How to do technical SEO audit

A technical SEO audit identifies issues preventing search engines from crawling, indexing, and ranking your client's website efficiently. Start by running the site through Google Search Console and Google PageSpeed Insights to catch indexing problems, crawl errors, and mobile performance issues. Use Screaming Frog or Semrush's site audit tool to crawl the entire site and identify broken links, duplicate content, missing meta tags, and orphaned pages. These tools generate comprehensive reports showing exactly which pages have problems and their severity, saving you hours of manual checking.

Next, focus on the technical foundations that directly impact rankings. Check the site's mobile responsiveness—Google indexes mobile-first now, so a site that works poorly on phones will rank poorly. Verify that Core Web Vitals (loading speed, interactivity, visual stability) meet Google's thresholds, as these are confirmed ranking factors. Examine the site's crawlability by checking the robots.txt file and XML sitemaps to ensure important pages aren't being blocked from crawlers. Look for redirect chains that waste crawl budget, and identify thin or duplicate content that dilutes link equity. Also verify that HTTPS is properly implemented across the entire site, as security signals matter for rankings.

The final layer involves structural optimization. Ensure your internal linking strategy passes authority to important pages—check which pages have the most backlinks and whether they're pointing to high-value content. Review the site architecture to confirm important pages aren't buried too deep in the hierarchy. Check for JavaScript rendering issues if the site is heavily JavaScript-based, since Google's crawler may not execute scripts the way you expect. Finally, audit the page speed across different devices and connection types—even if PageSpeed scores look good, real-world performance often differs.

Document everything in a spreadsheet or report that prioritizes issues by impact. Separate critical problems (blocking indexing or ranking) from minor issues (meta descriptions), then create an action plan with your client. Most audits uncover quick wins like fixing crawl errors or adding missing meta tags that can improve rankings within weeks, alongside longer-term projects like site speed optimization or architecture restructuring.