Start with one important business URL. Check that it opens, its main content is available, indexing is not accidentally blocked, and internal links point to a consistent URL. Then expand the review to other pages.
Choose a URL and define its job
Pick a page that should support inquiries: a service, product, or guide that helps a prospective customer. Record the final URL and one sentence describing the reader’s need. This keeps an audit from becoming a long warning list without priorities.
For example, an installation service page should explain scope, real service areas, quoting requirements, and contact options. Loading speed matters, but a fast page without a useful explanation still leaves the reader stuck.
Check the response and page content
Open the page without signing in, then inspect the HTTP status and the HTML a crawler receives. Do not check only whether it looks correct after all JavaScript runs. Navigation links and important content need to be discoverable.
- Existing pages return success, rather than an error page with a 200 status.
- Moved URLs redirect to relevant destinations.
- Missing pages return a proper 404 status.
- Titles, main explanations, and service links are available in accessible HTML or rendered output.
Separate crawling restrictions from noindex
robots.txt controls crawling access; noindex asks for exclusion from the index. Google must be able to access a page to read its noindex rule. Blocking crawling is not equivalent to removing a URL from search results.
Check whether staging settings such as noindex accidentally reached production. Do not remove access controls from private pages merely to make an audit green.
Use consistent URL versions
The same content may be reachable through several URL variants. A canonical helps indicate your preferred version, but does not force the search engine’s choice. Align canonicals with internal links, redirects, and the sitemap.
| Check | What to record |
|---|---|
| Canonical | The preferred URL and whether it opens |
| Internal links | Which pages link to the preferred URL |
| URL variants | Parameters, HTTP/HTTPS, www, and trailing slashes to review |
Use a sitemap for discovery
Include canonical URLs you actually want in search. Use lastmod only when it reflects a real content update. A sitemap helps discovery; it does not guarantee crawling or indexing.
Turn findings into actions
Record evidence for each issue: URL, observed condition, likely impact, and the next action. Prioritize important pages that cannot be accessed or have lost their main information.
After a fix, test the same URL again. Keep before-and-after evidence, then observe search data over a useful comparison period. Separate “the fix is live” from “business outcomes have changed”.
Put it into practice.
Use the self-assessment to turn these ideas into a short list of things to check. It does not scan your site or predict rankings.
Open the website self-check