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A reliable SEO audit starts by separating what Google can crawl from what it has indexed, then checking important URLs against the evidence in Search Console. Without records from a specific site audit, it would be misleading to claim particular findings or fixes; this walkthrough shows how to run and document the checks without mistaking eligibility for guaranteed indexing or rankings.
How do I audit my website for SEO?
Define what you are checking before interpreting reports. Record the site, audit date, URL sample or crawl scope, and the data sources you will use. Keep sitewide patterns separate from findings about an individual page: a report may describe many URLs, while a URL-level inspection answers questions about one address.
A useful sequence is to check access and response status, distinguish crawling from indexing, inspect important URLs, review discovery and page implementation, examine structured data and page experience where relevant, then document and verify any changes.
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Can Google crawl the page, and does it return successfully?
Google’s stated minimum technical requirements for eligibility are that Googlebot is not blocked, the page returns HTTP 200, and it has indexable content. Meeting those requirements does not guarantee indexing; Google says, “Just because a page meets these technical requirements doesn’t mean that it will be indexed; indexing isn’t guaranteed.” Google Search technical requirements
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For each priority URL, check whether Google is permitted to fetch it and whether the page is available. A page that cannot be fetched or does not return a successful response needs a different diagnosis from a page Google can fetch but has not indexed.
Why isn’t my page indexed by Google?
Crawling and indexing are separate stages. Crawling means Google fetches a URL; indexing is a later process. A crawled URL can remain outside the index, and an unindexed URL is not automatically evidence of a technical fault. Look for the pattern and context rather than treating every exclusion as a failure.
- Use the Page indexing report to review patterns among URLs Google knows about.
- Use URL Inspection to check the status and details of a particular URL.
- Compare Google’s indexed information with the current live page; they describe different views and can differ.
An indexed status does not guarantee that a page will appear in search results. Search Console’s reports and URL Inspection help diagnose status; they do not promise a particular visibility outcome. Page indexing report · URL Inspection tool
How do I check if Google can crawl my page?
In Search Console, open URL Inspection and enter the exact URL. Review the indexed information for what Google previously processed, then run a live test when you need to diagnose the page as it is currently served. The live test can report crawl permission, whether indexing is allowed, fetch status, canonical information, and detected structured data. It is not a substitute for the indexed view.
- Inspect the exact URL, including the preferred protocol and hostname.
- Review the indexed status and details to understand Google’s recorded view.
- Run the live test to check the current page’s fetch and indexability signals.
- Compare the results with the page’s intended canonical URL and directives.
A successful live test does not prove Google has indexed the page, and a request to crawl or index is a request—not a guaranteed outcome or timeline. URL Inspection tool
Is the page discoverable and implemented as intended?
Check whether important pages are reachable through internal navigation and whether the sitemap helps Google discover their URLs. A sitemap can help Google learn about URLs, but it does not guarantee indexing or improve ranking by itself. Review the page’s descriptive title and meta description, semantic HTML, and text available in the DOM. Also check duplicate URL handling and whether crawl or index directives match your intent. Sitemaps overview
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Should I check structured data?
When a page uses structured data, review the relevant Search Console rich result report for detected markup and validity issues. The report is a sample, not a complete inventory of every page. Valid structured data can make a page eligible for a rich result; it does not guarantee that Google will show one. Rich result reports
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Google’s good-experience targets are LCP within 2.5 seconds, INP below 200 milliseconds, and CLS below 0.1. Search Console’s Core Web Vitals report is one source for field performance. These are user-experience checks, not a promise of top rankings; Google notes that good report results do not guarantee top placement, and page experience involves more than these scores. Avoid spending effort on a perfect score solely for SEO if a more consequential issue remains. Core Web Vitals · Understanding page experience in Google Search
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do I prioritize and verify fixes?
For each confirmed finding, record the affected URL or URL pattern, the evidence, the change made, and the follow-up result. Prioritize using the number and importance of affected URLs, whether the issue blocks crawling or indexing, whether evidence comes from the indexed view or only a live test, user impact, confidence in the diagnosis, and effort to resolve it. These factors help make a site-specific decision; they do not produce a universal ranking-gain estimate.
Quick Recap
- Save the relevant report or inspection details and note the audit date and scope.
- Make a targeted change that addresses the diagnosed issue.
- Reinspect the live page and, where appropriate, check the related report for updated evidence.
- Record whether the expected technical condition changed; do not treat a crawl request as confirmation of indexing.
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