A search engine optimised website is the foundation for organic visibility on the internet. On the results page of a search engine, what counts most is who ranks first. An SEO audit provides clarity about how well a website and its content are optimised for search engines such as Google, Ecosia, Bing and others and where potential is being missed. In this article, we reveal how an SEO audit is structured, what it involves and how it is created.
What is an SEO audit?
An SEO audit is an in-depth analysis of a website with regard to its visibility in search engines. Usually, checklists are used to determine which weaknesses may exist and how these can be remedied. An SEO audit therefore reveals the strengths and weaknesses of a website, both in terms of technology and content. A comprehensive SEO audit identifies the most urgent weaknesses, explains why these areas should be addressed and prioritises which actions are urgent and which can be tackled in a second step.
What does an SEO audit involve?
It is not easy to give a generalised answer to this question, as every agency sets the focus of the SEO audit slightly differently. In principle, the focus should be discussed in advance between the company and the audit authors – so both sides clarify whether the analysis should be more technical and functional or content-related. However, some elements can be found in this or a similar way in every SEO audit.
- Analyse the current situation: What is the status quo of the website? (Website Analytics) Which content is possibly already performing well, which tools and plugins are being used?
- Competitor analysis: How are competitors or companies from the same industry positioned? Which keywords do they use? Who ranks at the top of the relevant search engines for relevant search terms?
- Meta data: Do the various subpages each have their own meta descriptions that are read by the search engines? Are images clearly labelled with relevant keywords? Do images also have suitable meta descriptions and are they labelled with alt texts?
- Technical infrastructure: What data can be read by a crawler? Is an XML sitemap available to the search engines? Are iFrame, Flash or JavaScript used? Do certain URLs display an error code?
- Content analysis: What content is already available and how does it perform in the SEO ranking? Is the content relevant for users and are specific keywords being served? Are the texts long enough?
- User experience (UX): Is it easy for users to find their way around the site? How high is the bounce rate? Which subpages perform particularly well and which perform particularly poorly?
- Loading speed: Does the page load quickly or do users have to wait a long time?
- Links: Are there internal links? Do links lead to external websites and are there links from external sites to your own website? Are they do-follow or no-follow links?
How is an SEO audit created?
An in-depth SEO audit is characterised by the fact that it does not neglect any perspective. Sometimes the focus is placed on content, in other analyses it is more on the technical aspects. Accordingly, the prioritisation of recommendations for action can vary depending on the audit – but no other aspect should be neglected. Even though there are now numerous useful tools to help analyse search engine accessibility, the best audits still come from experienced consultants. Even if tools (some of which are even free) provide a lot of data, this data still needs to be interpreted. Tools are not yet ready to provide complete and valid (!) SEO audits. Added to this is the prioritisation of recommendations for action. After all, the aim is always to achieve the maximum effect with the lowest possible budget. It is not always necessary to fix all the issues – sometimes a lot can be achieved with just a few targeted actions.
What does an SEO audit cost?
Every website is different. Websites differ significantly in terms of the scope and complexity of their structure. A simple company website will have a much simpler structure than a complete online shop, for example. Accordingly, there is no generalised answer to the question of costs. We will make you an individual offer based on the website and the scope of the aspects to be analysed – feel free to contact us without obligation!
When should I do an SEO audit?
An SEO audit should always be carried out if there are doubts about the general visibility of the website. Data collected via Google Analytics, for example, can also be an indication that some potential is not being fully utilised. It should also be noted that the search engine algorithm is constantly changing. For this reason, it is worth having your website checked at regular intervals. Sometimes this reveals clear weaknesses, but identifying small adjustments can also help your company to be found more easily on the internet. Sometimes it is a small subpage that can convert a new customer and thus positively influence sales growth – a thorough check of weak points and unutilised potential is therefore always a good idea!
Conclusion: SEO audits are the basis of a valid digital strategy
Organic visibility via search engines is the foundation of most companies’ online presence. Of course, paid adverts on the major search engines are also a popular and clever way of attracting potential customers to the company website. However, an online strategy is only sustainable if customers not only come to your website via paid results, but also via their own search. A visitor who comes to the site via Google is also an interested visitor. There is therefore no way around an in-depth analysis of search engine performance.
If you are also interested in a detailed SEO audit for your company, please get in touch. We have already helped many companies to improve their visibility on Google and other search engines. You too can benefit from our expertise and get in touch for a non-binding quote and an initial phone call!
