Every SEO audit we run comes back to the same question: is this site giving Google — and the people using Google — the best possible experience? Everything below is the checklist we work through to answer that, organised by the five pillars of our strategy and the SEO disciplines that support them.
It’s long, because SEO is not one thing. But it’s practical — every item below is something you can go and check on your own site today. Work through the sections in order, or jump to whichever one is causing you the most pain.
Our strategy
We think about every audit in five stages. If a site is weak at an early stage, fixing a later one won’t matter much.
- Foundations — Google needs to easily understand which pages matter and what they’re about. The site also needs to be technically sound enough for Google to want to serve it to users.
- The Keyword — To rank for a keyword you need the right page, targeting the right intent, with the right content. No page means no chance.
- The Click — Do you have the page or feature (Google Business Profile, Merchant Centre) needed to satisfy search intent? Is your listing compelling enough that someone actually clicks it?
- The Conversion — Does the user have everything they need to make a decision? How easy is it to convert? And how do we guide them toward the highest-value outcome?
- The Reputation — Reputation is no longer just backlinks. It’s your site content, brand mentions, PR, Reddit, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, reviews, and how LLMs represent you.
Our philosophy
To make this easier to navigate, we’ve split the checklist into three parts: General SEO fundamentals every business should check, Service-Based SEO for service, local, and SaaS businesses, and Ecommerce-Based SEO for online stores.
General SEO
These apply no matter what you sell — they’re the fundamentals that everything else is built on.
Technical SEO — quick fixes
The easy wins. None of these take more than an afternoon, and most crawl or indexing issues start here.
Why this matters
If Google can’t crawl and index your site cleanly, none of the content or authority work further down this list matters — you’re building on a foundation that’s actively working against you. These fixes are cheap to make and often unlock rankings within weeks.
Language tag. The <html lang="..."> attribute tells Google what language your site is in. Missing or incorrect tags can cause ranking issues in the wrong regions. A five-minute fix with significant crawl clarity benefits.
Broken internal links. Links pointing to 404 pages waste crawl budget and create a poor user experience. Run a crawl tool (Screaming Frog or Ahrefs) to find and fix or redirect these. Google treats broken links as a signal of poor site maintenance.
Main services or products missing from navigation. If your most important pages aren't in the main nav, Google may not prioritise them. Navigation links carry significant internal link equity — make sure your top revenue-driving pages are one click from the homepage.
Footer missing an HTML sitemap. An HTML sitemap in the footer helps Google discover all pages and improves internal linking. Especially valuable for large sites or pages buried deep in the site structure.
Messy URL slugs. Clean, keyword-rich URLs (e.g. /services/commercial-cleaning/ vs /page?id=42) are easier for Google to understand and users to trust. Keep slugs short, lowercase, and descriptive.
Slow site speed. Core Web Vitals are a ranking factor. Slow pages hurt both rankings and conversions — especially on mobile. Audit via PageSpeed Insights. Key wins: compress images, use a CDN, defer non-critical JS.
Sitemap not showing all key pages. Your XML sitemap should include every page you want indexed. Shopify and WordPress often miss collection pages or paginated content. Validate your sitemap in Google Search Console regularly.
Robots.txt issues. Robots.txt should block filter and faceted pages that cause duplicate content, include the sitemap URL, and not accidentally block important content. A misconfigured robots.txt can deindex your whole site.
Incorrect heading structure. Every page should have one H1 containing the primary keyword. H2s and H3s should support topical structure. This helps Google understand page hierarchy and what to rank the page for.
Technical SEO — major issues
These take longer to fix, sometimes a full migration, but they’re the ones capping a site’s ceiling.
Why this matters
These issues put a hard ceiling on how far your site can rank, no matter how much content or authority you build on top. They take longer to fix, but they’re usually the difference between a site that plateaus and one that keeps growing.
Confusing or deep URL structure. URLs deeper than three levels are harder to crawl and dilute link equity. Aim for a flat, logical structure. This often requires a full URL migration if addressed late.
Missing or incorrect schema markup. Schema tells Google exactly what your page is about — products, reviews, FAQs, services. Without it, you miss out on rich results (star ratings, prices, FAQs in the SERP). Audit with Google's Rich Results Test.
Poor internal linking between key pages. Key collection, product, and service pages need links pointing to them from other relevant pages. A weak internal linking strategy means Google undervalues your most important pages.
Keyword cannibalisation. If multiple pages target the same keyword, Google gets confused about which to rank. Consolidate where possible, use canonical tags, and ensure each page targets a distinct intent.
JavaScript hiding key page content. If your page content is rendered via JavaScript, Google may not see it. Use Google's URL Inspection Tool to check what Googlebot sees. Server-side rendering is preferred for key content.
Excessive page bloat. Having thousands of near-identical or low-value pages wastes crawl budget and can dilute domain quality. Implement noindex, consolidate, or add canonical tags.
Product feed not passing valuable data. For Google Shopping, the Merchant Centre feed needs full product data: titles, descriptions, GTINs, categories, and custom labels. Poor feed quality leads to disapproved products and lower Shopping performance.
Different URLs for product variants. Product variants (sizes, colours) should live on a single URL. Separate URLs for each variant creates duplicate content and splits link equity. Use canonical tags if migration isn't possible.
International SEO
If you’re trading in more than one country, this section is usually where the biggest gaps are.
Why this matters
Get this wrong and you risk the wrong country version ranking in the wrong market, cannibalising your own pages, or serving irrelevant content to international visitors — all of which quietly caps your growth in every market outside your home base.
Correct URL structure for each region. Subfolders (/en-us/, /en-gb/) are recommended — they share domain authority and are easier to manage than separate domains. Subdomains are acceptable but split authority.
Hreflang tags correctly mapped on every page. Hreflang tells Google which version of a page to serve to users in each country or language. Missing or incorrect hreflang is one of the most common causes of international ranking failures.
Clear strategy per country. Each region needs its own strategy based on search demand, competition, and commercial priority. Don't just duplicate the Australian strategy globally — different markets have different intent and terminology.
Region-specific content. Content should be adapted for each region — not just translated. Localise pricing, testimonials, regulations, and terminology. Google rewards content that genuinely serves local users.
Merchant Centre and Google Business Profile per region. For ecommerce, each target country needs its own Merchant Centre setup. For local businesses in each market, a separate Google Business Profile is required to appear in local results.
Branded search
If someone searches your own brand name, you should own that entire page one.
Why this matters
People searching your own brand name are your highest-intent traffic. If competitors, affiliates, or negative reviews are winning that search, you’re losing customers who were already looking for you specifically.
Ranking number one for all branded terms. If competitors or affiliates are outranking you for your own brand name, that's a serious problem. Monitor brand search rankings regularly and ensure your homepage is optimised for your own name.
A dedicated reviews page. A reviews page captures branded search intent ("brand + reviews") and lets you present your best testimonials. It also helps suppress negative third-party review pages from ranking.
A discount or coupon page. Searches like "[brand] discount code" have real volume. Owning this with your own page prevents coupon affiliate sites from ranking above you and capturing last-click conversions.
A dedicated FAQ page. A well-structured FAQ page captures question-based branded searches and can earn FAQ rich results in the SERP. Answers should be genuine and specific — not generic filler.
Negative brand reviews not on page one. Monitor page one for your brand name. If a negative review site or Reddit thread is ranking, you need a proactive strategy: more owned content, more positive coverage, and stronger internal links.
Content — middle funnel
For searchers who know what they want but haven’t decided who to buy it from.
Why this matters
This is where comparison shoppers make their decision. If you’re not the one answering “which is better” or “is this worth it,” a competitor or a review site will answer it for them — and capture the sale.
Review articles for major products or services. Users searching "[product] review" are close to buying. An honest, in-depth review on your own site captures this intent and builds trust. Works especially well for higher-ticket items.
Product or service comparison articles. Comparison content ("X vs Y") captures high-intent searchers weighing up options. Write from an expert point of view and don't be afraid to acknowledge where a competitor wins — credibility converts.
Brand vs competitor comparison articles. Searchers comparing your brand to a competitor are highly valuable. Own that conversation with a dedicated comparison page. One of the highest-converting content formats for SaaS and service businesses.
Product listicles. "Best [product category]" articles capture users early in their decision. If you don't own this content, affiliates and media sites will capture that traffic instead.
YouTube content. YouTube is the second largest search engine. Video content can rank both on YouTube and in Google's video results. Product demos, how-tos, and brand storytelling all work here.
How-to guides. How-to content captures users seeking to solve a problem and positions your brand as the expert. Ideal for SaaS onboarding, professional services, and complex products.
Price-focused content. "How much does X cost" or "[service] price" are high-intent searches. Users who search for price are ready to buy — own this with a dedicated page or section and don't leave it to competitors.
Content — informational
Top-of-funnel content that builds authority and earns the right to rank for the harder, more valuable terms later.
Why this matters
This content builds the topical authority and trust that let you compete for the harder, higher-value keywords later. Skip it, and you’re always fighting for scraps at the bottom of the funnel.
Broad informational guides. Top-of-funnel educational content builds topical authority and earns links. "Beginner's guide to X" or "What is [ingredient]" pages establish your site as an expert resource in the category.
Answers the questions your audience is actually asking. Use tools like AlsoAsked, Reddit, or Google's People Also Ask to find real questions. Content that answers genuine queries earns rankings, AI overview appearances, and LLM citations.
Practical how-to guides. How-to content earns rich results and featured snippets. Keep steps clear and actionable. Pair with video where possible. Ideal for SaaS, professional services, and ecommerce brands.
Avoids very basic terms already answered in search. Don't target terms where Google answers the query directly in the SERP. Zero-click searches waste content investment. Focus on terms where a full page experience is needed.
Written or informed by a genuine expert. Google's E-E-A-T framework rewards content from credible sources. Involve subject matter experts, add author bios, cite sources, and demonstrate real experience.
LLM and authority signals
Increasingly, you’re not just optimising for Google’s blue links — you’re optimising for what ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews say about you.
Why this matters
Search is no longer just blue links. If ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s AI Overviews can’t verify who you are or find credible third-party evidence about your business, you won’t get recommended — no matter how good your product is.
An llms.txt file. An llms.txt file guides AI crawlers on how to access and index your site. While adoption is still early, implementing it now signals technical readiness and can improve visibility in AI-generated answers.
An about us page. An about page is a core E-E-A-T signal. It tells Google and LLMs who you are, how long you've been in business, and what your mission is. Required for YMYL sites (health, finance, legal) to rank competitively.
A company information page. Company info pages (team, history, credentials) support brand authority and help LLMs accurately represent your brand in AI-generated results.
A comprehensive FAQ page. FAQ pages that answer real user questions appear in People Also Ask, FAQ rich results, and increasingly in AI overviews. Answers should be concise, accurate, and reflect actual search queries.
Information about owners or key team members. Named, credentialed individuals signal to Google that real experts stand behind the content. Include bio pages with credentials, LinkedIn profiles, and author attribution on content.
Case studies. Case studies demonstrate real-world results and build commercial credibility. They're referenced by LLMs as evidence of expertise and attract high-intent traffic from bottom-of-funnel searches.
Third-party reviews. Third-party review platforms like Google and Trustpilot are considered authoritative by Google and LLMs. Positive reviews improve branded search perception and can appear directly in the SERP.
Positive Reddit presence. Reddit now ranks prominently for many product and brand queries. Authentic positive brand mentions on Reddit act as trust signals for both users and LLMs. Monitor and participate genuinely in relevant subreddits.
Author pages. Author pages with bios, credentials, and links to other publications help Google and LLMs attribute content to real, credible people. Essential for E-E-A-T on blogs and editorial content.
Click-through rate optimisation
Ranking is only half the job. If nobody clicks your result, the ranking doesn’t matter.
Why this matters
A number one ranking with a mediocre listing still loses to a number three result with a compelling one. This is the cheapest, fastest lever available — it costs nothing to rewrite a title tag, and the upside is immediate.
Title tags include a keyword and a CTA. Title tags are the single biggest lever for CTR in organic search. Include the primary keyword and a compelling CTA or differentiator (e.g. "Free Quote", "Same Day"). Keep under 60 characters.
Meta descriptions include a keyword and a CTA. Meta descriptions don't directly affect rankings but significantly impact click-through. Write them like ad copy: keyword-rich, benefit-led, with a clear CTA. Google often rewrites them — give it good source material.
Product images showing in search results. Product images can appear in Google Shopping, image search, and rich results. Ensure images are correctly attributed via schema and submitted via your Merchant Centre feed.
Schema triggering rich results. Star ratings, FAQs, prices, and breadcrumbs in the SERP all improve click-through dramatically. Audit which schema types are eligible for your pages and implement accordingly.
Conversion rate optimisation
The ranking, the click, and then — the part that actually pays the bills.
Why this matters
Ranking and clicks are wasted spend if the page doesn’t convert. This is the step most SEO audits skip, but it’s the one that actually determines whether the traffic you’ve earned turns into revenue.
The user has everything they need to make a decision. If a user needs to leave your page to answer a question (specs, delivery times, returns), you've likely lost them. Audit each key page from the perspective of a first-time buyer and fill the gaps.
The user understands your full offering. Visitors should be able to understand your complete range — not just the one page they landed on. Related products, cross-sells, and clear category navigation surface the right offer for each user.
Social proof is present near the point of conversion. Reviews, testimonials, case studies, logos, and awards reduce purchase anxiety. Social proof should be visible near conversion points (add to cart, book now, contact form) — not just on a dedicated reviews page.
There's an irresistible offer. A compelling offer (bundle, guarantee, limited-time deal, free trial) gives users a reason to act now rather than keep comparing. The offer should be visible above the fold on key transactional pages.
Service-Based SEO
For service businesses, local businesses, and SaaS — where the goal is booked calls, leads, and signups rather than a checkout.
Content — transactional pages (service & SaaS)
The pages that actually make money. If these aren’t complete, everything upstream is wasted effort.
Why this matters
These are the pages that actually generate leads and revenue for service and SaaS businesses. If a prospective client can’t find the specific service they need, or the page doesn’t answer their questions, all the traffic in the world won’t convert.
A dedicated page for each service. Every individual service needs its own page to rank independently. A single "services" page covering five services can't rank for all five. One page, one focus, one keyword target.
Service pages have complete content. A strong service page covers: intro, why people need it, your USP, how it works, service details, social proof, pricing, and a lead form. Thin pages won't compete in most markets.
Local SEO
For any business with a physical location or service area, this is often the single highest-leverage section.
Why this matters
For any business with a physical location or service area, this is often the single biggest lever available. Most local searches never scroll past the map pack — if you’re not visible there, you’re invisible to the customer.
Google Business Profile set up for every location. A Google Business Profile is the most important local SEO asset. Without it, you won't appear in the map pack or local results. Claim and verify every location.
Profile has reviews and owner replies. Quantity and quality of reviews are major local ranking factors. Actively request reviews from customers. Responding to every review signals engagement and builds trust.
Real staff and location photos. Profiles with real photos of staff and premises get significantly more engagement. Avoid stock photography. Photos humanise the business and increase click-through from the map pack.
Services listed with the right keywords. Add all your services to the Google Business Profile services section and use the keywords users search for. This helps match your profile to relevant local queries beyond just your business name.
Location-specific landing pages. For multi-location businesses, each service and location combination needs its own page (e.g. "Psychologist Melbourne"). These pages should link to the Google Business Profile and include local schema.
Local business schema on key pages. LocalBusiness schema tells Google your address, phone, hours, and service area. It reinforces Google Business Profile signals and can trigger rich results for branded and local searches.
Physical location and directions on the website. Include your address, a map embed, parking instructions, and nearby landmarks. Improves user experience for local customers and reinforces NAP consistency across the web.
Ecommerce-Based SEO
For online stores, where the checklist shifts from ranking a handful of pages to managing a catalogue.
Content — transactional pages (ecommerce)
The pages that actually make money. If these aren’t complete, everything upstream is wasted effort.
Why this matters
Product and collection pages are where browsers become buyers. Thin or incomplete pages lose both rankings (Google can’t tell what they’re about) and sales (customers can’t tell if they should buy).
Collection pages have content above and below the fold. Category pages need keyword-rich content above the fold (heading, short intro) and supporting content below (category description, FAQs). This helps Google understand what the page is about beyond the product grid.
Product pages have complete information. Product pages should include: intro, benefits, specs or ingredients, returns policy, FAQs, usage instructions, reviews, and local pickup. Missing info is the number one reason users abandon a product page without buying.
Collection pages exist for all product subtypes. Review the product catalogue and identify missing collection categories. Compare with competitors. Every category with three-plus products should have its own collection page targeting that keyword.
Content is primarily human-written. Google's Helpful Content guidelines reward content that demonstrates real expertise and depth. Mass AI-generated content lacking original insight is increasingly filtered out. Human writing — or AI with strong expert oversight — is the standard.
Where to start
If you’ve made it this far, you probably already have a mental list of what’s broken on your own site. That’s normal — most sites we audit have gaps in every section above, not just one.
The order matters, though. Fix Foundations before you worry about Reputation. Get the Keyword and the Click right before you spend money driving traffic to a page that can’t convert it. If you’d rather have us run this checklist against your site and tell you exactly what to fix first, get a free audit and we’ll walk you through it.
