here to help you every step of the way.