Mastering Manual SEO Reviews for Effective Website Audits
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Purpose of Manual Review
- Steps for Manual Review
- 3.1 Reviewing the Home Page
- 3.2 Checking Menu Navigation
- 3.3 Inspecting Images
- 3.4 Examining Different Groups of Pages
- 3.5 Verifying Indexability of Pages
- 3.6 Reviewing About and Content Pages
- 3.7 Analyzing Structure of Headings
- 3.8 Assessing Page Speed Performance
- 3.9 Checking Indexation using Google Search
- 3.10 Using SEO Tools for Additional Insights
- Conclusion
Manual Review: Unraveling the Secrets of a Website's Potential 🕵️♀️
As an SEO professional, one of the most crucial steps you should take before diving into analyzing and optimizing a website is to conduct a manual review. This process allows you to intimately familiarize yourself with the site, comprehend its purpose, and gain valuable insights that automated tools might not provide.
1. Introduction
Having a thorough understanding of a website's structure, content, and potential technical issues can significantly impact your SEO strategy. By manually reviewing the site, you acquire a holistic view that aids in formulating a more accurate analysis and optimization plan.
2. Purpose of Manual Review
The primary purpose of a manual review is to explore the website, gaining a comprehensive understanding of its purpose, target audience, and content offerings. Moreover, it allows you to identify any potential technical issues or SEO concerns that automated tools might overlook.
3. Steps for Manual Review
To effectively conduct a manual review, follow these step-by-step procedures:
3.1 Reviewing the Home Page
Begin by examining the home page carefully. Evaluate whether it visually reflects the site's purpose and check for any elements that may hinder search engine crawling or negatively impact user experience.
3.2 Checking Menu Navigation
Thoroughly scrutinize the menu navigation by exploring each link. Make sure they direct users to the appropriate pages. Also, verify the links' functionality, ensuring they are not broken.
3.3 Inspecting Images
Inspect the images found on the site. Verify that they are properly implemented using image tags rather than relying on CSS. Additionally, check if the images have alt tags, as this greatly contributes to website accessibility and SEO.
3.4 Examining Different Groups of Pages
If the site consists of multiple groups of pages, such as categories or product pages, it is vital to examine each group individually. Analyze their layout, content, and overall quality to ascertain consistency and ensure they align with the site's purpose.
3.5 Verifying Indexability of Pages
During the manual review, pay close attention to the indexability of various pages. Utilize SEO plugins or tools to determine if the pages are indexable, have canonical tags pointing correctly, and are not inadvertently set to "noindex."
3.6 Reviewing About and Content Pages
Check if the site includes an About page or any other content pages, such as Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions. Ensure that these pages are indexable and provide the necessary information required for transparency and trustworthiness.
3.7 Analyzing Structure of Headings
Assess the structure of headings on the site using SEO plugins or tools. Review how headings are used to organize content and verify if they follow best practices for search engine optimization. Proper headings aid in conveying information hierarchy and improving user experience.
3.8 Assessing Page Speed Performance
Evaluate the website's page speed performance using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights. Analyze the Core Web Vitals, which encompass metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Optimize these performance metrics to provide a seamless user experience.
3.9 Checking Indexation using Google Search
Manually check the indexation status of the website's pages by performing a site-specific search on Google. Observe the number of indexed pages and ensure they align with your expectations. Additionally, use browser extensions to view infinite scrolling search results to gain a comprehensive overview of indexed pages.
3.10 Using SEO Tools for Additional Insights
Though manual reviews provide valuable insights, they have limitations when dealing with larger websites. Utilize SEO crawling tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider or other alternatives to gather comprehensive data on page titles, meta descriptions, URL structures, internal linking, and more.
4. Conclusion
A manual review serves as the foundation for a successful SEO campaign. By meticulously evaluating a website's structure, content, indexability, and performance, you gain a comprehensive view that enhances your ability to optimize the site effectively. Remember to combine the power of manual review with automated SEO tools for a well-rounded analysis.
Happy optimizing! 🚀
Highlights:
- Manual review is a crucial step before SEO analysis.
- It provides a comprehensive understanding of the website's purpose.
- Manual review helps identify technical issues missed by automated tools.
- Key steps include reviewing the home page, checking menu navigation, inspecting images, analyzing page groups, verifying indexability, and assessing page speed performance.
- Manually checking indexation using Google search and incorporating SEO tools provide valuable insights.
- Manual review lays the foundation for an effective SEO strategy.
FAQ:
Q: Why is manual review important before conducting SEO analysis?
A: Manual review allows for a comprehensive understanding of the website's purpose, target audience, and potential technical issues that automated tools might miss.
Q: What are the key steps in conducting a manual review?
A: The key steps involve reviewing the home page, checking menu navigation, inspecting images, analyzing different groups of pages, verifying indexability, assessing page speed performance, manually checking indexation, and utilizing SEO tools for additional insights.
Q: Can manual review identify technical issues that automated tools overlook?
A: Yes, manual review can often uncover technical issues that automated tools fail to detect. It offers a human perspective and attention to detail that automated tools may lack.
Q: Should manual review be followed by automated SEO analysis?
A: Yes, while manual review provides valuable insights, combining it with automated SEO tools such as crawling software ensures a comprehensive analysis, especially for larger websites.
Q: How does manual review contribute to a successful SEO campaign?
A: Manual review forms the foundation of an effective SEO strategy. It provides a deep understanding of the website, enabling targeted optimization efforts for improved visibility and performance in search results.
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