subject: Getting started in SEO: Web Site Audit [print this page] A Web Site Audit is a process used by SEO companies to evaluate the overall SEO health of a web site; how well it is performing in terms of search engine friendliness, compiling a report identifying areas for improvement.
The actual contents of a report vary, but site audits usually consist of the same framework including keyword analyses, on-site optimisation, site structure, internal navigation, link popularity, and perhaps competitor analyses.
By highlighting SEO both on-site and off-site, a web site audit is highly recommended for businesses looking to improve search engine positioning, regardless of the size of the organisation. A site audit acts as the foundations of an SEO campaign, and it is vital that you start well.
Keyword Analysis
Using search engine data, keywords are generated for the most popular, and effective search terms. The best keywords to target are those producing large amounts of search traffic, with relatively low competition. Keyword Effective Index KEI) and Keyword Opportunity Index (KOI) are commonly used metrics in SEO to select the best keywords for a web site.
Sitemaps
XML sitemaps are used to allow search engine spiders to crawl your web site and find new pages quicker, allowing your web site and updates to be indexed quicker in search results.
User sitemaps are an excellent way of indexing all your web site's pages onto one page, allowing visitors to easily find a specific page. Although this practice is becoming less common with improved usability, search engines still favour web sites that show this level of attention to detail for their users.
Site structure and internal navigation:
Web site structure is all too often overlooked by webmasters, often at their peril. Using a simple, categorised physical structure allows search engine spiders to easily navigate through your site, as well as for your own SEO health. Keywords rich URLs are instrumental in SEO, and category sub folders on your site should be named appropriately. Avoid long URLs, no more than three sub folders should be used, and dynamic URLs should be avoided too.
Internal Linking that seamlessly links your pages is vital in terms of usability, allowing users to easily and quickly find information. Search engines place great value in user-centric web sites, rather than crammed, keyword stuffed content.
SEO agencies are all too aware of ongoing changes in the world of SEO and search engine algorithms, therefore ,must keep abreast of the latest developments in SEO to cater for their customers. An example of this is Page Speed becoming more important in search engine algorithms, requiring SEO agencies to include Speed analyses in web site audits too. Further changes in SEO will undoubtedly be reflected in the work of SEO agencies in the future, as they adapt to satisfy the constantly adapting needs of clients.
