What Is an SEO Audit?
An SEO audit is a structured review of how well a website is set up to be found, understood and used by search engines and potential visitors. It looks at the site as a whole, as well as individual pages, to identify what is working well, what may be limiting visibility, and where practical improvements could make the biggest difference.
The aim is not simply to add more keywords. A good search engine optimisation audit considers whether your website is targeting the right searches, answering customers’ questions clearly, guiding visitors towards an enquiry or booking (a conversion), and giving search engines enough context to understand your services.
The outcome is a prioritised improvement plan with clear recommendations that can be implemented independently or as part of ongoing SEO support.
What is included in an SEO Audit?
Content, Keywords and Search Intent
The audit reviews the language, headings, copy and images across your website to understand which search terms your pages currently target. It then compares this with the terms your ideal customers are likely to use when looking for your products or services.
This helps identify opportunities to improve content with relevant, high-value keywords while keeping it clear and useful for people. It also considers search intent: whether a page provides the information someone expects to find when they make a particular search.
For example, someone searching for a local service may need reassurance, pricing information, examples of work or a simple way to get in touch. If the page does not answer these needs, it may struggle to attract the right visitors or convert them into enquiries.
Recommendations may include new FAQs, clearer service pages, content restructuring, more useful articles and improved calls to action.
Technical SEO and Website Performance
The audit checks for technical issues that can affect how easily search engines access, understand and display your website. This may include page speed, mobile usability, indexing, page titles, heading structure, internal links, duplicate content and other technical foundations.
It also reviews whether website analytics and search reporting are in place, so that future SEO decisions can be based on real visitor behaviour and search performance.
Meta Titles and Descriptions
Meta titles and descriptions are the text that can appear in search results. The audit reviews these across your website to make sure they clearly describe each page, reflect relevant search terms and encourage the right people to click through.
Recommendations focus on improving search visibility, click-through rates and clarity for both search engines and potential customers.
Structured Data (Schema)
Structured data, also known as schema markup, gives search engines additional context about the content on a page. The audit reviews existing schema and identifies relevant opportunities to improve it.
Depending on the business and its website, this may include markup for the organisation or local business, services, products, articles, FAQs, reviews, events or people. Only schema that accurately reflects the visible content and services offered should be used.
Local SEO
For businesses that serve a particular area, the audit reviews how well the website supports local search visibility. This can include location pages, local keywords, Google Business Profile information, map visibility, local citations and the consistency of business details online.
The goal is to make it easier for nearby customers to find your business when they search for the services you provide, conversely for people searching your location to find your business.
User Journey and Conversion
Being found in search results is only the first step. The audit also considers what happens when someone arrives on your website.
It reviews how visitors move through the site, whether calls to action are clear, how forms and booking pathways work, and whether the content builds trust at the right moments. Recommendations focus on helping more relevant visitors take meaningful next steps, such as making an enquiry, requesting a quote or booking an appointment.
What You Receive
Following the audit, you receive a clear overview of your website’s strengths, issues and opportunities, alongside page-by-page findings where needed. Recommendations are prioritised so you can understand what is likely to have the greatest impact first.
An SEO audit provides the starting point. A monthly SEO review then builds on this work by monitoring performance, reviewing changes and implementing agreed improvements over time.
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