Let's be real – in the here and now, having an online presence is a must for any business looking to thrive. But simply having a website isn't enough; you need to make sure it's optimised for search engines so that potential customers can find you when they're searching for your products or services.
That's where Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes into play, and within that realm, a technical SEO audit is an important tool.
A technical SEO audit is a deep dive into the underlying structure, code, and technical elements of your website. Its main goal? To identify and fix any issues that could prevent search engine crawlers from effectively navigating, understanding, and indexing your site's content.
The role of technical SEO is to ensure that your website follows the best practices and guidelines set by search giants like Google, making it easier for them to crawl and index your pages. By optimising various technical factors, a technical SEO audit helps search engines better interpret and rank your content in relevant search results.
Now, while on-page SEO focuses on optimising things like content, titles, and meta descriptions, and off-page SEO is all about building authority through activities like link building and social media promotion, technical SEO audits tackle the behind-the-scenes factors that influence your website's crawlability and indexability. Without a solid technical foundation, even the most well-optimised content can struggle to rank in those all-important search engine results pages (SERPs).
So, what exactly goes into a technical SEO audit? Let's break it down:
- Search engine crawlers are programs that browse the internet, discovering and indexing web pages by following links and analysing content.
- Making sure these crawlers can effectively access and index your site's content is crucial for SEO success. This involves optimising factors like site architecture, URL structure, and the presence of an XML sitemap to facilitate efficient crawling and indexing.
- A well-organised site architecture is essential for helping search engines understand the hierarchy and relationships between different pages on your website.
- Best practices for URL structure include using descriptive and keyword-rich URLs, avoiding dynamic parameters, and maintaining a logical structure that mirrors your site's content organisation.
3. Mobile-First Indexing and Mobile Devices
- Mobile-first indexing is Google's way of prioritising the mobile version of your website for indexing and ranking purposes, reflecting the fact that more and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to browse the internet.
- Optimising your website for mobile devices has become a critical ranking factor, as it ensures a seamless user experience across various devices.
- Page load times and overall site speed are important factors that impact user experience and search engine rankings. Faster websites tend to provide a better user experience and rank higher in search results.
- Tools like Google's PageSpeed Insights can help you analyse and identify areas for improvement in terms of site speed and performance.
5. XML Sitemap and Search Engine Understanding
- An XML sitemap is a file that provides search engines with a comprehensive list of all the pages on your website, along with additional metadata, such as last update times and page priorities.
- Submitting an XML sitemap to Google and other search engines can help them understand your website's structure better, leading to more efficient crawling and indexing of your content.
- Broken links, or dead links, can negatively impact your website's user experience and SEO performance. They can frustrate users and signal to search engines that your website may have outdated or low-quality content.
- Conducting regular website audits and using tools like crawlers and site auditors can help you identify and fix broken links, ensuring a healthy and well-maintained website.
- The URL Inspection Tool within Google Search Console allows you to analyse individual web pages, identify potential issues, and request indexing or re-indexing.
- Following the best practices for these elements, as well as adhering to search engine guidelines, can improve your website's ability to rank well in search results.
Alright, so now that you know what goes into a technical SEO audit, how do you actually perform one? Here's a general outline of the process:
- Crawl and Audit: Use website crawling tools such as Screaming Frog or SEMrush to analyse your site's structure, identify broken links, and uncover any technical issues that may be hindering search engine accessibility.
- Analyse Site Architecture and URL Structure: Evaluate the overall site architecture and URL structure to ensure a logical, crawlable hierarchy that mirrors your content organisation.
- Assess Mobile-Friendliness: Test your website's performance and user experience on mobile devices, ensuring it adheres to mobile-first indexing best practices.
- Optimise Site Speed: Utilise tools like PageSpeed Insights to analyse and improve page load times and overall site speed, enhancing user experience and search engine rankings.
- Create and Submit XML Sitemap: Generate an up-to-date XML sitemap and submit it to Google and other search engines to help them better understand and crawl your website's structure.
- Fix Broken Links: Identify and resolve any broken or dead links on your website, ensuring a seamless user experience and maintaining site health.
- Utilise Google Search Console: Leverage the insights and tools provided by Google Search Console, including the URL Inspection Tool, to monitor and optimise your website's performance in Google Search.
- Implement SEO Best Practices: Optimise various on-page elements, such as meta descriptions, canonical tags, and structured data, following search engine guidelines and best practices.
While a technical SEO audit is important for identifying and resolving any existing issues, SEO is an ongoing process.
Search engines are constantly updating their algorithms and best practices, and user behaviours and preferences are ever-evolving. This makes it essential to adopt a proactive approach to technical SEO optimisation, regularly auditing and adjusting your website to stay ahead of the curve.
By conducting periodic technical SEO audits and putting in place the recommended optimisations, you can ensure that your website remains compliant with search engine guidelines, providing a seamless user experience across all devices and platforms.
This ongoing commitment to technical SEO can help maintain and improve your website's visibility and rankings in relevant search results, ultimately driving more organic traffic and enhancing your online presence.
As search engines are a major means by which businesses communicate with their target audiences , a technical SEO audit is an essential part of any effective SEO plan. By addressing the key technical elements that impact your website's performance in search results, you can optimise your online presence and stay ahead of the competition.
By following the steps outlined in this blog post and implementing best practices, you can create a solid technical foundation that allows your content and marketing efforts to shine.
If you're ready to elevate your online presence and unlock your website's full potential, reach out to SpiderDigital today. Our experts will work closely with you to conduct a detailed technical SEO audit, identify areas for improvement, and develop a customised optimisation plan to help you achieve your digital marketing goals.