SEO audit: a complete guide to the basics

Finally, evaluating your metadata SEO Anomaly can help you get more clicks in the SERPs. Metadata is data that describes your page to Google so it can form it into a search result. If you don’t create this data for each of your pages, Google will improvise, which can end poorly.

• As the digital landscape continues to evolve, you have to keep up with the latest trends and technologies to remain competitive.
• This can help test various important facets of a site and then provide specific recommendations.
• As company teams evolve, it’s not uncommon for SEO strategies to falter.
• However, you can run into problems with duplicate content — content that appears on more than one page.
• To do this, go to the Mobile Usability report in Google Search Console.

If you’ve been following Google’s search guidelines, your content already has the potential to be featured as a source in AI summaries. 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. Select the ones that are relevant to your website and click the “Start outreach” button in the top-right corner. The list will likely reveal some hidden keyword opportunities you may not have considered. Authority score has the strongest correlation with ranking ability. So pay special attention to this metric when comparing your site with competitors.

Google Page Speed Tool: best for speed insights

Performing an SEO audit gives you lots of data to understand where your website is positioned within your industry. This report provides information about pages Google hasn’t indexed. That’s why we recommend compressing your images with a tool like Kraken. But Google is also continuously adapting how they assess your site’s speed.

Best SEO Reporting Tools (Free & Paid Options)

Evaluate these keywords based on search volume and difficulty and consider the user’s search intent. Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush are invaluable for this process. SEO is generally lengthy, typically taking a few months to see noticeable results. However, the timeline can vary depending on the competitiveness of the keywords, the quality of your content, and the overall state of your website. In some cases, such as when technical issues are fixed, results can be seen much faster. Ensuring your site is properly indexed is crucial, and unfortunately, indexing issues can be easy to miss.

Review Your Meta Elements

An example of a long-tail keyword is “bakeries near Harrisburg, PA.” This specific keyword will attract leads interested in bakeries near Harrisburg. Similarly, other long-tail keywords help you drive more qualified leads that are looking for your business. Just plug in your domain, go to the Best by links report, and add a “404 not found” filter. The cost of an SEO audit service depends on several factors, including your website’s size.