If you’re serious about getting your website to rank well on Google, then you’ve probably heard of a technical SEO audit. But do you really need one?
The short answer: probably.
A technical SEO audit is a deep dive into the technical setup of your website. It ensures that your site is optimized for search engines like Google and can be easily crawled, indexed, and ranked. In short, it’s about making sure your website runs smoothly and plays by Google’s rules.
What Does a Technical SEO Audit Cover?
A technical SEO audit covers several key aspects of your website’s functionality:
- Site Speed: How fast does your website load? A slow website can hurt both your user experience and your search rankings.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Google prioritizes mobile-optimized sites. A poor mobile experience can drastically reduce your rankings.
- Indexing: Are all of your important pages being indexed by Google? If not, they won’t show up in search results.
- Broken Links: Internal and external broken links harm both SEO and user experience.
The goal of the audit is simple: to make sure Google can find, crawl, and rank your site effectively. And for your users? The goal is to ensure they have a seamless, fast, and enjoyable experience.
My Approach to Technical SEO Audits
When I perform a technical SEO audit for a client, my focus is on making it actionable and impactful. Here’s how I do it:
1. Keep It Simple and Focus on Impact
I believe in cutting through the noise and zeroing in on what matters most. It’s easy to overwhelm clients with every little technical issue, but that’s not helpful. I prioritize the changes that will have the biggest impact on performance. This way, you don’t get lost in the weeds and can see real, measurable results.
2. Provide Clear, Actionable Advice
An audit shouldn’t just be a list of problems. I always offer solutions along with a clear explanation of why they’re important. For example, I won’t just tell you that your website’s load time is slow—I’ll tell you how to fix it and why it matters for both SEO and user experience.
3. Understand Keyword Performance
Before diving into the technical details, I always start by reviewing keyword performance. Understanding how your site ranks for its target keywords is essential because it provides insight into the areas where Google might be having trouble crawling or indexing your content. From there, I can target the technical issues that are hurting your keyword rankings.
4. Be Transparent
For me, transparency is key. I don’t just fix things behind the scenes—I explain the process. My goal is to educate clients on how SEO works so they understand why these technical changes matter. When you understand the “why,” it’s easier to stay invested in the “how.”
What to Expect From a Technical SEO Audit
A well-executed technical SEO audit can lead to several significant improvements on your website, including:
- Improved Search Rankings: Fixing technical issues helps Google crawl and index your site more efficiently, which can lead to better rankings.
- Faster Load Times: Speed improvements make your site more user-friendly and boost your SEO.
- Better Mobile Experience: With more users searching on mobile devices, ensuring a seamless mobile experience is essential.
- Increased Organic Traffic: The ultimate goal of any SEO effort is to drive more relevant traffic to your site, and technical audits help make that happen.
Ready to Boost Your Site’s Performance?
If you’ve never had a technical SEO audit, or it’s been a while, now is the time to consider one. Small, hidden issues can build up over time and hold your website back from reaching its full potential.
With a targeted, transparent approach, a technical SEO audit could be the key to unlocking better rankings, faster load times, and more traffic from Google.
