How to Conduct an SEO Audit – Tera Creations

How to Conduct an SEO Audit Step-by-Step

ByTera Creations

Introduction

If you want predictable growth from organic search, you must know how to conduct an SEO audit. An audit reveals technical errors, content gaps, and ranking opportunities. At Tera Creations, we use a structured process Kenyan businesses can follow to prioritize fixes and win quick results.

What Is an SEO Audit?

An SEO audit is a full health check for your website. It examines crawlability, indexation, speed, mobile experience, content quality, structured data, and backlinks. The goal is to remove blockers and unlock growth.

How to Conduct an SEO Audit (Step-by-Step)

The following repeatable framework shows how to conduct an SEO audit that’s thorough yet practical.

1) Define goals and set a baseline

Clarify business targets, key pages, and lead goals. Then record current metrics: rankings, clicks, conversions, and page speed. Connect Google Analytics 4 and Search Console.

2) Crawl your site

Run a site crawl to map URLs, status codes, and metadata. Flag broken links, redirect chains, duplicate titles, and missing canonicals. This is the backbone of any site audit.

3) Check indexability and directives

Confirm Google can access your pages. Review robots.txt, meta robots tags, canonical tags, and your XML sitemap. Submit updated sitemaps in Search Console.

4) Fix Core Web Vitals and speed

Measure LCP, CLS, and INP. Compress images, minify code, lazy-load media, and cache assets. See our Technical SEO service for deeper performance work.

5) Validate mobile-first experience

Most Kenyan users search on phones. Test tap targets, font sizes, and layout shifts. Ensure design is responsive and fast on 3G/4G.

6) Enforce HTTPS and security

All pages should load via HTTPS with a valid SSL. Eliminate mixed content and force secure redirects.

7) Improve site architecture and internal linking

Organize pages into clear categories. Use descriptive anchor text and add contextual links to priority URLs like On-Page SEO, Local SEO, and SEO Audits.

8) Evaluate on-page elements

Audit titles, H1/H2s, meta descriptions, and URL slugs. Map each page to a primary keyword and related terms. Follow best practices from our On-Page SEO checklist.

9) Assess content quality and intent

Identify thin, outdated, or duplicate content. Improve E‑E‑A‑T signals with expertise, evidence, and clarity. Use our Content SEO approach to fill gaps and match search intent.

10) Add and validate structured data

Implement Article, Product, Service, FAQ, or Organization schema where relevant. Test with Google’s Rich Results tools.

11) Optimize images and media

Use descriptive filenames, WebP where possible, and alt text that supports relevance (e.g., How to Conduct an SEO Audit – Tera Creations). Lazy-load below-the-fold assets.

12) Review local SEO signals

For Kenyan businesses serving specific areas, align NAP details, categories, and services with your Google Business Profile. Build citations and local landing pages. Explore our Local SEO services.

13) Analyze backlink profile

Check referring domains, anchor text diversity, and toxic links. Plan safe outreach and partnerships. Learn more about ethical Link Building.

14) Verify analytics and conversions

Ensure GA4 events, goals, and UTM standards are in place. Track form fills, calls, and purchases correctly.

15) Prioritize and roadmap

Group issues by Impact × Effort. Tackle high-impact, low-effort fixes first. Create a 30/60/90‑day plan and assign owners.

SEO Audit Checklist

Use this quick SEO audit checklist to stay on track:

  • Robots.txt allows important paths; no accidental disallows.
  • XML sitemap is clean, current, and submitted.
  • No 4xx/5xx errors; redirects are 301 and minimal.
  • Titles, H1s, and metas are unique and purposeful.
  • Core Web Vitals meet Google thresholds.
  • Mobile UX is smooth; fonts and buttons are readable and tappable.
  • HTTPS is universal; no mixed content.
  • Internal links surface money pages and clusters.
  • Content is original, up to date, and intent-matched.
  • Structured data validates without errors.
  • Images are compressed, named well, and have helpful alt text.
  • Google Business Profile and citations are accurate.
  • Backlinks are relevant; toxic links are disavowed only when necessary.
  • GA4 and Search Console are connected and reporting.

Recommended SEO Audit Tools

A few trusted resources simplify how to conduct an SEO audit:

  • Google tools: Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and Rich Results Test
  • Screaming Frog or Sitebulb for crawling
  • Ahrefs for backlinks and content gaps
  • SEMrush Site Audit for quick diagnostics
  • Google’s guidance in Search Central

How Often Should You Audit?

For most sites, run a light technical SEO audit monthly and a deep audit quarterly. However, always audit after migrations, redesigns, or traffic drops.

Why Work with Tera Creations

We’ve shown how to conduct an SEO audit in a simple, actionable way. Our team blends data, creativity, and engineering to remove roadblocks quickly. You get a clear plan, faster pages, stronger rankings, and better leads.

FAQs (Add FAQ schema)

How long does an SEO audit take?
Small sites need 3–7 days. Larger, complex sites can take several weeks, especially with templates, multilingual pages, or custom web apps.

Which issues should I fix first?
Prioritize items that block crawling or indexing, severe speed problems, broken pages, and pages without organic potential.

Do I need tools to run an audit?
Yes. At minimum use Search Console, GA4, a crawler, and a speed tester. These reveal most problems quickly.

Final Thoughts

Now you know how to conduct an SEO audit with confidence. Follow the steps, use the checklist, and track impact. When you need expert help, we’re here.

👉 Ready for a professional audit? Contact Us and let Tera Creations uncover quick wins and long-term opportunities.

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