Technical Site Audits
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Technical SEO audits examine the technical foundations of a website, including server configurations, code, speed, site architecture, indexability, and more. The audit process begins by checking for any manual or algorithmic penalties from Google. If no penalties are found, the auditor analyzes technical elements like HTTPS implementation, robots.txt files, sitemaps, canonical tags, redirects, navigation, HTML code quality, and use of schemas. Key areas reviewed include HTTP to HTTPS migration, robots.txt blocking, sitemap formats, canonical usage, redirect types, architecture structure, navigation design, code validation, and schema implementation. Site speed is also critically evaluated using tools like WebPageTest.org and Google PageSpeed Insights.
Technical Site Audits
- 1. Technical SEO Audits Kristine Schachinger | Twitter @schachin Kristine@SitesWithoutWalls.com Image Courtesy Duane Forester’s Keynote @schachin
- 3. Technical SEO is the Foundation for the House that is your Website. @schachin
- 4. Why do we do it? @schachin
- 5. @schachin
- 7. What is Technical SEO? @schachin
- 8. Technical SEO is About Best Practices… • Servers • Scripting/Code • Speed..Speed… and well Speed • Site Architecture • Indexabilty • Crawability • Mobile That are related to Google’s Algorithms To name a few… • Hummingbird • Panda • Penguin • Pigeon • Pirate • Page Layout @schachin
- 9. Technical SEO is about Measuring the Site Foundation Against Google’s Guidelines & Their Algorithms @schachin
- 10. So where do we start? @schachin
- 11. @schachin
- 12. Ask the client for a client history.. @schachin
- 13. Know the client is almost always wrong about that history… or what is is wrong… The client history is for guidance, not accuracy. Remember you are the detective. @schachin
- 14. And they don’t always tell you the FULL STORY... @schachin
- 16. Technical SEO Audits What processes are affecting the site? • Internally • Externally • Third Party Process of deductive reasoning! @schachin
- 17. First… @schachin
- 18. Technical SEO Audits CHECKPOINT Is there a Manual Action (penalty)? @schachin
- 19. How Do We Know? @schachin
- 21. Manual Actions If yes, is it… • Partial? • Or Full Site? @schachin
- 22. What Manual Actions Are There? @schachin
- 23. Manual Actions https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2604824?hl=en @schachin
- 24. Algorithmic Devaluations Technically, algorithm changes such as Panda or Penguin are NOT penalties. Unlike a manual action, you can gain OR lose with Google algorithms. @schachin
- 25. So how do we know, if the site has an algorithm issue? @schachin
- 26. Technical SEO Audits Panguin Tool @schachin
- 27. @schachin
- 28. Just because it walks like a duck & talks like a duck….. @schachin
- 29. This looks like a penalty @schachin
- 30. Still looks like a penalty… @schachin
- 31. When we check year over year @schachin
- 32. It is not. That client has a seasonal business. Do not assume! EVER. It may walk like a duck & talk like a duck… and not be a duck. @schachin
- 33. @schachin
- 34. So what is it? @schachin
- 35. EVERY site audit starts with a crawl … @schachin
- 36. @schachin
- 37. @schachin
- 38. @schachin
- 39. Let’s check it out @schachin
- 40. @schachin
- 41. So much you can do… So Use this SERP for more https://www.google.com/search?q=screaming+frog+things&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 @schachin
- 42. So what are we looking at? @schachin
- 43. Technical SEO Audits The basics…. • Http vs Https • Robots • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking @schachin
- 44. • Http vs Https • DO they have mixed status? • If they moved to https, did they change it everywhere? • Did they redirect pages? • Robots • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 45. Technical SEO Audits – The Basics • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • Do they have one? • Is it written correctly? (test it) • Are they using it when they should be using no-index? • Robots.txt blocks the page crawl, but not the URL indexing • Are they blocking CSS &/or JS? • (can check this also in Search Console) • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking @schachin
- 46. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Do they have one? • Is it written correctly? (test it) • Check their sitemaps for • Limits • Types (video, image, page) • Index Sitemaps (use them!) • TIP Google does not use priority or date modifiers • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 47. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Do they have them? • Are they written correctly? • Do they follow the rules for writing canonicals? • https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/139066?hl=en • http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2013/04/5-common-mistakes-with • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 48. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Are they using 302 or 301? • Very important in new site launches • TIP Google will convert (in their crawls) 302s to 301s after about 6 months. • TIP Google Search Console will only remove links for 3-6 months • How many 404s? Are you bleeding links? Should they be 410? • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 49. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Is the structure vertical or horizontal? • TIP Google prefers wide and flat over deep and tall • Are you giving Google a proper content outline? • Think 10th grade English Class • Are you specific, certain and clear? • Navigation • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 50. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Are you using proper navigation? • Are you constructing a contextual view of your site? • Are you throwing in the kitchen sink? • TIP Users can only process 5-8 piece of information at a time • Code • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 51. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Valid HTML is not a ranking factor, but the things that make up valid HTML are ranking factors. • TIPS Make sure your title tag is the first (after head), use absolute not relative URLS, alt text in a link is the same as text, use ul/li for navigation and keep your code light/clean. • Meta Tags • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 52. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Schema Tagging • Just do it! Really. Microdata is Google preferred. • TIP Any data point can be used in the KG without copyright violation. • Check Google Search Console for mark-up validity. • Google Analytics Tracking Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 53. • Http vs Https • Robots.txt • SiteMaps • Canonicals • Redirects & 404s • Architecture • Navigation • Code • Schema Tagging • Google Analytics Tracking • Make sure it is implemented correctly, especially UTM parameters Technical SEO Audits – The Basics @schachin
- 55. Speed…. You know fast…. Like really fast… @schachin
- 56. Two Tests WebpageTest.org and of course Google Pagespeed Insights @schachin
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- 63. https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/?url=whitehouse.gov You want an 85 min – 90+ is best @schachin
- 64. https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/?url=whitehouse.gov They even give you everything to upload to your site @schachin
- 65. https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/?url=whitehouse.gov @schachin Resources •Panguin http://barracuda.digital/panguin-tool/ •WebPageTest.org •Page Speed Insights (Google) https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/ •Screaming Frog http://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/user-guide/configuration/ •Deep Crawl https://www.deepcrawl.com/ •Google Webmaster Guidelines https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/35769?hl=en •Google Search Console Help https://support.google.com/webmasters/?hl=en#topic=3309469
- 66. Technical SEO Audits Kristine Schachinger | Twitter @schachin Kristine@SitesWithoutWalls.com Image Courtesy Duane Forester’s Keynote