Do you think SEO audits are a waste of time? Let’s clear up some misconceptions and learn how to make them super helpful!

Why We Do SEO Audits

 

Imagine starting a new job or working with a new client but not knowing where to begin. That’s where SEO audits come in handy! They help us figure out what’s going on with a website and find ways to make it better. For example, we once discovered a big problem for a client: their website had over a million duplicate pages! They didn’t even know about it until we did an audit.

Here’s why SEO audits are important:

 

1. Getting Up to Speed: When we’re new to a project, audits help us understand what’s going on.
2. Diagnosing Problems: Like a doctor diagnosing an illness, audits help us find what’s wrong with a website.
3. Setting Direction: Audits guide us on what needs fixing first so we don’t waste time on less important stuff.

Why SEO Audits Seem Like a Waste

 

Sometimes, people think SEO audits are a waste of time. But it’s usually because of a few problems that can be fixed:

1. Too Much Info, Not Enough Focus: Some audits give long lists of problems without saying what’s most important.
   • Solution: Make the audit shorter and prioritize what needs fixing first.
2. Unclear Recommendations: Sometimes, audits don’t clearly explain what to do to fix things.
   • Solution: Give clear, easy-to-follow suggestions for improvement.
3. Using Complicated Language: Audits can be hard to understand because they use too much jargon.
   • Solution: Use simple language that everyone can understand, and include a summary for busy people.
4. Focusing Only on Fixing: Audits often focus on fixing problems, but they should also help improve and build on what’s already good.
   • Solution: Look for ways to make things better, not just fix what’s broken.
5. Not Taking Action: Sometimes, recommendations from audits never get put into action, so nothing changes.
   • Solution: Make sure people know what to do after the audit and why it’s important to follow through.
6. Not Figuring Out Why Problems Happened: If we don’t understand why things went wrong, they might happen again.
   • Solution: Investigate why problems happened and find ways to prevent them in the future.

Making SEO Audits Better

 

With a few changes, SEO audits can be really helpful instead of a waste of time:

• Keep audits short and focused.
• Give clear recommendations.
• Use simple language everyone can understand.
• Look for ways to improve, not just fix.
• Make sure people take action after the audit.
• Figure out why problems happened and prevent them in the future.

So, let’s give SEO audits a better reputation by doing them the right way! When done well, they’re a great way to improve websites and make them more successful.