Picture this, you’re running your Cape Town business full steam but your website traffic feels stuck. That’s where an seo audit cape town steps in, uncovering indexing hiccups, speed bottlenecks, and backlink gaps. In this guide, you’ll learn how to plan, perform, and act on a thorough site audit so your pages climb the rankings and drive more leads.
Understand audit benefits
You might ask, why bother with an audit? Simple, it shines a light on issues blocking your site’s growth.
Boost organic traffic
Finding and fixing keyword, indexing, or crawl errors sends your rankings up and attracts more clicks.
Improve user experience
Smoother navigation, fewer broken links, and faster load times keep visitors on your site instead of bouncing.
Gain competitive edge
Spotting gaps in your competitors’ SEO strategies helps you outrank them on the terms that matter.
Plan your audit process
Laying out clear steps keeps your audit focused and efficient.
Set clear objectives
Decide which metrics matter most for your Cape Town business, like organic sessions, conversion rate, or page load times.
- New and returning sessions
- Average session duration
- Conversion rate on key pages
Gather performance metrics
Collect baseline data before you start making changes.
- Google Analytics for traffic and behavior
- Google Search Console for indexing and query data
- Semrush Domain Overview for keyword and competitor insights
Perform technical crawl
A full site crawl reveals the hidden issues under your hood.
Check indexing status
Use the Coverage report in Google Search Console to spot pages that aren’t indexed and fix crawl errors.
Evaluate site speed
Run your URLs through PageSpeed Insights, aim for scores in the mid-80s, and tackle render-blocking resources.
Test mobile friendliness
Since Google uses mobile-first indexing, make sure your site shines on phones.
- Responsive design
- Touch-friendly navigation
- No intrusive pop-ups
Review on-page factors
Polishing on-page elements helps search engines and users understand your content.
Optimize meta tags
- Title tags under 60 characters with your target terms
- Meta descriptions around 150–160 characters with a clear call to action
Assess content quality
Ensure your copy answers user intent, demonstrates expertise, and uses headers to break up text.
Ensure structured data
Add schema markup (JSON-LD) to support rich results, then test with Google’s Rich Results Test Tool.
Examine off-page factors
Your site’s authority depends heavily on who links to you.
Audit backlink profile
Review link quality and relevance, and disavow spammy or low-value links. Tools like Semrush’s Backlink Analytics reveal link growth and anchor text distribution.
Benchmark competitor links
Compare your link profile against peers to find new outreach opportunities and content gaps.
Use audit tools
Mix free and paid tools for the clearest picture.
| Tool | Key features | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Crawl errors, indexing reports, Core Web Vitals | Free |
| Semrush site audit | 140+ technical and on-page checks | Paid, starts at $139.95/mo |
| Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Desktop crawler, custom filters, free up to 500 URLs | Free, paid plans from £259/yr |
Create action roadmap
Turning insights into tasks keeps your team on track.
Prioritize critical fixes
Sort issues by impact and effort—for example, page speed optimizations and mobile usability get top billing.
Track performance changes
Schedule weekly checks, update your audit, and measure before-and-after metrics in Google Analytics and Search Console.
Maintain audit schedule
Regular check-ups keep your site in top shape.
- Perform a mini audit quarterly
- Do a full audit every six months
- Revisit after major site updates
Review key takeaways
- Audits spotlight technical, on-page, and off-page issues holding back your SEO
- Use a mix of tools—free and paid—to gather data and prioritize fixes
- Turn findings into a clear roadmap and track improvements over time
- Keep audits on a regular schedule to stay ahead of algorithm changes
Ready to transform your site today? Reach out to our cape town seo agency or chat with an experienced seo consultant cape town and get your tailored audit in minutes. Have questions about your audit? Drop them in the comments below.
