Free SEO Audit Checklist: Check Your Website In 20 Minutes

Not sure why your website isn’t bringing in enquiries? A free SEO audit is the quickest way to find out. You don’t need expensive software or technical skills. This checklist walks you through the 20 checks we use first when we look at a small business website, using free tools, in about 20 minutes.

Work through each section, tick off what’s already done and note anything that needs fixing. By the end you’ll have a clear to-do list for your website.

Some links in this article are partner links. If you sign up through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What Is An SEO Audit?

An SEO audit is a health check for your website. It looks at whether Google can find, understand and trust your pages, and whether visitors can easily get in touch or buy. A good SEO audit for a website covers four areas: Google basics, technical health, your page content and local search.

Free Tools You’ll Need

• Google Search Console: shows which pages Google has indexed, what people search to find you and any errors.
• Google PageSpeed Insights: tests how fast your pages load on mobile and desktop.
• Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: a free site audit that finds broken links and technical issues on your own site.
• Semrush: a free account gives you a limited site audit and keyword data, and there’s a free trial of the full tool.

Part 1: Google Basics (Checks 1 To 5)

1. Is your site on Google? Search site:yourdomain.co.uk. If few or no pages appear, Google isn’t indexing your site properly.
2. Is Google Search Console set up? If not, set it up now. It’s free and it’s the single most useful SEO tool you’ll use.
3. Have you submitted a sitemap? In Search Console, go to Sitemaps and submit your sitemap address (often yourdomain.co.uk/sitemap_index.xml or /sitemap.xml).
4. Are important pages indexed? Use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console on your homepage and main service pages.
5. Any manual actions or security issues? Check both reports in Search Console. Both should say no issues found.

Part 2: Technical SEO Audit (Checks 6 To 10)

6. Mobile friendly? Open your site on your phone. Is the text readable, are buttons easy to tap, and does nothing spill off the screen?
7. Fast enough? Run your homepage through PageSpeed Insights. Large images are the most common cause of a slow site.
8. Secure? Your web address should start with https and show a padlock in the browser.
9. Broken links? Run a free site audit in Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and fix any broken links or “page not found” errors.
10. One version of your site? Your site should load on one main address. The www and non-www versions, and http and https, should all redirect to it.

Part 3: Page Content (Checks 11 To 15)

11. Clear page titles: each page should have a unique title that says what it is and where you are, for example “Plumber In Croydon | Smith Plumbing”.
12. Meta descriptions: a short, persuasive summary for each main page that makes people want to click from Google.
13. One main heading per page: each page should have one clear H1 heading that includes what you offer.
14. A page for each service: if you offer five services, each one deserves its own page so Google can show the right page for each search.
15. Image descriptions: add short alt text to images that describes what they show.

Part 4: Local SEO And Enquiries (Checks 16 To 20)

16. Google Business Profile: claimed, verified and fully filled in with categories, services, hours and photos. See our guide on how to set up a Google Business Profile.
17. Consistent contact details: your business name, address and phone number should match exactly on your website, Google and directories.
18. Reviews: do you have recent Google reviews, and do you reply to them?
19. Clear calls to action: can a visitor see how to call, book or enquire within a few seconds on every page?
20. What are people searching? In Search Console, open Performance and look at the queries. Pages with lots of impressions but few clicks are quick wins: improve their titles and descriptions first.

How To Score Your Results

• 17 to 20 ticks: great foundations. Focus on content and getting more reviews and links.
• 11 to 16 ticks: a solid start with some gaps. Fix the technical and Google basics first.
• 10 or fewer: your website is probably holding your business back. Start with Part 1, as nothing else works until Google can find your pages.

What To Fix First

Always fix things in this order: make sure Google can find your site (Part 1), make sure it works well on phones and loads quickly (Part 2), then improve your pages (Part 3) and your local presence (Part 4). Small fixes to titles, speed and your Google Business Profile often make the biggest difference for local businesses.

Is your site not appearing on Google at all? Read why your website is not showing on Google and how to fix it.

Want Us To Do The Audit For You?

If you’d rather get an expert view, our Local SEO Audit and Fix is a fixed-price, one-off service. We check your website and local listings, compare you with competitors and give you a clear action plan with priority fixes, delivered in 2 to 3 working days. Prefer to talk first? Book a free 20-minute call.

SEO Audit FAQs

How do I do a free SEO audit of my website?

Use free tools like Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, and work through a checklist covering Google indexing, technical health, page content and local search.

What is a technical SEO audit?

A technical SEO audit checks the parts of your website that affect how Google crawls and indexes it, such as speed, mobile friendliness, security, broken links, redirects and sitemaps.

How often should I audit my website?

A quick check every month in Search Console and a fuller audit every 6 to 12 months works well for most small businesses, and always after a website redesign.

How long does an SEO audit take?

This checklist takes about 20 minutes for a small website. A professional audit with competitor research and an action plan usually takes a few working days.

Is a free SEO audit enough?

It’s a great starting point and often uncovers the biggest problems. A professional audit adds competitor insights, keyword research and a prioritised plan, which helps if you’re not sure what to fix first.