We’ve talked a little bit about SEO audits before, and how an SEO professional can help you make the most of your web presence. But how important are SEO audits to small business success? Very. Think of an SEO audit like a well-check visit or a check-up with your doctor. Even if you’re not sick, it’s important to have regular check-ups to catch problems before they get serious and to measure your overall health. An SEO audit does the same thing for your website: catches problems early and measures the overall rank-ability of your site.

How does an SEO audit work?

An SEO audit looks for potential and existing problems with the functionality, UI, layout, and content of a website in terms of what search engines look for when ranking results. By comparing the website to known SEO criteria, the auditor can determine how friendly the site would be considered by search engines and what areas need improvement or replacement.

An SEO audit can be performed manually by you or an SEO professional, or it can be done using one of the many SEO auditing tools available online. Manual audits are the most effective, as they give feedback specifically about your site, rather than the generalized advice provided by the auditing algorithms of the tools.

What kinds of problems do SEO audits find?

An SEO auditor will look at several factors to determine which areas of your website need improvement to give you the best possible results. Many of these are content-related (i.e. page titles, URLs, meta descriptions, and unique – and properly keyword-infused – page content). Poorly grouped or formatted content, including text, ads, and images, can cause serious rank reductions in search engines. Hidden text plays a major role in high-ranking SEO, so the HTML and subtext of your content and site will be examined for any issues, such as missing or inappropriate subtext or broken scripts.

One of the major factors in SERP ranking is user friendliness and load time. These will be evaluated, as well as a search for broken or outdated links, which can damage your rankings and frustrate users. Missing or broken pages, like a lack of an about page or privacy policy, can also be detrimental to the health of your website. There are dozens of potential issues that an SEO audit can catch early so you avoid Google penalization.

How often should an SEO audit be performed?

On-site SEO audits should be performed at least quarterly, especially if you (wisely) employ a strategic linking strategy and regularly update your content. Small errors in code, formatting, and broken or redirected links can pop up when you least expect them, and it’s much easier to fix these issues early than to repair the damage to your rankings they will have. And, as you become more well-versed in correcting SEO mistakes, you’ll make fewer of them in the future. Regular professional SEO audits also inform you of any new criteria for SERP ranking so that you can adjust your approach as needed.

The doctor is in.

If you were due for a well-check visit, would you have your friend look you over to save a few bucks, or use WebMD and Google to diagnose yourself? Of course not; you’d make an appointment with a medical professional. Shouldn’t you give the health of your business the same consideration? The SEO experts at Little Egg Solutions have worked hard to understand SEO ranking factors and to learn to identify potential problems. Contact us today to find out how we can help keep your site (and thus, your profits) in tip-top shape.