Optimizing site content for the highest page rank in organic searches is a challenging process that requires a comprehensive plan for the best results. An SEO Audit is a great way to determine what keywords and other items should be prioritized.
Broken Links
Checking your site for broken links is a great place to start an SEO audit. Clicking through each page to make sure no links are leading to a 404 error is essential if you want to make sure each piece of content is adding as much SEO value as possible to your site. Checking each page will also give you an opportunity to get a feel for keywords that are already being used and which pages could use the most improvement.
Broken link checkers like the one available on ahrefs can also be used to pinpoint exactly where broken links are located for larger sites.
Pagespeed
Google and other search engines place an emphasis on pagespeed when determining page rank so landing pages that load quickly are essential. The Google Pagespeed Insights tool allows you to scan any url and offers suggestions on how you can improve page speed.
Making sure your site is running on a modern WordPress theme and images have had filesize reduced are good ways to make sure your site is loading as quickly as possible.
Google Analytics for Site Performance Data
Checking Google Analytics and other platforms used to measure site performance can give you valuable insights on which pieces of content would be best to focus on. Performance data can help you identify which pages drive the most traffic, keep users engaged, rank for important keywords. This information can be used to make sure new and existing pages include elements that have proven to drive performance.
Continuing to monitor key SEO performance metrics on platforms like Google Analytics and Search Console as optimizations are made is a great way to measure success.
Meta Info
It’s essential to check the meta information connected to each page because that’s the data that’s used for organic search results listings linking to your site. Every page should have a unique meta title and description focused on important keywords. Duplicate info should be avoided to ensure pages on the same site aren’t competing with one another for pagerank.
Page Content
Reviewing the content and site structure is an essential part of understanding what terms a site is most likely to rank for. Pages should all have one clear <h1> heading that relates to important keywords and using the same focus keyword for more than one page/post should be avoided. It’s important for every page on your site to offer something unique. Combining 2 pages with similar content before unpublishing/configuring a redirect for 1 of the urls is often a good idea.
It’s also important to check if images have keyword specific filenames and alt-tags that are related to the page they’re displayed on.
Create SEO Strategy with Data Collected
Once the SEO audit is complete, it’s time to use the collected data to create a comprehensive SEO strategy for the site. The first step is to identify the priority areas that need improvement based on the audit results, such as website structure, content optimization, or technical issues. Then, develop a plan of action to address these areas, including keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and other optimization techniques. Finally, review and adjust the strategy regularly to adapt to changes in the search engine algorithms, industry trends, and user behavior. By using the information collected during an SEO audit, you can create a comprehensive and effective SEO strategy that will improve your website’s visibility and attract more organic traffic.