WordPress SEO Audit: Identify and Fix Common Issues

Keeping your WordPress site visible in search results can feel like a moving target. Search engines update their algorithms, competitors up their game, and small issues can sneak in without you noticing. That’s why you need a regular SEO audit.

An SEO audit is like a health check for your website. It helps you spot what’s working, what’s not, and what needs fixing. Whether you’re struggling with slow loading times, missing meta data, or broken links, identifying and addressing these problems can make a big difference in how your site performs.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of auditing your WordPress site for SEO. By the end, you’ll know how to find and fix common issues that could be holding your site back. 

What is an SEO audit and why does your WordPress site need one?

Conducting an SEO audit is a thorough review of your website to see how well it’s set up to rank on search engines like Google. It’s not just about keywords—an audit looks at everything from your site’s speed to its structure, content, and even the amount more internal links and external links.

For WordPress users, an SEO audit is especially important. WordPress is powerful and customizable, but those same features can sometimes create SEO challenges. For example, plugins might slow down your site, or duplicate content could creep in from category and tag web pages.

Regular audits help you catch these problems before they hurt your rankings. They also give you a roadmap for improving your site so it’s easier for both search engines and visitors to navigate.

Think of it this way: search engine crawlers are like librarians. If your WordPress site is well-organized, quick to load, and full of valuable information, it’s more likely to get recommended at the top of the results.

So, whether you’re just starting out or trying to climb higher in the keyword rankings, an SEO audit is a smart move to make sure your site is performing at its best and get more traffic organically.

Preparing for your WordPress SEO audit

Before conducting an SEO audit, it’s important to lay some groundwork. Taking a few simple steps upfront can save you time and ensure a smooth process. Here’s how to get started:

Gather the right tools

To perform an SEO audit for website visitors, you’ll need some helpful tools. Here are a few essential ones:

• Google Analytics and Search Console: These free SEO analysis tools from Google give you valuable insights into your site’s performance and any issues affecting it.
• SEO plugins: Seo audit tool plugins like Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or All in One SEO are great for checking and optimizing on-page elements directly in WordPress.
• Site crawling tools: Search engine crawlers tool like Screaming Frog or SEMrush can scan your site for technical issues like broken links, missing metadata, or crawl errors.

Back up your website

Before making any changes, back up your WordPress site. This ensures that if anything goes wrong during the audit or fixes, you can restore your site to its original state. Many hosting providers offer backup features, or you can use plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy.

Define your goals

What do you want to achieve by conducting seo audits? Are you trying to improve your rankings, boost traffic, or fix specific problems? Having clear goals will help you focus on the areas that matter most.

Create a checklist

Conducting an SEO audit involves multiple steps, from checking your site’s speed to analyzing backlinks. Make a checklist to stay organized and ensure you don’t miss anything.

With these preparations in place, you’ll be ready to dive into the nitty-gritty of auditing your WordPress site for SEO. Up next, we’ll guide you through a step-by-step checklist to identify and fix common issues.

Step-by-Step WordPress SEO audit checklist

A thorough SEO audit report involves several key areas of your WordPress site. Follow this checklist to make sure you cover everything:

A. Technical SEO audit

Technical SEO focuses on your site’s foundation. If the technical aspects aren’t right, even the best content won’t rank well.

1. Check site speed and performance
   • Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to see how quickly your site loads.
   • Common fixes: Optimize images, enable caching (with plugins like W3 Total Cache or WP Rocket), and minimize CSS/JavaScript files.
   • An SSL certificate is important for website security and is a ranking factor used by Google.
2. Ensure mobile-friendliness
   • Check mobile friendliness through Google PageSpeed Insights to check the Lighthouse Score if it works well on all devices.
   • Use a responsive WordPress theme to ensure a seamless experience for mobile users.
   • Google uses its Core Web Vitals to measure user experience, which can affect search rankings.
3. Fix broken links
   • Use a plugin like Broken Link Checker or crawling tools to identify 404 errors.
   • Update or remove them to improve user experience and search engine crawlability.
4. Inspect URL structures
   • Ensure your permalinks are clean and SEO-friendly (e.g., yourwebsite.com/post-title instead of yourwebsite.com/?p=123).
   • Adjust this setting in Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard.

B. On-Page SEO audit

On-page SEO focuses on optimizing individual web pages for target keywords and a better user experience.

1. Evaluate title tags and meta descriptions
   • Use your SEO plugin to ensure each web page has a unique meta data.
   • Include your target keywords naturally without stuffing them.
2. Optimize headings and content
   • Make sure each web page uses proper heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure content.
   • Write content that’s engaging, keyword-rich, and easy to read.
3. Check image optimization
   • Add descriptive alt text to all images for better accessibility and SEO.
   • Compress large image files using tools like TinyPNG or Smush to improve page speed.
4. Review internal linking
   • Link to other relevant pages on your site to improve navigation and help search engines understand your content.
   • Use descriptive anchor text that includes keywords where appropriate.

C. Off-Page SEO audit

Off-page SEO focuses on factors outside your site that impact your site’s rankings and site’s seo, like backlinks and social signals.

1. Analyze backlinks
   • Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to review the quality and quantity of links pointing to your site.
   • Remove toxic external links that could harm your rankings.
2. Check social media integration
   • Make sure your content is easy to share by adding social sharing buttons.
   • Monitor how often your site is mentioned or shared on social platforms.

D. Content Audit

Your content is the heart of your site. A content audit ensures it’s relevant, high-quality, and optimized for your audience.

1. Review old posts
   • Update outdated content with fresh information, stats, or links.
   • Consolidate duplicate or thin content into comprehensive, valuable pages.
2. Analyze keyword performance
   • Use tools like Google Search Console to identify pages that aren’t performing well for target keywords.
   • Optimize these pages with better keywords, headings, and calls-to-action.

Common WordPress SEO issues and how to fix them

Even with a solid SEO strategy, WordPress sites can run into common problems that hurt rankings. Here’s a closer look at these issues and how you can address them:

Slow website speed

A slow site frustrates visitors and can lead to higher bounce rates, which negatively impact your rankings. Page loading times significantly influence site usability. It’s usually caused by heavy plugin, large image files, and unoptimized code.

How to fix it?:

• Deactivate or delete unused plugins and replace heavy ones with lighter alternatives.
• Compress images using plugins like Smush or TinyPNG.
• Use caching plugins such as WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache.
• Upgrade your hosting plan if your current one isn’t sufficient.

Duplicate content

Duplicate content confuses search engines and may result in lower rankings. It’s a common issue in WordPress, especially with tags, categories, and archive pages. This happens due to poor handling of tags and categories and similar content across multiple posts or pages.

How to fix it?:

• Use an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to set canonical URLs.
• Avoid creating too many similar tags and categories.
• Consolidate thin or duplicate content into comprehensive posts.

Missing XML sitemap

An XML sitemap helps search engines discover and index your website pages content. Without it, your site may miss out on valuable search visibility.

How to fix it?:

• Generate an XML sitemap using a plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
• Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console for better indexing website pages.

Improper robots.txt configuration

The robots.txt file tells search engine results page which parts of your site to crawl. A misconfigured file can block important pages from being indexed.

How to fix it?:

• Check your robots.txt file in your WordPress root directory or using SEO plugins.
• Ensure key pages like your homepage and blog posts are not disallowed.
• Use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection Tool to confirm what’s being indexed.

Broken links

Broken links lead to a poor user experience and can hurt your SEO.

How to fix it?:

• Use a plugin like Broken Link Checker to find and fix broken links.
• Regularly update old posts to ensure all links are working.

Poor URL structure

Messy URLs can confuse both website users, and search engine optimization.

How to fix it?:

• Ensure permalinks are clean and descriptive (Settings > Permalinks in your dashboard).
• Avoid special characters and focus on including relevant keywords.

Missing or incorrect metadata

Title tags and descriptions play a critical role in helping search engine rankings understand your content.

How to fix it?:

• Use an SEO plugin to easily update title tags and meta descriptions for all pages.
• Write unique, keyword-rich metadata for every important page.

Tools and plugins to simplify your WordPress SEO audit

WordPress is known for its flexibility, and one of its biggest advantages is the availability of tools and plugins that can simplify your SEO audit. Here are some must-have tools to make the process easier:

SEO plugins

These are some of the best seo plugins that provide essential features for optimizing your WordPress site directly from your dashboard:

• Yoast SEO: It helps you optimize title tags, meta descriptions, and focus keywords. It also Includes a readability analysis to ensure your content is user-friendly and generates XML sitemaps automatically.
• Rank Math: Offers advanced SEO options like rich snippets and local SEO and provides keyword optimization suggestions and tracks rankings.
• All in One SEO: Ideal for beginners with its easy setup wizard. It includes tools for link management, schema markup, and RSS feeds.

Site speed and performance tools

Optimizing your site’s speed is crucial for both user experience and rankings.

• Google PageSpeed Insights: Analyzes your site’s performance and provides actionable recommendations for improvement.
• GTmetrix: Offers a detailed breakdown of what’s slowing down your site.
• WP Rocket: A premium caching plugin that enhances loading times with features like lazy loading and database optimization.

Site crawling tools

Crawling tools help you identify technical issues across your site.

• Screaming Frog: A desktop app that scans your site for broken links, missing metadata, and other SEO problems.
• SEMrush: A comprehensive tool for auditing your site, tracking keyword rankings, and analyzing backlinks.
• Ahrefs Site Audit: Focuses on finding critical technical SEO issues and suggests fixes.

Broken link checkers

Broken links hurt user experience and SEO, but these tools can help you stay on top of them:

• Broken Link Checker Plugin: It monitors your WordPress site for broken links and missing images and allows you to fix issues directly from the plugin interface.
• Dead Link Checker: An online tool that scans your site for broken links without needing installation.

Image optimization tools

Large, unoptimized images can slow down your site.

• Smush: Compresses images automatically when you upload them to your media library.
• TinyPNG: Reduces image file sizes without compromising quality.
• ShortPixel: Optimizes images in bulk and supports WebP format for better performance.

Google tools

Google’s free tools are invaluable for auditing and monitoring your site’s performance.

• Google Analytics: Tracks traffic, bounce rates, and user behavior to understand your audience better.
• Google Search Console: Identifies indexing issues, tracks keyword performance, and monitors backlinks.
• Google Mobile-Friendly Test: Checks if your site is optimized for mobile users.

With these tools and plugins, performing a WordPress SEO audit becomes much more manageable. They not only help you identify issues but also provide actionable solutions. 

Creating an SEO maintenance plan for WordPress

Performing a one-time SEO audit is great, but to maintain your rankings and grow your traffic, regular upkeep is essential. An SEO maintenance plan keeps your WordPress site optimized and ready for any changes in search engine optimization algorithms or user behavior. Here’s how to create and stick to a maintenance routine:

Schedule regular SEO audits

SEO isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it process. Aim to audit your site regularly to catch new issues early.

• Monthly: Check site speed, fix broken links, and review keyword performance.
• Quarterly: Audit your content, update older posts, and analyze backlink health.
• Annually: Perform a full technical SEO audit, including site structure and URL configurations.

Keep plugins, themes, and WordPress updated

Outdated plugins, themes, or WordPress versions can cause compatibility issues and security vulnerabilities, which can indirectly impact SEO.

• Update plugins and themes regularly to ensure optimal performance.
• Use a staging site to test updates before applying them to your live site.

Monitor site performance and uptime

A website’s performance can be frequently down or low and lose visitors and rankings.

• Use tools like UptimeRobot to monitor your site’s availability.
• Regularly test your site speed using Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.

Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Keep an eye on metrics that reflect your site’s SEO health:

• Organic Traffic: Monitor using Google Analytics.
• Keyword Rankings: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see how your target keywords are performing.
• Bounce Rate: High bounce rates could indicate issues with user experience or content relevance.

Optimize new content

Every new blog post or page is an opportunity to boost your rankings. You can follow some content planning tips to have an effective strategy. Make sure you follow SEO best practices for content optimization:

• Write keyword-optimized titles, headings, and meta descriptions.
• Using long-tail keywords can help target specific audiences within a niche.
• Add internal and external links to enhance content value.
• Compress images and use descriptive alt text.

Keep an eye on backlinks

Backlinks are crucial for building authority, but low-quality or spammy links can hurt your rankings.

• Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs to monitor your backlink profile.
• Disavow toxic backlinks using Google’s Disavow Tool.
• Build high-quality links by creating valuable, shareable content.

Adapt to SEO changes

Search engine algorithms evolve frequently, and staying updated can give you a competitive edge over other search engines.

• Follow industry blogs like Moz, Search Engine Journal, or Google’s official blog for updates.
• Experiment with new strategies, such as optimizing for voice search or focusing on core web vitals.

Regularly engage with your audience

SEO is not just about search engines—it’s about the people visiting your site.

• Respond to comments and questions on your blog.
• Use surveys or analytics to understand what your audience wants and tailor your content accordingly.

By sticking to an SEO maintenance plan, you’ll ensure your WordPress site stays optimized and competitive in search rankings. Consistency is key—small, regular efforts add up to significant results over time.

Conclusion

Performing a WordPress SEO audit might seem like a big task, but it’s one of the most effective ways to ensure your website is performing its best. By identifying and fixing common issues—like slow loading speeds, broken links, and missing metadata—you’ll create a better experience for your visitors and improve your search engine rankings.

Remember, SEO isn’t a one-and-done job. Regular audits, content updates, and ongoing maintenance are key to staying ahead of the competition and keeping your site visible.

If you’re looking to take your SEO efforts to the next level, having an organized content strategy is essential. With Strive, our WordPress editorial calendar plugin, you can easily plan, schedule, and track your blog posts all in one place. Strive helps you stay consistent with publishing and ensures your content is always optimized for SEO.

Start making your content workflow seamless and your SEO strategy stronger. Start your 14-day trial and watch your WordPress site grow.

FAQ about SEO audit on WordPress

How often should I conduct an SEO audit on my WordPress site?

For most sites, a full SEO audit should be done annually. However, regular checks for key areas like broken links, site speed, and content updates should be performed monthly or quarterly to stay ahead of potential issues.

What tools are best for auditing a WordPress site?

Some of the best tools for WordPress SEO audits include: Yoast SEO or Rank Math for on-page optimization, Screaming Frog or SEMrush for technical audits, Google Analytics and Google Search Console for performance tracking and issue detection.

How do plugins affect my WordPress SEO?

Plugins can both help and hurt your SEO. Tools like SEO plugins and caching plugins improve optimization and site speed. However, too many plugins or poorly coded ones can slow down your site and cause technical issues. Always use high-quality, essential plugins and remove any that you don’t need.

Can I perform an SEO audit myself, or do I need a professional?

As a website owner, you can perform an SEO audit yourself using the right tools and a clear checklist. However, for complex sites or if you’re short on time, hiring an SEO professional may be a better option. They can provide expert insights and recommendations tailored to your site.

How do I fix duplicate content issues in WordPress?

You can use an SEO plugin to set canonical URLs. Avoid creating a site address too many similar tags and categories. Consolidate thin or duplicate content into valuable, comprehensive posts.

What is a canonical URL, and why is it important?

A canonical URL tells search engines which version of a page to index when multiple versions of same site exist (e.g., similar content across tags and categories). Setting a canonical URL prevents duplicate content issues and consolidates link equity.

Why is site speed important for WordPress SEO?

Site speed is a ranking factor for your Google search results and affects user experience. A slow site can lead to higher bounce rates and lower search engine rankings. Optimizing images, enabling caching, and minimizing code are a few ways to improve your site speed.

What’s the easiest way to stay consistent with content creation and SEO?

Use an editorial calendar like Strive. Strive makes it easy to plan, schedule, and track your content workflow, ensuring you publish regularly and keep your posts optimized for SEO.