Every business these days needs a strong web presence to gain new customers and the way we achieve that is through digital marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If you are not getting the results you want from your website, it may be time to perform an SEO audit. SEO audits are used to understand how well your SEO work compares to best practices. The audit is also the first step to creating a game plan for improving your organic search performance with measurable results like improving your Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings for desired keywords. If an owner attempts to fix issues without really knowing what’s wrong, it can lead to unnecessary or unhelpful changes.
What is the purpose of an SEO audit?
The purpose of an SEO audit it to reveal weak points in the business’ SEO strategy so that appropriate changes can be made. At a minimum, an SEO audit should provide answers about all of the following categories:
- On-page SEO issues such as 404 errors
- Technical SEO issues such as incorrectly indexed site
- Issues or opportunities for content
- User experience issues such as site speed
- Website structure issues such as poorly linked sub-pages
Ideally, you will get a comprehensive audit, which should also include a link audit, competitor analysis and social media audit. You want to ensure that the audit provides information about the visible online content found on your webpages and blog as well as information about the structural components affecting your SEO performance.
Once the information is gathered, it should be laid out in a report that is easy to understand with both a section for a broad overview and an itemized list. This information may give you a few lightbulb moments as you make connections between poor online performance and certain issues that need fixing. Next, the SEO expert should provide recommendations based on weak points and specific issues that need fixing. Each recommendation should be actionable with a clear path to fixing an issue and prioritized based on business goals.
How long should an SEO audit take?
To do it right and depending on the size of your site, an SEO audit can take from one to several weeks. Trying to rush an SEO audit isn’t helpful because you won’t end up with all the information you need. An SEO expert can let you know how much work will be involved with your SEO audit and provide a reasonable timeline for completion.
What to look for in an SEO auditor
There are several things a business should look for when hiring an SEO auditor:
- An experienced SEO specialist
- Able to provide a realistic timeframe to get the job done
- Provides a reasonable price quote
- Will provide a detailed report and a list of recommendations for getting your SEO on track
- Will tailor the audit to your business needs and goals and industry
What does an SEO audit cost?
For small to medium sized businesses, the price of an SEO audit varies widely from about $600 to $15,000. It may be less expensive to pay for a piecemeal audit but we recommend going for a comprehensive audit that can give you a true picture of your SEO performance.
Seek the Help of a Local Business SEO Expert
Most small business owners do not know how to improve their search engine results rankings to drive traffic to their websites, let alone perform an SEO audit. The best thing to do is find an SEO expert who can help your business achieve its goals to increase sales, brand loyalty and online traffic; starting with an SEO audit.
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