How to Run a Complete SEO Audit on Your Website

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is rarely a "set it and forget it" task. Algorithms update, competitors shift strategies, and websites break. If you aren't regularly checking under the hood, you might be losing valuable organic traffic without even realizing it. This is where a comprehensive SEO audit comes in.

An audit acts as a health check for your website. It identifies structural issues, content gaps, and growth opportunities. Whether you are running a small local business or managing a large e-commerce platform, understanding how your site interacts with search engines is critical. While many companies choose to partner with an SEO agency like Los Angeles SEO to handle the heavy lifting, knowing the basics of an audit empowers you to make better decisions.

This guide will walk you through the essential steps of conducting a thorough audit, from technical performance to on-page optimization.

The Foundation: Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the backbone of your website. No matter how great your content is, it won't rank if search engines can't crawl and index your pages effectively.

Check Indexing and Crawlability

The first step is ensuring Google can actually see your site.

Robots.txt: Check your robots.txt file to ensure you aren't accidentally blocking important pages from search engines.

XML Sitemap: Verify that your sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console and that it contains only the pages you want indexed (i.e., no 404 errors or redirects).

Index Status: Use Google Search Console to see how many of your pages are indexed. A sudden drop in indexed pages usually signals a technical error.

Site Speed and Core Web Vitals

User experience is a major ranking factor. A slow site frustrates users and search engines alike.

PageSpeed Insights: Run your URL through Google's PageSpeed Insights tool. It provides a score for both mobile and desktop and offers specific recommendations for improvement.

Core Web Vitals: Pay attention to metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (loading performance), First Input Delay (interactivity), and Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability). These are direct ranking signals.

Mobile-Friendliness

With mobile-first indexing, Google primarily uses the mobile version of a page for indexing and ranking. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to ensure your design is responsive and elements don't overlap or become unclickable on smaller screens.

On-Page SEO Analysis

Once the technical foundation is solid, look at the actual pages. On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic.

Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

These are your first impression in the search results.

Title Tags: Ensure every page has a unique title tag that includes the primary keyword. Keep it under 60 characters so it doesn't get truncated.

Meta Descriptions: While not a direct ranking factor, these influence click-through rates (CTR). Write compelling summaries (under 160 characters) that encourage users to click.

Header Tags (H1, H2, H3)

Headers help structure your content for readers and search engines.

H1: Each page should have only one H1 tag, usually the page title, containing the main keyword.

Hierarchy: Use H2s and H3s to logically break up text. This helps search engine bots understand the semantic structure of your content.

Content Quality and Keyword Usage

Review your top-performing pages. Is the content up to date? Is it comprehensive?

Keyword Cannibalization: Ensure multiple pages aren't competing for the same keyword. If they are, consider merging them or differentiating their focus.

Duplicate Content: Use tools like Siteliner to find internal duplicate content. Search engines may struggle to decide which version to rank, diluting your visibility.

Off-Page SEO and Backlink Profile

Your site's authority is largely determined by what others say about it—specifically, through links.

Audit Your Backlinks

A healthy backlink profile signals trust.

Toxic Links: Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to identify "toxic" or spammy backlinks. These can harm your rankings. If necessary, use Google's Disavow Tool to distance your site from them.

Broken Backlinks: Check for high-quality links pointing to 404 pages on your site. Reclaim this value by 301 redirecting those broken URLs to relevant live pages.

Competitor Analysis

See where your competitors are earning links. If a reputable industry blog links to three of your competitors but not you, that’s a clear outreach opportunity.

User Experience (UX) and Site Architecture

SEO and UX go hand-in-hand. A site that is difficult to navigate will have high bounce rates, signaling to Google that the result isn't relevant.

Navigation and Site Structure

Click Depth: Important pages should be reachable within three clicks from the homepage. A flat site architecture helps link equity flow throughout the site.

Internal Linking: Ensure you link to your priority pages from other relevant content on your site. This helps bots crawl deeper and boosts the authority of those important pages.

Broken Links

Internal broken links (links on your site that point to non-existent pages) create a poor user experience and waste crawl budget. Use a crawler like Screaming Frog to identify and fix these errors.

Local SEO (If Applicable)

If you serve a specific geographic area, local SEO is non-negotiable.

Google Business Profile: Ensure your profile is claimed, verified, and fully optimized with accurate hours, categories, and photos.

NAP Consistency: Check that your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent across your website and all local directories (Yelp, Yellow Pages, etc.). Inconsistencies can confuse search engines and lower your local ranking.

Taking Action on Your Audit

Conducting the audit is only half the battle. The real value comes from the action plan you create afterward. Prioritize fixes based on impact and effort.

Critical Technical Errors: Fix broken pages, crawl errors, and security issues immediately.

Quick Wins: Optimize title tags, fix broken internal links, and compress large images.

Long-Term Strategy: Plan for content updates, backlink acquisition, and site speed improvements.

For complex websites, or if the technical jargon feels overwhelming, it might be time to bring in experts. Partnering with a specialized SEO agency like Los Angeles SEO can ensure that the audit is not just a checklist, but a roadmap to tangible business growth. They can provide the deep technical expertise required to fix complex issues and develop a content strategy that outperforms the competition.

Regular audits keep your strategy sharp. By staying proactive, you ensure your website remains a powerful asset that drives traffic and converts visitors.