TLDR: A technical SEO audit is like a health check-up for your website. It makes sure search engines can crawl, index, and rank your pages properly. Without it, even the best content might never get found. In this blog, our Head of SEO guides you through 10 practical steps to run a technical SEO audit, why it matters for your business, and how a specialist agency like Modo25 can help.
Table of Contents
What is a technical SEO audit?
If your website were a car, a technical SEO audit is the mechanic’s inspection. It doesn’t look at the paintwork (your content) but at the engine, the wiring, and whether everything under the hood works as it should. In simple terms, a technical SEO audit is a review of your website’s technical health. It checks whether your site can be crawled, indexed, and understood by search engines, making sure the code, structure, and performance are in good shape.
Why is a technical SEO audit important for your business?
Even the nicest-looking website won’t perform if search engines and LLMs can’t read it properly. Technical SEO is the foundation of all online marketing.
If your site is slow, poorly structured, or blocking crawlers, you’ll struggle to appear in search results. That means missed traffic, fewer leads, and wasted marketing spend. A solid audit ensures:
- Search engines can find and show your pages
- Users enjoy a smooth, fast experience
- Your other SEO and marketing efforts aren’t undermined
Put simply, a technical SEO audit makes sure your website isn’t invisible and is accessible to your audience.
How to conduct a technical SEO audit in 10 steps
Step 1: Crawl your website
Use tools like Screaming Frog or Lumar to scan your site. This shows you what search engines see, like broken links, missing tags, redirect loops, and more. Connect your crawl data with Google Analytics and Search Console to spot issues like orphaned pages.
Step 2: Check indexability & coverage
Head into Google Search Console to check which pages are indexed. Look for pages mistakenly marked “no index” or blocked, and make sure important pages are showing up.
Step 3: Review robots.txt & XML sitemaps
Your robots.txt file tells search engines what they can and can’t crawl. Your XML sitemap lists the pages you do want indexed. Both need to be clean and up to date.
Step 4: Analyse site architecture & internal linking
Keep important pages within three clicks from the homepage. Use logical, descriptive anchor text for links, not vague “click here” labels. Good structure helps both users and bots navigate your site.
Step 5: Assess page speed & core web vitals
Run tests with Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse. Look out for bloated images, unused code, or scripts slowing your site down. Speed directly affects rankings and user experience.
Step 6: Check mobile friendliness & rendering
While checking your site for mobile optimisation should be considered in earlier stages, it is still important. Google now prioritises mobile-first indexing. Make sure your site displays properly on different screen sizes and that JavaScript-heavy elements render correctly.
Step 7: Audit on-page technical elements
Check title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags (H1s). Make sure they’re present, unique, and structured correctly in your code. Also, flag duplicate or thin content that could confuse search engines and cannibalise your pages content.
Step 8: Review HTTPS & security issues
Every site should be on HTTPS. Look for mixed content issues (where secure pages load insecure elements) and review any flagged vulnerabilities with your dev team.
Step 9: Evaluate content & index efficiency
Watch out for duplicate or low-value pages that waste your crawl budget. For example, sites that auto-generate endless paginated URLs can bloat your index and hurt performance.
Step 10: Create a report & prioritise fixes
Group findings into high, medium, and low priority issues within your report so you know which fixes need immediate attention. Tailor recommendations to your CMS and development setup, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Then work with your dev team to tackle fixes systematically.
Final thoughts
A technical SEO audit might sound complex, but really, it’s about making sure your site is search-engine friendly and user-ready. Get the basics right, crawlability, speed, structure, and security, and you set the stage for long-term growth. With a clean technical foundation, you can focus on creating valuable, expert content that ranks and converts.
At Modo25, we live and breathe technical SEO. Our expert team uses industry-leading tools, conducts monthly crawls, and use clear, jargon-free reporting to help businesses uncover hidden issues and unlock growth. Whether you need a one-off audit or ongoing service support. Want to see how your site stacks up? Get in touch with our team today and make your website work harder for your business.
