SEO (search engine optimization) is not just a tool; it’s the secret sauce that can significantly boost your website’s traffic, sales, and leads. It’s the key to unlocking your website’s full potential and achieving online success.
Technical SEO supports your website’s visibility. It determines the necessary changes that will make it easier for Google (and others) to crawl and index your site, ensuring your brand is always in the search engine’s spotlight.
SEO encompasses all the practices that help your website rank higher in Google. So, the next time someone types your product or service into the Google search engine, your business will appear near the top of the page.
There’s a lot of competition out there. Ultimately, your company’s goal is to be #1.
An attractive design, compelling copy, engaging video content, and a well-planned user experience are all good for SEO. But sometimes, even that’s not enough.
And that’s when you need a technical SEO audit to investigate.
So What Is Technical SEO?
Technical SEO involves improving website SEO behind the scenes. It can get tricky when dealing with sitemap.xml files, redirect codes, servers, and search engine spiders.
Thankfully, we’ve got a team of experts who don’t mind getting in there and handling all that.
Our SEO crew understands the nuances of using tools like Google Search Console (Webmaster Tools) and Google Analytics to figure out how we can improve your site. Anything that makes your website more “crawlable” by the search engines’ robots (AKA bots, crawlers, or spiders) will help your business.
Agency Media will conduct a technical SEO audit on your behalf to find out what’s working and, more importantly, what is not.
How Do Search Engines Monitor Your Website?
Search engines rank the quality of your website based on its ever-changing algorithms. This process occurs every few days to every few weeks.
Crawling
Crawling describes the process when a search engine’s bots (automated software programs) move from page to page, exploring your website’s content using internal links.
Indexing
Indexing describes the cataloging and analyzing of your website’s pages and the information contained within them. Text, images, and video files are stored in a massive database. The retrieved data and the latest algorithm determine your website’s ranking whenever a search inquiry is made.
Isn’t SEO Just About Having the Right Keywords?
Contrary to popular belief, there’s a lot more to good SEO than keyword research.
SEO can enhance your websites in 3 distinct areas.
- On-page SEO
- Off-page SEO
- Technical SEO
On-Page SEO
This area of SEO focus covers everything that appears on the webpage, most of which you can see. This includes elements such as:
- Written content
- Photos, alt tag descriptions
- Keyword usage, long-tail keywords
- Internal links to other pages
- The URL
- Meta descriptions
- Mobile responsiveness
- And more
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO is concerned with the actions outside your website that can positively affect its performance. Some examples include:
- Backlinks or inbound links (other websites referencing yours)
- Guest posts (sharing your brand’s expertise elsewhere online)
- Social media posts
- Business listings through Google Business Profile
- PR initiatives
- Broken link building (convincing others to repair outdated links connecting to your site)
- Any positive mention of your business outside your company can lead to more online visits
Technical SEO
This endeavor ensures your website’s architecture and backend are congruent with the technical standards of today’s modern search engines.
SEO specialists monitor your site to understand how Google views it in its search results. Google Search Console does an excellent job of this. Other site auditing tools are used to determine the most pressing technical issues holding your website back.
Problems SEO specialists look to fix, include:
- XML sitemap errors (format errors, duplicate content, broken links)
- Robots.txt issues which determine which pages should be crawled (you may unknowingly be blocking JavaScript or CSS files, which is critical)
- 404 error pages
- Slow page loading
- Duplicate pages
- Incorrect NO INDEX tag
- And more
Any number of issues can make it more challenging for search engines to access your website and promote your messaging. These obstacles can negatively affect your website’s overall popularity.
If your website is frustrating potential customers or Google’s web crawlers, our SEO specialists are here to help. Web professionals understand how to identify and fix the technical issues hindering your website’s performance and ranking.
However, making sure your website is easily accessible and understandable by search engines and customers alike isn’t always a straightforward process.
A Technical SEO Audit Answers Questions
Any smart SEO strategy begins with a complete and thorough audit of the existing site to understand its performance in detail. Our process is comprehensive, leaving no stone unturned.
Many search ranking factors are analyzed. Some are easy to check, while others require a little more expertise. Either way, you have to know what you’re looking for.
SEO audits involve a combination of technical items, content checks (for on-page SEO), and off-page SEO investigations. Even the best-looking sites can be negatively affected by issues the public never sees.
The SEO team at Agency Media is good at playing detective. Knowing where to start is based on information compiled from multiple online tools and the SEO specialist’s observations.
A big part of improving any website involves asking pertinent questions.
- What are the long-tail keywords customers are looking for?
- What types of searches are your customers conducting (informational, transactional, transactional, navigational)?
- Does the website have broken links?
- Does the XML sitemap make sense?
- Do the best target keywords appear on each web page?
- Is the site running slow (videos taking forever to load)?
- Are the inbound links from other sites beneficial?
- Are your meta tags and meta descriptions helping or hindering search engine crawlers?
- Does the schema markup require updating?
- Are there opportunities for eliminating redirects?
- Are there duplicate versions of the same site?
The difference a few little adjustments can make to your site’s SEO score is substantial. SEO is a long-term game, and it’s good to plant the seeds early to reap the benefits later. It’s a journey worth embarking on for the continued success of your website and your business.
The Benefits of SEO Auditing Services
A technical SEO analysis examines a variety of ranking factors in greater detail. Once complete, the SEO team will send you a report and walk you through the recommendations.
Don’t worry if you’re not comfortable speaking “JavaScript” or “web developer.” We’ll break down our plan in plain English. You don’t just get suggestions; you get a complete strategy and a go-to contact for any future website concerns.
What’s in It for You?
A website is an investment in your business. A shiny and pristine-looking sports car isn’t as impressive if the engine is blown or there’s no fuel in the gas tank. Improved indexing and crawlability are the tune-ups your website needs to drive conversions. SEO is about making sure your website is tweaked for maximum performance.
Technical SEO identifies the technical issues interfering with your indexing, which hurts your website’s ability to convert new customers. Ultimately, technical SEO provides:
- Greater speed, faster loading times
- Improved security
- A positive customer experience
- Improved web search rankings
It’s advisable to perform technical SEO audits annually, with monthly content updates and new keyword additions. Adding fresh content that is relevant to your customer’s interests is always looked upon favorably.
Content Is Still King
Google defines good content using the acronym EEAT, which stands for:
Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
In an age where artificial intelligence is all the rage, good websites should focus on the quality of the content. Technical SEO ensures that the people seeking information in your realm have the opportunity to find you.
Your goal should always be about putting the customer’s needs first. Never forget that if it’s good for customers, it’s good for your business.
Building a Better Website Begins with an SEO Audit
Any time is a good time to conduct a technical SEO audit. That said, the top secret criteria used for Google’s ranking algorithms are constantly changing and remain a mystery to everyone outside that company.
However, through trial and error and by following the industry’s best practices, SEO gurus (like those at Agency Media) can discover ways to optimize your site for future success.
Agency Media Builds Websites with SEO Top of Mind
Agency Media understands that effective websites don’t just happen by accident. That’s why we focus on the stuff that works while building out your site.
- Content optimization – Ensures your copy will reach the intended audience
- Content quality – Engages audiences with valuable, entertaining information that keeps them on your website longer to reduce bounce rates
- Title tags – Enables search engines to understand what’s on your page and entice viewers to visit your site
- External links – Endorsements from the right websites help search engines determine your relevancy
- Having fast page load times and responsiveness – It’s all about making your website quick to open and easy to view on any device
Website SEO Audit Services for Customers Like You
Agency Media wants you to be happy. That means setting you up with a website that gains organic traffic. If you have a website that’s just not doing it for you, please drop us a line. We’ll start with an on-page analysis of your site and go from there.
Ensuring the backend of your website is properly maintained is critical for your website’s long-term success. As such, annual reviews are highly recommended.
From new websites to refreshes, we do it all! Get in touch with us to learn more.