How to Do a Full SEO Audit (With Tools & Templates)
Ever feel like your website should be ranking higher? You’re putting in the work, but Google just isn’t giving you the love you deserve. Maybe your traffic’s flatlining, or worse—dropping.
The fix? A full SEO audit.
Not some surface-level checklist. A deep, no-BS dive into what’s holding your site back. I’ll walk you through the exact steps—plus the best tools and free templates to make it stupid simple.
Let’s get your site firing on all cylinders.
Why a Full SEO Audit Matters
Google’s algorithm changes 500–600 times a year. If you’re not auditing regularly, you’re flying blind.
A proper SEO audit:
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Finds technical errors killing your rankings (like broken links or slow load times).
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Shows where competitors are beating you (and how to flip the script).
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Uncovers easy wins (low-hanging traffic opportunities).
Skip it, and you’re leaving money on the table.
Step 1: Technical SEO Audit
If your site’s technically broken, nothing else matters.
✅ Crawlability & Indexing
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Tool: Google Search Console (Free)
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Check Coverage Report for errors (404s, blocked pages).
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Ensure important pages are indexed (search
site:yourdomain.comin Google).
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Fix: Update your robots.txt and submit a sitemap.
✅ Site Speed
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Tool: PageSpeed Insights (Free)
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Aim for 90+ on mobile & desktop.
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Quick fixes: Compress images, enable caching, ditch bloated plugins.
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✅ Mobile-Friendliness
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Google’s mobile-first indexing means this is non-negotiable.
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Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
Step 2: On-Page SEO Audit
Your content needs to scream relevance to Google.
✅ Keyword Optimization
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Every page should target 1 primary keyword + 2–3 secondary keywords.
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Use tools like Ahrefs or Ubersuggest to find gaps.
✅ Content Quality
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Does it answer the searcher’s intent? (Check top-ranking pages—are you better?)
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Update old posts—Google loves fresh content.
✅ Meta Tags & URLs
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Title tags: Under 60 chars, include keyword.
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Meta descriptions: 150–160 chars, compelling click-through.
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URLs: Short, readable, keyword-included.
Step 3: Off-Page SEO Audit
Backlinks = authority. No shortcuts here.
✅ Backlink Profile
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Check spammy links (disavow toxic ones in Google Search Console).
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Find broken link-building opportunities (more on this later).
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✅ Competitor Backlink Analysis
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Steal your competitors’ best links.
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How? Use Ahrefs’ “Backlink Gap” tool to see who’s linking to them but not you.
Step 4: Content & UX Audit
If users bounce, Google notices.
✅ Internal Linking
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Link related posts strategically (helps Google understand your site structure).
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Fix orphan pages (pages with no internal links).
✅ Readability
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Break up walls of text with:
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Subheaders (H2, H3)
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Bullet points
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Bold highlights
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Tools like Hemingway Editor help simplify.
✅ Engagement Metrics
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High bounce rate? Improve your intro hooks.
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Low time on page? Add videos, interactive elements.
Free SEO Audit Tools & Templates
Don’t overcomplicate this. Use these:
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Technical SEO: Screaming Frog (Free for 500 URLs)
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Backlinks: Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker
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Content Gaps: SEMrush (Free trial)
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Rank Tracking: Google Search Console
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Template: SEO Audit Template by HubSpot
FAQs
How often should I do an SEO audit?
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Full audit: Every 6 months.
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Quick checks: Monthly (indexing, rankings, crawl errors).
Can I rank without backlinks?
Possible, but way harder. Focus on earning high-quality links.
What’s the fastest SEO win?
Fix technical errors (404s, slow pages)—they kill rankings instantly.
Final Step: Take Action
An audit is useless if you don’t execute.
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Prioritize fixes (start with technical SEO).
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Track progress (rankings, traffic, conversions).
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Repeat (SEO isn’t a one-time thing).
And if you’re looking to boost your online presence beyond SEO, check out MediaGeneous for promoting your content across platforms.
Bottom line: A full SEO audit isn’t optional. It’s the difference between stagnation and growth.
Do the work. Reap the rewards.
Now, go fix your site. 🚀
