In today’s media-saturated landscape, there are millions of websites vying for audience attention, making a strong online presence particularly crucial for businesses today. Well, this is where search engine optimisation (or ‘SEO’) comes in, giving individuals an opportunity to increase the visibility of their website by keeping up to date with some simple, but very effective, practices.
While many of us are familiar with the concept of SEO, there’s one aspect that is often overlooked, something that can have a truly transformative impact on a website’s performance and visibility — the technical SEO audit.
What is a technical SEO audit?
A technical SEO audit works to evaluate every technical element of a website that impacts its performance and visibility in the search results. But what exactly do we mean by ‘technical’ in this context? Well, technical has everything to do with the coding and underlying structure of the website. Aspects of technical SEO you may audit include:
1. Site structure
The structure of your website plays a crucial role in both user experience (UX) and indexability. During a technical SEO audit, your site structure will be assessed to ensure it is well organised, intuitive to navigate, and effectively categorised. A clear and logical structure not only helps users find information easily, but also assists search engines in indexing and ranking your pages accurately.
2. Site speed
Another vital aspect of a technical SEO audit involves evaluating site speed and performance. This is essential because slow-loading websites can frustrate users and result in higher bounce rates. Therefore, by making changes like optimising page load times, minimising server response times, and compressing images and files, the overall performance and speed of your website can be significantly improved.
3. Mobile responsiveness
With the increasing use of mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is more important than ever. In a technical SEO audit, your website’s responsiveness across different screen sizes and devices will be evaluated. Ensuring a seamless mobile experience can greatly improve user satisfaction whilst also enhancing your chances of ranking higher in mobile search results.
4. Robots.txt and XML sitemaps
The robots.txt file instructs search engine crawlers on which pages to crawl and which to exclude. An audit ensures that your robots.txt file is properly configured to allow search engines to access the necessary content while blocking irrelevant or sensitive pages. Additionally, the audit will also include the reviewing and optimising of XML sitemaps, providing search engines with a roadmap of your website’s structure and pages.
5. Technical errors
Technical issues can significantly impact your website’s performance and visibility. A technical SEO audit helps identify and rectify common issues such as broken links, duplicate content, 404 errors, and crawl errors. By resolving these issues promptly, you can improve the overall health and crawlability of your site.
6. Structured data
Structured data, also known as schema markup, provides additional context to search engines about your website’s content. By evaluating your structured data in your technical SEO audit, you can make sure that search engines are understanding your content, potentially enhancing your appearance in search results with rich snippets such as star ratings, product prices, and event details.
7. HTTPS and security
Website security is a critical ranking factor for search engines. An audit includes evaluating the implementation of HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) to encrypt data transmitted between the user’s browser and your website’s server. By securing your website with HTTPS, you provide a safe and trustworthy browsing experience for your users, positively impacting your search engine rankings.
8. Canonical tags
Canonical tags indicate the preferred version of a webpage when multiple versions with similar content exist. A technical SEO audit assesses the implementation of canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues and consolidate ranking signals to the desired page.
Technical SEO audits vs regular SEO audits
SEO traditionally covers three components: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO. A general SEO audit looks at all three, providing a good overview of your site’s search engine friendliness.
While a regular site audit is a great tool for starting your SEO journey (and you can enjoy your free SEO audit here), technical SEO audits are the logical next step. These dive deeper into your website’s technical health and identify some of the key aspects that need to be prioritised to help your pages rank higher in the search results.
Going beyond surface technical issues, technical SEO audits are a detailed investigation of your website. Think of it this way; a general SEO audit is like a visit to your GP. Your doctor checks in about your overall health and you can raise any particular health concerns you may be experiencing, but the GP is unlikely to diagnose you with an illness or run any detailed tests at that time. Instead, they will refer you for further testing, such as a blood test or MRI. These tests are more akin to a technical SEO site audit, diving deeper into the specifics to diagnose problems and propose solutions.
Why conduct a technical SEO audit?
So, you may be wondering; are SEO audits really worth the hype? Well, given our extensive experience in the field, we can confirm that conducting an in-depth technical SEO audit on your own website can come with a number of benefits. Some of these include:
Identifying technical issues to resolve
By conducting a thorough technical SEO audit, you can pinpoint important issues such as broken links, crawl errors, and problems with site speed. Resolving these issues will improve your website’s functionality, not to mention an enhanced user experience.
Finding and resolving duplicate content
When duplicate content appears on the same website, it can cause potential harm to its search engine rankings. An SEO audit allows you to identify and address instances of duplicate content on your own site. By removing or consolidating duplicate content, or using canonical tags, you can improve your website’s visibility and ensure that search engines understand which version of your content to prioritise.
Optimising for mobile devices
With the increasing use of mobile devices, optimising your website for mobile is crucial. An SEO audit examines your website’s mobile responsiveness and usability. By identifying areas for improvement and implementing mobile-friendly design elements, you can provide a seamless user experience across different devices.
Enhancing user experience
User experience is a vital aspect of any successful website. An SEO audit helps to assess and enhance the user experience by evaluating factors such as website navigation, page load speed, and overall usability. By improving the user experience, you can increase engagement, reduce bounce rates, and encourage visitors to spend more time on your site.
Staying up to date with the evolving SEO landscape
The field of SEO is constantly evolving, with search engines updating their algorithms and ranking factors. Conducting an SEO audit helps you keep on top of the latest trends and ensure that you’re implementing best practices. By keeping up with the evolving SEO landscape, you can make necessary adjustments to your website and ensure that you remain competitive in search engine rankings.
Complementing your on-page and off-page SEO efforts
An SEO audit complements your on-page and off-page SEO efforts. While on-page SEO focuses on optimising content and keywords, and off-page SEO involves building backlinks and online reputation, a technical SEO audit ensures that your website’s technical aspects align with your overall SEO strategy. By addressing technical issues, you create a solid foundation for your on-page and off-page optimisation efforts, maximising their effectiveness.
How often should you audit technical SEO?
Before we offer our insight on this question, it is important to remember that how often you choose to audit the technical SEO on your website will depend on various factors, such as the size of your website, how often content and site structure is updated, the competitiveness of your industry, and the complexity of your website’s architecture.
However, as a general guideline, we would recommend that you audit the technical aspects of your website at least once or twice a year. This is because regular technical SEO audits help ensure that your website remains optimised for search engines, whilst providing users with a clean and seamless experience. In addition, technical audits allow you to identify and resolve any arising issues that could affect your website’s performance, indexing, or visibility.
However, it is not as simple as a couple of periodical audits to keep your site up to scratch. It is also crucial that you make an effort to monitor your website continuously, addressing any technical issues as, and when, they arise.
If you’ve never done a technical audit before, here’s a summary of when to carry them out:
1. Initial Audit: If you haven’t conducted an SEO audit before, it’s time to get on board. An initial audit gives you an understanding of where you stand.
2. Biannual Check-ins: It’s a good practice to do a thorough SEO audit twice a year. The digital landscape shifts quite a bit, and you’d do well to keep your website updated with these changes.
3. Post Major Revamps: If you’ve given your site a makeover or shifted platforms, it’s worth conducting another SEO audit. A lot can change in the process, and you’ll want to ensure everything is still in order.
4. Algorithm Overhauls: When search engine algorithms go through major updates, it’s sensible to perform an SEO audit. It helps you make sure your website still complies with best practices.
5. Significant Traffic Changes: If you see a notable drop in your website traffic or your ranking takes a hit, take it as a cue to investigate. An SEO audit might uncover the reason behind these changes.
Remember, SEO isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it game. It demands ongoing attention. Regular SEO audits will help ensure your website is in good health and adapted to the ever-evolving nature of search engine algorithms. Stay on top of these practices and your website should continue to serve your goals effectively.
What type of technical SEO site audit is best for you?
Now we’ve got all the techy stuff out of the way, let’s dive deeper into which SEO audit is going to be best for your site. Of course, each individual website is different, and there are certain factors that need to be considered prior to auditing. So, let’s get started!
The free technical SEO audit (via an online tool or checker)
As the name suggests, a free technical SEO audit will provide an evaluation of the technical aspects of your website, without any cost. Free tech SEO audits can be carried out using online tools, although the quality of these online tools varies.
Free technical SEO audit pros
Some of the benefits of the free technical SEO audit include:
- Cost-effective: A positive point about the free technical SEO audit lies in its affordability, giving website owners on a tight budget the opportunity to receive a preliminary analysis without significant financial investment.
- Learning opportunity: a free technical SEO audit can work as a good introduction to the world of SEO, giving you a chance to learn more about the basics, as well as some key tools that you need to thrive in your business.
- Quick assessment: Free audits often provide a rapid evaluation of your website’s technical aspects. They can help you identify potential issues or areas for improvement in a short amount of time.
- Basic insights: Free audits can provide basic insights into the performance and health of your website. They may highlight areas such as site structure, URL optimisation, page speed, mobile-friendliness, and other fundamental technical aspects.
Free tech SEO audit cons
Some of the cons of free technical SEO audits are as follows:
Limited features: Free tools often offer a limited range of features and may not provide a comprehensive analysis of all technical aspects that can impact SEO
- performance. The analysis generated by free tools may also lack in-depth insights, missing out on complex technical issues that require a more thorough examination.
- Lack of customisation: Free audits can only offer general recommendations that may not be tailored to your specific website, industry, or goals. As a result, they may not take into account factors like your unique circumstances or target audience.
- Limited expertise: Free audits lack the expertise and insights provided by experienced SEO professionals or agencies. They may not offer in-depth analysis, advanced recommendations, or industry-specific knowledge.
In-depth technical audit by an SEO agency
An in-depth technical SEO agency audit is a comprehensive examination of a website’s technical aspects conducted by an agency specialising in technical SEO services. It focuses on identifying and resolving technical issues that may impact the website’s search engine visibility and user experience.
Agency technical audit pros
- Comprehensive analysis: While a free SEO audit will give you a general outline of what could be improved in your website, an in-depth audit will analyse everything that is wrong with your site as well as its performance. In addition to this, you will receive recommendations on things to do to improve the performance of your site, gaining some really useful insights on some of the things that it may be lacking.
- Customised recommendations: An agency audit will provide personalised recommendations based on your specific website, industry, and goals. These recommendations will have been tailored to address the identified issues, taking into account your unique circumstances and resources.
- Ongoing support: Agencies can offer ongoing support beyond the audit, helping you implement the recommended changes and adapt your practices to the evolving SEO landscape.
- A competitive advantage: An agency audit includes competitive analysis, allowing you to gain insights into your competitors’ strategies, strengths, and weaknesses. This information can help you refine your SEO approach and gain a competitive edge.
Agency technical audit cons
- Cost: Hiring an agency for a professional SEO technical audit will, expectantly, come with a financial investment. The cost will vary depending on the agency, scope of work, and complexity of your website.
- Selection of the Right Agency: Choosing the right agency is crucial for a successful audit. It requires careful evaluation of their expertise, track record, client reviews, and fit with your specific needs and goals
- Takes Longer: An agency audit requires dedicated time to conduct a comprehensive analysis. It involves collaboration between the agency’s experts and your team to ensure thorough evaluation and implementation of the recommendations.
To sum up, while free technical SEO audits can be helpful for initial insights, more extensive agency audits provide a higher level of expertise, tailored recommendations, ongoing support, and a deeper understanding of your website’s technical SEO needs. They can be particularly beneficial for complex websites, competitive industries, and those seeking to optimise their website to its fullest potential. Therefore, if you are looking for more of a deep dive into your website’s technicals, we would suggest opting for a paid service to receive the best support for your website.
Get in touch with our team
Remember, if your site’s technical SEO isn’t up to scratch, it is unlikely you will reach the top of the game in the rankings, and your click through rate is going to suffer as a result. However, a technical SEO audit gives you the tools to ensure that your site isn’t being held back by minor technical issues, allowing your site to finally get the recognition it deserves.
Here at Viaduct Generation, we are armed with a team of skilled professionals who can offer you a complete website rebuild and maintenance, getting your site up and running in no time. This way, you can ensure that your site comes back, but better than ever! So, why not contact us and learn more about how we can unlock the full potential of your website today? You can book your free SEO audit to get a taste of some of the fantastic services we can offer right away, or choose our in-depth technical audit service for a comprehensive analysis and recommendations for your website.
