How To Do a Technical SEO Audit?

A technical SEO audit is a thorough analysis of your website's technical aspects that could be affecting its search engine rankings. It is important to do a technical audit regularly to ensure that your site is up to par with the latest SEO best practices.

There are many different parts to a technical SEO audit, but some of the most important aspects to check are:

• Site Structure and Architecture
• URL Structure
• Duplicate Content
• Site Speed
• Mobile responsiveness
• Crawlability

Checking each of these aspects of your site will give you a good idea of where any potential problems may lie, and how you can fix them. Once you or a dedicated SEO agency has fixed any technical issues, you should see an improvement in your site's search engine rankings.

Site Structure & Architecture

Site structure and architecture is one of the most important aspects of a technical SEO audit. It refers to how your website is organised and how your pages are linked together. A well-structured website is easy for search engines to crawl and index, and it can help improve your search engine rankings.

There are a few things to keep in mind when auditing your site's structure and architecture:

• Make sure your website has a clear hierarchy. Your home page should be the top level, with your other pages nested underneath.
• Use descriptive titles and URLs for each page. This will help both users and search engines understand what each page is about.
• Use breadcrumbs to help users navigate your site. Breadcrumbs are links that show the path a user has taken to get to the current page, and they can be a helpful way to orient users on your site.
• Make sure your pages are linked together properly. Internal linking can help search engines understand the relationships between your pages, and it can also help users navigate your site.
• Use redirects wisely. Redirects are used to point users from one URL to another, and they can be helpful in certain situations. However, too many redirects can confusing for users and search engines, so use them sparingly.

URL Structure

URL structure is one of the many factors that a technical SEO audit looks at. In general, a good URL structure should be short, descriptive, and easy to read. It should also use proper keywords and keyword placements.

There are a few different types of URL structures that you might come across. The most common is the "root" domain, which is the main website address. For example, the root domain for Google is "google.com".

Another type of URL structure is the "subdomain". This is a second level domain that is typically used for specific sections or pages of a website. For example, the subdomain for Google's Maps section is "maps.google.com".

The last type of URL structure is the "subdirectory". This is a folder that contains a specific section or page of a website. For example, the subdirectory for Google's Maps page is "www.google.com/maps".

URL structures can be very important for both users and search engines. A well-structured URL can make it easy for users to remember and find your website, as well as helping search engines to index your site correctly.

Duplicate Content

Duplicate content is a big problem for any website, especially when it comes to SEO. Google and other search engines have strict penalties in place for sites that are found to be using duplicate content, which can severely hurt your ranking and visibility.

In a technical SEO audit, duplicate content is often found in the form of identical or very similar pages on your site. This can happen if you have multiple pages with the same or similar title, meta tags, description, etc.

Website Speed

Website speed is one of the most important aspects of a technical SEO audit. A fast website ensures that users can find the information they need quickly and easily, without having to wait for pages to load. This can be achieved by optimising the code, server infrastructure, and content of a website. In addition, website speed is also a factor in search engine ranking algorithms, so it is important to ensure that your website loads quickly in order to rank well in search engines.

There are a few different ways to measure website speed. One popular method is Google's PageSpeed Insights tool, which provides a score for each page on your website. This score is based on a number of factors, including how long it takes for the page to load, the size of the page, and the number of requests made to the server. Another popular method is Pingdom's Website Speed Test, which measures the time it takes for a page to load from multiple locations around the world.

Both of these tools are useful for measuring website speed, but they should not be used as the sole factor in determining whether or not a website is fast enough. instead, they should be used in conjunction with other factors, such as user experience and conversion rates.

Mobile Responsiveness

Mobile responsiveness is a key factor to consider in any technical SEO audit. A website that is not mobile-friendly can be difficult for users to navigate, and may even prevent them from accessing certain content or functionality. In addition, search engines may penalise sites that are not mobile-responsive, which can impact the site's visibility and organic traffic.

There are a few different ways to test a site's mobile responsiveness, including using Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool and testing the site on various devices. If you find that your site is not mobile-friendly, there are a few steps you can take to improve its responsiveness, such as optimising images and CSS, and using media queries.

Crawlability

When conducting a technical SEO audit, crawlability is an important factor to consider. Crawlability refers to a search engine's ability to access, index, and parse your website's content. If your website is not crawlable, it will be difficult for search engines to find and rank your content. There are a few things you can do to improve your website's crawlability, such as making sure your site is well-linked and using proper coding practices.

Improving your website's crawlability is an important part of optimising your site for search engines. There are a few key things you can do to make sure your site is easy for them to find and index:

1. Make sure your site is well-linked. Internal linking is important for two reasons: first, it helps search engines find your content; second, it helps them understand the relationship between your pages.
2. Use proper coding practices. Search engines have to be able to read your code in order to index your content. Using well-formed code and using standard coding conventions will help make sure your site is crawlable.
3. Use Robots.txt files wisely. Robots.txt files tell search engines which parts of your site they should or shouldn't crawl. If you accidentally block a search engine from crawling your site, it will be difficult for them to find and index your content.
4. Use sitemaps. Sitemaps are XML files that list all of the pages on your site. They help search engines find and index your content more efficiently.
5. Monitor your server logs. Your server logs contain information about which pages on your site are being crawled by search engines. Monitoring your logs can help you troubleshoot problems with crawlability.

To Sum it all Up

A technical SEO audit is a crucial part of any solid digital marketing strategy. By regularly checking your website's technical aspects, you can ensure that it is always up to par with the latest SEO best practices. This will help you improve your search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic to your site. When conducting a technical SEO audit, be sure to check all of the most important aspects of your site, including its design, coding, content, and links. By taking these steps, you can keep your website in good shape and attractive to both users and search engines alike.