How To Do technical SEO Audits For Beginners

Imagine your website as a car, with a technical SEO audit serving as its annual inspection. Much like a mechanic examines every component of a vehicle to ensure it operates efficiently, an SEO audit delves into your website's structure and performance. This process ensures that search engines can effortlessly locate, interpret, and highlight your content to the right audience. For more insights into common SEO problems and solutions, check out this detailed guide on top SEO issues.

Redirect Chain Problems

vh-info.com

Redirect chains are like a frustrating game of digital hot potato, where your website's visitors get bounced from one URL to another before reaching their destination. This not only slows down page load times but also dilutes the SEO value of your links12. 

To audit for redirect chains, use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to crawl your site and identify any multi-step redirects34. Once detected, simplify these chains by creating direct links to the final destination URL, and regularly review your redirect structure to prevent future issues56.

• Impact: Slower page loads, reduced link equity, and wasted crawl budget127
• How to audit: Use SEO tools to crawl your site and analyze server logs34
• Fix steps: Replace chains with direct links and conduct regular redirect audits56

Secure Website Setup

Carlos Muza

Think of HTTPS as a digital bodyguard for your website. It keeps your visitors' data safe and makes Google trust your site more, which can boost your rankings12. To check if your site's HTTPS is working properly, use tools like Google Search Console or SSL Checker3. 

If you find any issues, like mixed content (where some parts of your site are secure and others aren't), it's like having a house with a locked front door but open windows4. 

To fix this, make sure all parts of your site use HTTPS by updating internal links and resources5. Remember, a fully secure site not only ranks better but also builds trust with your visitors, encouraging them to stick around and engage with your content6.

Image Description Gaps

mangools.com

Think of ALT text as a friendly tour guide for your website's images. It whispers descriptions to search engines and visually impaired visitors, helping them "see" what's in the picture. Without it, your images are like silent movie stars in a world of talkies – they look great, but nobody knows what they're saying! To find these mute images, use tools like Screaming Frog or SEMrush to scan your site12. 

Once identified, give each important image a voice by adding clear, concise ALT text that describes the image and naturally includes relevant keywords34. 

For purely decorative images, use an empty ALT attribute (alt="") to tell screen readers they can skip over them3. Remember, good ALT text not only boosts your SEO but also makes your site more inclusive and user-friendly5.

Meta Description Problems

support.google.com

Meta descriptions are like movie trailers for your web pages. They give searchers a sneak peek of what to expect, enticing them to click through to your site. When these descriptions are missing or duplicated, it's like having the same trailer for every movie – confusing and uninspiring. To find these issues, use SEO tools like Rank Math or Yoast SEO to scan your site12.

Once identified, craft unique, engaging descriptions for each page, keeping them between 150-160 characters3. Include a clear call-to-action and relevant keywords to boost click-through rates2. 

Remember, while meta descriptions don't directly impact rankings, they significantly influence user engagement and, ultimately, your site's SEO performance4. So, make each description count – it's your chance to stand out in the crowded search results and convince users that your page is worth the click.

Speeding Up Your Website

fitsmallbusiness.com

Think of your website as a race car and page speed as its engine performance. A slow site is like a sluggish car that frustrates drivers and loses races. To tune up your site's speed, use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to diagnose issues12. These tools act as your website's mechanics, pinpointing areas for improvement.

Once identified, optimize your site by compressing images, minifying code, and leveraging browser caching3. For an extra boost, consider implementing a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to serve your content faster, much like having pit stops strategically placed around the racetrack4. Remember, a faster site not only pleases visitors but also gets a thumbs up from Google, potentially improving your search rankings5.

Fixing Dead Links

techmagnate.com

Broken links are like dead ends on your website's road map, frustrating visitors and confusing search engines. These digital potholes can harm your site's SEO by wasting crawl resources and damaging user experience12. 

To find these troublesome links, use tools like SEMrush or Screaming Frog to scan your site for 404 errors34. Once identified, fix broken links by updating URLs or setting up 301 redirects to guide users to the correct destination5. Regularly checking for and repairing broken links is crucial, much like maintaining a well-paved road, ensuring smooth navigation for both users and search engines6.

Dealing with Copied Content

Duplicate content is like serving the same dish at multiple tables in a restaurant. It confuses search engines, which act as the restaurant critics, unsure which version to recommend to diners (users). This confusion can dilute your website's SEO power, spreading link equity thin across multiple pages instead of concentrating it on one strong page12.

To find these culinary copycats, use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner, which scan your site for identical or near-identical content3. Once detected, consolidate duplicates using canonical tags (like putting a "Chef's Special" sign on the preferred dish) or 301 redirects (removing the duplicate dishes from the menu)4. 

Also, keep an eye on your URL parameters, as they can unintentionally create duplicate content, much like accidentally printing multiple copies of the same menu item5. By addressing duplicate content, you'll help search engines serve up your best content to hungry searchers.

Fixing Website Link Problems

semrush.com

Think of your website as a bustling city, and internal links as the roads connecting different neighborhoods. Poor internal linking is like having a city with confusing street signs and dead-end roads, making it hard for both visitors and search engines to navigate. To map out your website's "road system," use tools like Screaming Frog to crawl your site and reveal your internal link structure1.To improve your internal linking:

• Topic clusters are an effective way to organize your content. Think of them as grouping related articles and pages into "districts" within your website. For example, at ViP Earner, we created a topic cluster for Crayo.ai by interlinking related content around this AI tool, such as our article The Ultimate Guide to Crayo.ai. This helps users easily navigate all relevant information while boosting SEO performance.
• Use descriptive anchor text, like clear street signs, to guide users2
• Ensure new pages have links from relevant existing pages, like connecting new buildings to the main roads3
• Regularly audit your internal links to fix broken connections and optimize navigation4

By enhancing your internal linking strategy, you'll make your website easier to explore for both users and search engines, potentially boosting your SEO performance and user engagement5.

Fixing Website Data Labels

dbmstools.com

Think of schema markup as a translator for your website, helping search engines understand your content better. When implemented correctly, it's like giving search engines a detailed guidebook to your site, allowing them to showcase your content more effectively in search results.

To check if your schema markup is working properly, use Google's Rich Results Test1. This tool acts like a proofreader, highlighting any errors or missed opportunities in your markup.

If issues are found, add or update your JSON-LD schema for relevant content types like FAQs, products, or events2. Remember to regularly review and validate your schema, as search engines often update their guidelines2. 

By maintaining accurate and comprehensive schema markup, you're essentially giving your website a louder voice in the crowded digital space, potentially boosting your visibility and click-through rates in search results3.

Too Many Main Headings

papertrue.com

Think of H1 tags as the main headline of your webpage. Just like a newspaper should have one clear, bold headline, your webpage ideally should have one primary H1 tag. However, Google has stated that multiple H1 tags won't hurt your SEO12. It's more about using them logically to structure your content.

To check for multiple H1 tags, use tools like Sitechecker or Screaming Frog34. If you find pages with multiple H1s, consider keeping the most important one as H1 and changing others to H2 or H3.

This creates a clear content hierarchy, making it easier for both users and search engines to understand your page's structure56. Remember, good structure isn't just about SEO - it also improves readability and user experience, which can indirectly boost your site's performance.

Keyword Overuse Problems

contentwriters.com

Keyword stuffing is like adding too much salt to a dish - it ruins the flavor and leaves a bad taste. In SEO terms, it's cramming your content with keywords to try and game search engines, but this tactic backfires. Google's algorithms are smart enough to detect this and may penalize your site, pushing it down in search results12.

To avoid this, focus on creating valuable content for your readers, not search engines. Use keywords naturally and sparingly. Tools like SEMrush or Yoast SEO can help you check keyword density34. If you find overstuffed content, rewrite it to sound more natural, use synonyms, and prioritize readability. Remember, Google rewards high-quality, user-focused content that answers search intent, not keyword-stuffed pages12.

Top SEO Fixes First

zapier.com

When tackling SEO issues, it's crucial to prioritize your efforts for maximum impact. Start with the critical first steps that directly affect your site's performance and user experience. Address redirect chains promptly, as they can significantly slow down your website's loading speed 1. 

Ensure proper HTTPS implementation, as it's a ranking factor and builds user trust 2. Optimize page speed by compressing images, minifying code, and leveraging browser caching 3.

Once these foundational issues are resolved, focus on on-page optimizations. Craft unique, engaging meta descriptions to improve click-through rates 3. Enhance your internal linking structure to improve site navigation and crawlability 4. 

Implement schema markup to help search engines better understand your content 5. Finally, maintain your SEO health through regular audits using tools like Google Search Console and Semrush 2. This ongoing maintenance helps you stay ahead of new issues and adapt to search engine algorithm changes.

Conclusion

Technical SEO is like maintaining a well-oiled machine - it keeps your website running smoothly and efficiently. By addressing issues like slow loading times, broken links, and poor mobile optimization, you're not just pleasing search engines, but also providing a better experience for your visitors 1 2. Remember, a website that's easy to crawl and navigate is more likely to rank well and keep users engaged.

To keep your SEO efforts on track, make routine audits a habit. Schedule monthly or quarterly check-ups to spot and fix issues before they become major problems 3 4. 

This proactive approach helps maintain your site's health and ensures you're always putting your best foot forward in search results. By consistently fine-tuning your technical SEO, you're setting the stage for long-term success and growth in the competitive online landscape.