SEO Audit Procedure

What an SEO Audit Is 6

What an SEO Audit Isn’t 6

SEO Audit Process 7

SEO Audit Template Overview 7

How to Set Up Template 7
Purpose of Each Tab 8
Tool Requirements 8
Access Requirements 8

SEO Audit Checklist 8

Overview 8
SEOptimer 9
Run a SEOptimer Scan 9
Does the website have Google Analytics installed? 9
Does the website have a robot.txt file? 9
Does the website have a sitemap? 9
Is the website mobile friendly? 9
Is the website using Flash? 9
Is the website using iFrames? 9
Is the website using legible font sizes across all devices? 9
Are all links and buttons easy to tap on mobile? 10
Is the target page’s server response < 0.6 seconds? 10
Does all the page content load in < 4.0 seconds? 10
Do all the page’s scripts load in < 10 seconds? 10
Is the page size < 4 MBs? 10
Are there any Javascript errors? 10
Is the website using GZIP Compression? 10
Are images compressed/optimized? 10
Are CSS files minified? 10
Are Javascript files minified? 10
Is the website using inline styles? 11
Is the website W3C compliant? 11
Is the website using deprecated HTML tags? 11
Does the website have an SSL certificate enabled? 11
 Does the non-secure version of the website (HTTP) 301 redirect to the secure version
(HTTPS)? 11
Does the website have Malware? 11
Screaming Frog SEO Spider 12
Export All URLs 12
Are there pages with low word counts (less than 400)? 12
Are there 404 errors? 12
Are there canonical errors? 13
Are there images over 100 KBs? 13
Are there images missing Alt tags? 13
Are there insecure URLs? 13
Are there duplicate page titles? 14
Are any titles over 65 characters? 14
Are there any signs of keyword cannibalization? 14
Are there any pages with missing meta descriptions? 14
Are there any pages with duplicate meta descriptions? 15
Are there any pages with meta descriptions less than 70 characters? 15
Are there pages using meta keywords? 15
Does the website have broken links? 15
Is the non-secure version of the website 301 redirecting to the secure version (https)? 15
Are any pages not responding? 16
Are there 301s that can eliminated? 16
Are there any 302 or 307 redirects? 16
Is any part of the website blocked because of the Robots.txt file? 16
Are pages using the "Noindex" directive correctly? 17
Are there existing redirect chains? 17
Ahrefs 17
Benchmark “Total # of backlinks” 17
Benchmark “Total # of linking root domains” 18
Benchmark “Total # of organic keywords” 18
Export Organic Keyword Data 19
Are there any backlinks with redirect chains? 19
Are there any lost backlinks? 19
Are there any broken backlinks? 19
Does the website have broken outbound links? 20
Are there any questionable-looking backlinks? 20
Is there a high-percentage of keyword-rich anchor text? 20
GTMetrix 20
Does the website load in less than 3 seconds? 21
 Is the GTMetrix PageSpeed score 90% or above? 21
Siteliner 21
Does the website have duplicate content? 21
Copyscape 21
Does any copied content exist (internally & externally)? 21
Google Search Console 21
Is the website set up in Google Search Console? 21
Export Organic CTR 22
Are any of the website's top 10 searches branded? 22
Has a sitemap been submitted to Google Search Console? 22
Is the website using Structured Data? 22
Are there any structured data errors? 22
Is the website using Rich Cards? 22
Does the website have an HTML Improvements? 22
Does the website have a high-quantity of links from one or more websites? 23
Does the website have any Manual Actions? 23
Does the website have any Mobile Usability issues? 23
Does the website have any spikes in total pages indexed? 23
Does the website have any pages blocked by robots? 23
Does the website have any Blocked Resources? 23
Does the website have any Crawl Errors? 24
Does the website have any abnormalities in crawl rate? 24
Does the robots.txt file have any “Errors” or “Warnings”? 24
Does the website have any sitemap issues? 24
Does the website have any Security Issues? 24
Google Analytics 24
Benchmark “Total # of monthly organic search visitors” 24
Benchmark “Bounce Rate” 24
Benchmark “Avg. Session Duration” 25
Benchmark “Returning Visitors Percentage” 25
Is goal tracking set up? 25
If goals are set up, are they tracking accurately? 25
Is e-commerce tracking set up (if applicable)? 25
If e-commerce tracking is set up, it is tracking accurately? 25
Do any pages have a PageSpeed Score less than 90? 25
Google 25
Benchmark “Total # of pages are indexed in Google” 26
Does the website show up #1 when you search the brand name? 26
Are there pages indexed in Google that shouldn't be (index bloat)? 26
 Does the brand have a positive reputation in the SERPs? 27
Google Mobile Friendly Test 27
Is the website mobile friendly? 27
mobiReady 27
Is the website design responsive on all devices? 27
Does the website have any “Major Fails” according to Ready.Mobi? 27
Does the website have any “Minor Fails” according to Ready.Mobi? 27
Pingdom 27
Does the website load in less than 3 seconds? 28
Is the Pingdom “Performance grade” greater than 90%? 28
Manual Analysis 28
Site Architecture 28
Is the website using effective breadcrumbs? 28
Is the primary navigation easy-to-understand? 28
Is the faceted navigation easy-to-understand? 29
Is the page you’re highlighted in the navigation? 29
Is the footer navigation easy-to-understand, uncluttered, and non-spammy? 30
Does the website have clean, well-optimized URL structures? 30
User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI) 31
Is the website using aggressive pop-ups, overlays, modals, or interstitials? 31
Does the website have intrusive advertisements? 31
Is the website design clean and free of unnecessary distractions? 31
Is the font type and size easy to read? 31
Are CTAs easy-to-understand? 31
Are all buttons and links obviously clickable? 31
Is anything on the website confusing or unclear? 31
Does the website have a prominent and clear search function? 32
Local Analysis 32
Address Analysis 32
Does the business have a real address in the target location? 32
Is business address within 5 miles of the target location? 32
Google My Business 32
Does the business have a GMB listing? 32
Does the business have reviews on their GMB listing? 32
Does the business have an average GMB review score above 4? 32
Does the business respond to every GMB review? 33
Are the business hours accurate on their GMB listing? 33
Is the business using unique, high-quality images on their GMB listing? 33
Is GMB listing using the right category? 33
 Has the business answered every question under the "Questions & answers"
section? 33

Content Audit 33
Are there pages targeting the same keywords? 33
Are there pages targeting keywords, but aren’t performing well? 34
Are there pages targeting the wrong keyword? 34
Are there outdated pages? 34
Are there pages with slow loading speeds? 34
When a Page Should Be Improved 34
When a Page Should Be Deleted 34
When a Page Should be 301 Redirected 35
When a Page Should be NoIndexed 35

Identify Low-Hanging Fruits 35

Action List 36

Reporting 36
What an SEO Audit Is
The purpose of an SEO audit to uncover reasons why an SEO campaign isn’t performing to its
fullest potential. At a 30,000-foot view, we are going to analyze the target website and campaign
at every level, then provide actionable suggestions that will increase organic search traffic (if all
actions properly executed). The goal is to give the target website/company direction and
guidance, so that they can take ​the right actions​ and get better results.

What an SEO Audit Isn’t

It’s not a complete SEO strategy​ - Think of an SEO audit as the base foundation of an
effective SEO campaign. It uncovers preexisting issues and gives you an actionable roadmap
for what needs to be tackled. But after the foundation is established, there’s still much more
strategic work to do. Here’s how an SEO campaign unfolds from A-Z:

SEO Audit → Fix All Uncovered Issues → Perform Keyword Research → Analyze Competitors
(Extract Keywords/Content Ideas and Link Opportunities) → Develop an SEO Content Strategy
→ Execute SEO Content Strategy → Optimize UX/UI → Acquire Backlinks

It’s not a step-by-step guide​ - There are many steps within a single action and that’s why
we’ve created an entire course (Gotch SEO Academy) to show how to handle these actions. An
audit shows you what is wrong and what to focus on, but it’s not a how to. For example, the
process we use to complete this audit requires 33 pages to execute. An action item like “Get
Manual Action Removed” is a process within itself.

It doesn’t take user error into account​ - Knowing what’s wrong is only the first step. The
second step is take action and that’s where some issues can occur. For example, if you don’t
fully understand development and coding, you could break your website. Or, if you don’t know
subtleties such as the fact that you need to 301 redirect any URL change to the new URL. This
is when hiring an expert is useful (instead of trying to do it yourself). It’s also critical that you
backup your website before making any serious changes.

Not a substitute for manual analysis​ - Many factors can be uncovered through this process,
but you still need to analyze the website, experience, content, and backlinks with your own eyes
to make judgements.

SEO Audit Process

1. Set up SEO Audit template
2. Start with “SEO Audit Checklist” tab
3. Perform a Content Audit
4. Identify Low Hanging Fruits
5. Create a Prioritized Plan of Action​ - Anyone can throw data into a sheet, but the real
magic happens when you know what to do with the data. That’s why in the last phase,
we analyze everything we’ve found and develop a prioritized plan of action. This plan is
prioritized based on the impact of an action. That way you focus your time, effort, and
resources on the actions that are going to produce the best results. Instead of focusing
on micro actions that will have little, to no impact.

SEO Audit Template Overview

How to Set Up Template

Go to Google Drive → “SEO Audits” → Right click and “Make a copy” of “TEMPLATE - SEO
Audit”

Right click on the new file and click “Rename” to rename the file like so: “CLIENT NAME - SEO
Audit”. Example: “Gotch SEO - SEO Audit”.
Purpose of Each Tab
● Checklist​ - This the foundation of the audit. Go through each check, read the
instructions, give a grade, and mark as completed
● Benchmarks​ - This is to establish a starting point for the target website. That way you
can measure the impact of actions.
● Content Audit​ - This section is designed to analyze pages on a page-by-page basis.
● Keywords​ - For all existing keywords that the target website is ranking in the top 50 for.
● Technical Issues​ - For all technical/UX issues found during the audit.
● CTR​ - For all organic Click-Through-Rate data.
● Backlinks​ - For all existing backlink issues.
● Action List​ - Prioritizing actions based on what was found during the audit.
● Action Item Classifications​ - Classifications for all “Action Items”, so you don’t have to
decide. Refer to this when putting the “Action List” together.

Tool Requirements
Ahrefs​ is the only paid that’s necessary for this audit. However, you may need to invest in the
paid version of ​Screaming Frog SEO Spider​ depending on how large your website is. All other
tools required for this audit are free.

Access Requirements
If you’re doing this for a client you’ll need access to their Google Analytics and Google Search
Console accounts.

SEO Audit Checklist

Overview
1. Start with the “Checklist” tab inside the SEO Audit Template
2. Sort the list by “Tool” (to avoid having to switch back and forth between tools)
3. Click the link under “Instructions” to see how to tackle the “Check”
4. Select a “Grade” based on the “Instructions”
5. Write any helpful observations/notes you found about the “Check”
6. Click the checkbox to mark the “Check” as “Completed”
SEOptimer

Run a SEOptimer Scan

Go to ​https://www.seoptimer.com/​ → Enter URL → Click “Audit”

Does the website have Google Analytics installed?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does the website have a robot.txt file?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does the website have a sitemap?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the website mobile friendly?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the website using Flash?

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Is the website using iFrames?

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Is the website using legible font sizes across all devices?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”
Are all links and buttons easy to tap on mobile?
Some of the links or buttons on your page may be too small for a user to easily tap on a
touchscreen. Consider making these tap targets larger to provide a better user experience.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the target page’s server response < 0.6 seconds?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does all the page content load in < 4.0 seconds?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Do all the page’s scripts load in < 10 seconds?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the page size < 4 MBs?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are there any Javascript errors?

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Is the website using GZIP Compression?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are images compressed/optimized?

Properly formatting and compressing images can have a significant impact on page load
performance.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are CSS files minified?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are Javascript files minified?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”
Is the website using inline styles?
Inline styles are an older coding practice and discouraged in favor of using CSS style sheets,
due to their ability to degrade page load performance and unnecessarily complicate HTML
Code.

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass” → any all issues to “Technical Issues Tab” → Put
the “Line” number in the “Notes” column

Is the website W3C compliant?

W3C compliance ensures the use of modern standards and improves the likelihood of your
page rendering appropriately in future browser versions.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the website using deprecated HTML tags?

These tags are no longer officially supported in modern web browsers, and hence are
recommended to be removed as they could cause display issues.

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have an SSL certificate enabled?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does the non-secure version of the website (HTTP) 301 redirect to the
secure version (HTTPS)?
● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does the website have Malware?

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”
Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Export All URLs

● Open up Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Enter URL and Start Analysis → Click “Export”
when you’re on the “Internal” tab

Add the following to the “Content Audit” tab:

● “Address” // “Status Code // “Title 1” // “Title 1 Length” // “Meta Description” // “Meta
Description Length” // “Meta Robots” // “Size” // “Word Count” // “Inlinks” // “Outlinks” //
“External Outlinks”

Are there pages with low word counts (less than 400)?
Thin content doesn't rank well in Google and Google's Panda algorithm targets websites that
have excessive amounts of thin content.

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab → Word Count Column

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Are there 404 errors?

You should only be concerned about 404 errors if they are an accident or they have backlinks. If
the 404 error has backlinks, you'll want to 301 redirect to a relevant page. If there isn't a
relevant, page then the homepage is the second best place. Otherwise, if the page doesn't exist
any longer and doesn't have backlinks, then just let it 404 and Google will remove it from the
index.
Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Response Codes → Filter: "Client Error"
● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”
○ Add all 404 errors to “Technical Issues” Tab

Are there canonical errors?

"A canonical tag (aka "rel canonical") is a way of telling search engines that a specific URL
represents the master copy of a page." - Moz Effective use of canonical tags can help eliminate
duplicate content issues (although a 301 is better in certain scenarios).

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Reports → "Canonical Errors"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add all canonical errors to “Technical Issues” Tab

Are there images over 100 KBs?

Large images (with large file sizes) can reduce website loading speed.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Images → Filter: "Over 100 kb"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add all large images to “Technical Issues” Tab

Are there images missing Alt tags?

The Alt text should be used to describe what your image is because this helps Google
understand and index it appropriately. Optimizing your Alt text can also improve your rankings in
Google's Image Search.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Images → Filter: "Missing Alt Text"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add all images missing alt tags to “Technical Issues” Tab

Are there insecure URLs?

Every page on your website should be secure if you have an SSL certificate installed. And most
importantly, all insecure URLs should 301 redirect to your secure URLS (https).

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Reports → "Insecure Content"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

 ○ Add all insecure URLs to “Technical Issues” Tab

Are there duplicate page titles?

Duplicate titles or duplicate anything on your website needs to be avoided because of Google's
Panda Algorithm. Do your best to make everything unique. If there are excessive duplicate
titles, then there many a larger issue that needs to be handled.

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab → Title Column

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Are any titles over 65 characters?

This isn't a big deal, but titles longer than 65 characters may get cut off in Google's SERPs. It
may hurt organic CTR as a result.

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab → Title Length Column

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Are there any signs of keyword cannibalization?

This requires a manual analysis. Look for pages that are targeting nearly identical keywords.
"Keyword cannibalization" occurs when two or more pages are competing for the same or very
similar keywords.

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Are there any pages with missing meta descriptions?

Your meta description is an opportunity to use copywriting to persuade searchers to click
through on your result. A higher organic CTR is a positive signal for your page and can
potentially help your rankings "stick."

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab → Meta Description Column

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Are there any pages with duplicate meta descriptions?
Your meta description is an opportunity to use copywriting to persuade searchers to click
through on your result. A higher organic CTR is a positive signal for your page and can
potentially help your rankings "stick."

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab → Meta Description Column

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Are there any pages with meta descriptions less than 70 characters?
Your meta description is an opportunity to persuade searchers to click through on your result.
Take advantage of all the real estate Google gives you to reach this objective.

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab → Meta Description Length Column

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Are there pages using meta keywords?

Meta keywords do NOT improve your organic search performance and are unnecessary. You
can delete meta keywords from pages that are using them.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Meta Keywords → Filter: "All"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

Does the website have broken links?

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Response Codes → Filter: "Client Error" → Inlinks Tab (at
Bottom)

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add all broken links to “Technical Issues” tab

Is the non-secure version of the website 301 redirecting to the secure

version (https)?
Why this matters: 1) We want to avoid link equity having to pass through a 301 redirect and 2)
Redirects can slow website loading speed.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Protocol → Filter: "HTTP"

 ● If “Yes”, then mark as “Pass” // If “No”, then mark as “Fail”

Are any pages not responding?

Any unresponsive page (internal or external) is bad for User Experience (UX).

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Response Codes → Filter: "No Response"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add all unresponsive pages to “Technical Issues” tab

Are there 301s that can eliminated?

SCENARIO
● Your original URL was https://www.bluewidgets.com/best-blue-widgets/ (A)
● Your new URL is https://www.bluewidgets.com/blue-widgets/ (B)

The problem is that all internal and external links are still linking to
https://www.bluewidgets.com/best-blue-widgets/ (A). It's possible that you're using authority and
backlink equity because of the 301 redirect. Excessive redirects can also slow your website
loading speed.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Response Codes → Filter: "Redirection"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add to “Technical Issues” tab

Are there any 302 or 307 redirects?

Google claims that PageRank and backlink equity flows through 302 redirects just like a 301.
However, it's better to be safe and just change the 302s to 301 if the 302 isn't be used for its
purpose, which is a Temporary Redirect.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Response Codes → Filter: "Redirection"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add to “Technical Issues” tab

Is any part of the website blocked because of the Robots.txt file?

Google must be able to crawl your website for your pages index and rank.
Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Response Codes → Filter: "Blocked by Robots.txt"

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add to “Technical Issues” tab

Are pages using the "Noindex" directive correctly?

The "Noindex" tag is a directive for Google crawlers telling it NOT to crawl your page. This is a
useful tag for pages that shouldn't be in Google index such as password protected pages, login
pages, etc.

SEO Audit Template → Content Audit Tab → Meta Robots Column

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Pass” // If “No”, then mark as “Fail”

○ Add to “Content Audit” tab

Are there existing redirect chains?

Redirect chains are quite simply a chain of redirects. For example: A → B → C (Target Page).
Ideally, you would change A and B to directly link to C. But if that isn't possible, you want to
redirect A --> C so it doesn't have to pass through the buffer (B). Eliminating redirect chains
ensure that you're getting maximum link equity flow.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider → Reports → Redirect Chains

● If “Yes”, then mark as “Fail” // If “No”, then mark as “Pass”

○ Add to “Technical Issues” tab

Ahrefs

Benchmark “Total # of backlinks”

● Go to Ahrefs → click on “Site Explorer” → enter the target domain → look under the
“Backlinks” section. Enter this number under the “Data” column and record the date →
Add to “Benchmarks” tab
Benchmark “Total # of linking root domains”
● Go to Ahrefs → click on “Site Explorer” → enter the target domain → look under the
“Referring domains” section. Enter this number under the “Data” column and record the
date → Add to “Benchmarks” tab

Benchmark “Total # of organic keywords”

● Go to Ahrefs → click on “Site Explorer” → enter the target domain → click on the
“Organic search” tab → look under “Organic keywords”. Enter this number under the
“Data” column and record the date → Add to “Benchmarks” tab
Export Organic Keyword Data
● Ahrefs → “Organic Search” → “Organic Keywords” → Position → From: 1 → To: 50 →
“Export” → Add to “Keywords” tab

Are there any backlinks with redirect chains?

Ahrefs → “Backlink Profile” → “Backlinks” → “Link Type” Dropdown → Select “With Redirect
Chain” → Export → Add to “Backlinks” ta

● If Yes, then “Fail”

Are there any lost backlinks?

Ahrefs → “Backlink Profile” → “Backlinks” → “Lost” → “Link Type” Dropdown → Select
“DoFollow” → “7 days” dropdown → Select “60 Days” → Export → Add to “Backlinks” tab

● If Yes, then “Fail”

Are there any broken backlinks?

Ahrefs → “Backlink Profile” → “Backlinks” → “Broken” → “Link Type” Dropdown → Select
“DoFollow” → Export → Add to “Backlinks” tab (add “Broken Backlink” to “Backlink Status”
column
 ● If Yes, then “Fail”

Does the website have broken outbound links?

Ahrefs → “Outgoing Links” → Broken Links

● If Yes, then “Fail” → Export Broken Links → Add to “Technical Issues” tab
● If No, then “Pass”

Are there any questionable-looking backlinks?

Examine the sources of the backlinks. Are most of the linking websites relevant and real?

A “quality” link profile will have backlinks from real websites that are relevant to the target
website. It doesn’t need to be 100% relevant. But if the target website is about “coffee reviews”
and they have backlinks from “gambling” websites, then their link profile is “questionable.”

Ahrefs → “Backlink Profile” → “Backlinks”

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.

Is there a high-percentage of keyword-rich anchor text?

Look at each anchor text on an individual basis. Are there any anchor text phrases that have
been disportionately compared to others? This question is regards to non-branded anchor text.
For example, you don’t need to worry about “Gotch SEO” or “gotchseo.com”. We’re more
concerned about the keyword-based anchor text. “High-percentage” would be any non-branded
anchor text exceeding 10% of the total link profile.

Ahrefs → “Backlink Profile” → Anchors

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.
GTMetrix

Does the website load in less than 3 seconds?

Go to ​https://gtmetrix.com/​ → Enter URL → Click Analyze

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the GTMetrix PageSpeed score 90% or above?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Siteliner

Does the website have duplicate content?

Siteliner → Enter URL → “Duplicate Content”

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Copyscape

Does any copied content exist (internally & externally)?

Copyscape → Enter URL

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Google Search Console

Is the website set up in Google Search Console?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home
 ● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Export Organic CTR

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Select the Website → Search Traffic
→ Search Analytics → Select “Clicks” // “Impressions” // “CTR” // “Position” → Export → Add
Data to “CTR” Tab

Are any of the website's top 10 searches branded?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Traffic → Search Analytics →
Clicks → Look for Brand Name

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Has a sitemap been submitted to Google Search Console?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Crawl → Sitemaps

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the website using Structured Data?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Appearance → Structured
Data

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are there any structured data errors?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Appearance → Structured
Data

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Is the website using Rich Cards?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Appearance → Rich Cards

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does the website have an HTML Improvements?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Appearance → HTML
Improvements
 ● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have a high-quantity of links from one or more

websites?
A high-quantity of backlinks from a single domain is often a sign of site-wide links or negative
SEO. Site-wide links can cause anchor text distribution issues.

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Traffic → Links to Your Site

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any Manual Actions?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Traffic → Manual Actions

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any Mobile Usability issues?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Search Traffic → Mobile Usability

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any spikes in total pages indexed?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Google Index → Index Status

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any pages blocked by robots?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Google Index → Index Status →
“Advanced” Tab

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any Blocked Resources?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Google Index → Blocked Resources

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any Crawl Errors?
Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Crawl → Crawl Errors

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any abnormalities in crawl rate?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Crawl → Crawl Stats → Pages
Crawled Per Day

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the robots.txt file have any “Errors” or “Warnings”?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Crawl → robots.txt Tester

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any sitemap issues?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Crawl → Sitemaps

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any Security Issues?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home​ → Security Issues

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Google Analytics

Benchmark “Total # of monthly organic search visitors”

Go to Google Analytics → Click on “Acquisition” → Click on “All Traffic” → Click on “Channels”
→ Click on “Organic Search” → Go to the Dates section in the right hand corner → Click the
“Date Range” dropdown and select “Last Month”. Enter this number under the “Data” column
and record the date → Add to “Benchmarks” tab
Benchmark “Bounce Rate”
Google Analytics → Acquisition → Overview → Date Range: Last Month → Bounce Rate →
Add to “Benchmarks” tab

Benchmark “Avg. Session Duration”

Google Analytics → Acquisition → All Traffic → Channels → Date Range: Last Month →
Avg. Session Duration → Add to “Benchmarks” tab

Benchmark “Returning Visitors Percentage”

Google Analytics → Audience → Behavior → New vs. Returning → Add to “Benchmarks” tab

Is goal tracking set up?

Google Analytics → Admin → Goals

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

If goals are set up, are they tracking accurately?

Google Analytics → Conversions → Goals → Overview

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.

Is e-commerce tracking set up (if applicable)?

Google Analytics → Admin → E-Commerce Settings

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

If e-commerce tracking is set up, it is tracking accurately?

Google Analytics → Conversions → E-Commerce → Overview
● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”
○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.

Do any pages have a PageSpeed Score less than 90?

Google Analytics → Behavior → Site Speed → Speed Suggestions

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Google

Benchmark “Total # of pages are indexed in Google”

● Go to Google → search "site:targetsite.com" like so:

Enter this number and the data the “Benchmarks” tab → “Grade” → “N/A”

Does the website show up #1 when you search the brand name?
Go to ​https://www.google.com/​ → Enter brand name → Search

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are there pages indexed in Google that shouldn't be (index bloat)?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/​ → Enter “site:website.com” (replace “website.com” with target

website) → Search → Look for category pages, tag pages, author archives, media pages, login
pages, cart pages, privacy policy / terms of service pages, etc.
 ● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the brand have a positive reputation in the SERPs?

Go to ​https://www.google.com/​ → Enter brand name → Search

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Google Mobile Friendly Test

Is the website mobile friendly?

Go to ​https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly​ → Enter URL → Run Test

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

mobiReady

Is the website design responsive on all devices?

Go to ​https://ready.mobi/​ → Enter URL → Click “Go”

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

○ “Pass” indicates that the website looks normal and functional on all devices that
Ready.Mobi is showing.
○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.

Does the website have any “Major Fails” according to Ready.Mobi?

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have any “Minor Fails” according to Ready.Mobi?

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”
Pingdom

Does the website load in less than 3 seconds?

Go to ​https://tools.pingdom.com/​ → Enter URL → Start Test

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the Pingdom “Performance grade” greater than 90%?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Manual Analysis

Site Architecture

Is the website using effective breadcrumbs?

Breadcrumbs are useful for e-commerce websites or sites with lots of pages.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.

Is the primary navigation easy-to-understand?

The primary navigation is usually prominently placed at the top of the website. It should be
easy-to-understand and free of clutter. William Sonoma is a great example:

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.
Is the faceted navigation easy-to-understand?
“Faceted” navigation is what you see when you hover over a primary navigation option and
you’re presented with a list of options like so:

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

○ If you aren’t sure, then choose “Fail” because we can review.

Is the page you’re highlighted in the navigation?

It’s helpful for the user to know where they are on your website. Highlighting the appropriate
navigation menu item helps a lot. Example:

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the footer navigation easy-to-understand, uncluttered, and non-spammy?
The footer is a good place for non-sexy links. It’s not a place for jamming keyword-rich internal
links. Here’s an example of a proper footer menu:

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does the website have clean, well-optimized URL structures?

Every website should strive to have clean, easy-to-remember, and optimized URLs. The ideal
URL structure will also be short, but e-com websites may have to push it a little further.

A content-driven website like GotchSEO.com should have a URL structure like so:
https://www.gotchseo.com/backlinks/

An e-commerce website should have a URL structure that looks similar to this:
https://www.bodybuilding.com/store/whey.html

A local business (with multiple locations) should have a URL structure similar to this:
https://www.expertise.com/ca/los-angeles/chiropractors

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI)

Is the website using aggressive pop-ups, overlays, modals, or interstitials?

Google is cracking down on aggressive interstitials and most users hate them.

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Does the website have intrusive advertisements?

Some website go overboard with ads and they end disrupting UX. This is most common on
content-driven websites.

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”

Is the website design clean and free of unnecessary distractions?

A good design is seamless and free of distractions. If a user has to “think”, then there’s a
problem.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the font type and size easy to read?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are CTAs easy-to-understand?

CTAs shouldn’t use cute/clever names or unfamiliar phrases. Clear calls-to-action such as “Click
Here” or “Learn More” are best.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are all buttons and links obviously clickable?

Buttons should clearly be buttons and links should clearly be links.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is anything on the website confusing or unclear?

● If Yes, then “Fail” // If No, then “Pass”
○ Add details to Observations/Notes column
Does the website have a prominent and clear search function?
Some users are searchers and some are browsers. It’s important to have a search bar in a
prominent location.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Local Analysis

Address Analysis

Does the business have a real address in the target location?

Copy the address → Paste in Google → Scan the results → Go the street level view → Does
the business have a legit address?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

○ “Fail” if the business is using a P.O. Box, Virtual Office, etc.

Is business address within 5 miles of the target location?

Copy the address → ​Google Maps​ → Enter the address → Enter the primary city as the location
(example: Dallas) → Look at the distance in miles

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Google My Business

Does the business have a GMB listing?

Copy the business name (example: “law offices of Nathan Gotch”) → Google → Look for GMB
listing on right hand side (desktop)

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Does the business have reviews on their GMB listing?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”
○ Enter total review count in “Observations” columns

Does the business have an average GMB review score above 4?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”
Does the business respond to every GMB review?
● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Are the business hours accurate on their GMB listing?

Compare GMB hours vs. website

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Is the business using unique, high-quality images on their GMB listing?

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”
○ Mark as “Fail” if stock photos or low resolution/low quality photos are being used

Is GMB listing using the right category?

Analyze the top ranking competitors in the local pack for the target keyword phrase. You can
assume they’re using the “right” category because of their performance.

● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Has the business answered every question under the "Questions & answers"
section?
● If Yes, then “Pass” // If No, then “Fail”

Content Audit
The purpose of the content audit portion of this process to identify pages that are outdated,
unnecessary, not performing well, or are generally holding the website back. The goal is to
create a lean website where every page has a purpose and deserves to get organic search
traffic.

Here are some of the questions you should ask when analyzing the information inside the
“Content Audit” tab:

Are there pages targeting the same keywords?

This is known as keyword cannibalization. In general, when I find two or more pages targeting
the same keyword, I brainstorm how to consolidate those pages into one.
Are there pages targeting keywords, but aren’t performing well?
There may already be existing pages targeting keywords. Just because the page isn’t
performing well, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have utility. Identifying existing keyword-targeted pages
is the first step. The second step is to figure out how to make them better. Make sure you add
the keyword you believe the page is targeting to “Target Keyword” tab.

Are there pages targeting the wrong keyword?

Now just because a page is targeting a keyword, it doesn’t mean it’s a good keyword to target in
the first place. That’s why you need to do some additional research and see if there are any
keyword variations that are easier to rank for. The best way to do this is to download the
Keywords Everywhere Chrome extension, search the original keyword in Google, and see if the
tool shows you any other variations. Also take advantage of Google’s suggested search options
by adding spaces after the keyword or typing one letter at a time. The Keywords Everywhere
plugin will give you a monthly search volume estimates.

Are there outdated pages?

Some pages don’t age well and aren’t evergreen. These pages should be 301 redirected if they
have backlink equity.

Are there pages with slow loading speeds?

Google Analytics → Behavior → Site Speed → Speed Suggestions → Add Speed to “Loading
Speed” section

When a Page Should Be Improved

Any page that is targeting the right keyword and hasn’t been spammed, is a good candidate to
improve and possibly target an easier keyword phrase.

When a Page Should Be Deleted

The only time a page should be deleted and left as a 404 error is when it is outdated, doesn’t
drive sales, doesn’t have organic search traffic (or traffic at all), and doesn’t have backlinks.
When a Page Should be 301 Redirected
A page should be 301 redirected when it has backlinks, but is no longer needed. You should
always try to redirect the page to a relevant page, but if they aren’t any relevant pages, then
redirect to the homepage.

When a Page Should be NoIndexed

Cart pages, author archives, tag pages, etc.

Identify Low-Hanging Fruits

Does the company have a "figurehead" that can be leveraged for guest posts, interviews,
etc?
● If Yes, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”

Does the website have a way(s) to convert traffic into email subscribers?
● If No, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”

Are there any secondary keywords ranking on page two (or further back)?
● Keywords Tab → Filter Position → Unselect Positions 1-10
○ If Yes, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”

Are you taking advantage of pages that have a lot of authority?

● Go to Ahrefs → Enter Website → Pages → Best by links → Manually analyze the top
pages and see if there are internal links
○ If No, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”

Are you using internal link anchor text effectively?

● Most internal anchor text should use the target keyword.
○ If No, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”

If you’re ranking in Google, can they create a video targeting the same keyword(s) and
publish it on YouTube (the second biggest search engine)?
● If Yes, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”

Can you replace generic outbound links with links to other blogger’s content?
● If Yes, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”
Can you inject more long tail keywords into pages that are already performing well in
Google?
● If Yes, then add the suggestion to the “Action List”

Action List
The “Action List” is designed to organize and prioritize all issues found during the audit.

Here’s what each column means:

● “Action Item” - The exact issue that needs to be fixed. Example: “Redirect 404 page”.
● “Category” - The category that the action items fall into.
● “URL” - The URL containing the “Action Item” (if applicable)
● “Notes” - Anything that’s useful to the person reading the report
● “Impact” - How big of a positive impact an action can have. See “Action Item
Classifications” tab.
● “Difficulty/Effort Level” (specifics below). See “Action Item Classifications” tab.
○ “​Easy​” = Simple one-step actions that don't require additional resources and
team members and have a low time investment.
○ “​Medium​” = Multi-step actions that require additional resources, team
collaboration, and a larger time investment.
○ “​Hard​” = Large, multi-step projects that require extended time investments.
● “Requirements” - What will be required to complete the “Action Item”
● “Status” - How close an “Action Item” is to completion.

Reporting
Every good final report will include the following sections:
● Keywords
● Content
● Technical
● UX
● Backlinks
● Action List

This final report is an overview of the findings, but the details actions will remain on SEO Audit
Google Sheet.