Want to know how long it takes to complete an SEO audit? Short and sweet answer is…it depends.
To be honest, there are few questions you could ask about SEO that couldn’t be answered with ‘it depends’ (damn you, you mysterious yet highly effective marketing practice) but that would bring this blog to a very short and not very sweet conclusion.
A slightly more helpful answer would be anywhere from a couple of hours to a few weeks, depending on the size and scope of the audit.
Let’s take a closer look at the factors influencing the duration of an SEO audit and the various steps involved.
Factors affecting how long an SEO audit takes
1. Size of website
Sorry for stating the bleeding obvious, but if you have a large website with dozens or even hundreds of pages, undertaking an audit will take much longer than if you have a small website with a handful of pages.
2. Complexity of website
It’s not just about quantity, complexity impacts duration too. E-commerce sites with intricate structures, multilingual websites or those which rely heavily on visuals can all clock up extra hours during the audit.
3. Client involvement
If the audit is being completed by an external agency, the duration can be impacted by how communicative the client is. With clear comms and prompt feedback, the audit can move along at a good pace. Delays in providing necessary information or being vague in responses can stall the process, making it drag on longer than necessary.
4. Type of audit
Not all SEO audits are the same. Are you looking for a quick, surface-level health check or do you want a comprehensive in-depth, bells and whistles SEO audit, covering technical, off-page, UX, content, keywords, etc? The scope of your audit will naturally play a key role in determining its duration.
5. The state of your website
If your website has never been optimised for SEO, then it’s a no brainer that an audit will take much longer. Think of it like mowing your grass. If you leave your lawn for too long, it becomes harder to mow. A tenuous analogy, but you get the gist.
On the flip side, if your SEO game is on point, there will likely be fewer issues to identify and the audit will be a swift and simple matter of maintenance.
6. Available resources and tools
The tools and expertise at your disposal will affect the length of the audit. An SEO audit agency will typically have all the essential tools in place, such as Semrush, Screaming Frog and Google Search Console which all aid data analysis and research. They will usually also have a team of SEO experts with skills that align with the type of audit you are seeking, meaning it isn’t left to one person to manage the whole process from start to finish.
So, how long does it take to complete an SEO audit?
On average (and again, I have to sound my ‘IT DEPENDS’ klaxon), a comprehensive SEO audit completed by an agency will take up to three weeks. This includes research, analysis and compiling the report.
Below lists just a snapshot at some of the areas looked at during this timeframe:
- HTTPS-related issues
- Mobile-friendliness
- Manual actions
- Organic traffic
- Core Web Vitals
- On-page elements
- Indexability issues
- Content gaps
- Duplication issues
- Broken pages
- Sitemap issues
- Under-performing content
Is your site in need of an SEO audit?
Unless you’ve got an in-house team of SEO audit specialists at your disposal, the best and most effective option is to approach an agency offering SEO audit services.
Here at Adido, our team of SEO experts will dig deep to detect any issues that may be holding you back from ranking well on the SERPs and make recommendations based on our findings.
Even if your site is currently ranking well, an audit can help spot opportunities for further optimisation, enabling your brand to maintain a competitive edge in a busy online space.
We live and breathe all things SEO here at Adido. With access to the best tools and resources available, we can guarantee your website is in safe hands! For more information about SEO audits, speak to the Adido team today.