Comprehensive SEO Analysis of a Website: Perform Yourself or Delegate to a Professional?

Spent considerable time, financial, and moral resources on promoting your website, but the efforts are not paying off as desired? Understanding the issue is not difficult; all you need is an SEO audit. The check can be comprehensive or brief. Let’s see which action strategy is more effective and whether SEO audit can be successfully conducted without any help.

What is meant by SEO audit?

An SEO audit is sought in cases where it is necessary to evaluate the site’s compliance with search algorithms’ requirements and target users’ queries on the Internet. The analysis will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of your promotion strategy, detect major technical errors for prompt resolution.

It is advisable to start preparing for the audit in the following cases:

• Despite efforts and energy put in, the status of the page in search results is not improving, conversion, and other metric indicators are not advancing;
• The site conversion has sharply declined;
• You cannot determine the resource readiness level for search optimization;
• Management and promotion of the web resource haven’t been addressed for a long time;
• You are extremely dissatisfied with the work of the hired SEO experts.

What stages comprise a comprehensive audit?

Previously, in the article, it was stated that an SEO audit can be conducted either comprehensively or in an expedited format. To form the most complete series of problems that prevent the site’s ranking from reaching the top, it’s better to follow an integrated approach and focus on a detailed assessment of the web resource.

A comprehensive SEO analysis is implemented in several stages. Each individual phase is dedicated to examining a specific group of parameters, namely:

Technical area

First of all, you need to ensure that the site is functioning properly. Even if you conducted testing before launching the site, over time, the initial settings might be disrupted. Technical diagnostics are based on examining the following parameters:

• Page load speed (ideally up to 3 seconds);
• Presence/absence of inactive links or errors encountered when following links;
• Security system (presence of a secure connection (https://));
• Value of unique code (where possible, simplify the code and reduce its weight to enhance site loading speed);
• Adaptability for mobile format (important to ensure all site functions and sections are well displayed in both desktop and mobile versions).

Competitive environment

Today, almost in any market niche, a high level of competition is observed. To surpass rivals in search rankings, one needs to understand the weak and strong sides of their internet resources. Duplicating another strategy isn’t advisable, but adopting intriguing moves and creative features is permissible. Competitor SEO audit consists of such criteria:

• Site structure, its external design: pay attention to the smallest details, from font to styles;
• Page content (including semantics): view which target queries appear in articles most often. However, focusing solely on text blocks isn’t wise, also assess the used infographics, and other interactive materials;
• Loading time: if competitors achieve full page load in a fraction of a second and yours is significantly longer, rectify this shortcoming ASAP;
• The specificity of link building: find out which sites and how many refer to the competitor’s site;
• Other factors (positions in SERP, attendance, etc.).

Usability (including content quality)

Usability factors demonstrate how convenient it is for users to use your site. If the following items are in unsatisfactory condition, the probability of a user returning to the page is exceedingly low.

• Visual design: when developing site design, endeavor to adhere to the golden mean: use legible fonts, quality animation, and eye-pleasing colors.
• Internal content: write articles on relevant topics that interest your audience. Structure materials using clickable headings and subheadings. Break the main text block into paragraphs; this will make a vast data array easier to perceive. It’s important that all site articles are unique, concise, and non-spammed.
• Web interface: thoughtfully organize site navigation details. Create interlinking based on logic, sequence, and clarity.

Feedback on usability is best obtained from real users; automated services won’t be much help in this case.

Site structure

Sites with illogical, intricate structures repel both search bots and people. The former face difficulties indexing the site while the latter struggle to find the right product/section.

Search optimization, as such

Checking the effectiveness of internal optimization includes:

• Analysis of behavioral factors (number of viewed pages, user time on the site, etc.);
• Checking for sanction risks (particularly relevant if you previously engaged in “gray” promotion methods);
• Adjusting meta tags (ensure title, description, and other blocks are organized following search engine recommendations);
• Modernizing interlinking order within the site (ensure all links are active, eradicate broken links).

Work on external optimization, in turn, focuses on building a high-quality link profile for the site.

Semantic core

Remember to expand the site’s semantic core, as it can attract more clients and increase traffic. Semantics help identify which topic is currently popular and what content the consumer lacks at the moment.

Marketing area

For internet resource owners specializing in providing commercial services, marketing development tips are more relevant than ever.

Pay attention to the following aspects:

• Do the texts, images, and videos used on the page reflect your company’s merits;
• Are there CTA elements on the site – special forms, prompts, etc., that motivate the user to undertake a specific action (leave a request, subscribe to the newsletter).
• Are your unique competitive advantages written and is the lead magnet well designed.

Two options for conducting an SEO audit

An SEO audit can be conducted independently using special services to check data. For instance, Check my links, Badlinks is usually used for identifying broken links, Semrush, Ahrefs for analyzing the link profile, and Turgenev, Text.ru, Advego for determining publication uniqueness.

The key advantage of this approach is its budget-friendliness. However, to do the job well, you will have to spend a lot of effort and time acquiring new SEO skills.

Thus, a more reliable method for conducting an SEO audit is collaborating with specialized agencies. If you choose this path, take the selection process of contractors seriously. Choose only vetted companies that can boast at least some successful cases.

An audit composed by a qualified specialist will be more expensive, but in return, you’ll receive a comprehensive, detailed report with a list of recommendations to enhance the site’s status in search results.

In conclusion

Consider conducting an SEO audit only if you’re ready to learn from the mistakes made and apply the obtained information for self-improvement. If no progress is made regarding working on problematic situations following the analysis, you will waste time and money. That’s why do not disregard expert advice or the data obtained as a result of independent research, but use them as a springboard for progressive development.