You’ve heard the discussion before—Google uses hundreds of factors to rank websites. And no one—not even the most influential Google execs and employees—is privy to what exactly these are.

Everyone does, however, know they have a target to shoot for. In fact, SEO thought leaders such as Moz, QuickSprout, and Neil Patel routinely perform tests and debate what’s happening in the SEO world to try to come to an accurate understanding of what Google wants.

With this in mind, let’s dive into details surrounding technical SEO audits.

Why Should You Perform a Technical SEO Audit?

The purpose of a technical SEO audit is to make sure you’re operating a Google-friendly website. No one hits the mark perfectly. Yet, the closer you are, the better your rankings in both the short- and long-term.

Another reason to perform an audit is if you come face to face with a Google penalty or notice a substantial drop in your website traffic around the time of a Google update.

An SEO audit uncovers what you’re doing right and wrong as well as steps you can take to get back on the right path if you happen to veer off.

How Do You Perform a Technical SEO Audit?

No two consultants or agencies will agree completely on this. At a high level, agencies and consultants develop technical SEO audits based on what they’ve learned works best for Google. This doesn’t necessarily mean one agency is right and another’s wrong, just that each is different in its approach.

How Often Should You Perform Technical SEO Audits?

Think of this like performing routine vehicle maintenance. You take your car to the mechanic every year for diagnostic services or just to make sure everything’s okay—even if there’s nothing noticeably wrong.

In performing a technical SEO audit, you can catch significant mistakes you’re making (and perhaps oblivious to) before Google penalizes you. If you’re not making any serious mistakes, you can at least fine-tune your performance. An annual SEO audit is a good idea, but it’s even better to perform one every six months. You can catch problems such as competitors building bad links to your site and trying to destroy your search rankings. While this rarely happens, it does in fact occur.

If you’re getting the sense that managing your website is just like taking care of your physical business location, you’re absolutely right! Google’s goal is to increase web quality and toss out spammy, low-value sites. The better you make your site for visitors, the better you’ll do in the search rankings.