Leave a request
It is better to prevent a problem than to correct its consequences. This rule is especially relevant for a site that requires regular attention. Even if your site works well, it doesn't mean it can't be improved. Often, even on large projects, you can find minor but correctable errors. If your site has problems with traffic, then a site audit will help you quickly identify and eliminate the main shortcomings.
In this guide, we will show you how to perform a site audit yourself and avoid negative consequences.
The first step in an audit will always be scanning. To do this, use crawlers that check code, content, links, images and other elements. Good tools for this are various webmaster services and specialized crawlers.
Technical audit
Robots.txt
Check your robots.txt file to ensure that pages with duplicate content, pages with dynamic content, and other elements that should not be indexed are hidden from search engines. Make sure that access to promoted pages is allowed and specify the main mirror. You can check the file through webmaster tools.
Sitemap
If your site has a Sitemap, check its code using validators. Make sure the file does not exceed the allowed size (50K URL and up to 10MB). If the limit is exceeded, split the card into several files. If there is no map, create and add it to the robots.txt file or register through webmaster services.
Indexing quality assessment
To check the number of indexed pages, enter the site: command and the domain name in the search bar without additional queries. You can also use the built-in webmaster tools to make sure your site is well indexed. If the number of indexed pages differs from the total number of pages on the site, look for the reason - perhaps the site was subject to sanctions or too many pages were closed from indexing.
HTTP status codes
Check for pages that are showing errors such as 404 (page not found) or 503 (internal server error). To do this, use tools to analyze the state of pages, such as monitoring services and webmasters.
Page URLs
Check that the URLs are readable and do not contain redundant parameters. The length of the URL should not exceed 100-120 characters, and the address itself should be clear and contain keywords without over-optimization.
Website loading speed
Check page loading speed using Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica or other services. Optimize images, minimize the size of CSS and JavaScript code, and use caching and compression to improve site performance.
Structure audit
Site architecture
It is important that the site structure is logical, with clear categorization and internal links. Important pages should be accessible in no more than two or three clicks to make it easy for search engines to index and navigate for users.
Internal links
Check internal linking, which helps distribute the weight of pages better. Use tools to analyze your internal link structure and ensure that your link anchors are relevant and varied. Make sure that links do not overload the pages and direct visitors to the desired content.
Content audit
Page meta tags
Check meta tags, including titles and descriptions. Headings must be unique, not exceed 70-90 characters and contain keywords. The description should be within 150-160 characters and accurately reflect the content of the page.
Main page content
Your content should be unique and useful to visitors. Avoid over-optimization, as this can negatively impact how your site is perceived by search engines. Include images with an alt attribute, and structure your text with headings and subheadings.
Outgoing links
Check if your links lead to low-quality resources. If you must use links, use the nofollow attribute to avoid passing weight to questionable pages. Use relevant and high-quality resources for links.
Backlinks
To analyze backlinks, use specialized services. Check where people are linking to your site. If the links come from reputable and thematically similar resources, this will have a positive impact on the reputation of your site.
If you have any questions or need help conducting an audit, you can contact the SEO studio "SEO COMPUTER" by email: info@seo.computer.
ID 6618
