21 Jul Why You Should Do an SEO Site Audit
Today, the majority of consumers consult a business’s website before committing to a purchase. So, it is easy to see how having a website is vital for small business owners to gain traction, visibility, and customer loyalty – all of which are vital in today’s increasingly competitive landscape. However, in Australia, just under 60% of small businesses don’t have a website.
But if you just thought “I have one, I’m fine”, think again. Having a website that is packed with technical issues, slow, outdated, and not representative of your brand can be just as damaging. That is why you need an SEO audit.
A professional SEO audit can explain the reasons behind your Google Analytics performance, decrease in organic traffic, reduced leads, and limited audience. This thorough analysis is the first step towards creating an advantageous online presence. Learn about the benefits of carrying out a professional business site SEO audit below.
It Can Help You Fix Website Issues and Enhance Performance
One of the most important reasons to carry out an SEO site audit is to check for technical issues, eliminate on-page problems, and boost the whole site’s performance.
An SEO audit is nothing more than a website health check – and we know that Google values a site that is current, relevant, fast, and healthy. After all, site performance and UX (user experience) come up as some of the most important factors in ranking.
When performed regularly, site audits can help you pinpoint many technical issues that you might have not been aware of, including:
- Slow website loading speed
- Long server response time
- Large or poorly formatted images
- Issues with the CSS, HTML, or JavaScript code
- Page errors (including 301 Redirects, 302 Redirects, and 404 Redirects)
- Outdated or ineffective URL structure and site architecture
- Inhibited crawlability and lack of a dynamic sitemap
Aside from these “behind-the-scenes” issues, an SEO site audit also identifies and address on-page issues, including:
- Meta descriptions and meta titles
- Call to actions
- Titles and headers
- Keyword usage
- Internal linking
- Outbound linking
- Relevant content
- Effective formatting
As all those issues become visible, it is easy to fix them and improve site performance and user experience.
It Allows You To Better Understand Your Keywords
When we think of SEO, we think of keywords. While this discipline is much wider and does not only focus on keyword usage, it is a common connection we all make. And, to say the truth, keywords are still a vital aspect of a valid SEO strategy.
Thanks to an SEO audit, you will be able to find out what keywords your pages are actually ranking for – which don’t often match with the keywords you wish to rank for! In turn, this can cause you to deliver the right message to the wrong audience and vice-versa.
Once you better understand what keywords are generating traffic and which ones you should target to effectively reach your audience, you can then start reaching out to your targeted market.
It Is Essential To Create a Content Strategy That Works
Now you start to see how it is all connected! An SEO audit won’t only tell you about on page issues, but it can also guide you towards delivering the right message and targeting the right audience.
After gathering the data regarding issues to be fixed, your on-page optimisation score, competition, and link building strategy, you can start crafting a winning content strategy. Don’t underestimate what your landing pages, blog posts, and social media posts say and show – content is still king and plays a vital role in making the right first impression and generating loyalty.
You Need It To Gain Insights Into The Competition
Without an SEO audit, you can just guess what the competition is doing. However, with the help of a professional auditor and SEO expert, you can finally connect the dots and see the pattern behind their strategy.
You might start to better understand the keyword they are targeting, the kind of content strategy they have, and visualise their mission. Some of your competitors might be striving to become thought leaders, while others might focus on video content or alternative keywords. This competitive SEO analysis is key to help you decide on yours.
Get in Touch With Paul Barrs Today
Here at Paul Barrs Publishing, we have over 20 years of experience in helping small businesses win over a slice of the market, solidify loyalty, and thrive throughout time. Our expert SEO auditors understand that SEO can be a powerful tool – when you are looking at it as an ongoing process and long-term strategy. With an SEO audit, you can build the foundations of a solid and winning strategy for years to come.
Need help with your website updates? Paul and his team are specialists! Request a free SEO Audit today.
