What is a Technical SEO Audit?
Technical SEO audit is the most crucial process for analyze the structural and technical elements of your website. This analysis allows you to identify issues that may harm visibility and performance in search results. The main aspects analyzed include:
- website speed: Slow pages impact user experience and rankings;
- Tracking and indexing: Checks whether search engines can access and understand your pages;
- Navigation problems: Issues like broken links or confusing menus;
- Security: Use of HTTPS and protection against vulnerabilities;
- Duplicate content: Avoids confusion in search engines and penalties;
- Responsiveness: Ensures a consistent experience across devices.
By identifying these issues and correcting them, you help Google better understand your content. This can improve your organic visibility and bring you more traffic over time.
Why is Technical SEO Audit Important?
Investing in a technical SEO audit is essential to ensure that your website is running efficiently. This audit allows search engines to crawl, index, and display your pages correctly. Here are some of the top reasons to get this audit done:
- Improve user experience: A fast and responsive website is more pleasant to browse;
- Avoid penalties: Issues like duplicate content or broken links can hurt your rankings;
- Increase security: The use of HTTPS and other protection measures are essential to gain the trust of visitors;
- Maximize organic visibility: Technically optimized websites have a better chance of reaching the top positions;
- Identify performance bottlenecks: Such as slow pages or crawl errors that affect your digital presence.
Technical auditing not only fixes existing problems, but also prevents future ones. This helps build a more robust website that is prepared to compete in the digital environment.
How to Do a Technical SEO Audit?
Conducting an audit may seem complicated, but with a well-structured plan, it is possible to simplify the process. We have created a complete step by step so you can understand how to do a technical SEO audit and identify the points to be corrected:
1. Check Site Indexing
The first step in a technical SEO audit is to ensure that your website is properly indexed by search engines. Tools like Google Search Console help identify common errors such as:
- Pages blocked by the robots.txt file;
- Noindex tags applied incorrectly;
- Problems with XML sitemap.
These errors can prevent your pages from appearing in search results. For example, if an important page isn't being indexed, you need to investigate and fix the issue.
2. Test Website Speed
A site speed is essential for user experience and search engine rankings. According to studies, 471% of consumers expect loading times to be 2 seconds or less. Use the Google PageSpeed Insights to measure the loading speed of your website.
Tools like this provide reports and actionable suggestions, such as:
- Image compression;
- Code optimization;
- Cache activation.
3. Analyze the URL Structure
A good URL structure is essential for both search engines and users. Organized URLs reflect the hierarchy of your site and make navigation more intuitive. For example:
| Category | Correct URL |
|---|---|
| Kids > Girls > Shoes | domain.com/criancas/meninas/calcados |
Avoid mistakes such as using underscores (_) instead of hyphens (-). Long URLs with too many parameters should be adjusted to be simpler.
4. Check Structured Data
You structured data are essential to help search engines understand the content on your site. They organize information in a way that Google can easily interpret it.
This optimization improves indexing and increases the chances of having your pages featured in results with rich snippets. Use the Rich Results Test to verify that structured data is configured correctly.
5. Review the XML Sitemap and Robots.txt
O XML sitemap guides search engines on which pages to prioritize. robots.txt defines which areas can be crawled. Keep your sitemap up to date and ensure that robots.txt does not block important pages.
6. Audit Internal and External Links
Internal and external links are essential for technical SEO optimization. Internal links help with navigation and distribute authority, while external links increase the credibility of the content.
Use tools like Screaming Frog to identify broken links or orphan pages.
7. Check Mobile Compatibility
With 99% of Brazilians accessing the internet via cell phone, investing in mobile compatibility is essential. Google prioritizes responsive websites, so rank your site using tools like Small SEO Tools.
8. Review SSL and Website Security
A website security is a pillar of technical SEO. Using an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is essential. Websites with SSL are identified by the https prefix and convey more confidence to visitors.
Common Mistakes in Technical SEO and How to Fix Them
Websites often face technical issues that affect their performance. Fixing these issues requires careful analysis, but it’s worth it. Small improvements can have a significant impact on your visibility and performance.
Tools for Technical SEO Auditing
Performing a technical SEO audit is easier with specialized tools. Google’s free options, such as Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and Google Analytics, provide valuable insights. Paid tools, such as Semrush and Ahrefs, provide even deeper insights.
When to Hire an SEO Agency?
If the technical issues seem complex or time-consuming, hiring a SEO consulting may be the best solution. A specialized agency has the knowledge to identify and resolve problems quickly.
Therefore, performing a technical SEO audit is an essential step for the digital success of your website. From indexing analysis to security, every detail influences its performance and visibility in search engines.
Need help optimizing your website? Contact us and discover how SEO consulting can transform your business!
