It’s important to do an SEO audit periodically to check for issues that hurt your rankings. Check out this website audit checklist to help find common errors.
Only 71 percent of small businesses have their own website.
Your website is important because it is a direct link from you to potential customers. Your SEO allows your site to appear on Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask and other various search engines.
Without the proper tools, your website traffic will stay stagnant or lose traffic altogether. Avoid this with our website audit checklist!
Secure Your Website
Is your website HTTPS? Do you have the right URL and will someone typing your site wrong be redirected to the right one?
If you answered no to any of these questions, an SEO audit will be able to help. When you see a flag that says your website is not secure, take the steps to enable HTTPS on your website for all URLs present.
You will also want your audit to check your URLs for any errors or duplicate pages that may be similar and only use a 301 redirect to your site when necessary.
Set up an XML Sitemap
As you figure out how to do a website audit, you will also need to learn how to set up an XML Sitemap.
XML Sitemaps inform search engines of the available URLs on your website that they can direct people to. Without it, there is a good chance your website is being passed up for your competitors.
Different companies can generate a sitemap or automatically contain plugins that will do it for you. Check to see if your web host does this!
Speed it Up
Your website speed plays a huge factor in your on-site audit. As you complete the audit steps, be sure to look into how fast or slow your website loads.
Your website is likely bogged down by a bad host, unnecessary plugins or add-ons, large Javascript or CSS files, and so much more. These issues will limit your reach because Google will note it as a slow or faulty site and not direct users to it.
During your website audit, check through these issues and get them resolved as soon as possible.
Build-Up your Links and Content
As search engine algorithms change, the type of content and links you have on your site now play a huge role in your overall SEO.
With more small businesses starting blogs related to their work, you will want to host content that is over 500 words and contains secure and related links. While you look through your audit, check to see which pages are hurting your SEO and get rid of them.
The next step you’ll take to avoid this common error is to keep up with popular keywords in your profession and focus on quality and quantity.
Are you Mobile-Friendly?
Your web design should be cohesive and format for all devices. Your website needs to be mobile-friendly.
Not only will your customer leave your site if it doesn’t format on their phone, but Google and other engines will also limit your site’s reach.
An easy way to check is by using your own phone and speaking to your web team or checking with your host to see what you can do to improve formatting.
Complete Website Audit Checklist
While these are 5 common errors in an SEO audit, you should look through each portion offered in your own website audit checklist.
The more issues you are able to address, the sooner you can get your website onto the number 1 page on Google.
For more SEO help and tips for local marketing, see what Click Leads can do for you.