For a web designer in the Philippines, creating a visually appealing website is just one part of the job. To help your clients succeed, you must also ensure their website is optimized for search engines. A great way to do this is by performing an SEO audit on the newly designed website. This process helps identify areas that can be improved to ensure the website ranks well on Google and other search engines. By offering this added service, you can help businesses in the Philippines attract more customers online.
What is an SEO Audit?
An SEO audit is a thorough review of a website’s performance in terms of search engine optimization. It examines various aspects of the site, including its structure, content, and technical elements, to see how well it meets SEO best practices. For businesses in the Philippines, an SEO audit helps ensure that the website can be easily found by potential customers.
Why Perform an SEO Audit?
Performing an SEO audit on a newly designed website ensures that all technical, on-page, and user experience elements are properly optimized for search engines. It allows you to fix any issues before they harm the site’s performance in search rankings. An SEO audit also helps improve the overall user experience, leading to better engagement and higher conversion rates.
Step-by-Step SEO Audit for a Newly Designed Website
1. Check for Mobile-Friendliness
In the Philippines, many users access websites through mobile devices, so making sure the site is mobile-friendly is crucial for both user experience and SEO. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in its rankings. To check for mobile-friendliness:
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to see if the site is optimized for mobile devices.
- Ensure that the design is responsive and adjusts well to different screen sizes.
- Test the loading speed on mobile devices, as slow mobile sites can hurt rankings.
2. Test Page Load Speed
Page speed is a major factor in SEO, as slow-loading websites can cause visitors to leave and negatively affect search engine rankings. For a website to perform well in the Philippines’ competitive online market, fast loading times are essential. Here’s how to test and improve page speed:
- Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to analyze the site’s speed.
- Compress large images, minify CSS and JavaScript, and enable browser caching to reduce loading times.
- Choose reliable hosting services that can handle high traffic without slowing down.
3. Review URL Structure
A clean and logical URL structure helps search engines and users navigate the website more easily. It also improves the chances of ranking higher in search results. When reviewing URLs, ensure that:
- URLs are short, descriptive, and contain relevant keywords.
- URLs avoid unnecessary numbers or symbols.
- The site structure is easy to follow, with clear categories and subcategories.
For example, a service page URL should look like www.yourwebsite.com/services/web-design-philippines rather than www.yourwebsite.com/page123.
4. Check Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are critical for SEO. They appear in search results and provide a brief overview of the page’s content. To optimize them:
- Ensure that each page has a unique, descriptive title tag that includes relevant keywords (e.g., “Web Designer Philippines | Professional Web Design Services”).
- Write compelling meta descriptions that describe the content and include keywords.
- Keep title tags within 60 characters and meta descriptions within 160 characters.
These elements not only help search engines understand the page but also encourage users to click through to the site.
5. Analyze Heading Tags (H1, H2, H3)
Properly structured heading tags (H1, H2, H3) help both users and search engines understand the content hierarchy on a page. During the SEO audit:
- Check that each page has a single H1 tag, which is the main title of the page and contains the primary keyword.
- Use H2 and H3 tags to structure the content, making it easier for search engines to index and users to read.
- Avoid overusing heading tags or using them just for styling purposes.
For example, an H1 tag on a services page might be: “Professional Web Design Services for Businesses in the Philippines”.
6. Check for Broken Links
Broken links lead to pages that no longer exist or can’t be found, which can negatively impact user experience and SEO. During the audit, check for:
- Internal links: Make sure all internal links work and lead to the correct pages.
- External links: Ensure that external links are active and not directing to dead pages.
- Use tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to identify broken links and fix them.
Fixing broken links improves both SEO and user experience, helping keep visitors on the site longer.
7. Optimize Image SEO
Images play a big role in web design, but they need to be properly optimized for SEO to avoid slowing down the site. As part of the audit:
- Ensure all images have descriptive alt text that includes relevant keywords.
- Compress large images to reduce file sizes and improve loading speed.
- Use descriptive file names for images (e.g., web-design-philippines.jpg instead of IMG001.jpg).
Alt text helps search engines understand the content of the image and is also essential for accessibility.
8. Check for Duplicate Content
Duplicate content can hurt a website’s SEO, as search engines may not know which page to rank. Ensure that:
- Each page has unique content, avoiding any repetition across different pages.
- If duplicate content is necessary (e.g., product descriptions), use canonical tags to tell search engines which version to prioritize.
Tools like Copyscape or Siteliner can help identify duplicate content on the site.
9. Review Internal Linking
Internal linking helps search engines understand the structure of your site and allows users to navigate more easily. During the audit:
- Ensure that important pages are linked to other relevant pages within the site.
- Use descriptive anchor text with relevant keywords.
- Avoid linking to irrelevant pages, as this can confuse users and reduce SEO effectiveness.
For example, linking a blog post about SEO to your web design services page can help visitors explore related content and improve search rankings.
10. Check for Structured Data (Schema Markup)
Structured data helps search engines understand the content on a website more effectively and can improve how your site appears in search results. During the SEO audit:
- Use schema markup to highlight key information, such as business details, services, or product information.
- For businesses in the Philippines, implementing local business schema can help improve local search visibility.
Use Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool to verify that your schema markup is properly implemented.
11. Monitor Google Search Console and Analytics
Finally, make sure the website is connected to Google Search Console and Google Analytics. These tools provide valuable insights into how the site is performing and alert you to any issues that need attention. During the audit:
- Check for crawl errors in Google Search Console.
- Monitor website traffic, user behavior, and bounce rates through Google Analytics.
- Ensure that the site is being indexed correctly by Google.
These tools help track the long-term success of the website and identify areas for improvement.
How an SEO Audit Benefits Businesses in the Philippines
Performing an SEO audit ensures that a newly designed website is fully optimized to rank well in search engine results. For businesses in the Philippines, an audit provides the following benefits:
- Increased visibility: A well-optimized website is more likely to appear in search results, attracting more visitors.
- Improved user experience: By fixing issues like slow loading times or broken links, users are more likely to stay on the site and engage with the content.
- Higher conversion rates: With a better user experience and improved SEO, businesses are more likely to convert visitors into customers.
Final Thoughts
For web designers in the Philippines, performing an SEO audit on a newly designed website is an essential step to ensure the site is optimized for search engines and ready to attract traffic. By following this step-by-step guide, you can help your clients achieve better rankings, more visibility, and greater success in the competitive online market.
Offering SEO audits as part of your web design services adds value for your clients and sets you apart as a knowledgeable and results-driven web designer.
