In today’s digital age, visibility on Google isn’t just a bonus—it’s a necessity. If your website isn’t showing up on the first page of search results, you might be leaving potential traffic—and revenue—on the table. But fear not. A new guide has just been released, offering a comprehensive walk-through on how to carry out a manual SEO audit that could be a game-changer for web owners and digital marketers alike.
What Is an SEO Audit and Why Does It Matter?
An SEO audit is a process that evaluates how search-engine-friendly your website is. Think of it as a check-up for your online presence. Just as you’d inspect the foundation of a house before building further, conducting an SEO audit ensures your website has the technical structure needed to thrive on Google.
“Skipping an SEO audit is like building on sand,” says the guide. “It may stand for a while, but eventually, everything can collapse.”
Understanding how Google works at its core is the starting point of the audit. Google uses web crawlers—sometimes referred to as spiders—that scour billions of websites, categorise their pages as known, crawled, or indexed, and then rank them based on quality and relevance. Any flaws in your website, such as broken links, slow load times, or poor on-page SEO, will be flagged during this crawling process and could seriously hurt your chances of ranking high.
Essential Tools for the Job: Screaming Frog Takes the Lead
When it comes to carrying out the audit, the guide cuts through the confusion surrounding SEO tools. While platforms like DeepCrawl and Sitebulb are reputable paid tools, the standout recommendation is Screaming Frog, a free-to-use powerhouse—at least for websites with under 500 pages.
This desktop-based tool allows users to crawl any website (WordPress, Wix, custom code, you name it) and retrieve an abundance of technical SEO data. Some of its features include:
Identifying broken links (404 errors)
Analyzing page titles, meta descriptions, and heading tags
Detecting duplicate content and redirect issues
Creating XML sitemaps
Visualizing website structure through crawl diagrams
Plus, users can export the data for further analysis in Excel or Google Sheets.
Real-Time Demonstration: Crawling a Live Website
The tool even allows users to inspect each page individually or switch to a bird’s eye view of the site architecture using force-directed crawl diagrams. This helps developers and SEO specialists instantly spot weaknesses in the site’s link structure and internal hierarchy.
The Big Picture
Whether you’re a business owner, a freelance web developer, or a digital marketer managing multiple client sites, conducting manual SEO audits with the right tools can set your projects on a path toward higher rankings and better user engagement.
And with tools like Screaming Frog simplifying the process—even for beginners—there’s no excuse to ignore this crucial first step.
So, before you write your next blog post or invest in paid ads, ask yourself: has your site had a proper check-up? If not, now might be the perfect time to pop open Screaming Frog and see what Google sees when it visits your domain.