A technical SEO audit finds and fixes the infrastructure problems that stop everything else working: pages Google cannot crawl or index, canonical conflicts, redirect chains, index bloat, and Core Web Vitals failures. Run a free technical audit or use this checklist.
What is a technical SEO audit?
A technical SEO audit evaluates how search engines discover, render, index and trust your site — separate from content quality. If Google cannot reach or store your pages, no amount of content or link building will help. That is why technical SEO comes first in the SEO audit order.
Technical SEO audit checklist
Crawling and indexing
- robots.txt allows important pages and does not block CSS or JS.
- XML sitemap is valid, complete and listed in robots.txt.
- No accidental
noindexor X-Robots-Tag blocks. - One self-referencing canonical per page; no canonical loops.
- No orphan pages; every page reachable by a crawlable link.
- HTTP status codes correct (200/301/404/410); no redirect chains.
Rendering
- Key content is server-rendered or reliably crawlable.
- Rendered DOM matches what users see.
Site architecture and internal linking
- Important pages within three clicks of the homepage.
- Breadcrumb navigation with BreadcrumbList schema.
- Pagination and faceted navigation do not create crawl traps.
Core Web Vitals and speed
- LCP under 2.5s, INP under 200ms, CLS under 0.1 (75th percentile).
- Next-gen images, correct sizing, no render-blocking assets.
- CDN and caching enabled; TTFB under 800ms.
Structured data and security
- Relevant schema (Organization, Article, FAQ, Breadcrumb) validated.
- HTTPS sitewide; no mixed content.
Technical SEO audit tools
Google Search Console (indexing, Core Web Vitals) and the free website audit tool cover most checks. A crawler (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb) helps on larger sites.
How to run a technical SEO audit
- Baseline with the free audit and PageSpeed on your priority templates.
- Separate what blocks indexing from what only slows the page.
- Fix in order: crawl access → indexing → architecture → speed → schema.
- Re-test the rendered page and the crawl paths after each change.
- Hand off anything that needs a developer, with precise notes.
Technical SEO services
If the crawl, index or speed problems are systemic, GSA’s one-time deep remediation sprint fixes them and verifies the rendered result — site speed, Core Web Vitals, index bloat and canonical loops — from $1,500.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a technical SEO audit cost?
Technical-only audits run roughly $500–$5,000 from consultants and agencies, more with log-file analysis. Our free tool covers the most common checks at no cost.
Can I fix technical SEO myself?
Many items yes; some need a developer or hosting access. The audit tells you which is which.
How often should I run a technical audit?
Quarterly, and always after a redesign, migration or CMS change.
Run a free SEO audit
Get a prioritised diagnosis in under a minute — no signup. Or book a 15-minute call and we’ll tell you what to fix first.