Before we write a single line of new content for a client, we run every new SEO engagement through the same six-point technical audit. Content can't rank if the underlying site is fighting against it.
Why technical SEO comes first
It's tempting to jump straight to keyword research and blog topics, but a site with slow load times, broken indexing, or poor mobile usability will underperform no matter how good the content is. These six checks catch the majority of issues we see in service-business websites.
The order we work through on every new technical SEO audit.
1. Site speed and Core Web Vitals
Google's page-experience signals reward sites that load quickly and don't shift content around while loading. We target a mobile load time under 2.5 seconds, usually by compressing images, deferring non-critical scripts, and choosing hosting that isn't shared with hundreds of other sites.
2. Mobile usability
With most local searches happening on a phone, tap targets need to be large enough, text needs to be readable without zooming, and the viewport needs to be configured correctly. We test on actual devices, not just browser emulators, since real-world rendering can differ.
3. Indexing and crawl errors
We check Search Console for pages blocked by robots.txt, orphaned pages with no internal links pointing to them, and crawl errors that prevent Google from even seeing key service pages. It's common to find a service page that's been effectively invisible to Google for months due to a single misconfigured redirect.
4. Site structure and internal links
A clear hierarchy — homepage, service categories, individual service pages, supporting blog content — helps both users and search engines understand what matters most. We aim to keep any important page within three clicks of the homepage.
5. Schema markup
Structured data like LocalBusiness, Service, FAQ, and Review schema helps your listing stand out in search results with extra detail — star ratings, opening hours, FAQ dropdowns — which can meaningfully improve click-through rate even without a ranking change.
6. HTTPS and security basics
A valid SSL certificate and no mixed-content warnings are table stakes at this point, but we still find sites running on expired certificates or loading a handful of assets over insecure connections, which can quietly hurt both rankings and user trust.
Key takeaways
- Fix technical issues before investing heavily in new content — content can't outrun a broken foundation
- Re-run this checklist quarterly, since plugin updates and redesigns commonly reintroduce issues
- Prioritize fixes by page importance — your top service pages should be audited first
None of these six checks require an enterprise SEO budget — most service businesses can work through this list in a focused week and see meaningfully better crawlability within the following month.