SeoSum | How to Perform a Simple SEO Audit?

Think of an SEO audit like a checkup for your website. It helps you figure out what’s working, what’s not, and what you can improve. The goal? Better rankings on Google and a smoother experience for your visitors.

What’s an SEO Audit?

An SEO audit looks at how well your website performs in search results and spots areas for improvement. It checks for technical SEO issues, on-page SEO elements, site speed, and user experience. It also analyzes backlinks and competitor strategies to help you stay ahead. Fixing these issues can boost your rankings and bring in more organic traffic.

How to Improve Your SEO for Free

Before we dive into the details, here’s a quick SEO audit checklist to get you started:

Use Screaming Frog (or a similar tool) to crawl your website
Run an SEO audit with Semrush or Ahrefs
Pull reports from Google Analytics and Search Console
Check user experience (menus, CTAs, navigation)
Audit content for duplicate or thin pages
Make sure canonical tags are set up correctly
Test Schema markup
Check mobile responsiveness and Core Web Vitals
Track engagement metrics
Review Search Console reports
Organize findings in a spreadsheet
Schedule regular SEO checkups

Step 1: Preparing for an SEO Audit

Crawl Your Website (Screaming Frog)

First, run a website crawl to uncover hidden SEO issues. Screaming Frog is a great option, and the free version scans up to 500 URLs. Just download it, enter your site’s URL, and let it do its thing. Once it’s done, export the data for analysis.

Use an SEO Audit Tool (Semrush or Ahrefs)

Beyond technical issues, SEO tools like Semrush and Ahrefs help you track keyword rankings, backlink health, and competitor performance. They also flag issues like:

Analyze Google Analytics & Search Console Data

Google Analytics and Search Console show how people interact with your site. Check:

Step 2: User Experience & Content SEO

Improving User Experience (UX)

A good UX keeps visitors engaged and improves conversions.

Auditing Website Content

High-quality content is key to SEO success. Check for:

Step 3: On-Page SEO Audit

Optimize Page Titles & Meta Descriptions

Use an SEO tool to check for:

Page URL : Example.com/page
Issues : Broken links, slow load speed
Engagement Metrics : Low engagement
Keyword Rankings : Rank #8 for “best SEO tips”
Priority : High

Check Canonical Tags

Canonical tags prevent duplicate content issues. Screaming Frog and Semrush can help spot:

Test Schema Markup

Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better. Use Google’s Rich Results Test Tool to validate your structured data.

Also Read:What SEO Myths Should be Ignored?

Step 4: Keeping Your SEO Strong

Once you’ve completed your audit, keep track of everything in a spreadsheet. Here’s what to include:

Minimal SEO Audit (Quick Check)

Short on time? Try this instead:

Even a quick audit can uncover major SEO issues that need fixing!

How to Perform a Simple SEO Audit?

Will