A comprehensive website audit goes well beyond a cursory analysis, diving deep into the various components that underpin a website’s success. These audits are not merely an examination of the present but a gateway to future optimization.
So, what’s the big deal? Why should you invest time and effort in such an audit? Here’s why :
- Unlocking Potential: A thorough website audit can unearth untapped potential, supercharging your website’s SEO performance.
- Demonstrating Commitment: It showcases your agency’s unwavering commitment to robust analysis and improvement, instilling confidence in potential clients.
- Winning Clients: A well-documented audit can be your golden ticket to winning over prospective clients, proving that your agency means business.
So, buckle up with these step-by-step guide to get you started on a winning SEO audit:
Gather Sources & Prepare for the Audit
Preparation is the key. You need to gather relevant information to lay the foundation for your audit. Key tools in this stage include Google Search Console, Google Analytics (although access might not be available yet), and dedicated SEO monitoring and analytics tools like SE Ranking. Your goal is to get a holistic view of the company and its website’s performance. Engage in open conversations with the client to understand their business, goals, and available resources. This knowledge will help you tailor your audit to meet their specific challenges and requirements.
Perform Competitive Research & Analyze Strategies
Understanding the competitive landscape is vital. Analyze the client’s primary competitors, including their visibility, traffic sources, keywords, and backlink profiles. This analysis gives you a deep understanding of your client’s position and helps you identify successful keyword strategies.
Conduct a Technical Website Audit
Time to dig deep into the technical aspects. Evaluate the page experience, look for broken links, inspect the sitemap and robots.txt files, check for no index and canonical tags, and assess the overall website structure. Additionally, consider Core Web Vitals to enhance the user experience and search engine rankings.
Analyze Keyword Rankings
Keywords are the lifeblood of SEO. Analyze the client’s current keyword positions, their dynamics over time, and identify potential target keywords. Also, compare your client’s keyword rankings with their competitors to spot opportunities and areas for improvement.
Evaluate the Backlink Profile
The authority and rankings of a website are greatly influenced by its backlink profile and off-page SEO endeavours. Examine the backlinks’ quantity, quality, anchor texts and the ratio of dofollow to nofollow links. Compare the client’s backlink profile with those of their competitors to spot gaps and opportunities. It’s also important to pinpoint any links that might be harmful, such as toxic or spammy ones, which could tarnish the website’s reputation. Once this analysis is complete, it’s time to craft a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing the website’s off-page SEO. This strategy should encompass various tactics, including link building and promotional efforts to boost the website’s brand presence.
Gather Results & Prepare for the Pitch
Assemble the results and prepare for the client pitch. Create an executive summary highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, and key findings. Provide actionable recommendations and pinpoint low-hanging fruit that can lead to significant traffic improvements. Use SEO reporting tools to craft impactful reports, tailoring the findings to the client’s specific needs and goals. During the pitch, emphasize the value and potential outcomes of your recommendations.
By showcasing the potential of your audit findings, you can secure the client’s trust and partnership. Website audits are a powerful tool to win over clients, prove your agency’s expertise and pave the way for lasting partnerships. So, it’s your time to shine, and audits are your secret weapon.
