Introduction

These step-by-step guides will help you perform a basic LinkedIn advertising account audit. Your ultimate deliverable for the audit may take the shape of a powerpoint, spreadsheet, or something else entirely.

Master Checklist

Account & Campaign Settings

Account Settings

Linkedin account settings are where you configure items like user permissions and automated email alerts. When reviewing these settings, it is also worthwhile to observe how existing campaigns have been built and organized, as well as how these items get tracked.

The Big Idea Behind Account Settings

Common Problems with Account Settings

The following problems tend to occur:

• User permissions are out-dated and include individuals who don’t work on the account
• Conversion tracking is not set up

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Account Settings

1. Ensure the user permissions have been set up properly
   User permissions are found at the top of the page, by clicking the gear icon – as illustrated here:

   Ensure that only campaign managers and clients are listed in the ‘manage access’ window.

   Further, ensure that the levels of access for each individual make sense according to your strategy & the client’s needs.

2. Ensure Linkedin contact settings are up-to-date and meet the business’ needs
   To check contact settings, click the option from the same gear dropdown in step 1. Depending on the client’s needs and your preferences, determine what alerts are most important and recommend removing the others from the list. This way, only the essential updates are sent to your inbox.
3. Ensure a clear and intuitive structure exists across the account
   Now, turn your focus to the list of campaigns and understand their current structure. Knowing what you do about the client’s business goals, do the existing campaign make sense? Is the account currently setup to scale in the future, or would that be difficult with the way things are organized?Take note of this. By addressing this type of issue early on in the management process, you can avoid having to backtrack and re-organizing campaigns later down the line.
4. Ensure conversion tracking is set up
   Linkedin does not offer any native conversion tracking (such as a conversion pixel). Instead, Linkedin activity can be tracked using Google Analytics goals & UTM tags on URLs.Ensure ad URLs include UTM_Source, UTM_Medium, and UTM_Campaign tags. Next, ensure you have access to the client’s Analytics account. Then, confirm that your LinkedIn campaign conversions are configured as goals within the Analytics account.

   Lastly, make sure these URL tags make sense, and are consistent across ad units to ensure reporting is clean in the future.

Outcome after Checking Account Settings

Consider…

• How important attribution is for paid media! Is the correct tracking in place to prove ROI on Linkedin?

Campaign Settings

The Big Idea Behind Campaign Settings

Campaign settings help with organization and scalability. The campaign settings can affect how and when ads are being shown, which can mean cashing in or losing out on opportunities.

Common Problems with Campaign Settings

The following problems tend to occur:

• Budgets need to be adjusted
• Incorrect end-dates
• Only one active ad

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Campaign Settings

1. Ensure campaign budgets are adequate
   Is the campaign consistently depleting its budget? Graph the amount spent to see if campaigns are ever being capped by the budget.If campaigns are consistently being capped, it may be worthwhile to raise the campaign budget.
2. Take note of auction type (CPC or CPM)
   While in a campaign, select the “Bid and budget” tab from the top menu. While here, take note of whether the campaign bid type is CPC or CPM.
3. Ensure campaign end dates are setup correctly
   While still in the “Bid and budget” section, scroll down to see the End Date option (may have to click “Show more” for this to appear).

   Not every campaign will have an end date specified, but if it does, make sure it reflects the intention for the campaign duration.

4. Ensure campaigns have more than one active ad
   Keeping multiple ad variations in a campaign makes it easy to test them.Click into each campaign (if more than one) and take note of the number of active ads within the campaign.
5. Check how ads are being rotated
   While in a campaign, click the campaign settings gear at the top, and select “Rotate ad variations” from the drop-down. Take note of whether ads are being rotated evenly or if optimized for click-through rate.

Outcome after Checking the Campaign Settings

Consider…

• Are campaigns organized for on-going success?
• Would scaling campaigns be easy or hard given the current campaign structure and bid strategy?

Targeting, Ads & Landing Pages

Targeting

The Big Idea Behind Targeting

LinkedIn audience building is very advanced and provides very granular targeting options. You can get ads to show to the right people, in the right businesses, at the right time.

Common Problems with Targeting

The following problems tend to occur:

• Not targeting the right audience
• Not targeting large enough audience

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Targeting

1. Are campaigns targeting the right audience?
   Navigate the the “Audience” tab and review the targeted audience. Identify how audiences are being selected (e.g. location, job titles, company size, etc.). Take a close look and make sure that the audiences being targeted are appropriate to the business. Are locations within the businesses service areas? Do job titles make sense for the ads being served? And so on and so forth.
2. Ensure audience size large enough to make an impact
   Within the “Audience” section, find the “Your estimated target audience” box on the right hand side.
3. Is Audience Expansion enabled?
   At the bottom of the “Audience” section, take note of whether the Audience Expansion feature is enabled. This setting is enabled by default and allows ads to be shown to similar audiences you’ve selected. If disabled, investigate the reasoning behind the decision. See screenshot below.

Helpful Resources for Checking Targeting

• How-to Target Linkedin Ads to your Audience
• Targeting Options and Best Practices
• Audience Expansion

Outcome after Checking Targeting

Consider…

• Who the ideal customer is on Linkedin
• How have they been targeted in the past
• What could be improved to generate better ROI

Ads

The Big Idea Behind Ads

Creative ads with compelling copy are key to getting people to click and ultimately convert. Ads need to stand out to attract attention of LinkedIn users. The messaging needs to speak to the audience and entice users to click the ad.

Common Problems with Ads

The following problems tend to occur:

• Copy is not enticing — does not generate click-throughs
• Same ads have been running for a long time

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Ads

1. Analyze the elements of an ad – ensure good quality
   Analyze the ads that are being served. Check to see that headlines are compelling and the copy is not too wordy. Also, read the copy itself. Is it free of typos or grammar mistakes? Does it relate to the audience?
2. Ensure all ads have a clear call-to-action
   Ensure that each ad has a clear and relevant call to action. Whether it is “Call now”, “Get started” or other language. Make note of any ads that do not have a clear call-to-action.
3. Ensure new ads are being served to avoid ad fatigue
   Have new ads been created in the past month? LinkedIn seems to favor fresh, new ads over older variations. Check to see when active ads were created. Take note of ads that were created months ago and are still active.
4. Ensure Sponsored updates are being used (if applicable)
   Sponsored updates can have much higher engagement than standard ads, and can be a great way to expand the reach of the messaging.In the campaigns view, check to see that there is a campaign for Sponsored Updates.

   

   If sponsored updates are being utilized, analyze the performance of the sponsored updates and identify types of updates that lead to the best performance.

Outcome after Checking Ads

Consider…

• The types of ads used in the past and evaluate their performance

The Big Idea Behind Landing Pages

Landing pages are all about relevancy and conversion mechanisms. When a user clicks on an ad, they should arrive on a landing page that aligns with the ad they clicked. Landing pages should also be design to get users to convert. Forms or other conversion mechanisms should be present on landing pages.

Common Problems with Landing Pages

The following problems tend to occur:

• Messaging does not align with the ad
• Landing page is not mobile-friendly
• No conversion mechanisms in place

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Landing Pages

1. Ensure LinkedIn company page is up-to-date
   If ads are tied to the branded LinkedIn page, review the page and ensure contact info, descriptions, etc. is all accurate. The client’s credibility can take a hit if their own brand page is not up-to-date.
2. Ensure landing pages are free of errors
   If ads are pointing to designated landing pages, ensure that the page loads correctly and is not broken. Also ensure that there are no typos or grammatical issues on the landing pages.
3. Ensure landing pages are mobile-friendly
   If ads are being served on mobile devices, it is crucial that the landing page is mobile-responsive, to provide excellent user-experience.Navigate to a landing page that is being served on mobile devices and collapse your browser screen to check for mobile-responsiveness.
4. Ensure landing pages are relevant and optimized for conversions
   Ensure that landing pages are relevant to the ad message. If advertising for a specific product/service/solution, ensure that ads point to that specific page on the site. The headline and body copy should be enticing to get users to convert.Also, check that landing pages are set up with a form or other conversion mechanism. Without a conversion mechanisms, it will be nearly impossible to generate results through LinkedIn Ads.

Outcome after Checking Landing Pages

Consider…

• Landing pages should be optimized for conversions
• Messaging needs to align with the ad

Master Checklist

Account Settings

Mini Checklist

Account Settings

The Big Idea Behind Account Settings

Accurate account settings are crucial for managing Facebook ads efficiently. Account settings cover everything from Facebook properties you have access to, to levels of permission and billing info.

At Webmechanix, we handle all Facebook activity through the Business Manager (Facebook’s version of the AdWords MCC).

Follow the steps below to make sure you are setup for Facebook ad success!

Common Problems with Account Settings

The following problems tend to occur:

• Read-only access granted when advertiser permission is necessary
• Access to Facebook page was never granted

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Account Settings

1. Ensure you have access to the Facebook Ad Account
   After logging into Business Manager, look for the Client’s Facebook Ad Account in your list of Facebook properties. If it is listed, you’re in good shape. If not, confirm that access was requested from/granted by the client.
2. Ensure you have at least Ad Account Advertiser permissions
   In the same Business Manager view, look right above the ad account name for ‘role’. Ensure the ‘role’ you’ve been granted is ‘Ad Account Advertiser’ – if you are in a management role. If you are not in charge of Facebook ad management, and ‘Ad Account Analyst’ analyst role will suffice.
3. Ensure you have access to the linked Facebook page with correct permissions
   If you are in charge of management, ensure you have access to the client’s Facebook page (this is necessary, if you will be running News Feed Ads). If you have been granted access to the page, it will appear in the same list as the ad account, in the main Business Manager view.

Confirm you have ‘page advertiser’ access by looking in the same ‘role’ section, just above the Facebook page name.

• Ensure that billing information is up-to-date
  Now that you’ve confirmed that you have access to the client’s ad account and page (with the proper permissions), visit the client’s Facebook ad account.

Once inside the account, visit the ‘billing’ tab, and ensure payment info is up-to-date – this mainly involves checking the credit card is not passed it’s expiration date.

• Ensure the brand Facebook page is up-to-date with all pertinent business information
  Check the brand’s Facebook page and ensure that all contact and business information is up-to-date.

This is important since people may search for that brand on Facebook after seeing an ad. If the information is not accurate or is not available, the customer may not find that brand credible or trustworthy.

Helpful Resources for Checking Account Settings

• Advertiser Help Center

Outcome

Consider…

• The permissions that have been granted and how these may need to change if/when ad management begins.

Tracking & Audiences

Mini Checklist

Tracking

The Big Idea Behind Tracking

Tracking is the key to attributing success to Facebook ads. With the help of the ‘Facebook Pixel’, each account has the ability to set up event-based and URL-based custom conversions.

Take the following steps to ensure the right actions are being tracked, and they are doing so accurately.

Common Problems with Tracking

The following problems tend to occur:

• Facebook pixel is not placed

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Tracking

1. What are the account goals?
   What are the client’s goals? Do they want more appointment sign-ups? Are they interested in selling products?

With a better understanding of these goals, you can better evaluate current tracking configuration to ensure it makes sense based on the client’s needs.

• What are the KPIs?
  This could be form fills, phone calls, purchases, or a number of other things. If you know what individual metrics are the most valuable to the client, you can check to see that these items are being tracked adequately.
• Ensure conversion tracking is set up and working correctly
  Actions that occur on the Facebook interface are already tracked by Facebook & reported on in the interface.

For on-site conversions, we want to ensure the ‘Facebook Pixel’ exists on every page of the client’s website. Visit ‘Tools’ > ‘Pixels’ > ‘Domains’ and confirm, at the very least, that the correct client domain is listed as an option. Next, visit the ‘URLs’ tab from the same view, and ensure the correct thank you pages are being tracked for conversions, and data is being counted. Lastly, visit the ‘Events’ tab of the same view to confirm that the right type of events are being tracked – if event tracking is necessary.

Helpful Resources for Checking Account Settings

• Google Tag Assistant: If the client is using this service to deploy the Facebook pixel, it can be helpful for finding the code on their site.

Outcome after Checking the Tracking

Consider…

• How client’s bottom line goals can be achieved through Facebook ads
• Where conversion tracking is already set-up, and where else it may need to be added

Audiences

The Big Idea Behind Checking Audiences

Audiences are used to target Facebook users, and serve ads to a client’s target market. Facebook allows marketers to create audiences based on current client data, as well as tailored audiences based around users’ online behaviors.

Common Problems with Audiences

The following problems tend to occur:

• Audiences are not saved
• Audiences are hand-picked based on Facebook interests/demographics only

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Audiences

1. Ensure custom audiences have been created
   Custom audiences can be used for remarketing and audience expansion within Facebook.

To ensure custom audiences are being leveraged, visit ‘Tools’ > ‘Audiences’ and look for ‘custom audiences’ listed under the ‘type’ column. Does the audience name shed light on who is included in this specific audience (previous converters, people who have purchased, etc)?

If so, take note of who is included, and think about additional custom audiences that could benefit the client’s bottom line.

• Are lookalike audiences being leveraged
  Look-a-like audiences reference custom audiences in order to find more, new users to target with your ads. They often align more closely with a client’s target market because they are typically derived from lists of users who have converted, purchased, etc.

Under the same ‘Audience’ view, look for ‘look-a-like’ under the ‘type’ column. At the very least, a 1% and 2% lookalike audience should exist in the account. Be sure to take note of which custom audience(s) these are derived from so you understand the nature and purpose of the lookalike.

• Ensure ads target large enough audiences
  In the same audience view, sort audiences by size, and take note of how many contain 1000 users or fewer. Be sure to also take note of their names (which should help you understand their purpose, if a naming structure exists – standard targeting, remarketing, etc)

Typically, you want your audience size to be at least 1,000 people for standard (non-remarketing) campaigns – Reach should be high, frequency should be relatively low (1-2/day) as a rule of thumb. This is because a large audience will provide you with more valuable ad performance data than an ad which serves 2-3 times a day to the same 500 people.

Helpful Resources for Checking Account Settings

• Facebook: What is a custom audience?
• Facebook: What are look-a-like audiences?

Outcome after Checking Audiences

Consider…

• What audiences are being created and used and how this could impact performance (in good and bad ways)
• What additional audience options the client could take advantage of to benefit their bottom line

Structure & Campaign Settings

Mini Checklist

Account Structure & Campaign Settings

The Big Idea Behind Campaign Settings

Campaign settings & account structure are all about organization and scalability. By understanding account nomenclature and account types, you can have a better idea of how the account has been run to date.

This is when you should take note of the account nomenclature and campaign types, as well as determining budget allocation. Follow the steps below to ensure campaigns are setup for success in the long & short term.

Common Problems with Campaign Settings

The following problems tend to occur:

• Client’s are not leveraging valuable campaign types
• No nomenclature exist to keep campaigns organized and scalable

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Campaign Settings

1. Is there any nomenclature in place to keep campaigns organized?
   Is there a clear nomenclature being used to keep campaigns organized? At first glance, do campaign names provide any indication of what campaign type(s) is/are being used?
2. Take note of which campaign types are being leveraged in the account
   If a nomenclature does not exist, you may need to dig into each campaign to understand which campaign types of being used. This information will be important because the campaign types will shed light on how Facebook has been leveraged in the past.

Take note of the campaign types being used, and think of how these impact the client’s bottom line. Do the campaign types make sense when you consider the business’s KPIs?

Outcome after Checking Campaign Settings

Consider…

• Which campaign types have been leveraged and how this impacts the big picture for the client
• Which additional campaign types could be useful for improving numbers

Ad Sets, Ads & Landing Pages

Mini Checklist

Ad Sets

The Big Idea Behind Ad Sets

Facebook Ad sets are equivalent to ad groups in AdWords. Ad sets are your home base for controlling audiences, placements, and other crucial settings that are important to serving and testing ads.

Common Problems with Ad Sets

The following problems tend to occur:

• Unorganized
• Multiple active ads within single ad set
• Targeting preferences are inaccurate/inappropriate

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Ad Sets

1. Is there any nomenclature in place to help keep ad sets organized?
   Check the names of the ad sets. At first glance, do the ad set names provide any indication of the ad set purpose? Can you easily differentiate between two ad sets in a campaign by their names?
2. Ensure there is only one active ad per set
   If more than one ad is in a given ad set, Facebook will determine the better ad and will only show that ad. Make note of any ad sets that have more than one ad active.
3. Ensure that ads are serving on both Desktop and Mobile newsfeeds
   In order to gain the most impressions, ads should be served on both desktop and mobile newsfeeds.

To find this information, go to the “Edit Ad Set” view and scroll to the “Placements” section. Are desktop and mobile newsfeed placements checked? Make note of any ad sets not serving on both mobile and desktop newsfeeds.

• Ensure location targeting is accurate and appropriate for the ads being served
  While in the “Edit Ad Set” view, find the “Audience” section. Is location targeting leveraged for this ad set? If so, ensure that the locations being targeting are correct.

Ad sets may not be using location targeting. However, if targeting specific locations, ensure that the locations listed seem accurate and appropriate for the ads being served. For example, if the client’s local business serves the DC Metro area, check that locations outside of the service area are not being targeted.

• Ensure the appropriate age ranges are being targeted
  While still in the “Audience” section, make note if age targeting is being leveraged. If so, are the age ranges appropriate for the particular product/service being advertised.

Again, not every Facebook campaign will utilize age range targeting. However, if it is being used, ensure that the appropriate age ranges are being targeted. For example, are the ads home repair targeting teenagers? Or is it targeting people between the age of 30 and 65?

• Are ads optimized for leads or clicks?
  While in the “Edit Ad Set” view, scroll to the “Optimization & Pricing” section. Make note if the ads are being optimized for leads or clicks.
• Ensure the ad set budgets are adequate based on performance metrics
  Are the high performance ad sets receiving the budget they need to continue performing? Think about the client’s KPI goals (High lead vol, low CPA, etc) when evaluating.

Are these KPI goals being met by any specific ad sets? Consider how additional spend can help these ad sets perform even better, and how spend may be going to waste in other areas of the account which are not performing up to par.

Outcome after Checking Ad Sets

Consider…

• Are ad sets organized in any logical and scalable way?
• Who should the ads be targeting?
• How are ads being optimized?

Ads

The Big Idea Behind Ads

Creative ads with compelling copy are key to getting people to click and ultimately convert. Ads need to stand out to attract attention of Facebook users, and the messaging needs to speak to the audience and entice users to click the ad.

Common Problems with Ads

The following problems tend to occur:

• Low ad relevancy score
• Misalignment of CTA and offer

Step-by-Step Instruction for Checking Ads

1. Ensure no ads have been disapproved
   Just like AdWords, Facebook has strict advertising policies and guidelines. Ads must meet these guidelines in order to be served to users.

Navigate to the Ads section of the account. Once there, check the “Delivery” column for “Not Approved.” If an ad has been disapproved, make note of Facebook’s reason for disapproving the ad.

• Ensure ads are free of typos/grammar issues and have relevant CTA
  Ads should not have any typos or grammar issues. You lose all credibility and trust with the audience if they see any mistakes. Also, the CTA should be relevant to the offer. For example, if the goal of the ads is to get people to call the business, the CTA should be “Call Now.”

While in the Ads section, preview the the ads that are running and check for any typos or other grammar issues with the copy. While previewing ads, check the CTA and ensure that they are relevant to the offer the ad is promoting.

• Check Ad Relevancy Scores
  Ad Relevancy Score is the equivalent of AdWords Quality Score. Scores are given on a scale of 1-10; 10 being the highest. Here is some more information on Ad Relevancy Scores.

While in the Ads section, check the “Relevancy” column. Make note of ads with a relevancy score below 5.

• Ensure that ads are being tested against one another
  Testing ads ensures that you will be serving the best performing ad to your audience. You can test images, offers, copy, etc.

The best way to test Facebook ads is to attribute one ad per ad set and set up multiple ad sets to run experiments. Determine if ads are being test. If so, make note of what is being tested and the performance of each ad – if one is clearly outperforming another.

• Entire ads have been updated in the past month to avoid ad fatigue
  Ad fatigue occurs when your audience is being shown the same ad too many times. Updating ads each month can help avoid this.

Check the start date of the active ads. Make note of ads that are currently being served, and have been running for over a month. These ads may need to be updated.

Outcome after Checking Ads

Consider…

• Are ads relevant?
• Are ads free of errors?
• Are new ads being tested frequently?

Landing Pages

The Big Idea Behind Landing Pages

Landing pages are all about relevancy and conversion mechanisms. When a user clicks on an ad, they should arrive on a landing page that aligns with the ad they clicked. Landing pages should also be design to get users to convert. Forms or other conversion mechanisms should be present on landing pages.

Common Problems with Landing Pages

The following problems tend to occur:

• Messaging does not align with the ad
• Landing page is not mobile-friendly
• No conversion mechanisms in place

Step-by-Step Instructions for Checking Landing Pages

1. Ensure no landing pages have errors or load issues
   Any issues with landing pages, including grammar mistakes or load issues, can lead to a loss of trust and credibility with the users.

To view the landing page: preview the ad, then click “View Post Permalink” at the bottom of the ad preview. This will take you to the Facebook ad post. From there, click the ad to view the landing page. Check to ensure that the page loads properly and is free of typos and other grammar issues.

• Ensure landing pages are responsive/appropriate for each device you are serving ads on
  If ads are being served on mobile devices, it is crucial that the landing page is mobile-responsive, to provide excellent user-experience.

Navigate to a landing page that is being served on mobile devices and collapse your browser screen to check for mobile-responsiveness.

• Ensure the landing page content aligns with the ad messaging and goal for your campaign
  When someone click an ad and arrives on a landing page, they should see the same offer and messaging on the landing page that they saw on the ad. If the messaging significantly differs, that could lead to a lost conversion.

While previewing the landing pages, check to ensure that the content aligns with the messaging on the ad itself. Is the offer/messaging on the landing page the same as the ad? Does the ad headline match the Landing page headline? Also, is there a conversion mechanism in place that allows a user to complete the action, such as a form, click-to-call button, etc.?

Outcome after Checking Landing Pages

Consider…

• Are landing pages free of errors?
• Are landing pages mobile-friendly?
• Is the messaging relevant to the ad?

CRO Audit Guide

The purpose of a CRO audit is to highlight user behavior patterns and then make suggestions for improving visitors’ experiences and conversion rates based on the data. Depending on the type of audit being completed heatmaps, user recordings, user polls/surveys, and engagement data from Google Analytics are utilized. There are two types of audits, with slight differences between them:

• Pinpoint: Includes five key findings with supporting evidence and recommendations for each. Heatmaps, user recordings, and form analytics are incorporated to substantiate conclusions.
• U/X Diagnostic: Limited to three specific pages on the website which the client usually chooses. Includes one heatmap for each page, five user recordings total, and a two question user poll. Also includes a review of existing Google Analytics configuration and engagement data for each of the three pages. An example report is accessible here.

Guide to Configure Hotjar and Gain Access to Google Analytics

The Big Idea Behind Configuring Hotjar

Configuring Hotjar correctly is essential as it collects the data you’ll use to draw conclusions and interpret user behavior. While setup is generally simple, there are a few issues that can arise to complicate the process. Configuring Hotjar includes the following:

• Creating the client account
• Creating heatmaps
• Turning on user recordings
• Filtering out internal IP addresses
• Developing a user poll/survey

Gaining access to Google Analytics is simple and included in this guide only as a reminder.

Common Problems When Configuring Hotjar

The following problems tend to occur:

• Parallax scrolling: This is an effect where the background of a webpage moves at a different rate than the foreground. (Look at Wells.edu for an example) Hotjar cannot accurately display this type of page and so elements are often out of place or do not appear at all.Looking at the site’s styling should tell you if parallax scrolling will be an issue. You can also check the page source for “overflow” within the CSS, which can indicate that this is in place. However, the best way to know is to simply make the heatmap and check it after a few pageviews.
• Heatmaps not rendering correctly: Can be related to parallax scrolling (mentioned above), how the page displays on other browsers (Hotjar uses Firefox for snapshots), other CSS issues, etc.
• User recordings not showing the entire page: Often the result of infinite scrolling, but again, the only way to know if recordings will work on the site is to set them up and comb through to make sure you can see the page footer in multiple recordings.

Examples of Correct & Incorrect Hotjar Configurations

Correct

Code installed properly

IP addresses filtered

Poll/survey created and collecting data

Heatmaps created

User recording turned on

Incorrect

Tracking inactive/not installed

IP addresses not filtered

Heatmaps not created

User recordings not turned on

Poll/survey not created or launched

Suggested Tools for Configuring Hotjar

• Hotjar

Step-by-Step Instructions for Configuring Hotjar and Requesting Google Analytics Access

1. Make sure client site has been added
   Log in to Hotjar, then navigate to the Site and Organizations menu in the upper left corner.
   Search for your client’s website. If it does not come up, it must be added to the account. Click here for Hotjar’s instructions on adding a new site. If the client’s site does appear, click it to open the site’s Hotjar dashboard (example below).
2. Check that tracking has been installed
   Once you’re in the client’s Hotjar account, look in the upper right corner, just below the Help menu. It will either say “Tracking Inactive” or “Tracking Active.” If it is inactive, the code has not been installed and data will not be collected.
   
3. Ensure heatmaps have been set up
   On the left sidebar, click “Heatmaps” which has a flame icon next to it.
   
   On the Heatmap page, it will list heatmaps that have been created and if they are recording (see the “Correct” heatmap image above) or it will contain the introductory video if no heatmaps have been configured (see the “Incorrect” heatmap image above).If heatmaps have not been set up, click the green +New Heatmap button toward the top of the page.
   Then choose how many pageviews you’d like the snapshot to contain, name the heatmap and add the URL you’d like to track. It’s best to navigate to the page in your browser, copy the URL from the address bar, and then paste it into the field. This ensures that the correct page will be tracked. *Note that Hotjar considers pages with a trailing slash as separate, e.g. /example is not the same as /example/
   The “Simple match” type should work for most pages. However, check the other URL match types to be sure that you select the best option for your needs.

   The “Advanced Options” section can be ignored unless you have a specific screenshot you’d like to use for your heatmap or there are elements you’d like to exclude.
   

   Note: It is important to check that heatmaps have been generated correctly and are gathering data soon after they have been created to avoid any errors.
4. Check that user recordings are enabled
   To ensure that recordings are enabled, click “Recordings” in the left sidebar, next to the video camera icon.
   
   If recordings have been enabled and are being collected, there should be rows of recordings on the page and the heading should have an open green circle next to it with a button saying “Stop Recording” (as in the “Correct” image for recordings above). If recordings are not being collected, there will be a green button near the heading saying “Record Visitors” (as in the “Incorrect” image for recordings above). Click it to start capturing videos of user movement.
   Note: It is important to check that recordings allow you to see user activity all the way to the bottom of the page. Check several videos to be sure that you will have all of the data you need.
5. Filter out internal IP addresses
   In the upper right corner, under the Help menu, click the gear icon. Then click “IP Blocking” under the “Account” section.
   
   Select the organization under which the site is housed. Name the IP addresses that will be filtered out, e.g. “Client – Internal Traffic.” If there are multiple IPs or a range, use a Regular Expression rather than adding them individually.
   
   To set up the Regular Expression for IP blocking, it’s important to note that each set of numbers separated by a period is in a range from 0 to 255. For example, you may be given a range that looks like this: 199.8.16.x – 199.8.27.x. This would translate to the following: 199.8.16.1 – 199.8.27.255. You can then enter that range into this tool, which will populate the Regex for you. In our example, the Regex would appear as follows:
   ^199\.8\.(1[6-9]|2[0-7])\.([0-9]|[1-9][0-9]|1([0-9][0-9])|2([0-4][0-9]|5[0-5]))$Private IP addresses do not need to be filtered. If you are given a subnet, the process is slightly different. You will need to enter the subnet into this tool to convert it to a range. You can then use the tool mentioned in the previous paragraph to get the final Regex. If you have questions, as the development team for assistance. It’s very important to be sure you are filtering out internal traffic.
6. Determine if the user poll/survey has been created
   In the left sidebar, click “Polls.”
   
   If a poll has been created it will be listed on the page (see the “Correct” image for user polls above). To determine if the poll is active, look at the toggle on the left side of the screen. If it is green, the poll is active, but if it is gray the poll has been turned off.
   
   Check the number of responses to be sure that data is coming through correctly.
   If no polls have been created, click the green “+New Poll” button toward the top of the page.
   On the next screen you can develop your poll. Be sure to complete the following:
   • Add the questions you’d like to include and type of answer that may be provided (free form text, radio button, etc)
   • Give the poll an internal name so you know its purpose
   • Click to remove Hotjar branding
   • Ensure that the poll appears on the proper devices and pages (typically desktops, and for U/X diagnostics, only on the three pages included)
   • Choose what triggers the poll to appear (e.g. exit intent, time delay, etc)
   • Select how often someone should see it

   When complete, save the poll and make it active. It’s generally a good idea to complete a test submission as well.

   Note that the same steps apply for surveys. To access surveys, click the “Surveys” button in the left sidebar.

   
   With surveys, you also have the option to invite users to complete the survey through a popup. Surveys tend to be more detailed and require more time to complete, so be sure to consider whether a survey or poll is best for your target audience.
7. Request Google Analytics access
   To complete the Google Analytics review, you will need to request that the client provide full Google Analytics access to the house account: [email protected] It’s best to gain access as soon as possible so you can start working on that portion of the project while data is collecting in Hotjar.

Outcome after Configuring Hotjar

Asana
Make a task to check in on data collection to ensure everything is functioning correctly.

Documents
No documents result from this task.

How to Analyze User Movements

The Big Idea Behind Analyzing User Movements

Heatmaps and recording data provide key insights into user behavior. By looking at visitors’ movements, you will be able to identify patterns that can influence your recommendations for improving their experiences. It is crucial to focus on suggestions that could have a significant impact, rather than smaller or aesthetic changes.

Common Problems When Analyzing User Movements

The following problems tend to occur:

• Making suggestions based on personal preferences rather than data
• Gaining a true understanding of the reasons behind users’ movements

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing User Movements

1. Evaluate distribution of clicks, mouse movement, and scroll depth on heatmaps
   First, select the heatmap that you would like to analyze. It’s best to start your analysis when the heatmap has a significant number of pageviews (200+ is typically the bare minimum). How quickly data accumulates depends on traffic levels to the site. When the heatmap appears, notice at the top you can select desktop, mobile, or tablet devices and you can toggle click data, mouse movements, and scroll depth. When analyzing user behavior, don’t just take note of the hot zones, pay careful attention to cold zones as well, especially if they are around key conversion mechanisms.If you are analyzing click data, identify what users are clicking on the most and least when they are on the page. Areas with a significant amount of clicks clearly draw users’ attention and engage them enough to encourage them to explore the site further (see below).
   If you are analyzing mouse movements, again, identify what which parts of the page are getting the most and least attention. People’s mouse movements tend to reflect where their eyes travel on the page. Therefore, you can identify if users are ignoring conversion mechanisms, are scrolling over elements but not actually clicking, etc. This can highlight usability issues, such as poor visibility for important CTAs, obstacles that are discouraging users from actually clicking (eg vague language), or a lack of interest in the information (see below).
   Use scroll depth heatmaps to find whether or not users are reaching important CTAs, forms, or content. Low conversion rates may be due to the fact that information and conversion mechanisms are too far down a page for most users to see.
   Follow the same process for each device. You may find usability issues that are more common on a particular device. Note that it’s common for mobile and tablet clicks/taps to be highly concentrated on the hamburger navigation icon. Unfortunately, we can’t see their taps on items within that menu.
2. Review user recordings to identify behavior patterns
   Similar to the heatmap data, it is important to identify potential usability issues and behavior patterns that highlight areas for improvement. Pay special attention to where users move their mice, sequences they tend to follow (e.g. Homepage, to Academics page, to Majors and Minors page), elements they try to click but can’t, etc.As you view user recordings, star, tag and take notes on videos that reveal key usability issues. Once you have tagged and/or starred many recordings, you can then filter all of the recordings by specific tags or by starred videos, making it easy to find and re-watch them later. Remember that only 5 are to be included in the report.
   To the right of the list of user recordings, use the filter options to view recordings that meet specific criteria. These options make it easier to find recordings that include the exact URL of the pages included in the diagnostic.
   In the Visited Page option, select Exactly Matching, and paste the page URL in the field below. Generally, it’s helpful to select recordings that are more than 30 seconds long, are on desktops, and include multiple pages. These users tend to be more active, so you can observe activity patterns more easily. Some recordings will include very little user activity, and should not be included. You can determine how active a user was in a recording by looking at the progress bar at the bottom of the page. A significant amount of red, yellow, and white dots, as well as white bars indicates that more actions were taken. An example progress bar and legend are below.
    
   
   Note: You should make notes on your ideas and findings as you look through the heatmaps and recordings. This makes it easier to assemble the report and remember the reasoning behind your recommendations.
   IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to share the heatmaps and videos so the client can access them. Be sure to use these links in your report.

   To share a heatmap, navigate to the heatmaps tab. Then, to the right of the down arrow next to View Heatmap, select “Share.”

   You’ll then see a screen where you can toggle sharing on and off, as well as a public URL to use.
   To share a user video, click on the video you’d like to share. From within the player, click on the “Share” arrow toward the upper right corner of the screen.
   Again, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can toggle sharing on and off, as well as access the public facing URL.
   

Outcome after Analyzing User Movements

Asana
Keep tasks to check in on new heatmapping data and user recordings every couple of days, depending on how much traffic the site gets.

Documents

• Use a templated doc to make notes. This will likely be provided by client, but you can use the outline presented in this doc.
• For Ruffalo Noel Levitz, make a copy of this document and use it for your notes and final report.

How to Analyze User Feedback

The Big Idea Behind Analyzing User Feedback

Running user polls allows you to get information about pain points directly from site visitors. They can highlight specific issues among different user groups (e.g. potential students versus current students), as well as technical glitches and other usability problems. Polls are also helpful for making and supporting recommendations.

Common Problems When Analyzing User Feedback

The following problems tend to occur:

• Expletives in the poll responses (yes, seriously)
• Getting very granular answers rather than those that point to high level issues
• Getting generic, vague, or generally unhelpful answers

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing User Feedback

1. Identify trends in user responses
   This process really only has one step. Navigate to Polls in the left sidebar in Hotjar, and then click View Responses for the poll you are running.There are two tabs in the top left corner of the page: Replies and Results. The Replies section provides exact user answers, whereas the Results section uses word clouds and graphs to summarize the data.Read through the answers to the poll and identify major trends. For example, if users said they had difficulty finding information, that the navigation was confusing, etc. Look for higher level patterns as well as specific difficulties. For example, visitors may say that a particular page wouldn’t load or that they could not log in to the site.Also, try to distinguish if different user groups have different issues. For example, current students might be more likely to note technical problems, such as logging in, whereas new visitors or potential students might have difficulty knowing where to find specific information.

   A word cloud can be helpful for determining which terms were commonly used in responses, but it is much less valuable than actually reviewing the responses. If a multiple choice question was asked, Hotjar represents the answers in a graphical format as well.

    
   Select 3-5 responses to include verbatim in your report to support your findings.

   Many users will try to interact with the poll as if it were live chat. Therefore, a recommendation to deploy live chat is often included in this section.

Outcome after Analyzing User Feedback

Asana

• N/A

Documents

• Add a summary of trends in user feedback and a few supporting examples to the diagnostic.
• Include a formatted export of all poll responses when sending the project to the client. To export the responses, navigate to the poll section. Then click on the down arrow next to “View Responses” and select “Download responses as XLSX.” Remove the following columns: Number, User, Device, Browser, OS. Format the column headings so they are easier to read and the responses are client-facing.
  Note that you should use stars (**) to remove expletives.

How to Analyze User Interactions

The Big Idea Behind Analyzing User Interactions

How users interact with a site provides insight into the features and information they like, and those they don’t, as well as the purpose of their visits. Once you have this data, you can leverage it to create a site that meets their needs. This, in turn, can boost conversions.

Common Problems When Analyzing User Interactions

The following problems tend to occur:

• We only see the numbers in Google Analytics and while we can infer what they mean, we can’t be 100% positive. Therefore, providing fully plausible explanations can be difficult.
• Bot traffic or inaccurate tracking can skew data.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing User Interactions

1. 1. Interpreting user engagement metrics in Google Analytics
      The UX Diagnostic typically includes a review of the following for each of the pages in the report:
      • Sessions
      • Average session duration
      • Bounce rate
      • Exit rate
      • Reverse goal path membership – Whether the page was one of the three visited prior to any goal completions, and if so, how many

In Google Analytics, navigation to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages, and make sure that the table is sorted by pageviews (highest to lowest). Here are some potential patterns to look for, as well as potential interpretations:

1. • Sessions – The amount of traffic to a page indicates its value.
     • Higher tier pages tend to have higher levels of traffic, which makes sense as they are “directories” to more specific information.
     • Sometimes, a top tier page will have very few sessions. This could be because links to the more specific information are widely available throughout the site, so people don’t feel they need to go to the parent page.
     • If a lower tier page is one of the most trafficked, it’s clearly valuable to users. To improve users’ experiences, it could be worthwhile to make it more clearly visible, for example, by adding a link in the main navigation.
   • Average session duration – The amount of time users spend on a page will depend on the elements included, as well as how interested they are in the content. For example, it’s expected that users would spend more time on pages with interactive elements, such as videos or photo galleries, and less time on a page with a few bullets of text or a long list of links that lead them elsewhere.When assessing if it seems like users are spending an inappropriate amount of time on a page based on its place in the site hierarchy, review its contents. Looking at user recordings of activity on the page can also be helpful for explaining how they are spending their time.You can look at how many events occurred on a page as well, but that is not typically included in the diagnostic due to the limited time for the project.
   • Bounce rate – A page’s bounce rate is a good indication of a) if the right users are landing on the right pages, and b) if the content is engaging enough to encourage them to spend more time on the site.Higher bounce rates (60+%) could reflect that the visitors landing on the page were not part of the target audience, or that they did not find the content useful. It’s also possible that they weren’t sure what to do or where to go next, so they simply left the site.On the other hand, low bounce rates (below 40%), show that engaged users are landing on the page and its content captures their attention. It’s also important to see if pages with low bounce rates are geared toward returning users. For example, pages focused on current students will likely have a lower bounce rate since the visitors are already involved with the school.
   • Exit rate – Similar to bounce rate, exit rate can be a reflection of a page’s value to users. If a high proportion of visitors are leaving a site from a specific page, it could mean that something in the content adversely impacted their interest. However, it could also reflect that they simply didn’t know where to go next and so they left.If a page has a low exit rate, it indicates that either the content encouraged users to explore the site further by visiting another page, or they had to navigate to another elsewhere to get answers to their questions.
   • Reverse goal path membership – In Analytics, navigate to Conversions > Goals > Reverse Goal Path. Then use filters to show previous goal steps 1 – 3 for the page slug. For example, make a filter for Goal Previous Step – 1, that includes the page slug (using “ends with” as the criteria makes sure you use the correct page rather than those with query parameters, etc.). Then repeat the process for Goal Previous Step – 2 and Goal Previous Step – 3.Take note of how many goal completions include the slug more than once so you don’t double count them.This information is important for understanding how the page contributes to conversions. It’s possible that it might not seem like a key page but that it’s part of a common path that leads to conversions.

     The more goal completions a page contributes to, the higher its value and importance. Look at what the page contains and its role in various goal paths to determine how other pages could be adjusted to improve their performance.

2. Evaluating events in Google Analytics
   UX diagnostics do not provide an in-depth analysis of which events occur most often and on which pages. The focus is on how the events are configured and what they measure.In Google Analytics, navigate to Behavior > Events > Overview. Examine the types of events that are set up as well as their value. Is the client tracking key conversion actions, or only UI interactions? Do they follow a scalable, easy to understand nomenclature? Do the events have values? Are they configured to pull in button text dynamically and show the page where the event occurred as the label?For example, this client’s events are not named in a clear, scalable manner. There are also no events for significant button clicks, submissions, etc.
3. Assessing goals in Google Analytics
   Again, UX Diagnostics do not provide an in-depth review of goal tracking. The report focuses on a) if goals are set up, b) what the goals measure, and c) if they appear to be firing incorrectly, what needs to be done to fix the error.For example, this is the only goal configured in this client’s Analytics. It measures the number of sessions that last more than four minutes. This says nothing about site performance, conversion rates, etc. and so is not very valuable for measuring conversions.In the Google Analytics recommendations section of the report, be sure to include if the client has the right types of goals configured and if they are implemented correctly. Explain the value of setting up these goals and provide a few examples to help them understand what’s possible.

Outcome after Analyzing User Interactions

Asana

• N/A

Documents

• N/A

Steps for Performing an SEO Audit

At the end of this lesson, you’ll know:

• What a website’s biggest SEO opportunities and challenges are
• How to make recommendations for a website’s SEO opportunities and challenges

Introducing the SEO Audit Process

These step-by-step guides will help you perform a basic SEO audit. Your ultimate deliverable for the SEO audit may take the shape of a powerpoint, spreadsheet, or something else entirely.

The first 2 components of the SEO audit process require you to 1) crawl the website to create an inventory of content and 2) verify the website in search engine monitoring tools. You’ll then be referencing the data from these sources for the remaining components of the audit.

The audit then consists of assessing 5 elements of a website:

• Access & Indexation:
  Can search engines find your website? Are your rankings in search engines’ indexes affected by problems or penalties?
• Metadata Formatting:
  Are you properly describing your site to search engines (and other networks)?
• Content Optimization:
  Are you overlooking opportunities to increase the relevancy of your content for popular search queries by ideal visitors?
• Tracking & Reporting:
  Are you monitoring your site’s performance and relevance?
• Technical Configurations:
  Can you make life easier for search engines and give them more confidence in your site’s value?

The SEO audit guides provide you with a) step-by-step instructions and b) important tools that will help you complete your analysis.

But remember, who the recipient of the audit is can affect the sequence of events and depth of analysis — technical knowledge of recipients, industry the recipient is operating in, existing/ongoing efforts by recipient, and recipient’s anticipated next steps/resources can all impact your SEO audit process.

Tools Needed For The SEO Audit

Listed below are important tools for completing foundational SEO audit activities.

Just like there’s more than one way to skin a cat, there are countless other tools (and services) that might help you complete the individual components of our SEO audit.

Our guides will reference the default tools listed, but feel free to substitute your own.

Master Checklist

Crawling Your Website

The Big Idea Behind Website Crawling

Search engines find new and updated content by periodically sending out bots to “crawl” the web (i.e. locate and save content for future referencing).

Performing your own website crawl allows you to simulate what search engines see. A website crawl can show you: lists of pages, status codes, metadata, page speed, and a great deal more.

Using the results of the crawl, you’re then able to quickly size up areas of opportunity.

Common Scenarios Where Your Website Needs To Be Crawled

• Website recently redesigned
• Website recently changed domains
• You do not have crawl results < 6 months old

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Website Crawling

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Website Crawls

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Step-by-Step Instructions for Performing a Website Crawl

1. Specify criteria and perform the website crawl
   Open Screaming Frog and enter your website’s domain into the box at the top of the program. Then, click the “Start” button next to the domain you entered.
2. Export crawl results into spreadsheet
   Once your crawl is finished, go to the ‘Internal’ tab and filter your results by ‘HTML’. Then, Click ‘Export’, and you’ll have the full list in CSV format.

Tool Tip
If you have the paid version of Screaming Frog SEO Spider, you can expedite the crawl process (and eliminate irrelevant data) by configuring your “Spider” settings under the “Configuration” menu.

To do this, from the “Spider” menu, deselect “Check Images”, “Check CSS”, “Check JavaScript” and “Check SWF”.

You can save your configuration settings for future audits by going into “File” and “Default Config.” and saving the current setup.

Referencing Your Website Crawl Results

The results of your website crawl will inform several components of your SEO audit.

Activities where you’ll be referencing the crawl results includes:

• Checking status codes
• Assessing title tags
• Assessing meta descriptions
• Checking URLs
• Assessing copy quality
• Assessing internal links
• Assessing keyword usage
• Checking page speed

Be sure to keep your crawl results in an accessible, easy-to-manipulate file. This will make many of the activities in this audit far easier to complete.

Webmaster Tools Implementation

Ensure Google Search Console Is Verified

The Big Idea Behind Google Search Console Verification

Search Console is a free service offered by Google to monitor your site’s presence in Google Search results.

Verifying your site in Search Console provides you with access to valuable search engine optimization data that would otherwise be unavailable.

And similar to your website crawl, Google Search Console will inform several other components of your SEO audit.

Common Problems with Search Console Verification

• Website property not listed in Search Console
• Website property listed but inaccessible in Search Console

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Search Console Verification

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Search Console Verification

• Google Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for Ensuring Google Search Console Is Verified

1. Ask website owner if they have access to Search Console.
   The easiest way to tell if Search Console has verified ownership listed for the property would be talking to the website owner (or the person responsible for managing the website).
   If the website owner (or website manager) doesn’t know if the site is verified, odds are the website is not verified.And even if the website has been verified by another party, you’ll be able to easily verify again via an action consistent with website ownership (e.g. uploading a file, accessing Analytics, etc…).
2. Log into Google account for managing Search Console properties.
   Alternatively, you can log into the Google account used to manage the website and see if the property is listed: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home.If the website is verified, you should be able to click into the domain and manage the property. If the website is not verified, it will be grayed out and tell you that you don’t have access and need to verify.

What To Write On Audit for Search Console Verification

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Google Search Console is verified AND accessible.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Google Search Console is NOT verified and/or NOT accessible.

Ensure Bing Webmaster Tools Is Verified

The Big Idea Behind Bing Webmaster Tools Verification

Bing Webmaster Tools is a free service offered by Microsoft to monitor your site’s presence in Bing Search results.

Verifying your site in Search Console provides you with access to valuable search engine optimization data that would otherwise be unavailable.

Common Problems with Bing Webmaster Tools Verification

• Website property not listed in Webmaster Tools
• Website property listed but inaccessible in Webmaster Tools

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Bing Webmaster Verification

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Bing Webmaster Verification

• Bing Webmaster Tools

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Bing Webmaster Verification

1. Ask website owner if they have access to Bing Webmaster Tools
   The easiest way to find out if Bing Webmaster Tools has verified ownership listed for the property would be talking to the website owner (or the person responsible for managing the website).If the website owner (or website manager) doesn’t know if the site is verified, odds are the website is not verified.And even if the website has been verified by another party, you’ll be able to easily verify again via an action consistent with website ownership (e.g. uploading an HTML file, etc.).
2. Log into Microsoft account for managing Bing Webmaster Tools.
   Alternatively, you can log into Webmaster Tools with the Microsoft account used to manage the website and see if the property is listed: https://www.bing.com/webmaster/home/mysites.If the website is verified, you should be able to click into the domain and manage the property. If the website is not verified, it will be grayed out and tell you that you need to verify.

What To Write On Audit for Bing Webmaster Verification

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Bing Webmaster Tools is verified AND accessible.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Bing Webmaster Tools is NOT verified and/or NOT accessible.

Access & Indexation

Ensure Robots.txt Is NOT Blocking Search Engines

The Big Idea Behind Robots.txt

Robots.txt is a file that can tell search engine crawlers to not access parts of a website (therefore denying search engines the ability to add the website to their index and show it in search results).

If your robots.txt file is erroneously overbroad, it’ll completely prevent search engines from finding, indexing, and displaying your website.

Webmasters commonly use robots.txt files to do things like:

• Prevent staged versions of website redesigns from being accessed (and confusing search engines with duplicate content)
• Prevent gated content from showing up in search engine results

Common Symptoms of Robots.txt Issues

• No traffic from search engines
• Unable to locate any website pages in search engines

Examples of of Correct & Incorrect Robots.txt Usage

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Robots.txt Issues

• Google Search
• Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for for Analyzing Robots.txt Issues

1. Perform a “site:example.com” search.
   Go to Google and perform a “site search” by prefacing the website’s URL with “site:”. This should retrieve all of the pages on the website known and indexed by Google.If your search returns no results, then your website may be blocking search engine access with a robots.txt file. But note, there are other potential problems that may be causing Google to leave your website out of its index (like penalties).
2. Use the Robots.txt tester in Google Search Console.
   Log into Google Search Console and access your website’s profile. Then, click on “Crawl” then “robots.txt Tester”.At the bottom of robots.txt Tester page is a box to test robot.txt files on URLs you specify. This will tell you if your site is either:
   • allowing search engines to access your site’s content, or
   • blocking search engines from accessing your site’s.

   To test if your site’s homepage has a robots.txt file, simply leave the URL box blank and click “Test” to see if the site’s content is “blocked” or “allowed”.

3. Review your robots.txt file permissions.
   View your website’s robots.txt file either in Google Search Console (as shown above) or by adding “/robots.txt” to your domain (e.g. https://www.webmechanix.com/robots.txt).The line for “Disallow” then specifies which URL strings should prevent search engines from accessing the content.For example, disallowing “/” means that all URLs on your site are preventing search engine access because every URL follows that pattern. Similarly, if you’re disallowing “/blog” then any page with “/blog” somewhere in the URL will not be accessible by search engines.

What To Write On Audit for What To Write On The Audit for Robots.txt Issues

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Robots.txt is not blocking search engines from accessing website content
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Robots.txt is blocking search engines from accessing some important website content
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Robots.txt is blocking search engines from accessing any website content

Verify XML Sitemap is Updated and Submitted

The Big Idea Behind XML Sitemaps

A sitemap helps search engines better understand your website. Rather than have them stumble through your site’s links and form their own map, you can provide them with one that prioritizes your most important pages.

Providing search engines with a sitemap helps:

• determine which pages are crawled,
• describe the content on the page
• gives clues about which content you want to prioritize

Common Symptoms of XML Sitemap Issues

• No record of sitemap in Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools

Examples of Correct and Incorrect XML Sitemaps

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing XML Sitemap Issues

• Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing XML Sitemap Issues

1. Visit yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
   The quickest way to ensure your website has a viewable XML sitemap is to try to access it from the browser.Simply add “/sitemap.xml” to the end of your domain (e.g. webmechanix.com/sitemap.xml) and see if it leads you to the sitemap. If you receive an error, then the site is most likely missing an XML sitemap.
2. Check in Google Search Console
   You also want to ensure that XML sitemap has been submitted to search engines. To do this, log in to Search Console and click into “Crawl” then select “Sitemaps”. From here, you’ll know if a sitemap has been submitted and if there were any major errors. Similarly, you can also check your sitemap for Bing via their Webmaster Tools.

What To Write On Audit for XML Sitemap Issues

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  XML Sitemap exists and has been submitted to Google and Bing
• ！= Needs Improvement
  XML Sitemap exists and has not been submitted to Google and Bing
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  XML Sitemap does not exist

Check Status Codes For Major Issues

The Big Idea Behind Status Codes

URLs that return status code errors (i.e. 4xx and 5xx) prevent search engines and users from accessing those locations on your website.

The more errors your website has, the more frustrated search engines become when crawling your site (because you’re making them use more resources). Additionally, unaddressed status code errors will lower search engines’ confidence in your site’s ability to provide a good user experience.

Common Symptoms of Status Code Issues

• High volume of visitors hitting your 404 page
• Messages in Search Console indicating errors

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Status Codes

Correct
???

Incorrect
???

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Status Codes

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider
• Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Status Codes

1. Identify 4xx and 5xx errors
   Reference your Screaming Frog website crawl and find the column labeled “Status Code”. Are ~10% or more of your status codes 4xx or 5xx (note: view a list of status codes and explanations here)? Are these issues appearing for important pages (e.g. service pages)?Double check your findings in Search Console. Log in and click into “Crawl Errors”. Are there a similar number of status code errors are listed there? If you find yourself with different numbers, you’ll want rely on the Search Console numbers as they’re the ones that are recorded and referenced by the search engines ranking your web pages.
2. Identify soft 404 errors
   Similar to above, log in to Search Console for the website property and click into “Crawl Errors”. Are there are URLs listed as returning soft 404 errors (i.e. URL doesn’t exist but your server is not returning a 404 error)?
3. Investigate redirects
   Return to your Screaming Frog website crawl and look again at the “Status Code” column. Be sure the site is using 301 HTTP redirects (and not 302 HTTP redirects, meta refresh redirects, or JavaScript-based redirects) because they pass the most link juice to their destination pages.
4. Identify instances of Flash
   Turn again to your crawl in Screaming Frog SEO Spider (not your export). On the default “Internal” tab, you can filter your results by “Flash” (if it found any instances).Is important content in Flash? Search engines can’t access content in Flash so it’ll be ignored.

What To Write On Audit for Status Codes

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Status code issues are affecting few to no URLs.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Status code issues are affecting some important URLs.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Status code issues are affecting a big percentage of URLs and/or important URLs.

Check for Search Engine Penalties Affecting Rankings

The Big Idea Behind Search Engine Penalties

Attempts to manipulate search rankings can get your domain penalized. Examples of manipulative tactics include: buying links, hiding keywords with white text on a white background, and publishing duplicate content.

Website penalties will often linger until addressed. You’ll need to remedy the situation (e.g. remove the duplicate content) and then you may need to request reconsideration from the search engines.

Penalties are either specifically communicated by search engines (uncommon) or silently applied to the domain (common).

Common Symptoms of Search Engine Penalties

• Sudden and steep drop in organic traffic
• Messages in Google Search Console

Examples of of Correct and Incorrect Search Engine Penalty Assessments

Correct
???

Incorrect
???

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Search Engine Penalties

• Search Console
• Google Analytics

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Search Engine Penalties

1. View messages in Search Console
   Log into Search Console for the web property and click into “Messages”. In some instances, Google will send a message to the webmaster informing them a penalty has been applied to the website. Bing does something similar, so you should check Bing Webmaster Tools for messages about the website.But note, not all penalties are communicated to the webmaster. Sometimes you can only infer that a penalty has been applied to the website by comparing traffic patterns with algorithm updates.
2. Match traffic patterns in Google Analytics with algorithm updates
   Log into Google Analytics, access your web property, and then view all organic traffic for the past 24 month period, or as far back as you can. (Click: Acquisition → All Traffic → Channels → Organic Search).Are there any major organic traffic dropoffs? If so, note the date(s) the traffic began dropping. If you’re lucky, there may be annotations around those dates noting website changes that made the traffic drop may be attributed to (e.g. website redesign launches).If you notice an organic traffic drop but don’t have any communications indicating the cause, you’ll have to match the date of the traffic drop in Google Analytics with a search engine algorithm update. If it approximately matches one of the penalties (in both timing and anticipated impact) then you can assume there was a penalty applied.

What To Write On Audit for Search Engine Penalties

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Search engine penalties do not appear to be affecting organic traffic.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Search engine penalties may be affecting organic traffic.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Search engine penalties are definitely affecting organic traffic.

Metadata Formatting

Verify Title Tags Are Present and Optimized

The Big Idea Behind Title Tags

Title tags describe the content on a webpage.

Search engines rely on title tags when assessing the relevancy of a page for a searcher’s query. Additionally, title tags also determine what shows up in preview snippets for a given page.

For example, the blue title text on search engine results page is drawn from the page’s title tag.

Similarly, when sharing a page on social media, title tags will show up as the page name/title.

Common Symptoms of Title Tag Issues

• Website’s listings in search engines are inaccurate or non-descriptive
• Page name/title in browser tab is inaccurate or non-descriptive
• Page name/title inaccurate or non-descriptive when shared on social networking sites

Examples of Correct & Incorrect Title Tags

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Title Tags

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider
• Google Keyword Planner
• Google Trends

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Title Tags

1. Identify Missing Title Tags
   Reference your Screaming Frog website crawl and find the column labeled “Title 1”. Do all URLs have a title associated with them?Every URL should have a title tag; otherwise, Google has to infer their own page title (and they’re not perfect). Plus, you’re missing an opportunity to control the copy being displayed and the ability to increase search engine’s confidence in the relevance of a page for users’ searches.
2. Identify Under-Optimized Title Tags
   Again, look at your Screaming Frog website crawl and find the columns labeled “Title 1” and “Title 1 length”.Are the title lengths frequently in excess of 60 characters? Going slightly above the character limit is okay if those first 60 characters make sense on their own.What about the keyword usage in the title tags? Do they accurately describe the page and incorporate keywords the page should be targeting?Keywords the page should be targeting can be deduced by identifying the main topic(s) of the page and entering it into Google Keyword Planner to find high volume keywords (that you stand a chance to rank for).

What To Write On Audit for Title Tags

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All URLs have concise, compelling, keyword-rich title tags.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Some URLs do not have title tags and/or title tags are under-optimized.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  All URLs are missing title tags.

Verify Meta Descriptions Are Present and Optimized

The Big Idea Behind Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions allow you to provide a brief description.

Your meta description is displayed in search engine results. While it won’t influence the relevancy of a page for search terms, a compelling, well-formatted meta description will assist in your quest to get searchers to click on your website’s search result.

Similarly, meta descriptions will also display on social networks when your content is shared.

Common Symptoms of Meta Description Issues

• Descriptions of web pages in search engines are inaccurate or non-descriptive
• Descriptions of web pages inaccurate or non-descriptive when shared on social networking sites

Examples of Correct & Incorrect Meta Descriptions

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for for Analyzing Meta Descriptions

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider
• Google Keyword Planner

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Meta Descriptions

1. Identify Missing Meta Descriptions
   Reference your Screaming Frog website crawl and find the columns labeled “Meta Description 1”.Do all URLs have a description associated with them? Every URL should have a meta description; otherwise, Google has to supply their own summary (and they’re not perfect). Plus, you’re missing an opportunity to compel users to click on the results by controlling the copy displayed.
2. Identify Under-Optimized Meta Descriptions
   Again, look at your Screaming Frog website crawl and find the columns labeled “Meta Description 1” and “Meta Description 1 length”.Are the description lengths frequently in excess of 160 characters? Going slightly above the character limit is okay if those first 160 characters make sense on their own.What about the quality of the copy for the descriptions? Do they accurately describe the page and compel a user to click on the result?

What To Write On Audit for Meta Descriptions

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All URLs have concise, compelling, meta descriptions.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Some URLs do not have meta descriptions and/or meta descriptions are under-optimized.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  All URLs are missing meta descriptions.

Verify Image Alt Text Is Present and Optimized

The Big Idea Behind Image Alt Text

Alt text provides alternative information about the image for users who have disabled images in their browsers. This is commonly used by visually-impaired users.

Optimizing your alt text to be accurate, descriptive, and concise provides a better user experience for anyone who needs to browse with images disabled.

Search engines that see alt text will then have more confidence that a) the search engine understands what the page is about, and b) users will have a good experience if they visit the site.

Image file names function similarly. Naming them something short and descriptive provides search engines with something to gain confidence from.

Common Symptoms of Image Alt Text Issues

• Browsing a website with images disabled shows images as empty boxes without any text

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Image Alt Text

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Image Alt Text Issues

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Image Alt Text Issues

1. Identify missing alt text in Screaming Frog
   First, if you’re using a paid license, you’ll want to make sure you crawled the site with “Check Images” selected in Screaming Frog’s Spider Configuration menu.After ensuring you included images in your website crawl, go to the “Images” tab in the Screaming Frog SEO Spider program (not your export) then filter by “Missing Alt Text”.You can find the pages where any image is located by clicking on the “Image Info” tab at the bottom of the program; the page locations will be listed in the “From” column.
2. Identify under-optimized image alt text
   Like before, you’ll need a website crawl that checked image information.When you have image information, go to the ‘“Images” tab in the Screaming Frog program (not your export) and filter by “Alt Text Over 100 Characters”.You can find the pages where any image is located by clicking on the ‘Image Info’ tab. The pages will be listed in the ‘From’ column.

What To Write On Audit for Alt Text

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All images have appropriate alt text.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Some images do not have alt text and/or alt text is too long or nonsensical.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  No images have alt text.

Check If Structured Data Is Properly Utilized

The Big Idea Behind Structured Data

Structured data provides additional details about the content of a page. Search engines are able to use those extra details to provide richer search results.

For example, a website featuring recipes can use structured data to provide search engines with extra information that can be displayed directly in the recipe’s search result — user ratings, cooking time, calories, ingredients, etc.

Incorporating structured data into your web pages will help you enhance your search results (and click through results) as well put your site’s content in contention for showing up in knowledge panels.

Common Symptoms of Structured Data Issues

• Errors in Google Search Console
• Strange or unusual information displaying alongside search results (e.g. star ratings)

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Structured Data Usage

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Structured Data

• Search Console
• Structured Data Sniffer

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Structured Data

1. View the “Structured Data” report in Search Console.
   Log into Google Search Console and access your website’s profile. Then, click on “Search Appearance” and select “Structured Data”.Look at this report and note two things: a) if there are recognized instances of structured data, and b) if there are any implementation errors.
2. Spot check pages with Structured Data Sniffer.
   Alternatively, you can spot check implementation with the Structure Data Sniffer for Chrome.First, make a list of pages that should have structured data — e.g. product pages with pricing and reviews, recipe pages with calorie counts and preparation time, events with a time and place, etc. You can view a list of common uses for structured data on Google Developer’s site.Next, click on the the Structure Data Sniffer extension to check if those candidate pages have the necessary structured data markup. Does the tool identify any structured data?For an example of a webpage that properly uses structured data, you can use the Structured Data Sniffer on this page.

What To Write On Audit for Structured Data

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All pages that support structured data markup have implemented it.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Some pages that support structured data markup have implemented it.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  No pages that support structured data markup have implemented it.

Ensure URLs Are Short And Feature Unique Content

The Big Idea Behind URL Formatting

It’s critical to avoid having URLs that fail to inform:

1. people (e.g. unable to remember and return to “yoursite.com/llaksjdklafsafgsag”), or
2. machines (e.g. site.com/i-hate-soup and web.com/i-love-soup link to the same exact content).

To make things easier for both users and search engines, URLs should be descriptive, logically structured, and linking to unique content.

Common Symptoms of URL Formatting Issues

• URLs contain very long strings of characters
• URLs do not contain any nesting (e.g. Blog is at “/blog” but blog post URLs DO NOT look like “/blog/my-blog-first-post”)
• Multiple URLs lead to the same content
• Crawlers get stuck in endless loop when inventorying the URLs on the website

Examples of Correct and Incorrect URL Formatting

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing URL Formatting

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing URL Formatting

1. Identify non-descriptive URLs
   Reference your Screaming Frog website crawl and find the column labeled “Address”.Can you guess the content for each page based off the URL alone? Are the URLs excessively long? Do the URLs contain keywords the page should be attracting traffic for?If the URLs are clear, concise, and contain keywords, then little to no tweaks will be necessary. But if they’re ambiguous and unoptimized, then resolving this should be a priority.
2. Identify poor URL structure
   Again, look at your Screaming Frog website crawl and find the column labeled “Address”.Do the URLs appear to follow a logical structure? Are the URLs for child pages nested properly (e.g. all blog post URLs prefaced by “/blog/)?Alternatively, you can go to the ‘URI’ tab in Screaming Frog, then filter by ‘Underscores’, ‘Uppercase’ or ‘Non ASCII Characters’ to view URLs that could potentially be rewritten to a more standard structure.Properly structuring your URLs helps search engines better understand your website, which helps them gain confidence that your site should be ranking highly in search.
3. Be aware of duplicate content issues
   One last thing to note is that multiple URLs leading to the same content can create issues with search engine rankings. This is because crawling your site can consume much more bandwidth than necessary, rendering the search engine unable to completely index all the content on your site.To check for this issue, go to the ‘URI’ tab in the Screaming Frog SEO Spider program (not your export), then filter by “Duplicate” and you’ll see all pages that have multiple URL versions. You can also filter by “Dynamic” and you’ll see URLs that include parameters that may be interfering with indexation.Alternatively, you can find these issues by using Siteliner. It will crawl your site to find duplicate content, broken links, and more.

What To Write On Audit for URL Formatting

Based on your findings, input one of the following into your SEO audit deliverable.

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All URLs are descriptive, logically structured, and linking to unique content.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Some URLs are NOT descriptive, logically structured, and/or linking to unique content.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  No URLs are descriptive, logically structured, or linking to unique content.

Content Optimization

Copy Is Not Low Quality

The Big Idea Behind Copy Quality

Website copy is one of the most important factors for ranking in search engine results.

Pages with rich information (e.g. words, images, videos, etc.) that include relevant, appropriately-used keywords do a better job at communicating the relevancy of a page than pages with thin content that adds no value.

So what counts as high quality content? Here are 5 of 23 suggestions listed by Google in their advice for “building high-quality sites”:

• Would you trust the information presented in this article?
• Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it more shallow in nature?
• Does the site have duplicate, overlapping, or redundant articles on the same or similar topics with slightly different keyword variations?
• Would you be comfortable giving your credit card information to this site?
• Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?

Common Symptoms of Copy Quality Issues

The following symptoms may indicate an issue with a site’s copy quality:

• Message in Google Search Console indicating low-quality or shallow pages have been detected on your site
• Word count on critical pages < 300

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Copy Quality

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Assessing Copy Quality

• Google Search Console
• Screaming Frog SEO Tool
• Copyscape

Step-by-Step Instructions for Assessing Copy Quality

1. Ensure content is not hidden
   Content that is hidden cannot easily be seen by viewing the page (or by using any of our suggested tools), so you’ll have to manually check for this.Look for anything that’s not easily viewable by visitors of your site (e.g. tabbed modules).In the tabs, are there any text or links solely existing for search engines rather than visitorsHidden content can be seen as deceptive and is a violation of Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Other examples include white text on a white background, text with font size 0, etc.But know that not all hidden content will harm you website — tabbed modules (like those housing product information) can be a user friendly way of condensing multiple types of information into a small space.
2. Check that there are at least 300 words/page
   Crawling the site with Screaming Frog will reveal the word count for each URL.View your exported Screaming Frog crawl and apply conditional formatting to highlight URLs in red if the word count is less than 300.
3. Check if geographies (if applicable) are mentioned
   If applicable, check to see that the web pages reference the physical areas the business is targeting (e.g. Baltimore, Virginia, USA, etc.).Appropriately incorporating geographies (e.g. city, state, country, etc.) into a website’s copy is important for ranking in those geographies.
4. Ensure there is no duplicate content
   As mentioned before, the same content at two different URLs on the same domain can be problematic. Even more problematic, however, is the same content at two different domains.That’s why it’s important to ensure that your website’s content hasn’t been copied word-for-word from another source (e.g. manufacturer’s product description).To check this, you can spot check content on your site using Copyscape or Siteliner. These tools will tell you if the content on your site is duplicate.

What To Write On Audit for Copy Quality

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All content is unique, valuable, and non-duplicate.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Most content is unique, valuable, and/or non-duplicate.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Little to none of the content is unique, valuable, and/or non-duplicate.

Internal Links are Properly Utilized

The Big Idea Behind Internal Links

An internal link is a link from on part of your site to another. Search engines use these links as a way to identify the relative importance of the page being linked to.

If you’re not linking internally to important pages then you’re missing an easy opportunity to signal to search engines about what you want users to view on your website.

On the flip side of the coin, search engines do not believe that excessive links lead to a good user experience, so they’ll avoid serving up webpages with excessive internal linking.

Common Problems of Internal Link Issues

The following symptoms may indicate an internal link issue:

• No internal links listed in Search Console
• Important pages only accessible with 4+ clicks from the homepage
• Ratio of linked text to non-linked text is nearing, at, or above 1:4

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Internal Linking

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Internal Links

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider
• Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Internal Links

1. Identify pages with too few or too many links
   List out 10-20 of the most important pages on the website.Next, reference your Screaming Frog website crawl. Locate the 10-20 important pages you listed and then look at the column labeled “Inlinks”.Are the important pages receiving the most inlinks?Similar to finding pages with too few links, you should identify pages receiving too many links (which are erroneously signaling to search engines that you really want users to find that content).Are your important pages at the top of the list or are less important pages receiving more links?
   Note: You can also access a list of internally linked content in Search Console by viewing the “Internal Links” report under “Search Traffic”.
2. Spot check important pages
   Visit important website pages and look at the ratio of linked to non-linked content. This can quickly give you a good idea if a site is properly using internal links.Another thing to investigate is how the anchor text (i.e. blue words in a link) used when internally linking.Does the anchor text accurately describe where the user will end up? Using descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text helps inform search engines about the content on the page being linked to and the relationship between the pages linked together. But being overly keyword-optimized (e.g. all anchor text uses same keyword) can also appear to suspicious to search engines, so you’ll need to find a balance.

What To Write On Audit for Internal Links

• ✓ = SatisfactoryAll of the important pages have a high number of internal links, reasonable ratio of text to link, and use descriptive anchor text.
• ！= Needs ImprovementMost of the important pages have a high number internal links, a reasonable ratio of text-to-links, and/or descriptive anchor text.
• ❌ = Needs AttentionThe pages with the highest number of internal links are the least important, there is an unreasonable ratio of text-to-links, and/or non-descriptive anchor text is commonly used.

External Links Appear Natural

The Big Idea Behind External Links

When Google first started, the quantity and quality of external links was the central premise behind their search engine algorithm.

External links remain an important factor to this day, so you need to make sure the site a) has authoritative websites linking to it and b) does not have excessive links from low-quality sites.

Common Symptoms of External Link Issues

The following symptoms may indicate an external link issue:

• An “unnatural link” warning in Search Console
• Unusual linking domains and/or anchor text appearing in Search Console

Examples of Correct and Incorrect External Linking

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing External Links

• Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing External Links

1. Check Search Console for warnings.
   Log into Search Console for the website property and click into “Messages”. Are there any historical messages referencing unnatural links directed toward the site?
2. Check Search Console for other issues.
   While in Search Console, click into “Search Traffic” then select “Links to Your Site”.Are the externally linking sites authoritative or do they seem spammy? Is the content most commonly linked what you would logically expect? Does the anchor text for the links follow any suspicious patterns (e.g. no diversity, “too” keyword optimized, etc.)?

What To Write On The Audit for External Links

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  There are external links from a diversity of authoritative sites with varied anchor text.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  There are some external links from a handful of authoritative sites, the anchor text is somewhat varied, and/or there are some links from low-quality domains.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  There are no external links from authoritative sites, the anchor text is not varied, and/or there are an excess of links from low-quality domains.

Keywords Properly Targeted On Landing Pages

The Big Idea Behind Keyword Targeting

Search engines revolve around keywords; users type in a keyword or keywords and search, then search engines return the most relevant results for the keyword(s).

You can dramatically improve many pages’ rankings in search engine results by explicitly including the keywords that you want the pages to rank for.

First, you need to research which keywords your target audience uses to search. Then, you can include those search terms (i.e. keywords) on the page where users would expect to land after clicking on your search result.

Common Symptoms of Keyword Targeting Issues

The following symptoms may indicate a keyword targeting issue:

• Few visits from organic search traffic
• High bounce rate from organic search traffic

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Keyword Targeting

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Keyword Targeting

• Google Trends
• Google Keyword Planner
• The Keyword Tool
• Screaming Frog SEO Spider
• Tota11y

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Keyword Targeting

1. Identify good keywords to target
   Use one or more keyword tools to figure out the most relevant keywords to target on your web pages. Google’s Keyword Planner provides plenty of data to inform your analysis.Then, make a list of relevant keywords with high search volume. Once you have a list, you can spot check the competition of the keywords by using an “intitle:’example’” advanced search to see how many websites already use that exact keyword in their page title (as that’s a good indicator that the page is optimized/relevant for the term).
2. Assess keyword usage on the page(s)
   Take a look at an important webpage on the website — a service page, the homepage, etc. Do you believe the words on the page sufficiently explain what the page is about? Remember, these pages are viewed by robots reading lines of code, so everything needs to be clearly spelled out.Next, take a look at the page’s headers — the HTML markup for the headline and the subheaders — do they use keywords that clearly communicate what the page is about? Search engines pay particular attention to headers because they’re prominently featured first and throughout a page. To get a quick list of headers on a page, you can use Tota11y. Otherwise, reference your Screaming Frog export and analyze the H1s, H2s, etc.Lastly, spot check certain pages to make sure they’re not “stuffed” with too many keywords. Google’s robots can identify suspicious patterns in copy (e.g. keyword overuse) that is commonly done to manipulate search rankings, so you don’t want to overdo keywords.

What To Write On Audit for Keyword Targeting

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  High volume, low competition keywords appropriately used in all headers and copy.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  High volume, low competition keywords missing or inappropriately used in some headers and/or copy.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  High volume, low competition keywords missing or inappropriately used in all headers and/or copy.

Tracking & Reporting

Website Analytics Platform is Installed

The Big Idea Behind Website Analytics

Website analytics allows you to monitor and manage your website’s traffic. Without tracking traffic, you’re stuck using less accurate indicators of success (e.g. anecdotal mentions about more phone calls).

Common Symptoms of Website Analytics Installation Issues

The following symptoms may indicate a website analytics issue:

• Visits not registering in Google Analytics
• Tag Assistant shows tracking error

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Website Analytics Installations

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Website Analytics Installations

• Tag Assistant
• Google Analytics

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Website Analytics

1. Check for tracking code with Tag Assistant
   Enable Tag Assistant on a web page to see if it includes any Google Analytics tags for tracking. It will tell you what tags are enabled and if there are any issues with them.
2. Access Google Analytics
   Once you’ve verified that your website tracking tags are implemented on the site, you need to make sure the analytics profile is accessible by logging into Google Analytics and locating the property.Once logged into the web property, make sure that the profile is collecting data on visits, bounce rate, etc. You may sometimes run into an issue where the tracking code is present but data isn’t being properly recorded.

What To Write On The Audit for Website Analytics

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Analytics installed and all data being properly recorded.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Analytics installed but some data isn’t being properly recorded.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Analytics NOT installed and/or data isn’t being properly recorded.

Website Analytics Goals Confirmed

The Big Idea Behind Website Goals

Every website has a goal — it might be selling you things, entertaining you, etc. By tracking and measuring visitor sessions that complete your goal, you’re able to identify more things that lead to goal completions.

For example, you might find that visitors from search engines are far more likely to convert (i.e. complete your website’s goal) than visitors from social networks. Knowing this, you might want to increase the resources you use to attract search engine visitors and decrease the resources used on social media.

Common Symptoms of Website Goal Configuration Issues

The following symptoms may indicate a website goal configuration issue:

• Goal report not set up in Google Analytics
• Goal completions not being

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Website Goal Configurations

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Website Goal Configurations

• Google Analytics
• Tag Assistant

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Website Goal Configurations

1. Check Google Analytics for goal configurations
   Log in to Google Analytics and locate the website property. Then, click into the Goals Overview (Conversions → Goals → Overview) in the standard “Reporting” tab. Is the Goal report enabled? Is data being properly reported?After verifying Goals are enabled, click on “Admin” tab at the top of the page and then click” “Goals”. This will show you a list of all goals for the website. Is the logic for a goal completion properly configured? Are all the necessary goals enabled to record?
2. Test Goals with Tag Assistant
   You can also test Goal tracking configurations using the recording feature in Tag Assistant. To do this, simply click on the extension and select “record”. Then, perform the website interactions that should trigger a goal completion. Finally, you can view Tag Assistant’s Google Analytics report detailing the hits (e.g. Conversions) that were recorded.

What To Write On The Audit for Goal Configurations

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All major website interactions are properly tracked with Goals.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Most major website interactions are properly tracked with Goals and/or some tracking is not working properly.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  No major website interactions are properly tracked with Goals and/or tracking is not working properly.

Search Console Linked to Google Analytics

The Big Idea Behind Linking Search Console to Google Analytics

Google Analytics records how people interact with your website; Google’s Search Console records how people interact with your website in search results. By linking both data sources together, you’re able to get a fuller picture of your website’s performance.

Common Symptoms of Not Linking Search Console to Google Analytics

The following symptoms may indicate Search Console is not linked to Google Analytics:

• Unable to access “Search Engine Optimization” tab in Google Analytics

Examples of Correctly and Incorrectly Linking Search Console to Google Analytics

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Linking Search Console to Google Analytics

• Google Analytics
• Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for Linking Search Console to Google Analytics

1. View “Search Report” in Google Analytics
   Log into Google Analytics, expand the “Acquisition” section, click on “Search Console”, and then select any of the reports below (Queries, Landing Pages, Devices, or Countries).Were you able to access any of the Search Engine Optimization reports? Do the numbers seem accurate or might there be a problem with the data that’s being reported?
2. Verify Search Console is associated with Google Analytics profile
   You’ll also want to verify that the proper Search Console property is associated with your Google Analytics profile.Click “Admin” at the top of the screen, then click “Property Settings”. Choose “Adjust Search Console” at the bottom of the options. From here, you can verify that the right Search Console is associated with the website and ensure that the right views in Google Analytics have access to the data.

What To Write On The Audit for Linking Search Console to Google Analytics

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Search Console is linked to Google Analytics.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Search Console is NOT linked to Google Analytics.

IP & Spam Filters Enabled

The Big Idea Behind Filters

Misleading data is a dangerous thing. That’s why it’s crucial to filter out erroneous website data that might skew your analytics reports (like spammers, traffic from your web developers, etc).

For example, imagine a company where each employee’s browser defaults to the company’s website when first opened; every time an employee opens their browser would register as a visit to your website. These “visits” from employees would artificially inflate visits from your actual audience. Anybody using the visit data to support a decision would then be unfairly misled.

Further, imagine if somebody in IT decided to suddenly change each employee’s browser start page from the company website to something else. This would trigger a sudden “drop” in traffic and would spur the unnecessary use of resources investigating a simple data collection error.

Lastly, imagine the most terrible human being you’ve ever encountered. Now, imagine if they had diverted the majority of their energies into learning how to spam people online. Sadly, these people exist and they can cloud your analytics with their junk. So, you need to make sure you’re filtering out as much spam as possible.

Common Symptoms of IP & Spam Filtering Issues

The following symptoms may indicate IP and/or spam filtering issues:

• Unusually high bounce rate
• Strange domains in your Google Analytics referral report

Examples of Correct and Incorrect IP & Spam Filtering

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tools for Analyzing IP & Spam Filtering

• Google Analytics

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing IP & Spam Filtering

1. View referring domains in Google Analytics
   Log in to Google Analytics and click into the “Acquisition” section. Under Acquisition, click on “All Traffic” and then select “Referrals”.Are the referring domains from sites you’d expect to link to you? Do any of the domains seem particularly spammy (e.g. traffic2cash.xyz)?
2. Check filter settings in Google Analytics
   Click on the “Admin” tab at the top of Google Analytics. Then, click on “Filters”. Are there any active filters for the company’s IP and other internally-facing organizations?If you need help finding your IP, you can search “what is my IP” in Google and it will tell you.

What To Write On The Audit for IP & Spam Filtering

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Filters actively excluding traffic from company IP(s) and removing referral spam
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Missing some filters for actively excluding traffic from company IP(s) or removing referral spam
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  No filters actively excluding traffic from company IP(s) or removing referral spam

Technical Configurations

No Major Page Speed Issues

The Big Idea Behind Page Speed

Google worships speed. It’s been one Google’s company beliefs since they were founded.

If long website load times are making your visitors wait, then Google will look to send those visitors to other websites.

Common Symptoms of Page Speed Issues

The following symptoms may indicate a page speed issue:

• Website loads very slowly

Examples of Good and Bad Page Speed

Good

Bad

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Page Speed

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider
• GTmetrix Analyzer
• PageSpeed Insights
• Pingdom Website Speed Test

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Page Speed

1. Test your website on GTmetrix
   Go to gtmetrix.com and enter your URL into their analysis tool. It will then generate a basic page speed report for your site.Did the report return good PageSpeed scores (A-C) or were they poor (D-F)? What about the page load time — does it seem too long?
2. Double-check page speed in a second tool
   Each tool’s definition of “speed” means something slightly different (e.g. Google’s PageSpeed Insights emphasizes images far more than others). So, you’ll want to rerun the analysis through another tool to verify the results.Your Screaming Frog website crawl should have individual page speed numbers under the column “Response Time”. Check that out and see if there are any important pages with a slow response time (i.e. >4 seconds).You might also want to consider clicking through the website on your own and noting your gut feeling. Page speed tools aren’t perfect so they might not overturn issues that people can quickly find.

What To Write On The Audit for Page Speed

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Website and all important individual page speeds are near 2s response time/5s load time.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Website and/or important individual page speeds are above 4s response time/8s load time.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Website and/or important individual page speeds are well above 8s response time/10+s load time.

Website is Mobile Friendly

The Big Idea Behind Mobile-Friendly Websites

More visitors access the web from mobile devices than desktops. That’s why Google made major changes to their mobile search results, favoring websites that are mobile-friendly.

Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean most websites should get the majority of their traffic from mobile. But it does mean that mobile is incredibly important and your website needs to show that.

Common Symptoms of Mobile-Friendly Issues

The following symptoms may indicate an issue with the website’s mobile-friendliness:

• Page doesn’t automatically resize on desktop if window is resized
• Horizontal scrolling required when viewing pages on mobile
• Text appears small on mobile and requires pinch and zooming to view
• Links hard to click on mobile

Examples of Good and Bad Mobile-Friendliness

Good

Bad

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Mobile-Friendliness

• Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test
• Google Search Console

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Mobile-Friendliness

1. Verify with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool
   Visit Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool, enter the website’s homepage, and then click “Analyze”. Did Google consider the page you tested to be mobile-friendly?
   
   Note: Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool isn’t foolproof. Robots.txt can block resources needed for the tool to effectively crawl the site. You can read more about the issue here.
2. Resize your desktop browser
   If your website is built with responsive web design (which is Google’s preferred method for mobile-websites), then it should resize based on screen size and regardless of device.If you believe you have a responsive website, you can simply resize your desktop browser window and see if the website adjusts accordingly. If it does not automatically resize (e.g. you have to scroll right) then it’s not a responsive website.
3. Visit on mobile device
   A quick and easy way to determine if a site is mobile-friendly is by visiting it on a mobile device. Does it pass your eyeball test? Is it easy to navigate?
4. View mobile usability report in Search Console
   You can log in to Search Console to discover pages with mobile errors.Click on “Search Traffic” then select “Mobile Usability.” Here, you’ll have a report of pages with mobile usability issues that may be directly impacting your rankings in mobile search results. Are there any errors? Are the errors on a small handful of pages or virtually every page?

What To Write On The Audit for Mobile-Friendliness

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  All webpages pass Google’s mobile-friendly test and there are no errors in Search Console.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Most webpages pass Google’s mobile-friendly test and/or there are very few errors in Search Console.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Most web pages fail Google’s mobile-friendly test and/or there are many errors in Search Console.

Website Compatible Across Browsers

The Big Idea Behind Browser Compatibility

Web browsers work differently. This means that a website might look very different on Internet Explorer then it will in Chrome. In the worst case scenario, parts of a website can break in certain browsers, rendering large segments of your audience with a below-average browsing experience.

Good developers will perform browser compatibility tests, but even those aren’t guaranteed to uncover all bugs and glitches. And sometimes, small changes on one part of the site can create problems on a seemingly unrelated part of the site. So, it’s best to periodically audit browser compatibility.

A good practice to be in would be to have monthly reports on visitor engagement segmented by browser type.

Common Symptoms of Browser Compatibility Issues

The following symptoms may indicate a browser compatibility issue:

• Poor engagement metrics (e.g. bounce rate, page views, etc.) from specific browsers

Examples of Correct and Incorrect Browser Compatibility

Correct

Incorrect

Suggested Tool for Analyzing Browser Compatibility

• Google Analytics
• BrowserStack

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Browser Compatibility

1. Check browser report in Google Analytics
   Log in to Google Analytics and find the “Audience” section. Click into it and then click on “Technology” and then “Browser & OS”. The default report should show you acquisition, behavior, and conversion data segmented by browser.Are there any browsers where bounce rate, pages/session, and/or avg. sessions duration is particularly low?
2. View website in multiple browsers
   Spot check important pages on your website in different browsers and see if there are any issues displaying the content. We’d suggest testing the most popular browsers: Internet Explorer 8+, Safari, Firefox, and Chrome. You can do that on your own computer or by using a service like BrowserStack.You can also look at your Google Analytics report and test the website’s performance in the top 5 browsers (or the browsers accounting for 80%+ of traffic).

What To Write On The Audit for Browser Compatibility

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  No issues on any browsers.
• ！= Needs Improvement
  Some issues on older and/or less popular browsers.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Lots of issues on most browsers.

SSL/HTTPS Properly Working (If Applicable)

The Big Idea Behind SSL/HTTPS

Website security is vital for visitors — nobody wants to run the risk of losing control of their computer (or worse) because they decided to visit your website.

And because Google and other search engines favor websites that provide good user experiences, they’ll favor websites in search rankings that use SSL/HTTPS to provide website visitors what they want — peace of mind via additional security protections.

SSL/HTTPS is the most common way to provide website visitors additional protection.

Common Symptoms of SSL/HTTPS Issues

The following symptoms may indicate an SSL/HTTPS issue:

• Unable to prefix web address with “https://”
• No lock in browser address bar next to domain name
• Lock next to domain name in the browser address bar is red, has a cross, or other warning
• Visiting site triggers security warning from browser

Examples of Acceptable and Unacceptable SSL/HTTPS Implementation

Acceptable

Unacceptable

Suggested Tools for Analyzing SSL/HTTPS Issues

• Your browser

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing SSL/HTTPS Issues

1. Type the URL into your browser and visit the website
   Type the website URL into an incognito browser and try to visit it. Are there any warnings preventing your from visiting the web page?
2. View site information in browser address bar
   While on a page on the website, look at the icon on the left-hand side of your browser’s address bar — it should either be a document, a lock, or a red cross. Click on the icon and note if there are any issues listed (e.g. security certificate not valid).

What To Write On The Audit for SSL/HTTPS

• ✓ = Satisfactory
  Website uses SSL/HTTPS and there are no issues.
• ❌ = Needs Attention
  Website does not use SSL/HTTPS and/or there are issues with implementation.

Getting Started with Competitive Analyses

This lesson will help you achieve two goals:

1. Pinpoint where a client’s competition is actively targeting/showing up online and
2. Figure out what to do once you’ve pinpointed the places competition exists.

By understanding where the competition is and how they are performing in the space, we can develop more comprehensive digital marketing strategies that will help improve a business’s bottom line.

• A checklist
• A brief explanation
• Step-by-step instructions
• Important tools
• Common problems & examples
• References for further reading

Good luck!

Master Checklist for Competitive Analyses

Identifying & Monitoring Online Competitors

The first part of a competitor analysis is identifying who your competitors are. This section of the guide shows you how to use keywords to find out what other web properties your audience is likely to come across when searching for information related to your business.

Checklist for Identifying & Monitoring Online Competitors

Identifying Online Competitors

The Big Idea Behind Identifying Online Competitors

Online competitors are actively decreasing the number of opportunities available to us and our clients. Identifying the competition is the first step in reclaiming these opportunities and driving more business back to our client.

Below, we discuss how to leverage the tools at our disposal to pinpoint the competition that exists in the realms of organic and paid search. With a better understanding of who the competitors are, and how they are marketing online, we can take the next steps – monitoring and strategy development.

Common Problems when Identifying Online Competitors

The following problems tend to occur:

• Competitive research starts with too narrow a scope

Suggested Tools for Identifying Online Competitors

• Keyword Planner
• Google Search

Step-by-Step Instructions for Identifying Online Competitors

1. Determine your priority products/service areas
   First determine the main products or services your organization is most interested in marketing; the website and the client’s stated preferences are the best places to turn to for this.

You’ll then want to write down what you think are commonly used keywords representing each the organization’s highest priority products or services in the Competitor Keyword Essentials document.

• Investigate how these products/services are being discussed online
  Once you have a a keyword for each of your organization’s main products/services, leverage Google’s Keyword Planner in order to understand the search volume associated for those keywords. When you think you have the highest volume keyword representing your organization’s products/services, then move on.
  
  Two things to remember:

  1. Your industry and market position are big factors; if your organization is locally-bound and/or newly-founded then it may help to focus on local keywords (e.g. Greeting card stores in Baltimore) or more specific keywords (e.g. “funny greeting card website vs. greeting card website).
  2. The keywords your organization is targeting for organic search engine traffic and via paid traffic may end up being quite different, depending on budget and competition.
• Take note of commonly listed brands/orgs
  From here, we take different courses of action depending on the channel we are most interested in (e.g. organic vs. paid).To identify competition on organic search, Google search the 6-10 terms related to each product/service area and include the commonly included brand/orgs on organic SERP listings within the Competitor Keyword Essentials document.

  To identify competition on paid search, complete the same types of searches using the priority paid search keywords. Take note of the brands/orgs which typically occupy the top 2-3 ad positions for each of these relevant searches, and include these names on your Competitor Keyword Essentials document.

  For analyzing competitors on email, social, and other channels, simply use those keywords to find email lists to join, social media profiles, etc. and record them as well.

  After conducting these searches, you should be able to confidently say “XYZ is a key competitor because they are often appearing for highly relevant terms very closely related to my product/service.”

Monitoring Online Competitors

The Big Idea Behind Monitoring Online Competitors

Now that we have pinpointed the main competitors that are encroaching on our ability to close the deal on all prospects in our client market, we need to begin monitoring these clients in order to glean methods of improving/pivoting our client’s strategy.

Common Problems When Monitoring Online Competitors

The following problems tend to occur:

• Competitors are observed but not consistently monitored

Suggested Tools For Monitoring Online Competitors

• Spyfu
• Google Alerts
• Buzzsumo
• Google Search

Step-by-Step Instructions for Monitoring Online Competitors

1. Analyze the SERP
   Using the set of keywords that now exists in your Competitor Keyword Essentials document, conduct regular (read: monthly/quarterly) searches for these terms to understand how the landscape is changing, and which brands/orgs are consistently ranking well for these keywords – these are likely your client’s main sources of competition.For organic search, look at the information included on the search engine results pages (SERPs) — do you see any trends with the page titles, URLs, descriptions, publish dates, SSLs, etc? If so, we may want to implement these seem features for our organization’s site!

   For paid search, look at the ad extensions, headlines, copy, and display URLs of the top 1-3 ads to see what may be missing from our client’s ads, or what our ads may have in common with the top ranking placements.

2. Run analysis of top ranking pages
   We also want to take a hard look at the actual pages that are ranking for the keywords we care about most. Clicks the links for the top 1-3 pages/ads, and see what content exists on these pages. Take note of:
   • Content that makes each of these top listings unique
   • Content that top listings all share but our client doesn’t have, and
   • Content that the client and the top listings share.
3. Set Up tools for on-going monitoring
   For organic and paid search, we recommend setting up Google Alerts for the prominent competitors to understand how they are trending in the industry. These alerts will continue to provide you with up-to-date notifications related to particular competitors.Similarly, we recommend using BuzzSumo to help monitor how brands/keywords are being discussed socially.

   For paid search, we should use SpyFu to understand changes in paid competitors, and stack our efforts directly up against those of our competitors. From SpyFu, we can see which keywords our competitors are targeting, the keywords we are all targetings, and the ones no one is targeting.

4. Follow the competition
   Lastly, we can keep an eye on the competition by signing up for their regular emails and following their social presences (if applicable). This way, we hear messages straight from the competition itself, which can help us adjust the way we communicate our offerings, the way we target users and even our newsletters/approaches to social outreach.

Competitor Paid Analysis

Periodically analyzing competitor campaigns is critical for paid search. This section provides an in-depth look at how to gather important advertising data from your competitors, and what to look for when analyzing that data.

Checklist for Competitor Paid Analysis

Gathering Competitor Data

The Big Idea Behind Gathering Competitor Data

Competitor data gives us insight into the strategies our greatest paid search competitors are usings to market to our shared audience. Before we can analyze the data, we have to find methods of collecting and organizing it.

Suggested Tools for Gathering Competitor Data

• Spyfu

Step-by-Step Instructions for Gathering Competitor Data

1. Login to Spyfu or Similar Competitor Analysis Tool
   SpyFu is a competitor analysis tool that lends insights into competitive SEO and PPC data. For the purposes of this task, we will focus on the PPC related features of the platform, though peeking into SEO insights can sometimes help improve upon paid search strategies through analysis of organic keyword trends and blindspots.SpyFu’s core PPC features include:
   • Overviews of competitor PPC metrics such as: estimated media spend, keyword portfolio size, and more
   • The ‘Find Competitors’ features which lists competition based on the client’s own domain.
   • ‘Kombat’ which offers comparative data between your client and the two most relevant competitors like: keywords all parties bid on, keywords some parties bid on, and keywords no parties bid on
   • ‘Keyword grouping’ which organizes a domain’s keyword portfolio into recommended ad groups based on relevance
   • ‘PPC Keywords’ which will generate lists of new keywords to target based on the client’s business
   • ‘Ad History’ which shares actual ad data over a 9 month lookback window for individual domains
   • ‘AdWords Advisor’ which provides keyword-level optimization recommendations based on a domain’s paid search history
2. Run Overview Reports on Key Competitors
   Begin by visiting the ‘Find Competitors’ tab of Spyfu and entering in your client’s domain. SpyFu will generate a short-list of the two most relevant paid search competitors, based on size and keyword targeting. Take note of these competitors on your analysis document, separate from the list of direct-business competitors.Next, visit the ‘overview’ tab and begin referring to the lists of direct-business and search-specific competitors. Include any valuable notes to the analysis document in order to maintain a record of findings.

Analyzing Competitor Data

The Big Idea Behind Analyzing Competitor Data

Analysis of competitor data can be important for remaining current with industry offerings, staying competitive on the SERP, and keeping PPC profitable in the long term.

Common Problems when Analzying Competitor Data

The following problems tend to occur

• Miss out on certain key areas like landing page analysis

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Competitor Data

• Spyfu

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Competitor Data

1. Review Client & Competitor Priority Keywords
   After collecting high level notes related to each competitor, it’s now time to conduct a keyword analysis between our two specific groups: business competitors and paid search competitors.Using the ‘Kombat’ tab, enter in the client’s domain and the domains of the two largest direct and paid search competitors, respectively, based on previous knowledge and overview tab data.

   Review the three key reports provided from SpyFu for each group: 1) keywords all parties are bidding on 2) keywords competitors are bidding on but the client is not 3) keywords the client bids on, but no others.

   By analyzing these categories for these two competitor buckets, you should be able to better understand where the untapped opportunities are, and which areas may not be relevant for our client’s business needs.

   Before moving onto the next step, have a list of priority keywords prepared. These are keywords the client is particularly interested in, or keywords you give priority to give the opportunities discovered through the Kombat reports.

2. Perform Ad Analysis
   Visit the ‘ad history’ tab, and entering the domains of the top 1-2 competitors for each competitor bucket, and running ad reports. Focus primarily on the priority keywords you marked in the last step, and review historic ad data to see if any new ad concepts can be be gleaned from this data.
3. Review Competitor landing pages (starting with priority terms)
   By this point you should have a firm understanding of which keywords are the most important for your client’s paid search account (either keywords you have success with, or those you are interested in competing for).Run these terms through Google search, and visit the landing pages for the top ranking ads. Review each respective landing page, and compare them to the existing client landing pages for each individual keyword/topic area. Are there any competitor conversion mechanisms that could be useful on the client site.

   Using ghostery, do you notice any interesting widgets or tools running on the competitor sites which could be useful for your client or your marketing team as a whole?

4. Analyze Competitors and Create Hierarchy
   Having complete analysis of competitor overviews, keywords, ads and landing pages, prepare a hierarchy of paid search competitors. This will help establish priority, and keep any newly developed ideas organized based on where they originated and what purpose they seem to have served.
5. Prioritize and strategize
   By having the competitors/ideas organized, you can more easily decide which new strategies, tools, or ideas should be put to use first for the benefit of the client and their paid search efforts. The analysis document you have been completing can now be easily referred to for future strategy development.

Competitor Backlink Analysis

Use this walkthrough to find competitor backlinks and create a list of sites with content relevant to your client’s business. With this information, you can create off-site content and generate links that will increase your search engine rankings and traffic.

Checklist for Completing a Backlink Audit

The Big Idea Behind Finding Backlinks

External links are one of the many factors Google uses to determine search engine rankings. Links from sites with high domain authority, using relevant alt text, can greatly increase your site’s SERP rankings and generate traffic. Promoting your product or service on multiple sites throughout the web also allows you to reach new audiences and increase brand awareness.

Common Problem When Searching for Backlinks

The following problems tend to occur:

• It may be tempting to target directories, but you must take care to avoid the untrustworthy ones and avoid pay to play schemes.
• A page containing a high number of external links will pass less link equity per link.

Examples of High Value & Low Value Backlinks

Correct
Links from trusted sites with page and domain authority at 80 and above

• Example: nytimes.com

Incorrect
Links from spammy, keyword stuffing, and low equity directory sites with page and domain authority lower than 40. I won’t link to a spammy site like that but you’ll know one when you see one.

Suggested Tools for Finding Backlinks

• Moz Open Site Explorer

Step-by-Step Instructions for Finding Backlinks

1. Use Moz to compare link metrics
   Focus your analysis on the sites with the highest domain authority and the most value passing links. In Moz Open Site Explorer, type in url of the the first competitor, then click on “Compare Link Metrics” in the sidebar menu. From there you can add up to four additional urls. Compare the numbers of equity passing links and choose the competitors with the most links and the highest authority. It may be helpful for your final report to take a screenshot of this page.
2. Use Moz to export inbound links and linking domains
   In Moz, type in the url of a competitor. Filter your results. Under Target select “this root domain” under Link Source select “only external” then for Link Type select “link equity.” Then request a CSV of all inbound links.Click on Linking Domains in the sidebar menu and select “this root domain” under Target. Request a CSV. You can find your exported data under Recent Reports in the top lefthand corner.
3. Organize Data in Excel or Google Sheets
   Have linked page and linking domains on separate sheets (in the same document). Take a look at this template doc for ideas on how to organize your work.

Analyze Backlinks

The Big Idea Behind Analzying Backlinks

Acquiring backlinks is important because links can help search engines determine the content and quality of your site. When an outside page links back to your website, Google crawls that page to determine the topic, and then crawls your site to see if the link is relevant to the content. If your site gets a highly relevant link from a popular and trustworthy website, Google will view your site as an authority on the topic. This can increase your search rankings.

When analyzing backlinks it helps to know your ultimate goal. Are you looking to post unique content on other websites? Or are you looking for someone to review your product/services? Keeping an end goal in mind make it easier to determine which sites to target.

Suggested Tools for Analyzing Backlinks

• Excel or Google Sheets – you can use this as your format.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Backlinks

1. Sort links by quality (domain authority)
   We only want to target sites with high authority and link equity, so sort your links by domain authority. Page authority may vary within sites, but domain authority tells us how search engines view the domain as a whole.
2. Determine what type of sites and content are linking back to your competitors
   Look at the linking domains. What types of sites are linking back to your competitors? Are they social media sites, news sites, blogs, etc? How many links are these sites providing? Make note of this so you can include it in your final report.

Look through the sites to see if you notice any that stand out as ideal opportunities for off site posting, reviews, etc. When you have found all that you recognize (or what seems to be a good opportunity from the url) search through your inbound links to find how and why they linked to your competitor. You can typically learn why from reading the page titles, but for some you may have to visit the page to get a better understanding.

After you have gone through the recognizable links, continue searching through the rest of the page titles to find potential opportunities. Be sure to focus on the pages with higher domain authority

• Create a list of websites to target
  Create a new tab in your file and create a list of pages or domains that are good opportunities. Try to find at least 10.

Competitor Content Analysis

Use this section to learn how to review competitor content and determine how you can modify your content strategy to incorporate their strengths.

Checklist for Completing a Competitor Content Analysis

The Big Idea Behind Reviewing a Competitor’s Website

Doing a content analysis helps you create engaging content that surpasses what your competitors produce. By reviewing their content, you can determine how much content they produce, how frequently they produce, the kinds of content they create, and the quality of it. Using this information, you can create a publishing schedule that can rival your competitors.

Common Problems When Reviewing a Competitor’s Website

The following problems tend to occur:

• Content analyses tend to be time consuming; it may be difficult to review sites with large numbers of pages.
• Sites with unnested or improperly nested pages may be more difficult to analyze.

Suggested Tools for Reviewing Competitor Sites

• Screaming Frog

Step-by-Step Instructions for Reviewing Competitor Sites

1. Determine the number of guest posts or news articles written by the competitor
   Visit the site’s navigation. Where is the content housed? Click through each link to see if submenus lead to hidden content resources.
2. Make a list of content types available
   Search through the site and make note of what content types are available. Are there case studies, data sheets, news articles, press releases, blog articles, testimonials, informative videos, infographics, etc?
3. Find the quantity of each content type published
   Crawl the site using Screaming Frog. If page urls are nested/organized in a clear way, you should be able to quickly sort through the links when you export the data into an excel file. For example, you can search through all URLs with /blog/ to find all blog articles.
4. Determine how frequently each type is published
   Look through the blog to determine how frequently they publish content. Do they publish, weekly, biweekly, etc?
5. Evaluate content quality
   Read 3-4 pieces of content. Ask yourself: how accurate is their content? Is the tone formal or informal? Is their content long or short? Who is writing their content? Do they have multiple contributors? Are the writers well-known? Is their content gated? Do they follow standard SEO practices (keyword rich text, headlines, etc)?

Analyze Content Sharing

The Big Idea Behind Analyzing Content Sharing

Social media shares is a measure of how popular content is. To get a deeper understanding of how people interact with your competitor’s content online, analyze the number of social shares by social media platform. With this information you can determine how to modify or create your social media strategy.

Suggested Tools for Reviewing Competitor Sites

• Social Crawlytics

Step-by-Step Instructions for Analyzing Content Sharing

1. Determine which content & pages are the most shares
   Using a free tool like Social Crawlytics, you can enter in a competitors website and get a report on the number of shares per page, number of shares by content type, and more. Social Crawlytics requires a twitter account to use but is free. Simply signup and enter in the website address to get your report. Because it is a free service, only only a certain number of pages can be crawled per week.