SEO Audit for eCommerce Websites

Hey there! Welcome to this super helpful guide on SEO audits for eCommerce websites.

You’re probably wondering why doing an audit is so important, and don’t worry–we’ll get into that in a bit.

But let’s start by discussing what an SEO audit is and why it’s necessary for eCommerce websites.

Then we’ll discuss how to get started with your audit.

We’ve been an SEO Company since 2009 and have run over 13,277 campaigns for clients. So you can trust what we have to say on this topic.

Let’s go!

Table of Contents

What is an SEO Audit?

Do you want to help your eCommerce website climb up the search engine rankings?

Well, then, it’s time to do an SEO audit! An SEO audit is like giving your website a check-up. It helps you find out what stuff your website needs to do better to rank higher in the search engines.

Auditing is vital for eCommerce sites because it helps them make more sales.

So get ready to learn with this blog about SEO audits for eCommerce websites.

Why Are SEO Audits Important?

An SEO audit helps you identify problems that are hurting your SEO rankings.

It’s like giving your website a check-up.

With an ecommerce SEO audit, you can provide all the parts of your website work together so:

search crawlers and people can find it,
understand what it’s about,
and use it easily.

You’ll also see which areas need more work to boost your website’s online visibility.

Why We Wrote This Blog Post for You

This blog post is here to help you figure out how to audit your eCommerce website’s SEO.

We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about setting up an SEO audit and the:

technical,
on-page,
off-page,
and analytics audits that come with it.

After reading this post, you’ll be ready to do a top-notch SEO audit!

Setting Up for the SEO Audit

Are you ready to get started on your SEO audit?

To ensure you get the best results, preparing in advance is essential.

You’ll need to set some goals and gather some data.

You’ll also need the right tools and schedule for the audit.

Let’s get started!

Define Your Goals

Do you want to make more money or get higher rankings in search results?

Maybe you want to increase your customer conversion rates.

Figure out your goals and write them down to quickly refer to them.

That way, you’ll know exactly what you’re trying to do.

Gather Necessary Data

To get ready for the audit, you need to collect some data.

Get all the information to help you understand how your website is doing. You’ll use this data to spot any issues and fix them.

So ensuring you have the right things to work with is essential.

Tools Required for the Audit

Before getting started on your search engine optimization audit, you’ll need to get the right tools.

You can use Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools to help check traffic data and find issues that need to get fixed.

(Note: Check out our post post on how to get more traffic to your blog while you’re here.

You can use tools like Ahrefs, and SEMrush for keyword research.

(Note: Don’t forget to visit our keyword research strategies post before leaving.)

And for website and page optimization, you can use tools like Yoast SEO, SEOPressor, Screaming Frog, and GTMetrix.

Setting Up a Schedule

It would help if you created a schedule for your ecommerce SEO audit.

Doing this will help you keep track of all the steps involved in the process and ensure everything gets done on time!

Start by:

laying out a timeline,
breaking down big tasks into smaller chunks,
and assigning them deadlines.

Make sure to include some extra time for unexpected issues.

Technical SEO Audit

It’s time to get technical with your ecommerce SEO audit. To ensure your eCommerce website performs its best, there’s lots of stuff to look out for.

We’ll check out the:

site structure,
mobile responsiveness,
loading speed,
and more.

Then we’ll look at on-page and off-page SEO and check out some analytics.

Let’s get started!

(Note: Look over our SEO Best Practices Tips for 2023 and tech SEO tips to get even more information you need to improve your SEO rankings.)

Site Structure Analysis

Checking your website’s structure is an essential part of an SEO audit.

Doing this means looking at how the pages are laid out so that search engines and visitors can easily find them.

Make sure all your pages connect in a way that makes it easy for people to find what they’re looking for.

Mobile Responsiveness Test

Are you checking to ensure your eCommerce website looks good on the phone?

That’s an integral part of an ecommerce SEO Audit!

You should use a mobile responsiveness test to ensure that loading times, font sizes, and images look great on any device.

Website Loading Speed Test

Do you want your customers to have a good experience on your website?

Well, then, it’s time to check the loading speed!

You’ll need to test how quickly it loads to ensure your website is up to snuff.

Once you know the loading speed, you can tweak things and make sure your site meets all the requirements.

That way, when customers show up, they won’t wait forever to get what they need.

Duplicate Content Check

Take a look and ensure there’s no duplicate content on your website.

Double-check that each page is unique and helpful.

If it looks like you have too much of the same content, try to mix it up or remove some of it.

URL Optimization

You’ll want to make sure your URLs get optimized for search engines.

Your URLs should be descriptive, clear, and easy to understand. They should also include target keywords people might use when searching for your site.

You can also add a few keywords to them to boost their relevance.

Sitemap and Robots.txt Audit

Do you have a sitemap and robots.txt file?

They provide critical information about the pages on your site that Google can index.

To make sure they’re working correctly, take a look at them and see if there are any errors or issues that need fixing.

Internal Linking Analysis

An internal linking analysis is when you check how pages on your site are connected.

This helps ensure people find the information they need quickly and easily. It also helps search engines understand the structure of your website better.

It would help if you:

tried to create links within the content of your page,
use descriptive keywords for anchor text,
and link to related pages within your website.

Doing this will make navigation easier for your customers and help boost your visibility on search engines.

Fixing Technical Issues

After checking the technical stuff, it’s time to get to work and fix any issues you found!

You’ll want to look at:

your site structure,
mobile responsiveness,
and website loading speed.

Also, check for any duplicate content and optimize your URLs.

Don’t forget to analyze your internal linking structure, sitemap, and robots.txt too!

By taking care of all these details, you’ll be in an excellent position for success.

(Note: Check out this post to learn to harvest the low hanging SEO fruit on your website.)

On-Page SEO Audit

Are you ready to take your eCommerce business to the next level?

Then it’s time to dive into on-page SEO.

This part of the audit includes lots of cool stuff, like:

keyword research,
content quality checks,
and image optimization.

We’ll also give your website a user experience analysis and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Let’s get started.

Keyword Research

Do some keyword research!

Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, and Google Keyword Planner are all great tools. You can use them to discover relevant keywords you can target for your website.

Don’t forget to consider the keywords your customers use to find your products online.

That way, you can ensure you reach the right audience.

Content Quality Analysis

It’s time to check if your content is up to snuff!

You’ll want to ensure that all the content on your website is easy to understand.

Check for spelling or grammar errors affecting your eCommerce website rankings.

You’ll also want to make sure that your content is organized in a way that will be easy for people to read and understand.

No one likes reading a jumbled mess!

Lastly, a content audit will also help you identify any weak points and how to improve them.

Content Relevance and Optimization

You should check a few things to ensure your content is relevant and optimized.

First, ensure all the words in your content get spelled right so that Google can find them.

Then, make sure the content is exciting and easy to understand.

Finally, ensure you have keywords in your content related to what people are searching for.

Doing this will make sure you show up higher on Google search results.

Meta Tags and Descriptions

Meta descriptions and tags are like tiny signs that helps Google understand your site.

Meta tags help people know what your page is about. They should be words that tell visitors the main idea, like a title for the page.

The words should explain the main topic and get written in a way that makes sense to everyone.

Image Optimization

If you have images on your site, it’s important to optimize them so they are easy for search engines to find and index.

Ensure they all have descriptive titles and clear captions so Google can understand what they show.

Also, keep the file size of images small so that your website is easy to load.

User Experience (UX) Analysis

Do you ever visit a website and find it hard to navigate or use?

That’s not good for anyone!

That’s why checking the user experience or UX is essential when doing an ecommerce SEO audit.

Making sure your website is user-friendly is essential. That means customers should be able to find what they want and have a good time while using it.

To help ensure your customers get the best possible service from your website you need to:

check page load speed, menu navigation, visuals, and layout

Fixing On-Page Issues

You’ll want to fix any on-page issues that may come up during your audit.

You want everyone who visits to find what they’re looking for quick and fast.

Off-Page SEO Audit

Let’s learn about off-page SEO audits. This type of audit helps check what other websites say about your site and how they’re linking to it.

We’ll look at backlinks, link building strategies, online reputation management, and more.

That way, you can ensure your website looks its best in search engines’ and customers’ eyes!

Backlink Profile Analysis

Take a look at your backlinks! By using ahrefs or SEMrush, you can get an up-close view of your backlinks.

Check to see if the links are from trusted sources, and also take a deep dive into the quality of the content around those links.

Doing this will help you understand how well other websites link to your website.

Link Building Strategies

Link building is a great way to boost your eCommerce website’s rankings.

Broken link building means finding and getting links from websites with broken pages. Guest posts help get the word out about your website. For link outreach, you ask other websites to put a link to your site.

Infographics are also super helpful – they’re an eye-catching way to explain complex topics or data in a fun and interactive way.

Try these strategies, and your website will thank you!

Online Reputation Management

When it comes to online reputation management, it’s essential to keep an eye on what people say about you and your business online.

This means the following:

checking social media accounts,
forums,
and other websites for any mentions of your brand.

That way, if someone posts something negative about your business, you’ll be able to respond fast.

Besides responding to negative comments, you should:

Post regular updates on your social media accounts.
Respond to customers with positive things to say about your company.

Doing this will help build trust with potential customers and let them know you care about their opinions.

Fixing Off-Page Issues

If you want your site to improve, you must fix off-page issues. That means improving your backlinks, building solid links, and managing your online reputation.

All these things can help bring more people to your website and get them to stay longer.

You’ll also want to ensure you track the conversions from different sources so you know what’s working and what isn’t.

That way, you can ensure you’re reaching the people who matter most – your customers!

Analytics Audit

Welcome to the Analytics Audit section of your SEO audit.

Here you’ll learn all about tracking how people interact with your website. That way you can make sure it’s running smoothly and getting results.

You’ll know to look at:

traffic sources,
measure conversion rates,
and check bounce rates.

Plus, you’ll discover some helpful tips on setting up conversion tracking and fixing analytics issues.

Let’s get started.

(Note: Read more SEO tips for your small business right here.)

Traffic Sources Analysis

Are you wondering where your website visitors are coming from? An SEO audit can help you figure it out.

Your audit will look at the traffic sources that lead people to your eCommerce site. It will also give you a better understanding of how they’re getting there.

This information is vital.

It can help you decide which strategies should get used for future campaigns.

So don’t wait – get an SEO audit today and start finding new customers.

Conversion Rate Analysis

Do you want to know how successful your website is with customers?

It’s all about the conversion rate!

This means seeing how many people visit your website and then completing an action like:

buying a product,
signing up for a newsletter,
or donating.

You can track this with analytics tools, which will let you measure your site’s success.

With this knowledge, you’ll be able to make it even better and get more customers.

Bounce Rate Analysis

Why are people leaving your website after they visit?

One thing to look at is the bounce rate.

Checking it will let you know how many people come to your website and leave without looking at other pages.

This can help you understand what visitors like or don’t like about your website.

Setting Up Conversion Tracking

Are you ready to start tracking conversions?

It’s easy and essential! You’ll want to make sure that you know when people are visiting your website and how they interact with it. This will help you see what works and what doesn’t so that you can make more informed decisions!

Setting up conversion tracking is the first step in understanding your website’s performance.

Fixing Analytics Issues

Fixing your analytics issues is super important! It’s like solving a puzzle – you must figure out the right pieces.

Check all your traffic sources, conversion rates, and bounce rates to ensure everything works properly. Set up tracking, too, to see how people use your website.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the details and make changes if needed – it’ll help you reach success!

Conclusion

So that’s it!

You’ve done your eCommerce website SEO audit and know what to do now. You can start fixing any technical, on-page, and off-page issues you found during your audit.

Also, set up conversion tracking and watch your traffic sources and bounce rates.

With all this knowledge and hard work, you can quickly improve your website’s ranking and get more customers.

Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an SEO audit?

An SEO audit is a comprehensive website analysis to identify issues that may negatively impact search engine rankings and online visibility. It examines all aspects of SEO, including technical SEO, on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and analytics.

Why is an SEO audit important?

SEO audits are vital because they help identify problems and opportunities to improve a website’s ability to rank in search engines. This can lead to more organic traffic, better conversion rates, and higher business revenues.

How often should you do an SEO audit?

It’s recommended to conduct an SEO audit every 3-6 months. SEO is an ongoing process, and regular audits allow you to stay on top of algorithm updates, new opportunities, and changes in site performance.

What are some standard SEO audit tools?

Some popular SEO audit tools include Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz Pro. These provide data on technical issues, backlinks, rankings, and more.

What are some examples of technical SEO issues?

Technical SEO issues include site speed, broken links, duplicate content, improper URL structures, missing alt text on images, incorrect hreflang implementation, and more.

What are some on-page SEO best practices?

On-page best practices include:

Optimizing title tags and meta descriptions.
Using targeted keywords appropriately.
Improving content quality and length.
Enhancing site navigation and internal linking.
Structuring pages with HTML headings.

What is the purpose of off-page SEO?

Off-page SEO refers to building quality backlinks to a website from external sources. This helps search engines determine a site’s authority and relevance for ranking purposes.

How can you improve website conversion rates?

Some ways to boost conversion rates include simplifying forms, adding trust signals like security badges, optimizing landing pages, providing more payment options, and using exit intent popups.

What should you look for in a site’s analytics?

Analytics provide insight into traffic sources, top landing/exit pages, bounce rates, conversion funnels, keyword rankings, and more. Use this data to optimize content and site design.

How can I request an SEO audit from your company?

Feel free to contact us to request a complimentary SEO audit and strategy consultation. We’re happy to assess your website’s health and provide recommendations to improve SEO and conversions.

Glossary

Algorithm Updates: Changes and refinements made to search engine algorithms that affect search rankings and results. Stay updated on Google algorithm updates like core updates.

Anchor Text: The visible, clickable text that is hyperlinked. Anchor text is essential for SEO in providing contextual clues for search engines.

Backlinks: Incoming links to a webpage from an external website. High-quality backlinks are a positive ranking factor.

Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors that enter and exit a website from a single page without further browsing. High bounce rates may indicate content issues.

Crawl Budget: The amount of pages search engine bots can crawl on a website in a given period. Large websites may exceed crawl budgets.

Duplicate Content: Identical or highly similar content that appears on the web, often negatively impacting SEO. Fix duplicate content issues.

Indexation: The process of search engines cataloging webpages so they can appear in search results. Pages must be indexed to rank.

Keyword Research: Researching keyword search volume and competition to identify relevant terms to target. Informs content creation and SEO strategy.

Link Building: An SEO technique that acquires new backlinks to improve rankings. This is done through outreach, guest posts, etc.

Meta Description: A summary of a webpage in search engine results, meant to explain content concisely. Optimized meta descriptions improve click-through.

Mobile Responsiveness: A website can adapt its design and layout to provide an optimal viewing and user experience on mobile devices. Critical for SEO.

Organic Traffic: Website visitors who arrive via search engines rather than paid ads or other sources. SEO done well increases organic traffic.

Page Speed: The time it takes for a webpage to load fully. Faster page speed leads to better user experience and SEO.

RankBrain: Google’s AI system interprets search intent and understands the meaning of queries. It impacts search rankings and results.

Semantic Search: Search engine capabilities derive meaning from content rather than matching keywords. Requires semantic SEO optimization.

Sitemaps: A list of pages on a website which helps search engines crawl and index a site more efficiently. XML sitemaps are best.

Title Tag: HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. Title tags are displayed in search results and are essential for click-through-rates.

More Resources for Your Small Business

Our co-founder, Matt LaClear, who has successfully run over 13,2777 SEO campaigns for clients since 2009, has created a collection of resources designed to help you grow your agency. Th

ese resources provide a wide range of helpful information, from understanding why your SEO might not work to strategies for enhancing your SEO performance.

Here’s a list of the resources:

Why My SEO Isn’t Working: Understand the common issues that can prevent your SEO from delivering the desired results.
SEO Company for Small Business: Learn about our services tailored for small businesses.
Keyword Research Services: Discover how our keyword research services can help drive traffic to your site.
Link Building Services: Enhance your website’s SEO through effective link building.
Algorithm Update Recovery Services: Recover your website’s rankings and traffic after a search engine algorithm update.
Conversion Rate Optimization Services: Boost your conversion rates with our optimization services.
SEO Audit Services: Ensure your website is fully optimized with our comprehensive SEO audit services.
Keyword Research Strategies: Implement effective keyword research strategies to improve your SEO.
Link Building Tips: Get tips on how to build high-quality links for your website.
SEO Low Hanging Fruit: Learn about the easy wins in SEO that can quickly improve your rankings.
Tech SEO Checklist: A checklist to ensure your website is technically optimized for SEO.
Local SEO: Understand how to optimize your website for local searches.
How to Get Traffic to Your Blog: Learn practical strategies for driving traffic to your blog.
SEO Case Studies: Explore our case studies to see how we’ve helped our clients improve their SEO.
White Label SEO Services (For Agencies Only): Learn about our white-label SEO services for agencies.

A Special Offer from the Author

Matt LaClear

We’re fortunate to have the wisdom of our co-founder, Matt LaClear, to guide us through the labyrinth of SEO.

Since 2009, Matt has been deeply immersed in the SEO world, contributing his expertise to over 13,277 campaigns for diverse clients.

This wealth of experience has given him a unique understanding of the nuances and intricacies of SEO, making him a trusted authority in the field.

Benefit From Matt’s SEO Expertise

Matt is offering our readers an exceptional opportunity to learn from his experience. He is generously extending an offer for a free custom SEO strategy call.

This is a golden opportunity to obtain personalized insights and strategies tailored to your website directly from an SEO expert.

This offer is not to be missed. It’s not often that you get the chance to converse with someone who has successfully managed thousands of SEO campaigns.

Please take advantage of this opportunity to learn from Matt’s decade-long experience and allow him to help you optimize your website’s SEO strategy.

Remember, great SEO is more than just a skill—it’s an art. Matt has spent over a decade mastering this art and is ready to pass on his knowledge to you.

Don’t let this chance slip by; take advantage of his generous offer today.

CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR FREE CUSTOM SEO STRATEGY CALL WITH MATT

Tagged eCommerce Websites SEO Audits