Everything You Need in a Professional SEO Audit—Explained by an Expert
The digital world is evolving fast, and so is search engine optimization. If your website isn’t performing well, you might be struggling with issues that aren’t even visible to the naked eye, like crawl errors, bloated code, duplicate content, or broken backlinks. That’s where SEO Audit Services come into play.
I’m Muhammad Naqash, also known as NextFreelancer, and as the co-founder of Linkbooster, I’ve personally worked with dozens of businesses globally to fix these hidden problems. From freelancers and startups to established e-commerce brands, an SEO audit is the first step toward sustainable growth and improved visibility on search engines like Google.
In this article, I’ll walk you through what Free SEO audit services include, why they are crucial in 2025, what problems they solve, and how they can uncover massive ranking and traffic opportunities that you’re currently missing.
What Is an SEO Audit?
An SEO audit is a comprehensive evaluation of your website’s health, visibility, and technical performance. It’s like taking your site to a specialist doctor for a full-body checkup.
This includes analyzing:
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Technical errors
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On-page SEO
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Off-page SEO (backlinks)
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Site speed and mobile responsiveness
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Core Web Vitals
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Keyword targeting and content structure
The goal?
To identify what’s broken, what’s missing, and where the most significant ranking opportunities lie.
Types of SEO Audits You Need to Know
SEO isn’t a single-channel discipline—it’s a whole ecosystem. Here’s how SEO audit services break it down:
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Technical SEO Audit – Checks for crawl errors, page speed, HTTPS, sitemaps, robots.txt, canonical tags, etc.
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On-Page SEO Audit – Evaluates title tags, meta descriptions, heading structure, keyword usage, and internal linking.
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Off-Page SEO Audit – Reviews backlink profile, anchor text diversity, and domain authority.
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Local SEO Audit – Focuses on Google Business Profile, NAP consistency, citations, and local schema.
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Mobile SEO Audit – Measures performance on smartphones and tablets, focusing on loading speed and mobile user experience (UX).
Each of these plays a vital role in your website’s discoverability and ranking power.
Why Your Website Needs an SEO Audit in 2025

Still wondering why SEO audit services are essential? Let’s get real.
✅ Fix Hidden Technical Issues
Many websites appear fine to users but are a nightmare for search engines. Googlebot may struggle to crawl your pages due to incorrect indexing rules, broken internal links, or a design that heavily relies on JavaScript. You’d never know—until your traffic drops.
✅ Uncover Missed Opportunities
Your competitors may be outranking you just because they’ve optimized a keyword you missed. A deep audit helps discover content gaps, outdated pages, and long-tail keyword opportunities.
✅ Improve User Experience (UX)
From slow-loading images to confusing navigation, small UX issues cost big in SEO. An audit finds those issues fast.
✅ Boost Rankings and Visibility
Fixing even basic technical issues can result in a significant ranking boost, especially in competitive niches.
✅ Enhance Conversion Rate
SEO is not just about traffic. It’s about turning visitors into leads or customers. An audit aligns your content with user intent, improving conversions.
Pro Insight: I’ve seen websites jump from page 5 to page 1 in 60 days—just from fixing basic audit-identified issues.
What’s Included in a Professional SEO Audit?
At Linkbooster, our SEO Audit Services include a 360-degree website analysis covering:
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✅ Website crawlability and indexing health
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✅ Broken links and redirect chains
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✅ Meta tag optimization (titles, descriptions, headers)
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✅ Duplicate content and thin pages
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✅ Mobile responsiveness check
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✅ Core Web Vitals (LCP, CLS, FID)
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✅ Site speed and image compression issues
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✅ Backlink quality and toxicity review
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✅ Internal linking structure
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✅ Keyword targeting gaps
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✅ Schema markup analysis
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✅ Competitor keyword and backlink comparison
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✅ Actionable recommendations report
We don’t just throw you a 30-page PDF. We walk you through every section with context, priorities, and steps for fixing.
Technical SEO Issues That Hurt Rankings
Here are some of the most common technical issues uncovered during audits:
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Broken internal links
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No XML sitemap or multiple conflicting ones
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Pages blocked by robots.txt
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No canonical URLs (duplicate content risk)
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Slow page speeds and render-blocking scripts
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Missing SSL (https security)
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Errors in structured data
Each of these may seem small, but they have a cumulative negative effect on your Google rankings.
On-Page SEO Problems a Good Audit Identifies
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Missing or duplicate title tags
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Thin or irrelevant content
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Poor use of H1/H2 headings
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Keyword stuffing
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Images missing alt text
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Confusing URL structures
An audit helps realign your site content to match what users are searching for and what Google expects.
Backlink Profile and Off-Page SEO Checks
While technical and on-page elements are crucial, Google still heavily weighs backlinks in its ranking algorithm. A well-rounded SEO audit includes a thorough examination of your off-page SEO profile, particularly backlinks, as not all links are created equal.
At Linkbooster, we analyze your backlink ecosystem for both strengths and weaknesses, looking at:
✅ Backlink Quality & Authority
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Are you receiving links from high-DA (Domain Authority) sites?
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Are those sites relevant to your niche?
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Do you have natural anchor text diversity?
✅ Toxic Link Detection
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Links from spammy, unrelated, or penalized domains can harm your SEO.
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We utilize tools such as Semrush Toxic Score, Ahrefs, and Google Search Console to identify harmful links.
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If necessary, we create and submit a Google Disavow File.
✅ Lost or Broken Backlinks
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We identify high-quality links that have been lost (e.g., pages removed or changed) and help reclaim them.
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Broken backlinks are also identified, so you don’t lose valuable link equity.
✅ Competitor Off-Page Benchmarking
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What domains are linking to your competitors?
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Can we earn backlinks from similar sources?
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Where are the untapped backlink opportunities?
This aspect of the audit is critical because your website’s authority and trustworthiness in Google’s eyes often hinges on your backlink profile.
Keyword Cannibalization and Content Duplication
One of the most overlooked problems in SEO is keyword cannibalization, which occurs when multiple pages on your site target the same keyword and end up competing with each other.
During an SEO audit, we:
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Identify overlapping content targeting identical terms
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Merge or rewrite those pages to create focused, high-ranking content
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Use canonical tags where appropriate to prevent dilution
Duplicate content, whether internal or external, can also:
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Confuse search engines
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Lower your page rankings
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Get your pages filtered from the results
We detect:
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Repeated meta titles/descriptions
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Similar H1s across multiple pages
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Copied paragraphs from other websites (intentional or accidental)
Fixing this not only improves rankings, but also boosts trust and user satisfaction.
How SEO Audits Help Find Ranking Opportunities
An audit isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s also about finding growth opportunities hiding in plain sight.
Here’s how:
📌 Content Gap Analysis
We compare your content to top-ranking competitors to identify:
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Topics they’ve covered that you haven’t
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Long-tail keyword gaps
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Related questions you’re not answering
📌 Featured Snippets & PAA Opportunities
We spot content that could be:
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Rewritten for Google’s Featured Snippet box
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Optimized to appear in People Also Ask (PAA) boxes
📌 Internal Linking Opportunities
We help you add contextual links from older content to:
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Important landing pages
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Service/product pages
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Blog content that’s converting well
📌 Backlink Acquisition Leads
We find:
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Pages that earned backlinks without active outreach
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“Linkable assets” that could be promoted via outreach or guest posts
Local SEO Audit Essentials
If you’re a local business or have a physical location, local SEO is a non-negotiable necessity.
A professional audit includes:
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NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone) across all listings
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Google Business Profile completeness and optimization
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Local citations on directories (TripAdvisor, Yelp, etc.)
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Local Schema Markup (helps Google show your address and hours correctly)
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Presence in the Local Pack and Google Maps
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Localized content on your website (e.g., service + city pages)
A strong local audit helps you own your area and attract nearby customers.
Mobile SEO Audit Factors
With Google’s mobile-first indexing, your mobile site is now your primary version. A mobile SEO audit checks:
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Responsive design
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Button spacing and tap targets
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Page load speed on 3G/4G
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Mobile usability in Google Search Console
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Mobile-specific redirects or errors
If your mobile site is clunky or slow, your rankings will drop fast, even if your desktop site is perfect.
Core Web Vitals and Page Experience
In 2025, Google’s Core Web Vitals will be even more important for rankings and UX. These include:
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Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures load speed
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First Input Delay (FID): Measures interactivity
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Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability
A great SEO audit service tests and improves these, making sure:
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Images are optimized
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Scripts don’t delay interaction
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Layouts remain stable on mobile
A fast, responsive site isn’t just better for SEO—it’s better for business.
Site Structure and Navigation Audit
Your site’s architecture plays a crucial yet often overlooked role in your SEO performance. If search engines or users struggle to navigate your website, they won’t stick around—and they certainly won’t rank you highly.
During a professional SEO audit, we analyze:
✅ URL Structure
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Are your URLs short, clean, and keyword-rich?
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Avoiding dynamic or parameter-heavy URLs like:
example.com/index.php?product=1234
✅ Navigation Flow
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Can a user reach any important page within 3 clicks?
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Is the main menu intuitive and organized by category?
✅ Internal Linking Hierarchy
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Do your blog posts link back to key service or product pages?
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Are the cornerstone pages linked from multiple locations?
✅ Orphaned Pages
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These are pages with no internal links pointing to them.
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Search engines may never find them unless submitted manually.
✅ Silo Structure
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Is the content grouped logically by topic/theme?
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Does each section of your site reinforce SEO authority for that topic?
A streamlined, logical site structure:
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Helps Google crawl your site faster
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Passes link equity where it matters
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Improves time on site and reduces bounce rates
Image and Video SEO Audit
In 2025, visual search will be more dominant than ever. Images and videos aren’t just for engagement—they are SEO assets.
Image SEO Checks:
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Missing or repetitive alt text
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File names do not describe the image
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Uncompressed files are slowing down pages
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Wrong file formats (JPG vs WebP)
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No
height
andwidth
attributes (causes layout shifts)
Video SEO Checks:
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Missing transcripts
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No keyword-optimized titles or metadata
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No schema markup for videos
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Videos not embedded properly (e.g., JavaScript-only embeds)
If optimized properly, your images and videos can:
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Rank in Google Image and Video search
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Help pages qualify for rich results
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Improve accessibility and UX
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Attract backlinks from the media and bloggers
Schema Markup and Structured Data Review
Schema markup helps search engines understand the content of your page. It can also trigger rich snippets like:
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Review stars
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FAQs
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Business hours
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Pricing and availability
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Event listings
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How-to steps
In a professional audit, we assess:
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If the schema is present and valid
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Which types are missing (e.g.,
LocalBusiness
,Product
,FAQ
) -
If markup aligns with page content (to avoid manual penalties)
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Schema coverage vs competitors
Websites with schema are more likely to rank higher and earn better click-through rates.
Competitor SEO Gap Analysis
Want to know what your competitors are doing better than you? That’s exactly what this part of the audit reveals.
We run side-by-side comparisons to find:
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Keywords your competitors rank for—but you don’t
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Backlinks they’ve earned from high-DA sites
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Content topics you’ve missed
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Structured data and technical strengths they’re leveraging
Then, we use that intel to:
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Create a content calendar
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Prioritize backlinks you can replicate
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Craft pages designed to outrank your competitors
This is how you leapfrog industry leaders—with smart data.
Tools Used in SEO Audit Services
At Linkbooster, we combine human expertise with premium tools to deliver unmatched accuracy and insights:
Tool | Purpose |
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Google Search Console | Indexing, crawl issues, Core Web Vitals |
Google Analytics 4 | Behavior, traffic sources, and bounce rates |
Semrush | Keywords, backlinks, toxic links, competitor analysis |
Ahrefs | Content gaps, backlinks, and anchor texts |
Screaming Frog | Full site crawl, redirects, metadata, errors |
GTmetrix / PageSpeed Insights | Speed testing and optimization |
Surfer SEO | On-page content optimization |
Yoast SEO / Rank Math | Schema and WordPress-based audits |
Each tool contributes to a different layer of the audit, ensuring nothing gets missed.
How to Read an SEO Audit Report
SEO reports can be overwhelming, full of jargon and metrics. That’s why our audit comes with:
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Clear prioritization: Critical issues first
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Traffic impact predictions
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Fix recommendations (what, why, how)
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Custom action checklist
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Optional Zoom walkthrough with our co-founder, Muhammad Naqash
Our goal is not just to show you what’s wrong, but to guide you through fixing it.
Fixing Issues After an Audit
An SEO audit without action is like a diagnosis without treatment.
Once you’ve identified the problems, the next step is to prioritize and implement the fixes. At Linkbooster, we don’t just send over a report and leave you hanging—we walk with you through every phase of resolution.
Here’s how we recommend fixing issues post-audit:
✅ Create a Fix Priority Plan
Not all issues are equal. For example:
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A broken robots.txt file blocking Google is urgent
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A missing alt tag on one image? Not as critical
We segment audit results into:
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High-priority fixes (technical SEO, crawlability, indexing)
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Medium-priority (on-page SEO, internal linking)
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Low-priority (meta refinements, image tags)
✅ Start with Technical SEO Errors
Fix:
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Broken pages and redirects
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Speed bottlenecks
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Indexation issues
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Mobile responsiveness
These directly impact Google’s ability to rank your site.
✅ Update and Optimize Content
Edit or rewrite:
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Low-performing blog posts
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Outdated service pages
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Keyword-stuffed or thin content
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Duplicate headings and titles
Also, align content with search intent and competitor benchmarks.
✅ Build or Clean Your Backlink Profile
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Disavow toxic links
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Reach out for lost link reclamation
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Start white-hat link-building campaigns
A clean, growing backlink profile builds authority fast.
DIY SEO Audit vs. Professional SEO Audit Services
👨🔧 DIY Audit Pros:
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Free (mostly)
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Great for learning
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Useful for very small sites (under 20 pages)
❌ DIY Audit Cons:
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Time-consuming
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Lacks deeper technical checks
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No custom strategy
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Risk of missing high-impact errors
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Tools can give false positives without context
👨💼 Professional SEO Audit Pros:
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Accurate data interpreted by experts
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Custom-tailored recommendations
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Use of premium tools
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Action plan with follow-up
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Fix implementation support
💡 “Our clients often say they wasted months guessing—until we showed them what was really broken.”
❌ Professional SEO Audit Cons:
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Requires investment
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Needs trust in the provider
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Might feel too technical without proper guidance (which is why we explain every step in simple language)
How Often Should You Do an SEO Audit?
The answer depends on your site’s size, industry, and the competitiveness of your keywords.
📅 Recommended SEO Audit Frequency:
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Small business websites: Once every 6 months
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E-commerce or news sites: Every quarter
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After any major redesign or migration
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Immediately after a traffic drop or a search algorithm update
Consistency ensures your site stays healthy, competitive, and discoverable.
Signs You Need an Immediate SEO Audit
If you’re experiencing any of the following, get an audit ASAP:
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📉 Sudden drop in rankings or organic traffic
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🧭 Google Search Console shows crawl errors or warnings
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❌ Broken links, duplicate content, or spammy backlinks
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🚫 Penalties or de-indexed pages
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📵 Slow mobile or desktop performance
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🔍 Poor Core Web Vitals score
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🏷️ Pages not showing up for their intended keywords
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📈 Spending on ads, but no improvement in organic visibility
SEO Audit for Different Website Types
SEO isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different types of websites have different needs, structures, and challenges. That’s why at Linkbooster, our SEO audit services are fully customized for each business model.
Let’s break it down:
🛒 SEO Audit for E-commerce Sites
E-commerce sites often have thousands of pages, making SEO more complex.
We focus on:
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Product page optimization
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Faceted navigation and pagination
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Duplicate product content
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Schema for products, reviews, and price
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Crawl budget management
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Thin content on category pages
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HTTPS security and cart-related SEO
📰 SEO Audit for Blogs and Publishers
For content-heavy websites and blogs, we audit:
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Content freshness and update cycles
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Indexation control (noindex/tag pages)
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Author and article schema
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Orphaned content
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Internal linking strategy
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Tag/category optimization
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Broken external/internal references
This helps increase organic reach, ad revenue, and topic authority.
📍 SEO Audit for Local Businesses
If you run a salon, gym, restaurant, or local service, your visibility in Google Maps and local search is key.
We cover:
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Google Business Profile audit
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Citation accuracy (NAP consistency)
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Local landing pages
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Local schema markup
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Review signals and star rating visibility
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Localized keyword coverage
Local SEO audits help you dominate your city or region.
Mistakes to Avoid During an SEO Audit
Even with the right tools, mistakes can cost you dearly. Here are the common ones:
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❌ Only running automated tools and trusting them blindly
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❌ Fixing the wrong priorities first
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❌ Ignoring user intent
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❌ Skipping mobile and Core Web Vitals
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❌ Not checking indexing status in Google Search Console
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❌ Not implementing changes after an audit
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❌ Doing a one-time audit and forgetting follow-ups
🚫 A one-time audit is not a cure—it’s a diagnosis. SEO success comes from consistent maintenance.
How to Track Progress After Fixing Issues
Once you have addressed the issues identified in the audit, it’s time to assess the impact. Here’s how we do it:
📊 Monitor Key SEO KPIs:
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Organic traffic growth (GA4)
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Keyword ranking improvements
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Bounce rate and time on page
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Conversion rate from organic sessions
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Core Web Vitals improvements
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Pages indexed in Google
🧩 Compare “Before vs After” Benchmarks:
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Rankings for primary and secondary keywords
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Click-through rates from SERPs
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Page speed and UX signals
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Crawl errors or toxic backlinks (should be 0)
We provide monthly SEO reports so you always know what’s working and what needs attention.
Cost of SEO Audit Services
Here’s a breakdown of general pricing:
Audit Type | Estimated Price Range (USD) |
---|---|
Basic SEO Audit (Small Site) | $100 – $300 |
Technical + On-Page SEO Audit | $300 – $600 |
Full SEO Audit + Report + Consultation | $600 – $1200 |
E-commerce or Enterprise Audit | $1000+ |
At Linkbooster, we offer custom pricing tailored to your site’s size, complexity, and business objectives. And yes, we offer white-label audits for agencies too.
Linkbooster’s SEO Audit Process (Expert Insight)
Here’s how we handle SEO audits—with clarity, transparency, and expert input from start to finish:
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Initial Consultation – Understand your site, niche, goals, and past SEO efforts
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Full Crawl and Scan – Using Semrush, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, GSC, GA4
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Manual Analysis by Experts – We interpret the data so you don’t have to
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Custom Report Generation – Sorted by priority, impact, and fix suggestions
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Live Walkthrough Call – We guide you step-by-step through each audit section
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Optional Fixing or Strategy Support – We can implement or coach your in-house team
Want a free audit consultation? I personally invite you to reach out via Linkbooster’s contact form—or message me directly. I’ll help you understand where your site stands and what steps to take next.
FAQs
How long does an SEO audit take?
Typically, 3–7 days, depending on your site’s size and depth of the audit.
Will an audit instantly improve my rankings?
No—but it lays the groundwork. After fixes are implemented, most clients see improvements within 30–90 days.
Do I need technical knowledge to understand the report?
Not at all. Our audit reports are written in clear, simple language, and we include a live consultation to provide a detailed explanation of everything.
Can I just use free tools instead of hiring a service?
Free tools are great for surface-level insights. However, only a professional audit can reveal deep-seated structural and strategic issues.
Will you fix the issues found in the audit?
Yes, we offer audit + implementation packages, or we can guide your developers to make changes correctly.
Let Linkbooster Fix & Grow Your SEO
If your site isn’t ranking, converting, or getting enough traffic, chances are—it’s not a content problem, it’s a foundation problem.
An SEO audit is the most important first step toward long-term visibility and success. It shows you:
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What’s broken
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What’s working
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What’s missing
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And how to fix it
Whether you’re a local business, a growing blog, or an online store, our SEO audit services at Linkbooster are designed to uncover your site’s hidden potential.
🔗 Let’s Work Together
I’m Muhammad Naqash, co-founder of Linkbooster and your personal SEO partner. I’ve helped businesses just like yours:
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Fix deep-rooted SEO issues
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Recover from penalties
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Improve rankings for their top money pages
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Turn SEO into a revenue machine
Ready for a complete SEO audit?
📩 Contact me here
Or book a free consultation to discuss your needs.