Let’s be honest: SEO audits can get pricey. Between agency retainers and audit tools that charge a small fortune every month, many small businesses and freelancers are left wondering if there’s a better way.
Good news—there is.
With a bit of time and the right guidance, you can run your own SEO audit without needing to pay hundreds (or thousands) of pounds. Whether you’re managing your own website or looking to boost your client’s visibility, this DIY SEO audit will walk you through what to check, how to fix common issues, and which free tools to use along the way.
Step 1: Check Your Site’s Health – Technical SEO
Page Speed & Performance
People bounce fast from slow sites. Use PageSpeed Insights to test your homepage (and key pages) for load time, mobile performance, and layout stability. Pay attention to:
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
- TTFB (Time to First Byte)
- Image sizes and scripts slowing you down
Quick Fixes:
- Compress large images with TinyPNG
- Use caching (via plugins like WP Rocket)
- Minify CSS and JavaScript files
Mobile-Friendliness
Pop your URL into Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. If your text is too small or elements are too close together, it’ll flag them for you.
Crawlability & Indexing
Set up or log into Google Search Console to:
- Check the Coverage report for pages with errors or warnings
- Submit your sitemap
- See which pages are indexed
SSL & Security
Does your site load with “https”? If not, install an SSL certificate. Also, check for any “Not Secure” browser warnings.
Step 2: Fix On-Page SEO – Get Your Pages Talking to Google
Meta Titles & Descriptions
Every page should have:
- A unique Title Tag (with your main keyword near the front)
- A compelling Meta Description (up to 155 characters)
Use a free tool like Screaming Frog SEO Spider (free up to 500 URLs) to find missing or duplicated meta tags.
Headers (H1s, H2s, etc.)
Each page should have:
- One H1 tag (main heading)
- Subheadings as H2s and H3s for structure
Image Optimisation
- Add descriptive alt text
- Compress image sizes to boost loading speed
URLs
Keep them short, relevant, and clean:
- Good: yoursite.com/seo-services
- Bad: yoursite.com/page?id=123abc
Step 3: Content Audit – Keep It Real and Relevant
Keyword Optimisation
Make sure each page targets one clear keyword. Include it in:
- The title tag
- The H1 heading
- The first paragraph
- Naturally throughout the content
Content Value
Avoid fluff. Ask: “Is this helping someone solve a problem or make a decision?”
Keep Content Fresh
Update blog posts and service pages regularly. Outdated info can drag rankings down.
Pro Tip: Long-form content (1000+ words) on topics your customers are searching for can drive big results.
Step 4: Build Authority – Off-Page SEO
Backlink Check
Use the Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker or Ubersuggest to check your link profile:
- Who’s linking to you
- Anchor text used
- Which pages get the most links
Local SEO
- Set up and verify your Google Business Profile
- Make sure your Name, Address, Phone (NAP) are consistent across directories
Step 5: Track What Matters – Analytics & Monitoring
Google Analytics (GA4)
- Track engagement and user behaviour
- Set up goals like form submissions or click-to-calls
Google Search Console
- Monitor keyword rankings
- See click-through rates (CTR)
- Find indexation and Core Web Vitals issues
Final Thoughts: Save Money, Gain Confidence
Doing your own SEO audit might sound intimidating, but with a step-by-step approach and the right tools, it’s absolutely doable. You’ll not only save on costly audits—you’ll actually understand what’s happening on your site and be in a better position to grow your visibility over time.
If it still feels overwhelming, that’s okay. Start small. Fix one thing at a time. SEO is a long game, and small, consistent steps always win.