How to do on page SEO audit

An on-page SEO audit starts with crawling the client's website using tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to capture technical data at scale, then systematically reviewing each element that impacts rankings. Begin by checking title tags across all pages—they should be under 60 characters, include the primary keyword naturally, and be unique rather than templated. Meta descriptions matter less for rankings than they used to, but they still influence click-through rates, so verify they're compelling, under 160 characters, and include relevant keywords where it makes sense. Then examine heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3 tags) to ensure each page has one primary H1 that matches the target keyword, with secondary headings organizing content logically beneath it. Many sites either skip H1s entirely or stuff them with keywords, both mistakes that need correction.

Content quality assessment requires looking at keyword optimization at a deeper level than just frequency. Check if the target keyword appears in the first 100 words, if related keywords and semantic variations appear naturally throughout, and whether the content actually answers what users are searching for. This is where you compare the page against top-ranking competitors—if your client ranks for "best CRM software" but their page lacks pricing information while competitors include it prominently, that's a gap worth fixing. Review internal linking strategy by mapping which pages link to each target page and whether anchor text is descriptive or generic. Many sites either have no internal links pointing to important pages or link with phrases like "click here" that provide no context.

Technical on-page factors deserve equal attention. Check image alt text—not just for accessibility but because Google uses it for context. Verify mobile responsiveness since that's a ranking factor, test page speed using PageSpeed Insights, and ensure structured data markup (schema.org) is present where relevant, like product schema for e-commerce pages or FAQ schema for support pages. Finally, assess content length against competitors; while there's no magic word count, underperforming pages often need 2-3x more depth than what's currently published. Document all findings with priority levels based on impact and effort, then present them with specific recommendations rather than just listing problems.