A technical SEO audit is like a mechanical service for your website. Even the best-looking site won't rank on Google if search engine spiders can't crawl it, index it, or if it takes too long to load for your Brisbane customers.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the exact process we use at Local Marketing Group to identify and fix technical roadblocks that prevent Australian small businesses from reaching their full potential online.
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need
Before we dive in, ensure you have access to the following tools:- Google Search Console (GSC): Essential for seeing how Google views your site.
- A Crawling Tool: Screaming Frog (free for up to 500 URLs) or Sitebulb.
- Google PageSpeed Insights: To test your site speed.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): To track user behaviour.
- Admin access to your website’s CMS (WordPress, Shopify, etc.).
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Step 1: Crawl Your Website
The first step is to see your site the way a search engine does. Open your crawling tool (like Screaming Frog) and enter your domain (e.g., https://yourbusiness.com.au). What you should see: A list of every URL on your site, along with status codes, metadata, and header information. If the crawl stops immediately, check if yourrobots.txt file is accidentally blocking the crawler.
Step 2: Check for Indexing Issues in Google Search Console
Log in to your Google Search Console and navigate to Indexing > Pages. This report tells you exactly which pages Google has found and whether it has added them to its index. Pro Tip: Look for the "Excluded" section. While some exclusions are normal (like feed pages), you should investigate any important service pages that are marked as "Discovered - currently not indexed."Step 3: Review Your Robots.txt File
Yourrobots.txt file (found at yourdomain.com.au/robots.txt) is a set of instructions for search engines. Ensure you aren't accidentally blocking your entire site or important folders (like /wp-content/ or /services/).
Warning: A single line of code like Disallow: / can completely remove your business from Google search results. Handle this file with care.
Step 4: Optimise Your XML Sitemap
A sitemap is a roadmap for Google. Check that your sitemap is submitted in Google Search Console and that it only contains "clean" URLs (URLs that return a 200 OK status code). Common Mistake: Including pages that have been redirected (301) or deleted (404) in your sitemap. This wastes Google's "crawl budget."Step 5: Check for HTTPS and Security
Google prioritises secure websites. Ensure your site has a valid SSL certificate (the padlock icon next to your URL). Allhttp:// versions of your site should automatically redirect to the https:// version.
For Australian businesses, security is paramount for trust. Ensure your ABN and contact details are on your site, as this builds "Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness" (E-E-A-T).
Step 6: Analyse Page Load Speed (Core Web Vitals)
Site speed is a confirmed ranking factor. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test your homepage and key service pages. What to look for: Focus on "Largest Contentful Paint" (how fast the main content loads) and "Cumulative Layout Shift" (whether elements jump around while loading). For local Brisbane customers on mobile devices, a slow site often means they'll hit the 'back' button and call a competitor instead.Step 7: Fix Broken Links (404 Errors)
Using your crawl data from Step 1, filter for "Client Error (4xx)". These are broken links. They provide a poor user experience and signal to Google that your site is poorly maintained. Action: Redirect these broken URLs to the most relevant live page using a 301 redirect.Step 8: Audit Your URL Structure
Your URLs should be clean and descriptive.- Good:
localmarketing.com.au/seo-services-brisbane/ - Bad:
localmarketing.com.au/p=123?id=abc
Ensure you are using hyphens to separate words, not underscores, and keep them as short as possible while remaining descriptive.
Step 9: Check for Duplicate Content and Canonical Tags
Duplicate content confuses Google. If you have multiple pages with similar content (common in e-commerce), use Canonical Tags to tell Google which version is the "master" copy. Screenshot Description: In your crawler, look for the "Canonical" column. Ensure it matches the URL of the page unless you intentionally want Google to ignore that specific page in favour of another.Step 10: Mobile-Friendliness Test
More than 60% of Australian web traffic happens on mobile. Use the "Inspect" tool in your browser or Google's Search Console to ensure your site is fully responsive. Check that buttons aren't too close together and text is readable without zooming.Step 11: Review Internal Linking Structure
Internal links help Google understand the hierarchy of your site. Your most important pages (like your main service pages) should have the most internal links pointing to them. Use descriptive anchor text like "SEO services in Brisbane" rather than "click here."Step 12: Check Schema Markup (Structured Data)
Schema markup is code that helps Google understand what your data means (e.g., that a phone number is a business contact). For local businesses, LocalBusiness Schema is vital. It helps you appear in the "Map Pack" and rich snippets.Use the Schema Markup Validator to ensure your ABN, address, and opening hours are correctly coded.
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Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Google isn't indexing my new pages: Check if you have a
noindextag in thesection of the page. Also, ensure the page is linked internally so the crawler can find it. - My site is slow but images are small: Check your hosting provider. Many Australian businesses use cheap international hosting which increases latency. Consider moving to a Brisbane or Sydney-based server.
- I see 'Redirect Errors' in GSC: This usually means you have a "redirect loop" (Page A points to Page B, which points back to Page A). Map out your redirects to ensure they are linear.
Pro Tips for Success
- Prioritise Fixes: Don't try to fix everything at once. Focus on "Critical" errors (404s, 5xx errors, and noindex tags on live pages) before moving to "Warnings" (missing alt text or long meta descriptions).
- Consistency is Key: Audit your site at least once a quarter. As you add new blog posts or products, technical debt can accumulate.
Next Steps
Now that you've identified the technical issues, it's time to implement the fixes. Start with the status codes (404s) and site speed, as these have the most immediate impact on your rankings.If this feels overwhelming or you don't have the time to dig into the code yourself, our team at Local Marketing Group can help. We specialise in technical SEO for Brisbane businesses to ensure your website performs at its peak.
Need a professional eye on your website? Contact us today for a comprehensive technical health check.