How to Conduct an SEO Audit: Step-by-Step Checklist

Case Study: SEO Audit for a Local Bakery (Audience: Small Business Owners)

Define key terms
- Technical SEO: Site speed, crawlability, indexing, structured data
- On-page SEO: Content quality, headings, metadata, internal links
- Off-page SEO: Backlinks, citations, brand mentions
- Core Web Vitals: LCP, INP, CLS performance metrics

Step-by-step actionable checklist
1) Crawl the site
- Use Screaming Frog/GA4/GSC to map URLs and detect errors
- Check robots.txt, XML sitemaps, and canonical tags
2) Fix technical SEO
- Resolve 4xx/5xx errors, redirect chains, mixed content
- Optimize Core Web Vitals and image compression; enable caching/CDN
- Ensure HTTPS, HSTS, and correct canonicalization (www vs non-www)
3) Improve site architecture
- Flatten deep paths; ensure logical categories and breadcrumbs
- Create or refine HTML sitemap
4) On-page optimization
- Map one primary keyword per URL; align with search intent
- Improve titles, H1s, meta descriptions, and header structure
- Add internal links to relevant resources like /technical-seo/ and /free-seo-audit/
5) Content quality
- Add E-E-A-T signals: author bios, citations, case data, unique images
- Update thin/duplicate pages; consolidate cannibalized content
6) Indexing and coverage
- Inspect with GSC; remove noindex where needed; block low-value facets
7) Local SEO specifics
- Ensure NAP consistency, Google Business Profile optimization, local citations
8) Analytics and tracking
- Verify GA4 events, conversions, and Search Console ownership

Common mistakes to avoid
- Only chasing high-volume keywords; ignoring intent and conversions
- Overlooking internal link opportunities and orphan pages
- Neglecting mobile performance and accessibility
- Letting redirects accumulate; not auditing regularly

Next steps / CTA
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