This free, no-email SEO audit checklist walks you through the 50 things that actually move rankings — technical, on-page, content, local, backlinks and AI search — in plain English. Tick each item as you go; your progress and score save automatically in your browser. Print it, share it, and work through it at your own pace.
How do you do an SEO audit? Work through six areas in order — technical & indexing, on-page, content & E-E-A-T, local/Google Business Profile, backlinks & authority, and AI search (AEO/GEO). Fix the technical blockers first (indexing, HTTPS, speed, mobile), then on-page and content, then build authority. This 50-point checklist covers every step.
Reset Print / Save as PDF
1. Technical & indexing
Your pages are indexed in Google Search site:yourdomain.com — if pages are missing, nothing else matters yet. XML sitemap submitted in Search Console Helps Google discover and crawl every page. robots.txt isn’t blocking important pages One stray Disallow can hide your whole site. HTTPS enabled across the whole site Security and a confirmed Google ranking signal. One canonical version (www vs non-www) 301-redirect the rest so you don’t split ranking signals. No accidental “noindex” on key pages A common, silent ranking killer. Core Web Vitals pass (LCP, INP, CLS) Speed and stability affect rankings and conversions. Mobile-friendly / responsive Google indexes the mobile version first. Fix crawl errors & broken links (404s) They waste crawl budget and frustrate visitors.
2. On-page SEO
Each page targets one clear primary keyword Focus beats trying to rank one page for everything. Unique title tag under ~60 characters Keyword near the front; every page different. Compelling meta description (~155 chars) Doesn’t rank directly but wins the click. One H1 per page that matches intent Tells users and Google what the page is about. Logical H2/H3 heading structure Improves readability and wins featured snippets. Short, readable URL slug with the keyword Clean URLs are easier to share and rank. Descriptive image alt text Accessibility plus Google Images traffic. Internal links with descriptive anchors Spreads authority and helps users go deeper. Content matches search intent Informational vs commercial — give searchers what they expect.
3. Content & E-E-A-T
Content is genuinely helpful and original Thin or spun content gets buried by Google’s helpful-content systems. Shows real experience and expertise First-hand insight is what E-E-A-T rewards. Author bylines and bios with credentials Builds trust with readers and search engines. Old content is refreshed and kept current Freshness protects rankings from decay. Covers the topic as deeply as the top results Match or beat what’s already ranking. Clear answer up top + an FAQ section Snippet-ready and great for AI answers. No duplicate or near-duplicate pages They compete with each other and dilute signals. Clean spelling, grammar and reading level Easy to read = more time on page and trust.
4. Local SEO & Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile claimed and 100% complete The biggest lever for local and map-pack visibility. Correct primary and secondary categories Categories strongly influence which searches you show for. NAP identical across site and every listing Name, address, phone must match character-for-character. Steady flow of genuine reviews — and you reply Reviews drive local rankings and conversions. Listed in key directories with consistent NAP Citations reinforce trust and discovery. Local keywords on relevant pages “[service] in [town]” matches how locals search. Dedicated location / service-area pages Unique pages per area win multiple local markets. Embedded map + LocalBusiness schema Confirms your location to search engines.
5. Backlinks & authority
You know your current backlink profile Check it before you build — you can’t improve what you don’t measure. Foundation citations done with consistent NAP Quick trust signals; do once, correctly. Earning editorial links (PR, guest posts, resources) These are the links that actually move rankings. A linkable asset is published Tools, data and checklists attract links naturally — like this one. Natural, varied anchor text Over-optimised exact-match anchors look manipulative. Unlinked brand mentions reclaimed as links Easy wins — someone named you; ask for the link. No bought links or PBNs Cheap links are the fastest route to a penalty. Toxic links disavowed only if genuinely harmful Rarely needed — don’t disavow good links by mistake.
6. AI search (AEO / GEO)
Clear, quotable 40–55 word answers per question AI engines lift concise answers straight into responses. FAQ and structured data (FAQPage, Article, HowTo) Helps Google and AI understand and cite your content. robots.txt allows AI crawlers you want citations from Block them and you can’t appear in their answers. llms.txt published A simple guide that points AI models to your best content. Comparison tables and lists in your content AI extracts structured formats more readily than prose. Consistent brand entity and sameAs profiles Helps engines recognise you as a real, trusted entity. Original data or quotes AI can cite Unique stats and expert quotes earn AI mentions and links. You track your AI visibility Check whether you’re cited in AI answers for your key questions.
