# seo-audit reference

## Audit Framework

### Priority Order
1. **Crawlability & Indexation** (can Google find and index it?)
2. **Technical Foundations** (is the site fast and functional?)
3. **On-Page Optimization** (is content optimized?)
4. **Content Quality** (does it deserve to rank?)
5. **Authority & Links** (does it have credibility?)

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## Technical SEO Audit

### Crawlability

**Robots.txt**
- Check for unintentional blocks
- Verify important pages allowed
- Check sitemap reference

**XML Sitemap**
- Exists and accessible
- Submitted to Search Console
- Contains only canonical, indexable URLs
- Updated regularly
- Proper formatting

**Site Architecture**
- Important pages within 3 clicks of homepage
- Logical hierarchy
- Internal linking structure
- No orphan pages

**Crawl Budget Issues** (for large sites)
- Parameterized URLs under control
- Faceted navigation handled properly
- Infinite scroll with pagination fallback
- Session IDs not in URLs

### Indexation

**Index Status**
- site:domain.com check
- Search Console coverage report
- Compare indexed vs. expected

**Indexation Issues**
- Noindex tags on important pages
- Canonicals pointing wrong direction
- Redirect chains/loops
- Soft 404s
- Duplicate content without canonicals

**Canonicalization**
- All pages have canonical tags
- Self-referencing canonicals on unique pages
- HTTP → HTTPS canonicals
- www vs. non-www consistency
- Trailing slash consistency

### Site Speed & Core Web Vitals

**Core Web Vitals**
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): < 2.5s
- INP (Interaction to Next Paint): < 200ms
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): < 0.1

**Speed Factors**
- Server response time (TTFB)
- Image optimization
- JavaScript execution
- CSS delivery
- Caching headers
- CDN usage
- Font loading

**Tools**
- PageSpeed Insights
- WebPageTest
- Chrome DevTools
- Search Console Core Web Vitals report

### Mobile-Friendliness

- Responsive design (not separate m. site)
- Tap target sizes
- Viewport configured
- No horizontal scroll
- Same content as desktop
- Mobile-first indexing readiness

### Security & HTTPS

- HTTPS across entire site
- Valid SSL certificate
- No mixed content
- HTTP → HTTPS redirects
- HSTS header (bonus)

### URL Structure

- Readable, descriptive URLs
- Keywords in URLs where natural
- Consistent structure
- No unnecessary parameters
- Lowercase and hyphen-separated

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## On-Page SEO Audit

### Title Tags

**Check for:**
- Unique titles for each page
- Primary keyword near beginning
- 50-60 characters (visible in SERP)
- Compelling and click-worthy
- Brand name placement (end, usually)

**Common issues:**
- Duplicate titles
- Too long (truncated)
- Too short (wasted opportunity)
- Keyword stuffing
- Missing entirely

### Meta Descriptions

**Check for:**
- Unique descriptions per page
- 150-160 characters
- Includes primary keyword
- Clear value proposition
- Call to action

**Common issues:**
- Duplicate descriptions
- Auto-generated garbage
- Too long/short
- No compelling reason to click

### Heading Structure

**Check for:**
- One H1 per page
- H1 contains primary keyword
- Logical hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3)
- Headings describe content
- Not just for styling

**Common issues:**
- Multiple H1s
- Skip levels (H1 → H3)
- Headings used for styling only
- No H1 on page

### Content Optimization

**Primary Page Content**
- Keyword in first 100 words
- Related keywords naturally used
- Sufficient depth/length for topic
- Answers search intent
- Better than competitors

**Thin Content Issues**
- Pages with little unique content
- Tag/category pages with no value
- Doorway pages
- Duplicate or near-duplicate content

### Image Optimization

**Check for:**
- Descriptive file names
- Alt text on all images
- Alt text describes image
- Compressed file sizes
- Modern formats (WebP)
- Lazy loading implemented
- Responsive images

### Internal Linking

**Check for:**
- Important pages well-linked
- Descriptive anchor text
- Logical link relationships
- No broken internal links
- Reasonable link count per page

**Common issues:**
- Orphan pages (no internal links)
- Over-optimized anchor text
- Important pages buried
- Excessive footer/sidebar links

### Keyword Targeting

**Per Page**
- Clear primary keyword target
- Title, H1, URL aligned
- Content satisfies search intent
- Not competing with other pages (cannibalization)

**Site-Wide**
- Keyword mapping document
- No major gaps in coverage
- No keyword cannibalization
- Logical topical clusters

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## Content Quality Assessment

### E-E-A-T Signals

**Experience**
- First-hand experience demonstrated
- Original insights/data
- Real examples and case studies

**Expertise**
- Author credentials visible
- Accurate, detailed information
- Properly sourced claims

**Authoritativeness**
- Recognized in the space
- Cited by others
- Industry credentials

**Trustworthiness**
- Accurate information
- Transparent about business
- Contact information available
- Privacy policy, terms
- Secure site (HTTPS)

### Content Depth

- Comprehensive coverage of topic
- Answers follow-up questions
- Better than top-ranking competitors
- Updated and current

### User Engagement Signals

- Time on page
- Bounce rate in context
- Pages per session
- Return visits

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## Common Issues by Site Type

### SaaS/Product Sites
- Product pages lack content depth
- Blog not integrated with product pages
- Missing comparison/alternative pages
- Feature pages thin on content
- No glossary/educational content

### E-commerce
- Thin category pages
- Duplicate product descriptions
- Missing product schema
- Faceted navigation creating duplicates
- Out-of-stock pages mishandled

### Content/Blog Sites
- Outdated content not refreshed
- Keyword cannibalization
- No topical clustering
- Poor internal linking
- Missing author pages

### Local Business
- Inconsistent NAP
- Missing local schema
- No Google Business Profile optimization
- Missing location pages
- No local content

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