In this article
- Tools you need
- 1. Crawling (checks 1–5)
- 2. Indexing (checks 6–10)
- 3. Redirects and links (checks 11–15)
- 4. Speed and Core Web Vitals (checks 16–20)
- 5. Mobile, security and rendering (checks 21–25)
- 6. Structured data and AI search (checks 26–30)
- How to prioritise the fixes
- Common audit mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
Quick answer
A technical SEO audit checks whether search engines and AI crawlers can crawl, render, index and understand your website. The essentials are robots.txt and the XML sitemap, index coverage in Google Search Console, canonical tags, redirects and broken links, speed and Core Web Vitals, mobile usability, HTTPS, structured data and internal linking. Fix anything that blocks indexing first, then speed and redirects, then enhancements.
Key takeaways
- Crawling and indexing problems come first: a page Google cannot index cannot rank.
- Core Web Vitals targets are LCP 2.5 s or less, INP 200 ms or less and CLS 0.1 or less.
- Check Bing Webmaster Tools too: AI assistants rely on more than one search index.
- Structured data and AI-crawler access are now part of a complete technical audit.
- Re-check after every fix, redesign or migration.
Tools you need
You can run most of this audit with free tools:
| Tool | Used for |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Indexing, crawl errors, Core Web Vitals field data, URL inspection |
| Bing Webmaster Tools | Bing indexing and site scan |
| PageSpeed Insights | Speed and Core Web Vitals per page |
| Rich Results Test | Validating structured data |
| A site crawler | Finding broken links, redirects, duplicate titles across the whole site |
| Google Analytics 4 | Checking which pages actually get traffic |
1. Crawling (checks 1–5)
- robots.txt does not block important pages, CSS or JavaScript.
- XML sitemap exists, is valid and is submitted in Search Console and Bing.
- Sitemap contents: only live, indexable, canonical URLs that return status 200.
- No orphan pages: every important page is linked from somewhere on the site.
- Server errors: no 5xx errors or long runs of 404s in the crawl reports.
2. Indexing (checks 6–10)
- Page indexing report: review every reason pages are "not indexed" and confirm each is intentional.
- noindex tags only on pages that should stay out of search, such as thank-you pages.
- Canonical tags point to the correct, preferred version of each page.
- One version of the site: http, https, www and non-www all redirect to a single version.
- Thin or duplicate pages are improved, merged or removed.
3. Redirects and links (checks 11–15)
- Permanent 301 redirects for moved pages, pointing straight to the final URL.
- No redirect chains or loops.
- No broken internal links.
- Broken external links fixed or removed.
- Internal linking sends visitors and crawlers to your most important pages with descriptive anchor text.
4. Speed and Core Web Vitals (checks 16–20)
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) 2.5 seconds or less, Interaction to Next Paint (INP) 200 ms or less, Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) 0.1 or less.
- Images compressed, correctly sized, in modern formats, with width and height set.
- Render-blocking CSS and JavaScript reduced or deferred.
- Caching and a CDN in place for static files.
- Server response time is fast; slow hosting drags every page down.
Use field data where you have it. The Core Web Vitals report in Search Console reflects real visitors. A single lab test can look better or worse than what people actually experience.
5. Mobile, security and rendering (checks 21–25)
- Mobile layout works on small screens with readable text and tappable buttons.
- HTTPS everywhere, with no "mixed content" loaded over http.
- JavaScript content is visible to Google: check the rendered HTML with the URL Inspection tool.
- hreflang tags are correct if the site has more than one language or country version.
- Missing pages return a real 404 status, not a "soft 404" that looks like a normal page.
6. Structured data and AI search (checks 26–30)
- Schema markup for your Organization or LocalBusiness, Person, Service, Article, FAQ and Breadcrumbs where relevant.
- Structured data validates in the Rich Results Test and matches what is visible on the page.
- AI crawlers such as GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, ClaudeBot and PerplexityBot are not blocked unless you choose to.
- llms.txt (optional) summarises your site for AI tools.
- Titles and meta descriptions are unique and the right length, and every page has one clear H1.
How to prioritise the fixes
| Priority | Examples | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Accidental noindex, robots.txt blocks, server errors, wrong canonicals | Pages cannot be indexed at all |
| High | Redirect chains, broken links, poor Core Web Vitals | Wasted crawling and lost visitors |
| Medium | Structured data, internal linking, duplicate titles | Better understanding and click-through |
| Low | Minor warnings from audit tools | Small gains; fix when time allows |
Common audit mistakes
- Chasing a perfect tool score instead of fixing issues that affect real pages.
- Ignoring Bing and AI crawlers entirely.
- Running one audit and never checking again after changes.
- Forgetting to re-crawl and re-submit the sitemap after fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I run a technical SEO audit?
At least every few months, and always after a redesign, a platform change or a site migration. Search Console should be checked weekly for new errors.
How long does a technical SEO audit take?
It depends on the size of the site. A small business website can usually be audited in a few days; large sites with thousands of pages take longer.
Do Core Web Vitals affect Google rankings?
They are part of the page experience signals Google uses. Relevant, helpful content matters more, but a slow or unstable site can hold otherwise good pages back and loses visitors.
Can I do a technical SEO audit myself?
You can check the basics yourself with free tools like Search Console and PageSpeed Insights. Fixing deeper issues such as canonicals, redirects and rendering usually needs technical experience.
Want this done for your business?
I take on freelance and remote projects alongside my full-time role. See my SEO Expert in Ahmedabad page or send me a message.
