Most people think SEO is just about keywords and backlinks, but even the best content won’t rank if your website has technical issues. That’s where technical SEO audits come in.
A technical SEO audit is a deep dive into your website’s infrastructure to ensure search engines can properly crawl, index, and rank your content. Without it, you may unknowingly block your site from appearing on Google—no matter how great your content is.
This beginner-friendly guide will walk you step by step through the most important parts of a technical SEO audit so you can improve site performance, search visibility, and user experience.
Unlock the secrets of technical SEO audits and learn why they’re critical for boosting your website’s visibility on search engines. This episode explores how technical SEO supports content and backlink strategies by addressing crawlability, indexability, and site performance. Get started with practical tips for beginners.
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What is a Technical SEO Audit?
A technical SEO audit is the process of evaluating the technical aspects of your website that affect how search engines discover, understand, and rank your content.
While on-page SEO focuses on optimizing content and keywords, and off-page SEO focuses on backlinks, technical SEO is the foundation. If your website isn’t technically sound, the rest of your SEO efforts won’t matter.
👉 Related reading: How Search Engines Work: Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking Explained
Why Technical SEO Matters
Crawlability: Search engines must be able to access your pages.
Indexability: Your pages must be stored correctly in Google’s index.
Performance: Speed, security, and mobile-friendliness are ranking factors.
User Experience: Technical fixes often improve usability, which helps rankings.
Without solid technical SEO, you risk wasting your content and link-building efforts.
How to Perform a Technical SEO Audit (Step by Step)
Here’s a complete checklist beginners can follow to run their first audit.
1. Check Site Crawlability
Search engines discover your site by crawling links. If crawling is blocked, your site won’t rank.
Audit Steps:
Use Google Search Console → Coverage Report to check crawl errors.
Ensure your robots.txt file isn’t blocking important pages.
Submit an XML sitemap in Google Search Console.
👉 Related reading: On-Page SEO Checklist: 25 Steps to Rank Higher
2. Ensure Proper Indexing
A page must be indexed to appear in Google search results.
Audit Steps:
Search site:yourdomain.com in Google to see indexed pages.
Use the URL Inspection Tool in Search Console.
Remove noindex tags from pages you want ranked.
Fix duplicate content using canonical tags.
👉 Related: Why Your Website Isn’t Ranking on Google
3. Evaluate Site Speed
Google considers Core Web Vitals a ranking factor.
Audit Tools:
Google PageSpeed Insights
GTMetrix
Lighthouse
Fixes Include:
Compress images
Enable browser caching
Use a CDN
Minify CSS/JS
👉 Related: How to Improve Website Speed for SEO
4. Mobile Friendliness
With mobile-first indexing, Google prioritizes your mobile site over desktop.
Audit Steps:
Use Mobile-Friendly Test (Google)
Ensure text is readable without zooming
Avoid popups that block content
Optimize images for small screens
👉 Related: Content Marketing vs SEO: What’s the Difference?
5. Secure Your Site with HTTPS
Security is a ranking factor. If your site still uses HTTP, you’re losing trust and visibility.
Audit Steps:
Install an SSL certificate
Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS
Fix mixed content issues
6. Optimize Site Architecture
A logical structure helps both users and search engines.
Audit Steps:
Ensure your homepage links to main category pages
Keep important pages within 3 clicks of the homepage
Use breadcrumb navigation
Build a clean internal linking strategy
👉 Related: What is Link Building? Proven Strategies for 2025
7. Fix Broken Links
Broken links waste crawl budget and frustrate users.
Audit Tools:
Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Ahrefs Site Audit
Google Search Console
Fixes:
Redirect broken URLs (301)
Update old links
Remove links to deleted content
8. Structured Data & Schema Markup
Schema helps Google understand your content and improves SERP features.
Examples include:
FAQ schema
Product schema
Local business schema
👉 Related: SEO vs Google Ads: Which is Better for Your Business?
9. Audit Duplicate Content
Duplicate pages confuse search engines.
Audit Tools:
Siteliner
Copyscape
Fixes:
Use rel=canonical tags
Consolidate duplicate pages
Rewrite or merge thin content
10. Monitor Core Web Vitals
Google measures:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Loading performance
First Input Delay (FID): Interactivity
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Visual stability
Improving these metrics boosts rankings and conversions.
Tools for Technical SEO Audits
Google Search Console – Free crawl/index insights
Screaming Frog SEO Spider – Crawl and find technical errors
SEMRush / Ahrefs – Comprehensive site audits
PageSpeed Insights – Performance metrics
GTMetrix – Site speed and waterfall analysis
Recommended Audit Frequency
Run a basic audit quarterly and a deep audit annually. Sites that update content frequently may need audits every 1–2 months.
Technical SEO Audit Checklist (Summary)
Check crawlability & robots.txt
Submit XML sitemap
Fix indexing issues
Improve page speed
Optimize for mobile
Secure with HTTPS
Clean site architecture
Fix broken links
Add structured data
Remove duplicate content
Monitor Core Web Vitals
Internal Linking Strategy & Anchor Texts
This post acts as a supporting pillar page under the broader SEO content hub.
Parent Pillar:
What is SEO? A Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization
Related Pillars & Clusters:
How Search Engines Work: Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking Explained
On-Page SEO Checklist: 25 Steps to Rank Higher
What is Link Building? Proven Strategies for 2025
How to Do Keyword Research in 2025 (Step by Step)
Recommended Anchor Text Examples
“technical SEO audit” → link to this page
“SEO audit checklist” → internal link
“improve website speed for SEO” → related cluster
“how search engines work” → parent pillar
“on-page SEO checklist” → cluster link
This creates a hub-and-spoke model, strengthening topical authority and rankings.
Austin Code Monkey’s SEO Services
At Austin Code Monkey, we don’t just design websites—we make them technically flawless.
Our SEO services include:
Comprehensive technical SEO audits
Fixing crawl and indexing issues
Core Web Vitals and speed optimization
Structured data and schema integration
On-page, off-page, and local SEO strategies
Whether you need a one-time audit or ongoing optimization, our team has the expertise to ensure your website meets Google’s highest standards.
👉 Ready to fix technical SEO issues? Visit Austin Code Monkey’s SEO Services today.
👉 Related reading: How to Local SEO in 2025? A Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization
Conclusion
A technical SEO audit is the backbone of your SEO strategy. By ensuring your site is crawlable, indexable, fast, and secure, you set the stage for all other SEO efforts to succeed.
Remember, even the best content won’t rank if search engines can’t access it.
Invest in your site’s future with a regular technical SEO audit—or let the experts at Austin Code Monkey handle it for you.
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Austin Code Monkey Delivers SEO Services in Austin, TX
Austin Code Monkey offers tailored SEO services for businesses in Austin, Texas, specializing in On-Page, Off-Page, and Technical SEO to boost online visibility. Their expert team focuses on ethical White Hat strategies, including keyword research, content optimization, and link building, to drive sustainable growth. Visit austincodemonkey.com to discover how their customized solutions can elevate your business in search engine rankings and attract more traffic.
Contact Austin Code Monkey For
Local and Nationwide On-Page SEO Services at 737-932-7532
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