“Perform a technical site audit for SEO optimization.”While this phrase may be familiar, if you’re new to SEO services and unsure about conducting a technical site audit, this article is for you. It outlines the steps to carry out a technical SEO audit, enabling you to address problems that might be hindering your website’s search rankings.PS. Seeking a quick method to audit your website’s technical SEO? Explore this SEO checker tool. Within 60 seconds, it will assess your on-page, off-page, and technical SEO, offering resources to prioritize and rectify SEO issues effectively.A technical SEO audit, or technical site audit, is a critical component of SEO audits. It evaluates your website’s backend elements, such as page speed, index status, and crawlability, to identify and rectify issues impacting your SEO performance.Follow these steps to initiate your first technical site audit:1. Select SEO ToolsFirstly, choose the SEO tools that will facilitate your website audit. Some highly regarded SEO tools for technical site audits include:
Screaming Frog
SEMrush
DeepCrawl
Considering Screaming Frog’s free plan for crawling up to 500 URLs, it’s a good starting point.Spoiler alert: This guide on performing a technical SEO audit will utilize Screaming Frog as the primary tool. Note that businesses can combine these tools for comprehensive technical site audits.2. Crawl Your WebsiteAfter selecting your tools, initiate a website crawl. For Screaming Frog users, refer to their quick start guide for setup and crawl initiation instructions. The crawl time can vary based on website size, but for 500 URLs or fewer, it should be quicker. Regardless, planning ahead is key. 
The PageSpeed Insights Integration, available with Screaming Frog’s paid version, is beneficial due to the growing importance of page speed and Core Web Vitals in SEO. This integration allows for a holistic view of your website’s page speed, eliminating the need to input URLs individually into the PageSpeed Insights browser tool. 
The paid version also enables Google Analytics and Google Search Console data integration into Screaming Frog reports, adding convenience. However, these integrations are optional, especially if you’re using the free version. This SEO technical audit guide will focus on using both free and paid versions of Screaming Frog for clarity.Bonus read: How To Use Screaming Frog for SEO3. Analyze Your Crawl ReportUpon completing the website crawl, review the results. Tools like Screaming Frog offer a range of reports, such as:
Response codes, indicating broken links, redirects, and more
Sitemaps, identifying URLs not included in your sitemap
Structured data, capturing warnings and errors related to schema markup
With PageSpeed Insights enabled, you’ll also have access to page speed data. For technical SEO audits, focus on these reports:
Response codes
Broken links, redirect chains, and blocked pages can hinder SEO due to the difficulty for spiders to crawl and index these pages effectively.
Identify and fix:
Broken links (404s)
Redirect errors (301s)
Server errors (500s)
Pages unintentionally blocked by robots.txt
Sitemaps
Spiders rely on sitemaps to find and index new pages. Sitemap errors can waste crawl budget and impede crawler efficiency.
Identify and fix:
URLs missing from sitemap
URLs appearing in multiple sitemaps
XML sitemaps with over 50,000 URLs
Structured data
Structured data aids search engines in understanding page content. Errors can confuse crawlers and lead to inaccurate rankings.
Identify and fix:
Pages with validation errors
Pages with validation warnings
Pages using microdata or RDFa structured data
Canonicals
Canonical tags help crawlers distinguish between duplicate URLs. Proper use ensures the correct page is ranked in search results.
Identify and fix:
Pages without canonical tags
Pages with multiple canonical tags
Pages with duplicate canonical tags
Security
Security is crucial for technical SEO. HTTPS is preferred over HTTP to create a secure connection for user data transfer.
Identify and fix:
HTTP URLs
Forms on HTTP URLs
Mixed content or URLs with both HTTP and HTTPS resources
Hreflang
Hreflang tags are vital for international SEO, directing crawlers to appropriate URLs for different languages and regions.
Identify and fix:
URLs with incorrect language and region codes
URLs without a canonical tag
URLs missing an x-default
Export these reports for future reference. You can open and work through your fixes in tools like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.4. Review Google Search Console ReportsNext, examine Google Search Console for insights into your website’s performance. It offers analytics and data on how Google perceives your site, including crawl errors and mobile-friendliness.In Google Search Console, you can access various reports for your technical site audit:
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are SEO ranking factors focusing on page speed and user experience. Optimizing for these metrics enhances user satisfaction and search rankings.
Use the report to:
Identify site sections with poor Core Web Vitals scores
Find device types with poor Core Web Vitals scores
Mobile Usability
Mobile-friendliness is crucial for technical SEO. A responsive site ensures a seamless experience across devices.
Use the report to:
Identify non-mobile-friendly pages
Resubmit fixed pages for indexing
Share mobile issues with developers
Sitemaps
Sitemaps aid in discovering and crawling new pages. The sitemap report in Google Search Console allows for submission, resubmission, and deletion of sitemaps.
Use the report to:
Verify Google’s awareness of your sitemap
Spot sitemap errors
Resubmit fixed sitemaps
Security issues
While Screaming Frog can detect HTTP issues, Google Search Console alerts you to more severe security issues like malware.
Use the report to:
Identify affected pages
Work with developers to resolve issues
Submit fixed pages for reconsideration
Export these reports for review in Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.5. Verify Google Analytics SetupBesides Google Search Console, use Google Analytics for your technical SEO audit. Focus on checking your setup in your filtered view:
Log in to your Google Analytics account
Go to “Admin”
Select “View”
Choose “View Settings”
Enable “Bot Filtering” to prevent tracking of bot hits. Next, visit your Realtime report to confirm your Google Analytics tag is firing correctly.6. Prioritize and Organize Technical SEO FixesOnce your website’s technical SEO is assessed, prioritize and organize your fixes. Collaborate with a developer for backend issues. Commonly, prioritize:
Tracking issues
Crawling issues
Indexing issues
Security issues
Response code issues, like broken links
Mobile issues
Structured data issues
Page speed issues
Monitor these tasks in a Google Sheet or Microsoft Excel document. Over time, you may find certain issues, like crawling and indexing, become less frequent, allowing you to focus on improving page speed.7. Schedule Your Next Technical Site AuditCongratulations on completing your first technical site audit. The next step is to plan your next audit. To safeguard your SEO efforts and maximize performance, conduct regular technical SEO audits. Most businesses aim for one to two audits per year.A technical site audit is an effective way to identify and rectify technical SEO issues, potentially enhancing rankings, traffic, and sales.For those reluctant to invest time in a technical SEO audit, SEO Checker offers a quick solution. It can audit your:
On-page SEO
Off-page SEO
Technical SEO
Secure your website’s SEO report now and eliminate technical SEO audit tasks from your to-do list!
