SEO Audit Checklist: Assessing and Improving Your Website’s Performance

Brace yourselves for an exhilarating exploration into the world of SEO audits. Today, we’re peeling back the layers of search engine optimization to reveal the crucial steps that can elevate your website’s performance.

Think of your business as a captivating puzzle, with SEO  and SEO trends acting as the master key that unlocks its full potential. Now, imagine attempting to solve that puzzle without all the necessary pieces. Neglecting SEO audits is like missing those essential clues, leaving you perplexed and unable to fully comprehend the bigger picture.

Don’t Worry!

We’re here to shake you out of any complacency and ignite a spark of determination within you. 

Why settle for being a mere spectator in the online arena when you can be the game-changer?

By underestimating the power of a well-executed SEO audit in accordance with the latest SEO trends, you risk becoming a bystander while your competitors take center stage.

A meticulous SEO audit acts as a high-powered microscope, allowing you to zoom in on the intricate details of your website’s performance. It reveals hidden gaps in your optimization strategy, highlights untapped opportunities, and exposes the roadblocks hindering your digital growth.

Now, let’s be crystal clear: an ineffective SEO audit is as good as no audit at all. It’s like wearing a pair of glasses with smudged lenses—it distorts your vision and prevents you from seeing the true potential of your online presence. But worry not, for we’re here to help you clean those lenses, sharpen your focus, and transform your website into a compelling force in the digital realm.

It is not just another checklist—it’s your passport to digital triumph.

Let’s embrace the power of SEO audits and unleash a wave of transformation that will make your competitors quiver. The time has come to seize control, redefine your online presence, and leave an indelible mark on the virtual landscape with the power of all the latest SEO trends.

Also Read: Role of Content in SEO: Creating SEO-Friendly Content

Let’s Start With On-Page SEO Audit

Performing an on-page SEO audit is essential to ensure your website is optimized for search engines and to improve your rankings. 

1. HTML Improvements

• Check the uniqueness of title tags for each page.
• Ensure title tags are between 50-60 characters and include the primary keyword.
• Write enticing meta descriptions with a strong call to action.
• Keep meta descriptions between 150-160 characters for optimal display.

2. Headings

• Use clear HTML headings (h1-h6) to differentiate content titles, subheadings, and body copy.
• Have a single h1 title per page (unless using HTML5).
• Make sure h1 titles are unique and include the page’s primary keyword.
• Utilize h2-h6 headers throughout the page as needed.

3. Alternative Text for Images

• Add alt attributes to images to provide descriptions for search engine crawlers.
• Ensure image descriptions are below 150 characters to avoid impacting page load speed.

4. Keyword Optimization

• Conduct thorough keyword research to develop a keyword strategy.
• Implement keywords appropriately and consistently on each page.
• Measure keyword performance using tools such as the SEMRush, which tracks rankings and monitors competitors.

5. Internal Links

• Evaluate the number of internal links on your site.
• Link important pages or content to improve their importance and distribute link juice throughout your site.
• It helps enhance the ranking of each page.

Now, Off-Page SEO Audit

While on-page SEO is crucial, off-page SEO plays a significant role in improving your website’s visibility and rankings. Let’s dive in!

1. Backlinks

Backlinks are links from external websites that point to your site. They indicate trust, authority, and quality content, making them a crucial ranking signal. However, obtaining high-quality backlinks requires time and dedication. Here’s what you can do:

• Use tools like Monitor Backlinks to analyze your site’s and competitors’ backlinks, including the domain authority and presence of ‘nofollow’ attributes.
• Develop a backlink strategy to improve the quantity and quality of your

backlinks.

• Research reputable business directories to sign up for, ensuring they are well-moderated.
• Continuously monitor your backlinks to maintain their quality and disavow harmful links.

2. Social Media Engagement

While social media engagement may not directly impact Google SEO, it significantly increases visibility and provides a platform to connect with your audience. Here’s how you can leverage social media:

• Establish a presence on social media platforms relevant to your target audience.
• Develop a social media strategy to effectively share your messages and articles.
• Encourage others to share your content by including social share buttons on your website.
• Utilize free social media tools to automate and monitor your social media activities.

3. Local Optimization

For local businesses, targeting local communities through local search results is vital. Here are some key steps:

• Register with Google My Business to feature your business on Google Maps and obtain reviews, images, and opening hours.
• Create locally-focused content, such as “How to find a plumber in Manchester.”
• Register your site with local directory listings to increase local visibility.

And The Last, Technical SEO Audit

1. Crawling & Indexing

• Identify and resolve broken links using tools like the check my links Chrome extension.
• Set your preferred domain in Google Search Console to avoid duplicate content issues.
• Submit your XML sitemap to search engines like Google and Bing.
• Ensure your robots.txt file allows search engines to crawl your entire site.
• Optimize URLs by using hyphens instead of underscores and including relevant keywords.

2. Mobile Friendliness

• Use a responsive design to ensure your website adapts to different screen sizes.
• Ensure touchscreen readiness for easy tapping on mobile devices.
• Avoid embedding incompatible web content like Flash or Java.
• Check the legibility of your font sizes on mobile devices.
• Optimize mobile viewport and content to fit within specified screen sizes.
• Improve mobile speed by eliminating render-blocking elements, prioritizing visible content, leveraging browser caching, optimizing images, and reducing landing page redirects.

3. Usability

• Create a favicon for your site to enhance usability and brand recognition.
• Set up a custom 404 page with helpful navigation links.
• Improve site speed by simplifying page templates, minimizing image sizes, and setting browser cache.
• Specify the intended language for your site using the META Language Attribute.
• Implement structured data markup to generate rich snippets in search results.

4. Technologies

• Monitor server performance to avoid frequent downtime.
• Specify language/character encoding to render special characters correctly.
• Migrate your site to HTTPS URLs using an SSL certificate for security, credibility, and improved performance.
• Ensure all assets are hosted on secure URLs.

And Therefore…

At Buffalo Soldiers, we have mastered the art of auditing SEO and know all the latest SEO trends. We don our investigative hats, thoroughly examining every nook and cranny of your website to uncover hidden opportunities and untapped potential. With our eagle-eyed precision, we identify what’s working and what’s not, ensuring your SEO strategy is on point.

We’re not just sprinkling fairy dust around. Our team dives deep into analytics and insights, using them as breadcrumbs to guide our SEO strategy. With our meticulous attention to detail and a pinch of creativity, we create a customized roadmap to success. It’s like having a treasure map leading you directly to the top of search engine rankings.