You can run a useful first SEO audit yourself in an afternoon. Check that search engines can find and index your pages, that each page has a clear title, description and heading, that the site is fast and works on a phone, that pages link to each other sensibly, and that your local details are right. Fix problems in that order, because the early ones block everything after them.
Can search engines find your pages?
If a page is not indexed, nothing else about it matters.
- Search for your business name and a few of your main pages. Do they appear?
- Check that no page is blocked by mistake. A leftover setting from the time the site was being built is a classic cause.
- Make sure a sitemap exists and has been submitted in Google Search Console, which is a free tool that shows how Google sees your site.
- Look for pages that show errors when opened, and old addresses that lead nowhere.
Titles and descriptions
The title is the blue line in search results. The description is the text under it. They decide whether someone clicks.
- Give every page its own title that says what the page is.
- Put the most important words near the start, and keep it short enough not to be cut off.
- Write a description that reads like a helpful sentence, not a list of keywords.
- Watch for duplicates, where many pages share the same title.
Headings and content
- Each page should have one main heading that matches what the page is about.
- Use smaller headings to break up the text in a sensible order.
- Write for the question a customer would actually ask. Answer it plainly.
- Remove thin pages that say almost nothing, or merge them into a stronger one.
- Check that images have short descriptions, which also helps people using screen readers.
Speed
Slow pages lose visitors before they read a word.
- Open the site on an ordinary phone connection, not only on office wifi.
- Look for oversized images. They are the most common cause.
- Remove plugins and scripts you no longer use.
- Ask your developer or host whether pages are cached and served quickly.
Mobile
Most people will see your site on a phone first.
- Is the text readable without zooming?
- Are buttons easy to tap and far enough apart?
- Does the contact form work on a small screen?
- Does anything jump around while the page loads?
Internal links
Links between your own pages help visitors and help search engines understand which pages matter.
- Link from your main pages to the pages that bring enquiries.
- Use link text that describes the destination, not “click here”.
- Make sure important pages are reachable within a few clicks from the homepage.
- Fix links that lead to missing pages.
Local basics
If customers find you by area, check the basics.
- Your business name, address and phone number match across your site and your listings.
- Your Google Business Profile is claimed, complete and current.
- Opening hours and services are up to date.
- Your location pages say something real about the place, not copied text with the town name swapped.
What to fix first
Start with anything that blocks indexing. Then fix titles and descriptions, then speed and mobile problems, then links and content. Do not chase every small warning from an automated tool. Pick what affects pages that bring enquiries.
Where Teapot Techies fits
If you would rather have a specialist do this, we audit your site, give you a clear list of what to fix and why, and either make the changes or hand the list to your developer. We work on sites we did not build, and we do not promise rankings. See SEO audits and consulting, or our website work if the site itself needs rebuilding.