If you want to get more visible in Google UK search results, you need to do an SEO audit first. An SEO audit will tell you what’s working, what’s not and where to grow – from technical issues to on-page content, backlink quality and more.
Here’s a step-by guide to doing an SEO audit that works:
1. Check Your Website’s Technical Health
Start with the basics. Technical SEO issues will stop Google from crawling and indexing your website.
Areas to audit:
- ✅ Crawlability: Use Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to check all important pages are crawlable.
- ✅ Indexing: Search “site:yourdomain.co.uk” in Google to see how many pages are indexed.
- ✅ Mobile-friendliness: Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
- ✅ Site speed: Use PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to find slow pages.
- ✅ HTTPS: Make sure your site is HTTPS across all URLs.
- ✅ Broken links and 404 errors: These hurt SEO and user experience – fix them.
2. Check On-Page SEO
On-page optimisation helps search engines understand your website’s content – and keyword rankings.
Checklist:
- Page titles: Unique, relevant and include your target keywords?
- Meta descriptions: Encourages clicks and under 155–160 characters?
- H1-H6 structure: Every page should have a H1 tag and a logical heading structure.
- Keyword use: Using relevant keywords naturally throughout the content?
- Image optimisation: Add alt tags and compress images for faster load times.
- Internal linking: Help users and search engines navigate your site by linking to related pages.
3. Check Content Quality and Relevance
Google rewards high quality, useful content – especially when it matches search intent.
Questions to ask:
- Does each page answer a question or solve a user problem?
- Is your content well written, engaging and duplicate free?* Are you using structured content formats (e.g. lists, headings, FAQs)?
- Do you update blog posts, guides and service pages regularly?
Use Surfer SEO or Clearscope to compare your content to top ranking UK competitors.
4. Check Keyword Targeting
Proper keyword strategy is key to ranking on Google UK.
Steps:
- Audit your current keyword rankings with SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console.
- Identify UK specific terms (e.g. “solicitor” instead of “attorney”).
- Map keywords to relevant pages (no cannibalisation).
- Focus on intent: Are users looking to buy, learn or compare?
Use Google Keyword Planner or AlsoAsked.com for UK search trends and queries.
5. Check Backlink Profile
Backlinks from trusted sites are still a ranking factor.
Audit:
- Use Ahrefs or Majestic to review your backlinks.
- Check for low quality or spammy links and disavow if needed.
- Compare to competitors — what kind of sites are linking to them?
- Look for opportunities to get high authority backlinks (e.g. local press, .gov.uk links, industry blogs).
6. Make Sure Local SEO Is in Place (If Relevant)
If you target customers in a specific region of the UK, local SEO is crucial.
Make sure:
- Your Google Business Profile is fully completed and verified.
- Name, Address and Phone Number (NAP) is consistent across all platforms.
- You’re listed on reputable UK directories (e.g. Yell, Thomson Local).
- You collect and respond to customer reviews on Google and other sites.
7. Check Core Web Vitals and UX Issues
Google now includes user experience signals in its algorithm.
Test:
- **Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Should load in under 2.5 seconds.
- First Input Delay (FID): Should be under 100 milliseconds.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Keep under 0.1.
- Your site should be easy to navigate on desktop and mobile.
Tools like Google Search Console and Lighthouse will flag these issues.## 8. Check Structured Data and Schema Markup
Structured data helps Google understand your site and show rich snippets in the search results.
Use schema for:
- Articles and blog posts
- Reviews and ratings
- FAQs and how-to content
- Local business info (for local SEO)
Test with Google’s Rich Results Test or Schema.org Validator.
9. Analyse User Behaviour and Conversions
Ranking is pointless if visitors don’t take action. Use data to improve the user journey.
Track with:
- Google Analytics 4 for user flow and bounce rate
- Google Search Console for click-through rates (CTR)
- Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity for heatmaps and session recordings
Ask: Are users dropping off before converting? Is your call-to-action strong enough?
10. Create an SEO Audit Report with Next Steps
Once the audit is complete, document:
- Issues found (grouped by priority)
- Fixes
- Who’s responsible
- Timeline for implementation
This becomes your SEO action plan. Update monthly or quarterly to track progress.
Final Tip: Repeat Regularly
SEO audits aren’t one-and-done. Run them every 3–6 months to stay ahead of Google algorithm updates and your competitors.
Need help with an SEO audit for your UK website? Working with a UK-based SEO consultant or digital agency can save time and get you better results.
