Comprehensive SEO Health Audit and Correction Guide using Free (or Cheap) Resources
Check all these items on your website (in the order shown):
1. Technical SEO Audit:
Site Architecture and Crawlability - Use tools like Screaming Frog (free for up to 500 URLs) to analyse and improve site structure. This will give you all the steps to correct errors.
XML Sitemap - Generate a new sitemap using plugins like Yoast SEO (WordPress) or online tools like XML-Sitemaps.com. Make sure you include all the images on your site also.
Website Speed - Use Google PageSpeed Insights and Pingdom for recommendations. Implement caching, optimise images and minify CSS (cascading style sheets) and JS (Javascript). Also using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) can significantly speed up website content delivery. Cloudflare is one of several free CDNs.
URL Structure - Implement clean, descriptive URLs. Use .htaccess for Apache servers or web.config for IIS (Internet information Server) to set up redirects. Dead-ends and 404 error pages are not good signs that your website is reliable and up-to-date.
HTTPS Security - Install an SSL certificate. See no. 10: Security Audit: Website Security Protocols. Most of these aspects should be installed at the server by your domain hosting company.
Robots.txt File - Create or modify using a text editor. Test using Google's Robots.txt Tester in Google Search Console. Not all pages need to be followed by the crawlers, so apply 'no-index' and 'no-follow' instructions where necessary.
Mobile-Friendliness - Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool and implement responsive design principles.
Indexing - Submit your sitemap through Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
2. On-Page SEO Audit:
URL Optimisation - Ensure URLs are short, descriptive and include target keywords.
Image Optimisation - Use tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel to compress images. Implement descriptive alt tags. The best image formats for quality and minimal memory usage are JPG and WEBP. AVIF is becoming a standard, but is not yet recognised on all platforms, so hold back on that one, but keep an eye on it for future use.
Keyword Optimisation and Integration - Use tools like Google Keyword Planner (free) or Ubersuggest (free option) for keyword research.
Internal Linking Structure - Implement a logical linking structure. Use plugins like Link Whisper for WordPress to assist.
Heading Tags (H1, H2, etc.) - Ensure proper use of H1, H2, etc. Use the 'Inspect' tool in browsers to check heading structure.
Meta Titles and Descriptions - Optimise using plugins like Yoast SEO or RankMath for WordPress, or directly in your CMS (Client Management System).
Content Quality, Relevance, and Freshness - Use tools like Grammarly (free version) for proofreading and Hemingway Editor for readability improvements.
3. Off-Page SEO Audit:
Backlink Profile Analysis - Use tools like Ahrefs (paid) or Moz Link Explorer (limited free version) to analyse backlinks. Use Google's Disavow Tool after attempting to remove bad links manually. Check on:
• Quality and Authority of Backlinks
• Anchor Text Distribution
Brand Mentions - Set up Google Alerts (free) to monitor brand mentions. Then respond, where possible, to anyone and everyone who has mentioned your brand.
Online Reputation - Always respond swiftly to all reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc. Do not give a generic answers, only personal and seriously considered replies. This will show that you care about your site visitors.
Social Media Presence - Use tools like Hootsuite or Buffer (free options available) for social media management.
4. Content Audit:
Content Gaps - These are subject areas that your competitors haven't covered in their content. Use tools like AnswerThePublic (free option) to find content ideas.
Engagement Metrics - This is all about knowing what your readers want to see. Analyse using Google Analytics (free).
Content Duplication Detection - Duplication of content is penalised by the search engines. Use Copyscape (paid) or Siteliner (free) to check for duplicate content.
Content Updates - Regularly update and repurpose older content with new information and re-optimise for current keywords. Aim for a keyword density of 2-3% in your content. Any more may trigger the algorithm as keyword stuffing, which is severely penalised.
5. User Experience (UX) Audit:
Website Navigation - Implement clear, logical navigation structures.
Mobile Responsiveness - Use responsive design principles and test with Google's Mobile-Friendly Test.
Page Layout and Design - Follow web design best practices. Use tools like Hotjar (free option available) for heatmaps and user recordings, to see areas of your content that users linger-on.
Readability and Accessibility - Use the Hemingway Editor (free) to improve content readability.
Forms and Call-to-Action (CTA) Elements - Use A/B testing tools like Google Optimise (free) to test different versions
6. Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) Audit:
Form Optimization - Use tools like Typeform or Google Forms (free) to create user-friendly forms. Web builders like Wix and WordPress have their own built-in form creators that are pre-optimised.
Conversion Funnels - Google Analytics and Hotjar (both free) tools, that are good for funnel analysis to improve conversion rates.
A/B Testing Results - Implement tests using Google Optimize (free) or Optimizely (paid).
Landing Page Performance - Use tools like Unbounce or Instapage (paid) for creating optimised landing pages.
Checkout Process (for e-commerce sites) - So many tools to choose from, but try Kissmetrics, CrazyEgg or VWO (Visual Website Optimizer (paid versions), alternatively Google Analytics, Google Optimize and Hotjar (free versions).
7. Analytics and Tracking Audit:
Google Analytics Setup -
Goal and Conversion Tracking - Set up and configure Google Analytics (free) for comprehensive tracking of goals and conversions. Do this by creating a Google Analytics account, Set up a Property, Configure data sharing, Get your Tracking ID and Add the tracking code to your website.
Event Tracking - Implement Google Tag Manager (free) for advanced tracking capabilities.
Data Accuracy and Integrity - This is a vast subject all on it's own, however; use the following tools:
Google Tag Assistant: Helps verify that Google Analytics tags (and other Google tags) are properly installed.
Google Analytics Debugger: A Chrome extension that provides detailed debugging information for tracking code.
Google Data Studio: For creating detailed reports and dashboards to visualise and compare data.
Screaming Frog: For crawling your website to check the presence and placement of tracking codes across all pages.
8. Local SEO Audit (if applicable):
Local Citations - Use tools like Moz Local (paid) or manually update business listings. Alternatively, free tools include: GBP (Google Business Profile) formerly know as GMB (Google My Business) - see below, Bing Places for Business, Apple Maps listing, Yext Listings Scan and SEMrush Listing Management Tool (Free Trial).
Local Schema Markup - Implement using Google's Structured Data Markup Helper or plugins like Schema Pro for WordPress.
Local Reviews and Ratings - Google Reviews, Trip Advisor, CheckATrade, Which? Trusted Traders, Trustpilot, Bark and also HomeAdvisor. Use any good reviews that you have on all these sites.
Google Business Profile - Formerly known as Google My Business. If you haven't claimed your map marker, then you are missing out.
NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone Number) - Make sure your contact details are absolutely consistent wherever you use them.
9. Competitor Analysis:
Competitor Keyword, Content, Backlink Analysis and Social Media Presence - Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs (many free tools, some paid) for comprehensive competitor analysis.
Pingdom (free) for testing site speed and locating bottlenecks.
SEOQuake browser extension (free) for many metrics.
Screaming Frog (free). Download & crawl 500 URLs for free, or buy a licence to remove the limit & access advanced features.
Implement insights gained from competitor analysis into your SEO strategy.
10. Security Audit:
Backup Systems - Use plugins like UpdraftPlus for WordPress or services provided directly by your hosting company.
SSL Certificate - Secure Sockets Layer originally created by Netscape in the 1990's. Essential for Google to index your website. Install using Let's Encrypt (free) or purchase from your trusted ISP provider or domain host.
Malware Detection - Use tools like Sucuri SiteCheck (free scanning) or Wordfence for WordPress.
Vulnerability Scans - Regularly run scans using tools like OWASP ZAP (free) or paid services via your domain host.
Website Security Protocols - Website security is a critical aspect of web development. Here are some of the most essential security protocols and best practices, along with brief implementation guidance:
HTTPS (HTTP Secure):
Use SSL/TLS certificates to encrypt data in transit.
Implementation: Obtain an SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority and configure your web server to use HTTPS.
Content Security Policy (CSP):
Prevents cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks by specifying which content sources are allowed.
Implementation: Add CSP headers to your server responses, defining allowed sources for scripts, styles, images, etc.
Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS):
Controls which domains can access your resources, preventing unauthorized access.
Implementation: Configure CORS headers on your server to specify allowed origins, methods, and headers.
HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS):
Forces browsers to use HTTPS for all connections to your site.
Implementation: Add the Strict-Transport-Security header to your HTTPS responses.
Secure Cookie Flags:
Protects cookies from being accessed by malicious scripts or transmitted over insecure connections.
Implementation: Set the Secure and HttpOnly flags when creating cookies.
Input Validation and Sanitisation:
Prevents injection attacks by validating and sanitizing all user inputs.
Implementation: Use server-side validation libraries and sanitize inputs before processing or storing them.
Password Hashing:
Securely stores user passwords to protect them in case of a data breach.
Implementation: Use strong hashing algorithms like bcrypt or Argon2 to hash passwords before storing them.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
Adds an extra layer of security beyond just passwords.
Implementation: Integrate a 2FA library or service into your authentication system.
Regular Security Updates:
Keeps your systems protected against known vulnerabilities.
Implementation: Regularly update your server software, frameworks, and libraries.
Web Application Firewall (WAF):
Filters and monitors HTTP traffic between a web application and the Internet.
Implementation: Use a cloud-based WAF service or install a WAF on your server.
Remember: SEO is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor your website's performance using tools like Google Search Console (free) and adjust your strategy accordingly. Implement changes gradually and track their impact to ensure continuous improvement.
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