SEO checklist for your next audit (and their whys)

Each website evaluation uses SEO techniques that change depending on the platform. However, you can never overlook keyword analysis, competitor analysis, site health, and other essential factors. So, what should we always include in an audit? That’s why I created this SEO checklist. These are basic elements that I always follow in my SEO analyses. I will review general points to include in a comprehensive SEO checklist.

I find the term “checklist” somewhat misleading, since in theory I am not putting together a checklist. Here, I present general topics that help me establish starting points for conducting an SEO review. It’s a concept to consider in issues regarding SEO audits or basic planning for a marketing strategy.

1. Technical SEO

Every SEO analysis begins with performance studies from market and technical perspectives. This helps us see how our website is performing and which implementations require attention. Here, we find everything related to a site’s mechanical performance, including security protocols, speed, scores, traffic, organic visits, indexing, and more.

Here, we should always include.

• Overview. A panoramic view of what a website includes, how it is performing online, and other technical elements that comprise it.
• Crawlability & indexability. Ensure your site is accessible to search engines (check robots.txt, XML sitemap, and canonical tags).
• Site speed & core web vitals. Page load time affects rankings and user experience (check LCP, FID, CLS).
• HTTPS security. Secure sites rank better and build trust (an SSL certificate is required).
• Structured data (schema markup). It helps search engines understand your content.

2. On-page SEO & content

Now we need to review all the visible and editable elements for the components that make up our site. Here, we find all the content optimizations.

Pay attention to the following points in your SEO checklist:

• Title tags & meta descriptions. Optimize for keywords and click-through rates (CTR).
• Header tags (H1, H2, etc.). Improve readability and keyword targeting.
• Keyword optimization. Ensure relevant keywords are naturally placed in the content.
• Internal linking. It will help us distribute link equity and improve user navigation.
• URL structure. Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-rich.

3. Off-page SEO & backlinks

This is the counterpart of the previous point. Here, we do internal SEO optimizations. We work with the backend and more technical aspects related to search engines and algorithms.

Include in your SEO checklist the following:

• Backlink profile audit. Identify toxic links and disavow them if necessary.
• Authority building. Focus on high-quality, relevant backlinks for credibility.
• Brand mentions. Track and leverage unlinked brand mentions for SEO gains.

4. User experience (UX) & engagement

User experience is indispensable in an SEO checklist. We have to check how users respond to specific types of content (and how they optimize for them). The goal is to enhance the site to the maximum extent possible, ensuring users feel comfortable using our portal.

To do so, we recommend the following:

• Mobile-friendliness. Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing, so test responsiveness.
• Bounce rate & dwell time. Enhance content engagement to retain users for extended periods.
• Navigation & UX design. Avoid distractions! Ensure your SEO is seamless and offers an intuitive experience.
• Call-to-actions (CTAs). Encourage conversions through clear CTAs.

5. Content quality & strategy 

By “content quality,” we do not mean improving content. Instead, we suggest implementing strategies and suggestions for content adaptation. The idea is that you also offer suggestions for putting together an SEO plan and a more technical analysis, aligning with brand guidelines and user research.

For this, on your SEO checklist, you should never forget:

• Content freshness. Regularly update and improve content to keep it relevant.
• E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). A new concept in Marketing. Please note that your content must be credible and thoroughly researched. That helps in your long-term SEO.
• Thin and duplicate content. Remove or consolidate low-value pages to avoid penalties.
• Multimedia optimization. Use alt text and compress images for improved search engine rankings.

I normally follow these when running an SEO marketing analysis. When I move on to other strategies, such as market research, I delve into topics such as competition research, market strategies, and sales efficiency techniques.

What I’m proposing with this SEO checklist is a step-by-step guide to everything you should always find in an SEO analysis.