The Ultimate Guide to Technical SEO Audit Services
Simply having a website online isn’t enough. Search engines need to be able to find and understand your website to deliver it to users searching for relevant information. Technical SEO is a vital aspect of SEO that focuses on the technical health of your website from a search engine’s perspective.
What Does a Technical SEO Audit Service Do?
A technical SEO audit service is essentially a checkup for your website’s search engine visibility. During an audit, SEO specialists will crawl and analyze your website, looking for a variety of factors that can impact how search engines see and interact with your content.
Crawlability and Indexability: Search engines use software programs called crawlers to discover and index websites. Crawlers follow links between webpages to find new content. Your website’s robots.txt file instructs crawlers on which pages they can and cannot access. The sitemap file provides crawlers with a clear roadmap of all your website’s pages. A technical SEO audit will ensure your robots.txt file isn’t blocking important content and that your sitemap is accurate and up-to-date.
Website Architecture and Information Hierarchy: Imagine your website as a library. A well-organized library with clear sections and labels makes it easy for users to find the information they need. During an audit, SEO specialists will analyze your website’s structure and suggest improvements for better navigation and crawlability.
On-page Optimization: While a technical SEO audit service might include basic on-page checks such as title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags, it’s important to remember that a comprehensive on-page SEO audit is a separate service that dives deeper into keyword research, content optimization, and other on-page ranking factors.
Technical SEO Factors: A technical SEO audit will assess a variety of technical factors that can impact your website’s search engine visibility. Here’s a closer look at some of the most crucial ones:
Page Speed: Nobody likes a slow website. Search engines prioritize websites that load quickly. A technical SEO audit will identify any factors slowing down your website’s loading speed and suggest solutions for improvement.
HTTPs Security: It’s the secure version of HTTP and ensures a safe connection between your website and visitors’ browsers. Google has publicly stated that HTTPS is a ranking factor, so having an SSL certificate and enabling HTTPS is essential.
Broken Links and Redirects: Broken links and improperly configured redirects can frustrate users and hinder search engine crawling. A technical SEO audit will identify any broken links or redirects that need fixing.
Benefits of a Technical SEO Audit Service
Investing in a technical SEO audit service can offer a multitude of benefits for your website.
Improved Search Engine Visibility: By implementing this strategy, you can improve your website’s visibility and attract more organic traffic.
Increased Organic Traffic: Users who actively search for related products or information make organic traffic valuable. A technical SEO audit can help you attract this valuable audience by ensuring your website is optimized for search engines.
Enhanced User Experience: Technical SEO issues can have a negative impact on user experience. Slow loading times or broken links can frustrate visitors, leading them to leave your website. Conducting a technical SEO audit can help identify and fix these issues, resulting in a more user-friendly website that keeps visitors engaged.
Better Conversion Rates: Whether your website’s goal is to generate sales, collect leads, or encourage signups, a technical SEO audit can pave the way for better conversion rates.
Proactive Approach to SEO: Technical SEO issues can develop over time, and you might not even be aware of them until they start impacting your website’s performance. A technical SEO audit acts as a preventative measure by identifying and fixing issues before they cause significant damage to your search engine visibility.
Choosing a Technical SEO Audit Service Provider
With so many technical SEO audit service providers available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. Here are some key factors to consider:
Audit Scope and Deliverables: Clearly understand what’s included in the technical SEO audit service. This includes the depth of analysis, the format of the report you’ll receive, and the specific recommendations that will be provided.
Communication and Transparency: Throughout the audit process, clear communication from the provider is essential. Ask about how they will communicate with you, how often you can expect updates, and how you can ask questions or raise concerns.
Cost and Value: Costs for technical SEO audits may differ depending on the complexity of your website and audit’s scope. Instead of focusing only on the price, consider the value you’re receiving in return for your investment.
Taking Action
If you’re serious about improving your website’s search engine performance, consider investing in a technical SEO audit service. Contact us today to discuss your website’s needs and how our technical SEO audit service can help you achieve your goals.