Technical SEO audit: guide for small businesses

Discover what an SEO technical audit is, why it matters for your business, and download our Checklist for SEO Technical Audit to attract more customers.

If you're a small or medium-sized business, you may have come across search engine optimisation (SEO) auditing tools, or you may have even downloaded a checklist for SEO audit. These aren't just technical jargon; they're an essential part of reaching the right customers with what your business offers. This article will simplify what an SEO technical audit is, why it matters for your business, and what role a technical SEO audit tool plays.

What is an SEO technical audit?

An SEO technical audit means scrutinising your website's technical elements to identify issues affecting its visibility on search engines like Google. In simpler terms, it's like a health check for your website, aimed at finding technical glitches and enhancing your site's SEO performance. By finding and fixing these issues, your website works better with search engine algorithms, which can improve your site’s ranking, which determines where your site shows up in search results.

What does technical SEO include?

Technical SEO is all about the elements of your site that influence its readability and therefore how search engines rank it. It covers everything from how fast your website loads and how easy it is to use on mobile, to the way your website is structured and if it's secure. Each part plays a role in making your site easy to find.

How do you implement an SEO technical audit?

The first step is to create a checklist, to get started, download our ready-made Checklist for SEO Audit, below.

What tools do I need for a technical audit?

The great news is that there are many SEO auditing tools out there that can help you. These include:

Google Analytics – to help you understand how people are using your site

Google Search Console – to see how Google views and ranks your site in search results

Screaming Frog – to find any on-site or on-page errors (you’ll get the lowdown on what ‘on-page’ and ‘off-page’ mean a little further down), and

SEMRush for a comprehensive SEO audit.

Each tool has its own special features and can help in different ways. You can also set up handy weekly, monthly, or quarterly email reports through these tools, highlighting any new SEO issues that you should fix to keep your site ranking as high as possible.

How long does an SEO technical audit take?

This depends on your website's size and complexity. For small websites, the audit might only take a few hours, while larger sites can take days or even weeks. While this might seem like a long time, the benefits of a thorough audit – such as improved site performance and a more enjoyable experience for your potential customers – make it worthwhile.

When do you need a technical audit?

There are certain times when a technical SEO audit is especially important. For example:

1. When you launch a new website you'll want to make sure everything is set up correctly from the start.

2. If you notice your website isn't working as well as it used to or isn't showing up as high in search results, an audit can help figure out why and fix any problems.

3. Plus, regular check-ups are always a good idea to keep your website in the best shape possible.

   
   

What is an off-page SEO technical audit?

An off-page SEO technical audit is a check-up on things that happen outside your website but still affect how easy it is to find. This includes things like links from other websites, social media activity, and other ways of promoting your site. A proper off-page audit should involve:

Backlink analysis – which means looking at where your links are coming from and identifying ‘toxic links’ coming from low-quality or spammy sources that will harm your ranking, and

Social media engagement – seeing how well your site is doing on social media in terms of user engagement.

Download our Checklist for Technical SEO Audit below for our recommendations on checking your on and off-page SEO.

Hopefully we’ve sold you on the merits of doing an SEO technical audit. By knowing what to look for and using the right tools, you can make your website easier for people to find, leading to more visitors and more business for you.

Need more digital advice for businesses?

If you need 1-2-1 advice about managing digital for your business, including implementing an SEO technical audit, why not speak to one of our V-Hub Digital Advisers by phone? Find out more.