A Technical SEO Audit → analyses → how search engines crawl, render, and index your site to identify barriers that prevent growth.
Without regular auditing, hidden crawl issues, broken architecture, or slow performance can quietly destroy your rankings.
In this definitive guide by Kasra Dash, you’ll learn how to perform a full technical SEO audit — step-by-step — using the same methods professionals use to uncover visibility bottlenecks and strengthen site health.
→ Start by revisiting Technical SEO and Fix Indexing Issues to understand how crawling and indexing systems connect to auditing.
A technical SEO audit keeps your website healthy, discoverable, and fast.
What Is a Technical SEO Audit?
A Technical SEO Audit evaluates the systems and signals that help search engines discover, understand, and rank your content.
It differs from an on-page or content audit because it focuses on the infrastructure — not the copy.
| Type of Audit | Focus | Example Insights |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Audit | Crawlability, rendering, indexation | Broken canonicals, slow pages, robots.txt blocks |
| On-Page Audit | Content optimisation, internal linking | Missing H1s, keyword gaps, thin content |
| Backlink Audit | External link quality | Toxic backlinks, link velocity |
Technical SEO Audit → ensures → search engines can access and interpret your site efficiently.
→ If Google reports “Discovered – not indexed,” explore Fix Indexing Issues before proceeding.
An audit diagnoses how your site communicates with search engines — not just what it says.
How often should I run a technical SEO audit?
Every 3–6 months, or after major website changes, migrations, or algorithm updates.
Step 1: Crawlability and Indexing
Your audit begins by ensuring search engines can access and index every valuable page.
1. Review Robots.txt
- Confirm important directories aren’t blocked.
- Keep sensitive or duplicate paths disallowed.
Example:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /checkout/
Allow: /
→ See best practices in XML Sitemaps & Robots.txt.
2. Validate Sitemap.xml
- Check it only lists canonical, 200-status pages.
- Remove URLs returning 3xx, 4xx, or 5xx responses.
- Submit it in Google Search Console under “Sitemaps.”
3. Confirm Canonicalisation
Each page should point to the correct canonical URL to prevent duplicate indexing.
→ Learn how to implement these correctly in Canonical Tags.
Google can’t rank what it can’t crawl, and it can’t crawl what you block.
Should I include noindexed pages in my sitemap?
No. Only include indexable, canonical URLs to improve crawl efficiency.
Step 2: Site Architecture
Your site structure dictates how efficiently Googlebot navigates and distributes authority.
Strong architecture → improves → crawl efficiency and PageRank flow.
Key Checks
- Click Depth: Keep critical pages within 3 clicks from the homepage.
- Internal Linking: Use descriptive anchors to connect related topics.
- Orphan Pages: Identify pages without internal links using tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb.
→ Learn to optimise discovery patterns in Crawl Budget.
Ideal Structure
Homepage
├── Category (Technical SEO)
│ ├── Subcategory (Core Web Vitals)
│ ├── Subcategory (Fix Indexing Issues)
│ └── Subcategory (Audit)
Your structure is your signal map — make it logical for both users and crawlers.
What’s the best internal linking depth?
Keep your highest-value pages no more than three clicks deep from the homepage to ensure crawl priority.
Step 3: Page Speed and Core Web Vitals
Site performance is a core ranking factor under Page Experience.
Core Web Vitals → measure → how fast, stable, and responsive your pages are.
Metrics to Audit
| Metric | Target | Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) | ≤ 2.5s | Optimise hero images, use lazy loading |
| INP (Interaction to Next Paint) | ≤ 200ms | Reduce JS execution time |
| CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) | ≤ 0.1 | Reserve space for ads/images |
→ Deep dive into performance metrics in Core Web Vitals.
Tools to Use
- PageSpeed Insights
- Lighthouse
- Chrome DevTools → Performance Tab
Performance equals perception — faster pages mean higher engagement and crawl rate.
Should I audit mobile and desktop speeds separately?
Yes. Google prioritises mobile-first performance metrics since the index is mobile-based.
Step 4: Mobile-First and Rendering
Since Mobile-First Indexing, Google primarily crawls with Googlebot Smartphone.
Audit Tasks
- Verify identical content between mobile and desktop.
- Check rendered HTML using Search Console → URL Inspection → View Crawled Page.
- Confirm all JS and CSS resources are accessible.
→ Learn how to optimise this process in Mobile-First Indexing.
→ Identify rendering barriers in JavaScript SEO.
Common Rendering Issues
- Blocked JavaScript or CSS in robots.txt.
- Lazy-loaded content never triggered by Googlebot.
- Delayed hydration in SPAs (Single Page Applications).
If Google can’t render your content, it can’t understand it — or rank it.
How can I test rendering parity?
Compare the raw HTML and rendered HTML versions of the same page using Screaming Frog’s “Rendering Mode.”
Step 5: Structured Data and Schema Validation
Structured data helps Google understand your content contextually and enables rich results.
Audit Steps
- Identify all JSON-LD schema implementations.
- Validate them in Google’s Rich Results Test.
- Check for errors in Search Console → Enhancements Report.
- Ensure schema matches visible content.
→ For in-depth guidance, see Schema Markup Guide.
Schema accuracy determines eligibility for enhanced SERP features.
Should I add FAQ schema to every page?
No — only to pages that contain actual question-and-answer content visible to users.
Step 6: Indexing and Canonicals
Incorrect canonicalisation or soft 404s can erode visibility.
What to Check
- Ensure self-referencing canonicals are consistent.
- Fix soft 404s by redirecting or restoring content.
- Avoid canonical chains (A → B → C).
- Validate “Indexed, not submitted in sitemap” pages in Search Console.
→ Troubleshoot indexation in Fix Indexing Issues.
→ Master canonical logic in Canonical Tags.
Correct canonicalisation consolidates authority — errors scatter it.
Should every page have a canonical tag?
Yes — even if it points to itself. Self-referencing canonicals help Google confirm your preferred URLs.
Step 7: Reporting and Prioritisation
After gathering data, classify findings by impact level to prioritise fixes efficiently.
| Priority | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Blocks indexing or visibility | Robots.txt blocking site |
| High | Significantly affects ranking | 404 on key landing page |
| Medium | Impacts crawl efficiency | Orphan pages, slow assets |
Deliverables
- Export crawl data from Screaming Frog or Sitebulb.
- Compile key issues into a visual dashboard.
- Include before-and-after snapshots for stakeholders.
→ Integrate audit tracking via your Technical SEO Framework.
A technical audit isn’t complete until issues are prioritised, implemented, and verified.
What format should I deliver my audit in?
Use Google Sheets or Data Studio dashboards to segment issues by type, severity, and URL.
Tools for a Technical SEO Audit
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Crawl, index, and mobile usability data |
| Screaming Frog / Sitebulb | Full-site crawling and visualisation |
| Ahrefs / SEMrush | Backlink and keyword context |
| PageSpeed Insights | Core Web Vitals analysis |
| Log File Analyser | Crawl frequency tracking |
→ Reference configuration steps in Crawl Budget and Website Speed SEO.
Tools provide data — your audit provides interpretation.
Should I use more than one crawler?
Yes. Screaming Frog and Sitebulb offer complementary insights — one for data export precision, the other for visual diagnostics.
Summary: Keep Your Site Healthy with Regular Technical SEO Audits
A Technical SEO Audit ensures your site remains crawlable, indexable, and high-performing — the foundations of lasting organic visibility.
To recap:
- Start with crawl and index checks.
- Validate site architecture and speed.
- Ensure mobile parity and schema accuracy.
- Report issues by priority and track implementation.
→ Now, conduct your own Technical SEO Audit or explore deeper optimisations in Core Web Vitals and Fix Indexing Issues.
Auditing is the maintenance routine that keeps your SEO engine running.
