In order to succeed in todays highly competitive and dynamic organic search engine optimization reality, it's vital to be able to identify issues preventing a site from maximum visibility in search engines, and then getting user experience polished and refined enough to win. This deck, from my presentation at the 2014 Pubcon conference in Las Vegas, conveys insights, critical thinking considerations, and how-to regarding performing a proper best practices SEO site audit.

1. SEO AUDITS
Presented by:
Alan Bleiweiss
@AlanBleiweiss
http://AlanBleiweiss.com

2. Audit Experience
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3. SEO AUDITS
SEO is about UX
As seen through the eyes
Of search algorithms
and manual reviewers
@AlanBleiweiss

4. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
The Primary Purpose of
an SEO Audit
Is to Identify Search Engine
UX Evaluation Weakness

5. SEO AUDITS
Improving UX Evaluation Factors =
More Relevant Visibility
@AlanBleiweiss
&
Higher Conversion Potential

6. SEO AUDITS
An Audit That Includes Too Many Tasks
Will Overwhelm People Into Inaction
Or Distract Resources
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7. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Strategic Site Audits
•Overview Only
•Not Too Granular
•Provides Tasking Recommendations

8. SEO AUDITS
e.g.; If You Identify Weakness In Keyword Selection
• Show Examples
• Recommend Better Phrase Selection
• Show Examples of Better Phrases
@AlanBleiweiss

9. SEO AUDITS
e.g.; If You Identify Poor Topical Organization
• Show Examples
• Recommend Reorganization
• Provide Example Reorganization Options
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10. SEO AUDITS
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QUART –
The 5 Super-Signals of SEO
• Quality
• Uniqueness
• Authority
• Relevance
• Trust

11. SEO AUDITS
When Is It Time To Perform
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A Strategic Audit?

12. SEO AUDITS
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When Revenue Is Inexplicably Down

13. SEO AUDITS
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When Traffic Takes A Nose Dive

14. SEO AUDITS
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When You’ve Been Slapped

15. SEO AUDITS
When You Think Everything Is “Okay”
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16. SEO AUDITS
When You’ve Gone As Far As You Can On Your Own
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17. SEO AUDITS
•Main Site
•Niche Domains / Sub-Domains
•“Related” Sites
•Inbound Link Footprint
•Supporting Social Signals
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What Needs To Be Reviewed

18. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
What Needs To Be Reviewed
Crawl / Processing Speed
Topical Focus / Dilution
Sub-Topical Organization
UX Intuitiveness
Signal Consistency / Confusion

19. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Gather Data From Multiple Sources
Screaming Frog
Google Analytics
Google Webmaster Tools / Bing Webmaster Tools
URIValet.com / WebPageTest.org

20. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Gather Data From Multiple Sources
SEMRush Majestic
SearchMetrics RavenTools
Open Site Explorer Panguin Tool

21. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Obvious Issues
Require Attention

22. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Obvious Issues
Require Attention

23. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Don’t Just Focus On
The Obvious Issues
Always be looking
For odd data points

24. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Always be looking
For odd data points

25. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Always be looking
For odd data points

26. SEO AUDITS
In the age of Penguin
Link Velocity Matters Big Time!
@AlanBleiweiss
Always be looking
For odd data points

27. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Understand How
Different Signals
Impact Each Other

28. SEO AUDITS
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Understand How
Different Signals
Impact Each Other

29. SEO AUDITS
@AlanBleiweiss
Understand How
Different Signals
Impact Each Other

30. SEO AUDITS
Architecture that is too flat
Dilutes group topical focus
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URL Hierarchy
Is it too flat?
Is it too deep?
MySite.com/
MySite.com/everypage

31. SEO AUDITS
Duplicate Content Distracts, Dilutes & Deters Conversions
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32. SEO AUDITS
Serious Server Delays Alone Can Sometimes Crash your @AlanBleiweiss

33. SEO AUDITS
Sometimes Just Resolving Crawl Inefficiency Can Fix Everything
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34. SEO AUDITS
Sometimes It’s Just A Single Known Algorithm Update Issue
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35. SEO AUDITS
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Sometimes it’s More Complex

36. SEO AUDITS
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Social & Other Channels
Matter to SEO

37. SEO AUDITS
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SEO is Not An Island Unto Itself

38. SEO AUDITS
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Plan for the Best Outcome

39. SEO AUDITS
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Set Realistic Expectations

40. SEO AUDITS
Recovery Often Results In 30 – 60 day Rebound Cycle
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41. SEO AUDITS
Set Realistic Expectations
An SEO Audit Should Strive
For Perfect Implementation
Yet Understand Fiscal & Resource Constraints
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42. SEO AUDITS
Set Realistic Expectations
An SEO Audit Can’t Save
A Business Overnight
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43. SEO AUDITS
Set Realistic Expectations
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An SEO Audit
Can Get an Off-The-Rails Effort
Back On Track

44. SEO AUDITS
Set Realistic Expectations
For a Step-By-Step “How-To” of
My Audit Process Check Out My
Slide Deck from Last Year’s Pubcon
http://bit.ly/AuditHowTo
@AlanBleiweiss