How to conduct an effective SEO audit?

Time to get into the nitty-gritty of auditing your site. Below are key actions that can help you polish up your SEO Strategy.

Identify link-building opportunities

Links have a direct impact on your authority in search results. You’ll want two kinds: internal (pointing to your own site) and external (pointing to reputable domains). For internal links, consider adding references to older, relevant posts in your latest content. That helps visitors (and Google) explore your site more thoroughly. For external links, pick authoritative domains only—like Google, respected SEO blogs, or government sites.

Improve site structure

A messy site layout can push visitors away, fast. Check if your navigation menus are clear and whether pages are grouped logically. Too many call-to-action buttons? Junk them. Inconsistent naming conventions for categories? Fix them. Working with a user experience designer might be a smart move here; you want a structure that feels intuitive, not chaotic.

Fix thin content

Thin content usually doesn’t provide enough useful information. It might also be too long-winded and lose the reader halfway. Identify any pages underperforming in traffic or engagement, export them via your chosen SEO tool, and add details or trim fluff so they deliver real value.

Remove duplicate content

Duplicate content can lead to what’s called SEO cannibalisation, where your own pages compete with each other. Search engines may penalise you—or at least bump you down the rankings. SEMrush or Ahrefs can point out duplications so you can rework, merge, or eliminate them.

Conduct keyword optimisation

Keywords guide the right audience to your content. Miss out here, and you risk attracting the wrong clicks or none at all. Use a combination of competitive analysis and your own insight to pick logical keywords. Then place them gently—avoid forcing them—into your headings, meta title, URL, and body text.

Optimise meta tags

Your meta title and description appear in Google’s search results. Craft them to pique curiosity without resorting to cheap gimmicks. Keep them short, use your main keyword once, and provide a clear indication of what visitors can expect.

Identify page updating opportunities

A site that never changes can feel stagnant to both users and search engines. Regularly review existing pages: is the information still relevant? Could you compress images for faster loading? Should you add updated statistics or remove outdated details? Each of these small improvements signals that your site is active and worth ranking higher.

Optimise page speed

No one has the patience for a website that loads slower than a snail. Hop on PageSpeed Insights to pinpoint the culprits behind any sluggishness. Compress oversize images, enable lazy loading, cut down on HTTP requests, and tighten up your CSS and JavaScript. And watch those third-party dependencies—they can become unexpected hitchhikers on your performance ride.

Scan for site errors

While a 404 error or two might not seem like a crisis, too many broken links will drive visitors away. They can also damage your site’s perceived quality. An SEO Audit tool can flag these errors, allowing you to remove or fix them in a snap

Swap HTTP with HTTPS

Many browsers now warn users about “not secure” sites if they’re still on HTTP. Search engines also prefer secure connections as a ranking signal. If you haven’t already, it’s time to upgrade to HTTPS. Check Google Search Console’s Index Status to see which URLs may still need switching.