Practical Exercise: Run a Basic Technical SEO Audit Using Free Tools

A technical SEO audit helps you identify and fix issues that might be affecting your website’s performance and visibility in search engines. This practical exercise will guide you through a simple, non-technical audit using free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Gather Your Website Information

• URL: Note the web address of the site or page you want to audit.

• Site Builder/Host Information: Knowing the platform (e.g., WordPress, Wix) and hosting provider can be helpful for implementing fixes.

Step 2: Test Your Page Speed

1. Visit Google PageSpeed Insights:

   • Go to Google PageSpeed Insights.

2. Enter Your URL:

   • Type in the URL of the webpage you want to test and click “Analyze.”

3. Review the Results:

   • Note your speed score for both mobile and desktop.

   • Scroll down to review the recommendations for improvement.

   • Key Metrics to Look At:

     • First Contentful Paint (FCP): How long it takes for the first piece of content to load.

     • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Time it takes for the largest element to load.

     • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability.

     • Speed Index: Average time for the page to become visually complete.

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Step 3: Optimize Images

1. Check for Image Optimization Suggestions:

   • PageSpeed Insights will often recommend optimizing images if they are too large or not compressed.

2. Compress Images Using TinyPNG:

   • Go to TinyPNG.
   • Upload your images to compress them.

   • Download the compressed images and replace the existing images on your website with these smaller versions.

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Step 4: Enable Browser Caching

1. Look for Caching Recommendations:

   • PageSpeed Insights may suggest enabling browser caching.

2. Set Up Caching (If Using WordPress):

   • Install a caching plugin like W3 Total Cache:

     • In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.

     • Search for “W3 Total Cache.”

     • Install and activate the plugin.

     • Follow the setup wizard to enable browser caching.

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Step 5: Minimize CSS and JavaScript

1. Check for CSS and JavaScript Optimization Suggestions:

   • PageSpeed Insights will highlight if minimizing CSS and JavaScript can improve your page speed.

2. Minify CSS and JavaScript (If Using WordPress):

   • Use a plugin like Autoptimize:

     • In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.

     • Search for “Autoptimize.”

     • Install and activate the plugin.

     • Go to Settings > Autoptimize and enable options for optimizing CSS and JavaScript.

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Step 6: Implement a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

1. Check for CDN Recommendations:

   • PageSpeed Insights may suggest using a CDN to improve loading times.

2. Set Up a Free CDN (Using Cloudflare):

   • Sign up for a free account at Cloudflare.
   • Add your website to Cloudflare and follow the setup instructions.

   • Cloudflare will provide you with new DNS settings to update with your domain registrar.

   • Once configured, Cloudflare will serve your website’s content from servers closer to your visitors.

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Step 7: Simplify Your Page Design

1. Review Page Design Suggestions:

   • PageSpeed Insights might recommend reducing elements on your page to improve load times.

2. Streamline Your Content:

   • Remove unnecessary images, widgets, and plugins.

   • Simplify your layout for better performance.

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Tools for Technical SEO Audit

1. Google PageSpeed Insights:

   • Enter your URL to get an analysis of your page speed and actionable suggestions.

2. TinyPNG:

   • Compress images to improve loading times without sacrificing quality.

3. Cloudflare:

   • Use it to implement a global CDN to speed up content delivery.

4. W3 Total Cache:

   • Plugin for WordPress to enable browser caching and optimize site performance.

5. Autoptimize:

   • Plugin for WordPress to minify CSS and JavaScript files, improving load times.

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Actionable Insight: Perform a simple technical SEO audit on your website using Google PageSpeed Insights. Compress images with TinyPNG and enable browser caching through a plugin like W3 Total Cache if you use WordPress. Implement a CDN using Cloudflare and simplify your page design to remove unnecessary elements. Regularly check your website’s performance and address any issues promptly to maintain a fast and efficient site. By following these steps, you can enhance user experience, improve search engine rankings, and attract more clients to your real estate business.