SEO Audit Checklist (2026): 40 Checks That Matter

Table of Contents

SEO audit checklist (2026)

Work top to bottom. Fix indexability before content, and content before cosmetics. Run the free SEO audit tool to do most of this automatically, then use this list to go deeper.

1. Indexability & crawlability

Every important page returns HTTP 200.
No accidental noindex in meta robots or the X-Robots-Tag header.
One self-referencing canonical per page; no canonical loops.
robots.txt allows Google (and does not block CSS/JS).
An XML sitemap exists, is listed in robots.txt, and contains only indexable URLs.
No orphan pages: every page is reachable by a crawlable link.
Redirect chains are one hop, not three.

2. Technical & speed

Core Web Vitals pass on mobile and desktop: LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, INP < 200ms.
Images are WebP/AVIF with explicit width and height.
Render-blocking JS/CSS is deferred or removed.
TTFB is under ~800ms (good hosting + caching).
No mixed content (HTTPS throughout).
Mobile layout has no horizontal scroll and tap targets are large enough.

3. On-page & metadata

Unique title tag per page, 50–60 characters, primary keyword front-loaded.
Meta description 120–160 characters with a reason to click.
Exactly one H1, matching the page’s main intent.
Logical H2/H3 structure that could stand alone as an outline.
URL is short, readable and hyphenated.
Open Graph and Twitter tags set (title, description, image).

4. Content & intent

The page matches the dominant search intent of the target query.
Enough depth to answer the query fully (usually 600+ words for informational).
Claims are sourced and dated.
A clear next action (CTA) is present.
No duplicate or competing pages for the same keyword.

5. Internal linking

Each page links to 3–6 relevant internal pages with descriptive anchors.
Money pages receive internal links from supporting content.
No broken internal links.
Hub-and-spoke structure: a pillar links to its cluster, and back.

6. Images & media

Every image has descriptive alt text (or empty alt if decorative).
Filenames are descriptive, not IMG_2043.jpg.
Lazy-loading is used below the fold.

7. Structured data

Organization and WebSite on the homepage.
BreadcrumbList on inner pages.
Article/BlogPosting on posts, FAQPage where FAQs exist.
SoftwareApplication on tool pages.
Validate with the Rich Results Test — no errors.

8. Measurement

Google Search Console verified; sitemap submitted.
GA4 installed and key events tracked (audit run, lead, purchase).
Rank tracking per target keyword cluster.
Monthly re-audit; refresh pages sitting in positions 5–20 first.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an SEO audit take?

An automated scan runs in under a minute. A full human audit with prioritisation typically takes a few hours to a few days depending on site size.

What should I fix first?

Indexability and technical blockers first, then titles and meta, then content depth and internal links. Fixing content before indexation wastes effort.

Is a free SEO audit enough?

It is enough for diagnosis. Paid work adds interpretation, priority order and implementation in your CMS.

How often should I audit?

Run a free scan monthly and a full audit quarterly, or after any major change to the site.

Do the audit automatically

Run the free website SEO audit to get a prioritised diagnosis, or the free blog audit for a single post. Want the findings fixed? See content refreshes and technical sprints.