Firstly, you will need to access Google Search Console, which is the go-to tool for getting basic audit data and assessing your rankings from Google’s perspective. Prior to starting with an SEO Anomaly SEO audit checklist, you need to set up analytics tools. When I was leading marketing for PlushCare, a telemedicine provider that was acquired for $450M, we did some crazy things in the name of search engine optimization (SEO). Google Search Console is one of the best free SEO tools for analytics. It shows you how Google and most search engines see your site. Screaming Frog can crawl your site like a search engine spider.
Verdict: The Best SEO Audit Tool For Your Website
It’s a good idea to make sure all high-traffic pages which formerly linked to that page now 301 redirect to the new page; or, that they at least redirect back your home page. Contrary to popular opinion, broken links don’t result in site penalties. As content cycles in and out, and your site’s structure changes over time, 404s occur naturally.
If a minor SEO hiccup occurs with your search results, we notice it and swiftly take action. Google Search Console and Google Analytics are the best place to start for an enterprise-level SEO audit. SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMRush will also crawl and audit your website.
In recent years, title tags have sparked a lot of debate in the SEO world. Google, it turns out, is likely to modify your title tag if it doesn’t like it. These include the number of resources on the website, as well as how valuable Google deems your indexable pages to be.
If your website is running on HTTPS (which hopefully it is) then all images and files should also be called via HTTPS. Because they’re one of the easiest ways to slip into indexation hell. Google will go nuts on them, and a site with 1,000 actual pages can quickly end up with tens of thousands of near-duplicate pages indexed. If an audit uncovers indexable pages with URL parameters, then pay close attention — particularly if you’re running an eCommerce site. Then Google will recognise the H3 headings as a list, and you’ll have a shot at picking up the featured snippet for the “5 best widgets” query.
- I also refined the content to better match user intent, focusing on long-tail keywords and more specific phrases.
- These AI-generated summaries now appear at the top of many search results, making it even more important to optimize your content to be included as a source.
- Firstly, you will need to access Google Search Console, which is the go-to tool for getting basic audit data and assessing your rankings from Google’s perspective.
- If you operate a local business, having a Google Business profile is crucial.
Making content easy to understand for LLMs increases visibility. Use tools like Google Search Console – or your preferred SEO tool to find broken links on your site. If a page has been permanently removed, set up a 301 redirect to a related page to preserve link equity.
Analyze Your Organic Traffic
Size — it’s the most influential factor on the cost of your SEO audit. That’s why a site with 100 pages will pay more for an audit than a website with 50 pages. On average, SEO audits cost $50 – $2,500 per audit on average (76% of businesses).
Search engines look for privacy-related pages when determining whether a website is high-authority. Once you’ve found these areas, adjust your CTAs, page design, or content to reduce friction. For example, if users often drop off from a product page, consider simplifying the checkout process or adding more trust signals like reviews or guarantees to keep them engaged. Link audits consider the URL source, domain, and anchor text to see if value and equity (called “link juice”) are being passed on to your page. This will gauge how much a link is helping or hurting your website’s visibility in SERPs. While competitors steadily capture organic traffic, conversions, and market share, your team…
Check your metadata
These links prove to search engines that your content is valuable and meaningful. The next step is to see how people perceive and interact with your site. Look at the user experience and see if you can find things to improve. You can get people to your site by using high-quality content aimed at the right search intent and audience.
Which is Googler speak for “makes them rank higher for that keyword”. Take the time to make each title and meta description as “clickable” as possible. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly interested in grabbing search traffic for a privacy policy. We explained why in our complete guide to optimizing meta descriptions.