SEO Audit Skill
A comprehensive SEO audit methodology that evaluates content for both traditional search engine optimization and modern AI/LLM visibility (GEO). Informed by Google's multi-stage ranking pipeline.
When to Use
- Auditing existing content for SEO performance
- Reviewing new content before publication
- Identifying optimization opportunities
- Assessing AI citation readiness
- Evaluating E-E-A-T signals
- Checking technical SEO elements
- Diagnosing why content isn't ranking
- Auditing new domains (sandbox considerations)
Google's Ranking Pipeline
Content passes through sequential evaluation gates. Understanding this pipeline informs what to audit and why.
Mustang → Topicality (T*) → NavBoost → Twiddlers
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
Initial Query-match User clicks Final
scoring relevance (13 months) adjustments
Key Implications:
- Content must pass Mustang's quality gate before relevance even matters
- User behavior (NavBoost) accumulates over 13 months—patience required
- Two foundational pillars: Q* (site quality) and P* (popularity via Chrome data)
- Page potential is capped by domain's score
See
assets/google-ranking-signals.yaml
for complete signal reference.
Audit Framework
Phase 0: Domain & History Context
Before auditing content, assess domain-level factors that cap page potential:
Domain Authority Check:
URL History Assessment:
Sandbox Awareness (New Domains/Pages):
| Factor | Status | Impact |
|---|
| hostAge | New (<6mo) / Established | Domain-level sandbox |
| documentHistory | New URL / Has history | Page-level demotion |
| Graduation signals | Social, backlinks, engagement | Exit sandbox |
If new domain: Set realistic expectations. Dual sandbox (host + document) requires consistent quality publishing, backlinks, and positive engagement over months.
Phase 1: Technical SEO Check
Evaluate foundational technical elements:
Page-Level Technical:
Site-Level Technical:
Entity & Trust Signals:
Phase 2: Content Quality Assessment
Evaluate content depth and value. Google's
signal measures ML-assessed effort invested.
Content Completeness:
| Factor | Check | Score | Signal |
|---|
| Topic coverage | Comprehensive vs. shallow | /10 | contentEffort |
| Unique value | Original insights vs. rehash | /10 | OriginalContentScore |
| Accuracy | Factual, verifiable | /10 | Trust signals |
| Freshness | Current data/sources | /10 | semanticDate |
| Depth | Expert-level detail | /10 | contentEffort |
Token Truncation Awareness:
Google uses token limits—long documents may be truncated. Optimize for this:
Readability:
- Reading level (target: Grade 8-10)
- Paragraph length (2-3 sentences ideal)
- Sentence variety
- Scannable formatting (bullets, headers)
- Visual aids (images, tables, diagrams)
Freshness Audit:
Google evaluates freshness through three distinct methods:
⚠️
Freshness spam detection: Changing timestamps without updating substance is detected via
comparison.
Phase 3: Keyword & Semantic Analysis
Assess keyword optimization. Affects Topicality (T*) stage scoring.
Primary Keyword:
- Present in title tag (first 30 chars ideal)
- In H1 and early H2s
- Natural density (0.5-1.5%)
- In meta description
- In first 100 words
Semantic Coverage:
- LSI keywords present
- Related entities covered ( signal)
- Topic cluster alignment
- Question variations addressed
- Search intent match
Entity Optimization:
Phase 4: E-E-A-T Evaluation
Assess Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust signals. These map directly to technical signals.
Experience Signals:
Expertise Signals: (→
,
)
Authority Signals: (→
,
attribute)
Trust Signals:
Disconnected Entity Check:
Sites without verifiable ownership, author info, and contact transparency trigger algorithmic distrust—even with high content quality.
Phase 5: AI/GEO Readiness
Assess content for LLM visibility:
Extractability:
Fact-Density:
Structure for AI:
Phase 6: User Behavior Signals
Google's NavBoost uses 13 months of aggregated click behavior. Audit for "good clicks" potential.
Click Quality Indicators:
Engagement Factors:
| Signal | Status | Improvement |
|---|
| Expected dwell time | Low/Med/High | Match intent better |
| Bounce risk | Low/Med/High | Clearer value prop |
| Return visit potential | Low/Med/High | Brand building |
Output Format
SEO Audit Report
markdown
## SEO Audit Report
**Page:** [URL or filename]
**Date:** [Audit date]
**Overall Score:** X/100
**Domain Status:** [Established/New (sandbox considerations)]
### Executive Summary
[2-3 sentence overview including pipeline stage bottlenecks]
### Scores by Category
|----------|-------|--------|------------|
| Domain/History | X/10 | [Status] | siteAuthority |
| Technical SEO | X/15 | [Status] | titlematchScore |
| Content Quality | X/25 | [Status] | contentEffort |
| Keyword Optimization | X/10 | [Status] | Topicality |
| E-E-A-T Signals | X/20 | [Status] | Trust signals |
| AI/GEO Readiness | X/10 | [Status] | Extractability |
| User Behavior | X/10 | [Status] | NavBoost |
### Pipeline Bottleneck Analysis
[Which pipeline stage is the primary blocker? Mustang quality? Topicality match? NavBoost signals?]
### Priority Issues (Fix First)
1. **[Issue]** - [Impact] - [Fix] - [Signal affected]
2. **[Issue]** - [Impact] - [Fix] - [Signal affected]
3. **[Issue]** - [Impact] - [Fix] - [Signal affected]
### Domain Context
[Sandbox status, authority inheritance, URL history]
### Technical SEO Findings
[Detailed findings with specific recommendations]
### Content Quality Findings
[contentEffort indicators, token optimization, freshness]
### Keyword Analysis
[Primary keyword performance, semantic gaps, entity coverage]
### E-E-A-T Assessment
[Specific signals present/missing, disconnected entity risk]
### AI Visibility Assessment
[GEO readiness score and improvements]
### User Behavior Optimization
[Click quality, dwell time, engagement improvements]
### Action Plan
**Immediate (This Week):**
- [ ] Action 1
- [ ] Action 2
**Short-term (This Month):**
- [ ] Action 1
- [ ] Action 2
**Ongoing (Sandbox Graduation):**
- [ ] Consistent quality publishing
- [ ] Social signal building
- [ ] Backlink acquisition
- [ ] User engagement optimization
Scoring Guide
90-100: Excellent - Minor optimizations only
70-89: Good - Some improvements needed
50-69: Needs Work - Significant gaps to address
Below 50: Critical - Major overhaul required
New Domain Adjustment: Subtract 10-15 points for sandbox limitations. Focus on graduation signals.
Quick Audit Option
For faster audits, focus on:
- Domain Context - Established or sandbox? URL history?
- Title & Meta - Optimized for ?
- Content Quality - indicators present?
- E-E-A-T - Disconnected entity risk?
- AI Ready - Inverted pyramid, extractable format?
Deliver top 5 issues with affected signals and fixes.
Signal Reference
For detailed signal documentation, see:
assets/google-ranking-signals.yaml
Key signals to remember:
- - Title relevance to query
- - ML-assessed content investment
- - Uniqueness (0-512 scale)
- - Actual freshness of facts/sources
- - Domain-level authority cap
- - Popularity via Chrome data