After auditing hundreds of websites, the biggest pattern I notice isn’t complex technical SEO issues, though they do matter. Too often, I see sites start building backlinks simply because their SEO isn’t progressing, hoping more links will magically help. For example, if you have a page with strong external backlinks, linking internally from that high-authority page to weaker ones can pass authority and help those pages rank better. While log files offer the most detailed view of search engine interactions, even a quick check in Crawl Stats helps you spot issues you might otherwise miss.

A fitness blog should have links from health and wellness sites, not gambling or loan websites. Google's algorithms have evolved to better understand whether content actually provides what users are looking for. To BHS Links get started, create a project in the tool and configure the audit.

Preparatory steps of a technical SEO audit

They guide users in gauging a page’s relevance to their query. Meta descriptions are HTML summaries of web pages, shown below title tags in search results. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that regardless of the issue, its importance depends on the website or page you’re working on. For example, the main pages you want to rank will always take priority over pages you don’t want to index.

Speed optimization for sites that are very slow can be a complex process. However, for beginners, it is advisable to use one of the available tools such as WPRocket or NitroPack (both paid) to significantly improve site speed. But internal links should be audited when you first get your hands on a site because things may not be as orderly as you’ll want. HTTPS pages that link to HTTP images cause what is called “mixed content issues.” This means that a page is loaded securely via HTTPS. But a resource it links to, such as an image or video, is on an insecure HTTP connection. Most search engines, especially Google, like to abide by the rules you set out in the robots.txt file.

• For reference, only 25 percent of users visit the second page.
• A Local SEO audit will focus on things like your Google Business profile, placement on Google Maps, and external links and citations.
• For quick implementation, choose an established agency with a solid team.

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If you don’t get a nice listing, as explained above, then this means that there are several issues with your website. The second way is to compare your Google organic traffic for the dates Google released an algorithmic change. You should find out when the penalty was imposed and why your website was penalized. Then, you should create an action plan to correct the issues and remove the penalty.

If you’re facing any of these issues and haven’t performed an SEO audit in the last six months, it’s a good time to run one. Check your backlinks and their value, see competitors’ backlinks and new & lost links. A high bounce rate or a generally poor experience causes your site to lose relevance for Google. It is very important that user experience complies with standards and aligns with search intent. Before joining Yoast, he worked for a top-tier web design magazine, where he developed a keen understanding of how to create great content. SEO is a colossal effort; the process does not end there once that initial effort is made.

A data privacy audit verifies that you’re following applicable data privacy laws and ensures you’re creating a safe space for website visitors. 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.

If they guarantee you that their changes will give you first place in search results, find someone else. Successful bloggers should see an increase in all these stats simultaneously. Make sure that all your links work properly, that they are relevant, healthy and with proper keywords. Remember; accessibility refers to crawlers being able to access your pages while indexability refers to those pages being presented within the search engine after being accessed.