A strong SEO audit is an integral part of you identifying and fixing the problems on your site which might be affecting your search results.
Copy this extensive tutorial for an SEO audit of your site either when new content is published or when improving existing success using NOW SEO audit tools, templates, and a 2025 seo audit checklist.
What Is an SEO Audit?
An SEO audit scrutinizes your website to gauge its capabilities as a search engine optimization tool.
It reveals problems associated with on-page, off-page and technical aspects that can block your site from ranking in search engine result pages (SERP).
Why Perform a Website SEO Audit?
Conducting a website SEO audit helps you:
- Improve search engine rankings
- Enhance website usability
- Fix technical issues
- Increase organic traffic
- Create a better user experience
Regular audits help ensure that your website keeps up with SEO trends in 2025.
Step-by-Step: How to Perform a Full SEO Audit
1. Crawl Your Website
Start by crawling your site using SEO audit tools like:
- Screaming Frog
- Sitebulb
- SEMrush Site Audit
- Ahrefs Site Audit
This gives you an overview of errors, redirects, broken links, and duplicate content.
2. Check Indexing and Crawlability
Use Google Search Console to:
- Check indexed pages
- Identify crawl errors
- Submit a sitemap
3. Review On-Page SEO Elements
Analyze your:
- Title tags
- Meta descriptions
- Heading tags (H1, H2, etc.)
- Image alt attributes
- Keyword placement
Include your primary and secondary keywords naturally within these elements.
4. Perform a Technical SEO Audit
A technical SEO audit involves checking:
- Site speed and Core Web Vitals
- Mobile-friendliness
- HTTPS status
- Canonical tags
- Structured data and schema markup
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Mobile-Friendly Test.
5. Evaluate Content Quality
Content must be:
- Original and in-depth
- Aligned with user intent
- Optimized for long-tail keywords like “SEO audit for beginners” or “how to create an SEO audit report”
Use tools like Surfer SEO, Clearscope, or Frase for optimization.
6. Audit Backlinks and Off-Page SEO
Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to:
- Analyze your backlink profile
- Disavow toxic links
- Identify new link-building opportunities
Off-page SEO also includes social signals, mentions, and brand authority.
7. Review Mobile and User Experience
Check:
- Mobile usability
- Navigation
- Bounce rates
- Page layout and responsiveness
These factors influence rankings and conversions.
SEO Audit Tools to Use in 2025
Here are the best free SEO audit tools for websites:
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Screaming Frog (free up to 500 URLs)
- Ubersuggest
- GTmetrix
And premium tools:
- SEMrush
- Ahrefs
- Sitebulb
- SE Ranking
Downloadable SEO Audit Template
Speed up your process with this ready-to-use SEO audit template. It includes:
- Crawl report section
- On-page checklist
- Technical audit log
- Content evaluation fields
- Backlink summary
Pro Tip: Keep updating your SEO audit template regularly based on algorithm changes.
Conclusion
SEO audit is something different from a one-time action – this is the part of your ongoing optimization. According to this SEO audit checklist, selecting the appropriate tools, and measuring your metrics will set you up for increasing your rankings and online presence by 2025.