How to Effectively Check Your Website's SEO?
- Why You Need to Perform SEO Audits
- Manual SEO Techniques (Human Techniques)
- 1. Check Your Website’s Appearance on Google
- 2. Evaluate Your Content
- 3. Test Page Load Speed
- 4. Check Internal and External Links
- 5. Evaluate User Experience (UX)
- Tools-Based SEO Techniques
- 1. Google Search Console (GSC)
- 2. Google Analytics
- 3. Ahrefs / SEMrush / Ubersuggest
- 4. Screaming Frog
- 5. PageSpeed Insights & GTmetrix
- Viet SEO Agency: On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO Audit – Key Differences
- Reporting and Taking Action Based on SEO Audit
- How Often Should You Run an SEO Audit?
- Common SEO Audit Mistakes to Avoid
- Final Thoughts
Checking your website's SEO isn’t hard at all! By combining manual techniques with powerful tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and the expert guidance of VIET SEO, you can fully optimize your site for search engines.
Why You Need to Perform SEO Audits
Before diving into the step-by-step process, let’s go over the main reasons why regular SEO checks are absolutely essential:
- Identify and fix technical issues: Your site might have broken links, slow loading times, or missing meta tags — all of which negatively impact user experience and Google rankings.
- Stay updated with Google algorithm changes: Google updates its algorithm frequently. Regular SEO audits help ensure your site remains compliant with the latest standards.
- Improve content and keyword strategies: Tracking content performance allows you to adjust your keywords and editorial direction to better match user needs.
- Stay ahead of competitors: Knowing where your site stands compared to your competitors helps you develop stronger long-term strategies.
Manual SEO Techniques (Human Techniques)
Even with advanced tools available, manual SEO checks remain crucial for gaining insight from a real user’s perspective. Here are the basic steps you should perform regularly:
1. Check Your Website’s Appearance on Google
How to do it:
Use the search operator:
site:yourdomain.com
Goals:
- See how many pages are indexed.
- Review how your titles and meta descriptions appear in search results.
- Identify unwanted URLs or missing pages.
2. Evaluate Your Content
Ask yourself:
- Does the content provide real value to users?
- Does each article address specific user problems?
- Are keywords used naturally and logically?
- Are headings and structure clear (H1, H2, H3…)?
Tip: Good content balances real value and keyword optimization without keyword stuffing.
3. Test Page Load Speed
Visit your website on different devices (desktop, mobile) and network speeds.
If it takes more than 3 seconds to load, that’s a red flag.
Consider:
- Are there heavy images slowing the page?
- Any videos or files affecting load times?
- Is the layout user-friendly?
4. Check Internal and External Links
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Are all links working properly?
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Are there any 404 errors?
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Are internal links helping users navigate effectively?
5. Evaluate User Experience (UX)
- Is the layout intuitive?
- Are colors, fonts, and spacing readable?
- Are there clear calls to action (CTAs)?
Tools-Based SEO Techniques
Tools-based SEO techniques have revolutionized the way website optimization is approached. From keyword analysis and backlink audits to site crawls and performance monitoring, the right tools can provide invaluable insights into improving search engine rankings. With advanced services from VIETSEO agency, businesses can leverage these powerful techniques to enhance visibility, attract more traffic, and achieve better results in the digital landscape.
1. Google Search Console (GSC)
Main features:
- Check indexed pages.
- Find crawl errors.
- See keywords users use to find your site.
- Submit sitemaps and test mobile usability.
Tips:
- Use the “Coverage” section to detect indexing issues.
- Check “Performance” to find out which keywords drive traffic.
2. Google Analytics
Purpose: Understand user behavior and content performance.
- Time on page.
- Bounce rate.
- Most visited pages.
- Traffic sources (Organic Search, Direct, Social…).
Pro tip: Combine GSC with Analytics to diagnose issues like high-ranking pages with low traffic — is it the content, UX, or keyword mismatch?
3. Ahrefs / SEMrush / Ubersuggest
Advanced tools for keyword, backlink, and competitor analysis.
Key features:
- Audit backlinks and evaluate their quality.
- Analyze keywords (competition, search volume).
- Track keyword rankings over time.
- Spot On-page SEO and technical issues.
Tips:
- Use Ahrefs to reverse-engineer competitor backlinks.
- Use SEMrush for Content Gap analysis – find keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t.
4. Screaming Frog
An excellent crawler that simulates how search engines view your site — especially useful for large websites.
Uses:
- Identify 404 errors and improper redirects.
- Detect missing or duplicate meta tags.
- Analyze internal link structure.
5. PageSpeed Insights & GTmetrix
Use these tools to get detailed page speed reports.
- Receive specific suggestions to improve load speed.
- Get performance scores for both Desktop and Mobile.
Viet SEO Agency: On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO Audit – Key Differences
On-page and off-page SEO are both critical components of a well-rounded optimization strategy. On-page SEO focuses on improving internal elements like content, meta tags, and keyword usage, while off-page SEO involves building external factors such as backlinks and online reputation. A comprehensive SEO audit—combining the expertise of Viet SEO—will help identify areas for improvement in both on-page and off-page factors, ensuring your website achieves better search engine visibility and higher rankings.
1. On-Page SEO Checks
- Does the title tag include the main keyword?
- Is the meta description compelling and relevant?
- Is the heading structure (H1-H3) logical?
- Do images have appropriate ALT tags?
- Are URLs short, clean, and SEO-friendly?
2. Off-Page SEO Checks
- Quantity and quality of backlinks.
- Website presence on social media.
- Brand mentions across the web.
- Backlink growth rate over time.
Reporting and Taking Action Based on SEO Audit
An SEO audit is a crucial step in understanding your website’s strengths and weaknesses. However, simply identifying issues is not enough. Once the audit is complete, it’s time to analyze the data, prioritize tasks, and implement targeted changes. With the expertise of Viet SEO, you can turn audit insights into actionable strategies—fixing broken links, optimizing on-page elements, and enhancing content quality—to improve search rankings and deliver a better experience for your audience.
After completing your SEO check, don’t stop at just identifying problems — take action:
- Create a categorized issue list: Critical – High Priority – Can Improve Later.
- Set weekly/monthly goals for improvement.
- Recheck performance after each update to track progress.
How Often Should You Run an SEO Audit?
Running regular SEO audits is essential to maintaining a healthy and optimized website. By scheduling audits periodically, you can identify new opportunities, detect emerging issues, and stay ahead of your competitors. VietSEO company recommends conducting these audits every quarter to ensure that your website remains aligned with the latest best practices, search engine algorithm updates, and user preferences.
- Weekly: Monitor keyword performance and traffic.
- Monthly: Check technical errors and review newly published content.
- Quarterly: Analyze backlinks, review UX, and benchmark against competitors.
Common SEO Audit Mistakes to Avoid
Performing an SEO audit is an essential step toward improving your website’s visibility and performance, but it’s easy to make mistakes along the way. Common pitfalls include relying too heavily on automated tools, overlooking critical technical issues, and failing to set clear goals for optimization. With guidance from Viet SEO, you can avoid these common errors, ensure a more thorough audit process, and implement strategies that truly enhance your site’s search rankings.
- Relying too much on tools and neglecting real user experience.
- Chasing keywords without focusing on content value.
- Skipping regular audits, letting issues linger.
- Confusing short-term SEO wins with long-term strategy.
Final Thoughts
SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” task — it’s an ongoing process of monitoring, tweaking, and optimizing. A thorough, regular SEO audit combines intentional manual analysis and smart tool usage, giving you a clear overview of your site’s performance and the steps needed for improvement.
Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned SEO professional, make time for regular SEO audits — they’re essential to maintaining a healthy, competitive website that thrives in the digital space.
If you found this guide helpful, feel free to share or bookmark it for future reference. Need help performing a real SEO audit on your website? Drop a comment — we’re happy to help!