For most companies, their search engine optimization (SEO) journey starts with an SEO audit. What’s the big deal about an audit, and why do we recommend everyone start by doing one? Those are great questions.
Imagine taking your car to a mechanic and asking them to just replace the engine and transmission and the suspension while they’re at it? The mechanic will say, “Whoa, wait a second, are we sure all that needs to be done? Let’s take a close look at it first.”
An SEO audit is a bit like that, but even more in-depth.
The Problem You’re Facing
You know your site isn’t ranking as well as your competitors. You know you’re not getting as much traffic from Google as you’d like. You have a vague sense you’re not doing enough, or not doing the right things, but you really can’t say what exactly is wrong. So, you approach the local SEO experts and ask for help.
The very first thing that needs to happen is an audit. An audit is simply an in-depth look at all the factors that are affecting the search results rankings of your site. It’s objective and detailed, taking into account both the behind-the-scenes code of your site as well as the end-user experience. Audits reveal hidden problems, set the baseline for future growth, and prescribe solutions to move your site up the rankings.
An SEO Audit Reveals Hidden Problems
Your web site is complicated. It’s got lots of pages, lots of links, and it’s probably been put together over a period of months or years, and who knows what all is in there. An audit examines your site using tools similar to the way Google indexes your site for searching. In the process, almost always the audit reveals hidden flaws that are easy to miss. Missing pages, broken links, coding errors… all those things detract from the experience of your users and lower your search rankings, but you didn’t even know they were there.
Rather than being afraid to look because you might find problems, embrace the challenge and face the issues. Use an SEO audit to get a clear picture of exactly what’s wrong (and right!) with your web site.
Building from an SEO Foundation
When you perform an audit, you’re also setting a baseline for where you’re at. Only by knowing your starting point can you measure how much you’ve grown and improved.
Through the SEO audit process, you’ll see those hidden problems or SEO mistakes not as something you have to bear, but as something you’ll be able to learn from and fix. You’ll get a clear picture of where you’re at, but the great news is you don’t have to stay there.
You Want SEO Solutions
What you of course really want in this process is to solve the problems revealed by the audit. We don’t want to just say, “Here’s what’s broken.” A good SEO audit also says, “…and here’s how to fix it.”
With expert analysis, the auditor can help you see what matters most, and what may be of secondary importance. They can give you clear action items to improve your site; things you can do yourself, or tasks you may want to assign to others. An audit leads to a roadmap to better rankings for your business, which means more customers, which means more profit.
Good SEO comes from knowing your site thoroughly, as well as knowing what your goals are, knowing Google, and knowing what works. And that all starts with an SEO audit.
Currently we’re offering a free introductory SEO audit. Let’s talk today about your site and how Leeway Creative can help you meet your goals.