If you’re wondering how your website is really performing in the vast world of search engines, you should start by treating it like a health check-up. Knowing your website’s SEO status isn’t just a “nice to have”. it’s absolutely crucial for growing your online presence, attracting more visitors, and making sure your hard work actually pays off. Think of it as getting a comprehensive report card for your online business, showing you what’s working well, what needs a little tweaking, and what might be seriously holding you back. We’re talking about everything from how quickly your pages load to whether Google even knows your site exists! By the end of this, you’ll know exactly how to check your SEO score, analyze your SEO, and understand if your SEO efforts are truly working, giving you clear steps to get your site shining in search results.

Table of Contents

Why Bother Checking Your SEO Status Anyway?

Let’s be real: putting effort into a website without checking its SEO is like driving blindfolded. You might be moving, but you have no idea if you’re going in the right direction or about to hit a wall. Here’s why regularly checking your SEO status is a must:

Boost Your Rankings: The goal for most of us is to show up higher in search results, right? When you check your SEO status, you uncover issues that could be keeping you off that coveted first page. Fixing these can literally bump your site up, making it easier for people to find you.
Drive More Organic Traffic: Higher rankings usually mean more clicks. If your site ranks better, more people will naturally click on your links, leading to a huge jump in organic traffic. And remember, organic traffic often converts better because people are actively searching for what you offer.
Spot and Fix Problems Early: Think of an SEO check-up as preventative maintenance. You can catch technical glitches, content gaps, or poor keyword targeting before they become major roadblocks for your site. It helps you find errors that might be impacting your website’s health.
Understand Your Audience Better: Looking at things like which keywords bring people to your site or how long they stay can tell you a lot about what your audience truly wants and needs. This insight is gold for creating better content and services.
Stay Ahead of Competitors: What are your rivals doing that you’re not? An SEO analysis can reveal their successful strategies, from keywords they rank for to their backlink profile. This lets you learn from them and even find opportunities they’ve missed.
Measure Your Efforts: How do you know if that new blog post or those site speed improvements actually did anything? By tracking key SEO metrics, you get quantifiable proof that your strategies are making a difference. If the numbers are going up, you know you’re on the right track.

The Essential Tools You’ll Need Most Are Free!

You don’t need a massive budget to get started with checking your SEO status. Many of the best tools are completely free, offering incredibly valuable insights. Here are the tools I recommend keeping in your toolkit:

Google Search Console GSC: This is your absolute command center for how Google sees your site. It’s free and indispensable. GSC shows you index coverage, performance reports clicks, impressions, average position, Core Web Vitals, mobile usability issues, and even security problems. It’s where you’ll see keywords your site ranks for and how many searches each gets.
Google Analytics GA: While GSC tells you how you appear in search, Google Analytics dives deep into what users do once they land on your site. Also free, it helps you track organic traffic, user engagement like bounce rate and session duration, and conversion rates. It’s essential for understanding user behavior.
Google PageSpeed Insights: This free tool is fantastic for checking your website’s loading speed on both desktop and mobile. It gives you scores and specific recommendations to make your site faster, which is a big deal for both users and Google rankings.
Bing Webmaster Tools: Don’t forget about Bing! This tool, similar to GSC, helps you monitor your site’s performance in Bing search, providing backlink profiles, keyword research, and site scanning features. It’s free and good for diversifying your search engine presence.
SEO Browser Extensions:
- SEOquake: A free browser extension that gives you a quick SEO overview of any page you visit, including on-page SEO factors, backlinks, and keyword density.
- Ahrefs SEO Toolbar / MozBar: These provide quick metrics like Domain Authority DA, Page Authority PA, and link metrics directly in your browser as you browse search results or other sites.
Website SEO Audit Tools Free Tiers/Trials: For a more comprehensive “check website SEO score” and audit, you’ll want to explore tools like:
- Semrush Site Audit: Offers comprehensive SEO audits, checking technical, on-page, off-page, and performance factors. You can often get limited free checks daily.
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools AWT: This is a free version of Ahrefs designed for website owners, helping you monitor your site’s SEO health, check for 140+ issues, view backlinks, and see keywords you rank for.
- Seobility SEO Checker: A free tool that scans webpages for technical and on-page SEO issues, giving you an SEO score and a prioritized task list.
- SEOptimer: Performs detailed SEO analysis across many data points and provides actionable recommendations. It also has free tools like a Meta Tag Generator and Backlink Checker.
- The HOTH’s Free Website SEO Audit Tool: Offers comprehensive SEO data and includes tools for keyword research and content analysis.
- HubSpot’s Website Grader: Provides a free audit covering technical foundations, on-page optimization, and mobile performance.

These tools, especially the free ones from Google, are your starting point to truly understand how to check SEO status of website you own.

How to Check the SEO of Any Website: Your Ultimate Guide to Online Visibility

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Check Your Website’s SEO Status

Alright, let’s roll up our sleeves and get into the nitty-gritty of how to analyze SEO of website you’re working on. We’ll go through the most important areas, one by one.

Step 1: Start with Google Search Console Your SEO Command Center

Seriously, if you’re not using Google Search Console GSC, stop everything and set it up. It’s a free service directly from Google that gives you invaluable data about your site’s performance in Google Search.

Index Coverage: First thing I check in GSC is the “Index Coverage” report. This tells you if Google is actually seeing and indexing your pages. You want to see “Valid” pages increasing over time. Look out for “Errors” like 404s or server errors and “Warnings” like pages indexed but blocked by robots.txt – these are red flags that Google might not be crawling or ranking your content effectively.
Performance Report: This is where you see how people are finding your site.
- Total Clicks: This is probably your biggest “north star” metric. If clicks from Google organic results are going up, your SEO efforts are working.
- Impressions: How many times your pages appeared in search results. A rising number here often means Google is showing your content for more queries.
- Average Position: This shows where your pages typically rank for various keywords. You want this number to decrease meaning you’re moving up the rankings!.
- Queries: Check which search terms people are using to find your site. This can reveal unexpected keyword opportunities or areas where you need to create more content.
Core Web Vitals: Google uses these metrics Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, Cumulative Layout Shift to assess user experience, and they are a ranking factor. GSC will tell you if your pages have “Poor,” “Needs improvement,” or “Good” scores for both mobile and desktop. Don’t ignore these. they’re all about how fast and stable your pages feel to users.
Mobile Usability: With so many people browsing on their phones, your site has to be mobile-friendly. GSC points out specific mobile usability issues, like text being too small or clickable elements being too close together.
Manual Actions & Security Issues: Hopefully, these sections are empty! Manual actions mean Google has penalized your site for violating its guidelines, while security issues could indicate malware or hacking. These need immediate attention.

Step 2: Dive into Google Analytics Traffic & User Behavior

While GSC focuses on how people find you, Google Analytics shows you what they do once they’re on your site. This helps you figure out if your content is actually engaging them.

Organic Traffic: Go to the “Acquisition” section, then “All Traffic” -> “Channels.” Look at the “Organic Search” segment. Are your organic visits increasing over time? This is a strong indicator of SEO success.
User Engagement Metrics:
- Bounce Rate: This is the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate for organic traffic might mean your content isn’t relevant to what they searched for, or the page itself has issues.
- Session Duration Average Time on Page/Site: How long are people spending on your pages? Longer durations usually mean they’re finding your content valuable.
- Pages Per Session: Are users exploring multiple pages on your site, or just sticking to one? More pages per session often indicate good internal linking and engaging content.
Conversion Rates: If you have specific goals like newsletter sign-ups, purchases, or contact form submissions, track how many of your organic visitors complete these actions. This shows the real business impact of your SEO efforts.

Step 3: Check Your Website’s Technical Health

Technical SEO is like the foundation of a house. If it’s shaky, nothing else will stand strong. Many free SEO checker tools can help you analyze this. The Essential Free Google Tools: Your SEO Dashboard

Site Speed with PageSpeed Insights: This Google tool is a must-use. Enter a URL and get scores for both mobile and desktop. It provides detailed suggestions for improvement, such as optimizing images, leveraging browser caching, or minifying CSS/JavaScript. Remember, users and Google! hate slow sites. More than half of visitors will leave a site if it takes over 3 seconds to load.
Mobile-Friendliness: Again, vital! Besides GSC’s report, you can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool. Just enter your URL, and it will tell you if your page is mobile-friendly and why not.
HTTPS Status: Is your site secure? Look for “https://” in your URL. Google clearly states that HTTPS is a ranking signal. If you’re still on HTTP, it’s time to upgrade.
XML Sitemap & Robots.txt:
- XML Sitemap: This file lists all the important pages on your site, helping search engines discover them. You can submit it directly to GSC. Make sure it’s up-to-date and free of errors.
- Robots.txt: This file tells search engine crawlers which parts of your site they shouldn’t crawl. Double-check that you’re not accidentally blocking important pages.
Broken Links & Redirects: Broken links 404 errors create a bad user experience and waste crawl budget. Tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider free for up to 500 URLs can crawl your site and identify these. Check your redirects too – are they 301 permanent or 302 temporary where appropriate? Bad redirects can hurt your SEO.

Step 4: On-Page SEO Essentials – Are You Speaking Google’s Language?

This is about the content on your pages and how it’s structured. This is how to check if website is SEO optimized from a content perspective.

Title Tags & Meta Descriptions: These are what people see in search results.
- Title Tag: Needs to be unique, descriptive, include your main keyword, and be under 60 characters to avoid being cut off.
- Meta Description: A compelling summary around 150-160 characters that encourages clicks. It should include keywords but primarily be written for humans.
Heading Structure H1, H2, H3…: Use headings H1 for your main topic, H2 for subtopics, H3 for points under H2 to organize your content logically. This makes it easier to read for both users and search engines. Make sure your H1 is unique and reflects the page’s main topic.
Content Quality & Keyword Usage: Is your content helpful, comprehensive, and unique? That’s what Google wants.
- Keyword Integration: Are your target keywords used naturally throughout the content, especially in the first paragraph? Avoid “keyword stuffing” – it can hurt you.
- Readability: Is your content easy to understand? Use shorter sentences, paragraphs, and bullet points. Tools like HubSpot’s Website Grader can check content readability.
Image Optimization: Every image should have an “alt text” description. This helps search engines understand what the image is about and is crucial for accessibility. Also, ensure images are compressed so they don’t slow down your page.
Internal Linking: Are your pages linking to other relevant pages on your site? This helps users navigate and passes “link equity” between your pages, showing Google what content is important.

Step 5: Backlinks Profile – Your Website’s Authority Score

Backlinks are like votes of confidence from other websites. The more high-quality, relevant links you have pointing to your site, the more authoritative Google sees you.

Using GSC: The “Links” section in GSC gives you a basic overview of your top linking sites and linked pages.
Third-Party Tools: For a deeper look, you’ll need tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz, or even free backlink checkers from SEOptimer or The HOTH. These tools show you:
- Referring Domains: The number of unique websites linking to you. More is generally better, but quality matters most.
- Link Quality: Are the links coming from reputable, relevant sites or spammy ones? A few high-quality links are worth more than many low-quality ones.
- Anchor Text: The clickable text of the link. It should be natural and relevant to the linked page.
- Domain Authority DA / Domain Rating DR: These are proprietary metrics Moz and Ahrefs, respectively that estimate a website’s overall “link authority.” A higher score usually indicates a stronger backlink profile.
Disavowing Bad Links: If you find really spammy or harmful links pointing to your site, GSC has a “disavow tool” to tell Google to ignore them. Use this carefully!

Step 6: Local SEO If Applicable

If your business serves a specific geographical area, local SEO is non-negotiable.

Google Business Profile: Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile listing. Make sure your Name, Address, and Phone number NAP are consistent across the web. This is huge for showing up in “near me” searches.
Local Citations: Ensure your business information is consistent on other online directories and review sites.
Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile and other relevant platforms.

Step 7: Competitor Analysis What Are They Doing Right?

One of the smartest ways to improve your own SEO is by learning from your competitors. Many SEO tools have features specifically for this. How to Make Backlinks in SEO: Your Ultimate Guide to Boosting Your Website’s Authority

Keyword Gap Analysis: Tools like Semrush’s Keyword Gap can show you keywords your competitors rank for, but you don’t. This uncovers new opportunities.
Backlink Profile Comparison: See who is linking to your competitors. Can you earn similar links?
Content Strategy: What kind of content are your top competitors producing that seems to perform well? This can give you ideas for your own content calendar.
Top Pages: Identify your competitors’ most successful pages by organic traffic. What makes them so good?

Step 8: Keyword Research – Are You Targeting the Right Terms?

Even if you have existing content, regularly reviewing your keyword strategy is a smart move.

Identify Current Ranking Keywords: Your GSC Performance report is great for this. Look at the “Queries” section to see what terms you’re already showing up for.
Find New Opportunities: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner free with a Google Ads account, Ubersuggest free tier, Ahrefs Keyword Generator, or Answer the Public. These can help you discover new, relevant keywords with good search volume and manageable competition.
Keyword Difficulty: Many tools also provide a “keyword difficulty” score, which estimates how hard it will be to rank for a given term. This helps you prioritize.

What Do All These Numbers Mean? Interpreting Your SEO Status

Gathering all this data is one thing. understanding it and turning it into action is another. Here’s a quick way to think about it:

Look for Trends, Not Just Snapshots: SEO is a long game. Don’t panic over one bad day. Look at weeks, months, or even years of data. Are clicks consistently rising? Is your average position improving over time? That’s what matters.
Identify High-Priority Issues First: Most audit tools will give you a “health score” and prioritize issues. Focus on the critical errors first, like indexing issues, broken pages, or major mobile usability problems, as these can have the biggest negative impact. Fixing these foundational problems will often lead to quicker and more noticeable results.
Correlate Data: If organic traffic drops, check GSC. Are there new crawl errors? Did your average position drop for key terms? Did Core Web Vitals worsen? Connecting the dots between different metrics helps you pinpoint the root cause.
Actionable Insights: Every piece of data should lead to an action. A slow page speed score means you need to optimize images or improve server response time. Low click-through rates CTR for pages ranking well might mean your title tags or meta descriptions need to be more compelling.
Benchmarking: Compare your metrics against previous periods and, if possible, against competitors. Are you improving faster or slower than others in your niche?

How Often Should You Check Your SEO Status?

SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” kind of thing. It’s an ongoing process because search engines are constantly updating their algorithms and your competitors aren’t standing still. How to Create Backlinks in SEO for Free: Your Ultimate Guide to Boosting Rankings

Daily/Weekly: For crucial metrics like organic traffic, clicks, impressions, and keyword rankings for your most important terms. You can get quick overviews in GSC and GA.
Monthly: A deeper dive into all aspects. This is when you’d run a full site audit with a tool like Semrush or Ahrefs, review your backlink profile, and re-evaluate your on-page SEO.
Quarterly/Bi-Annually: A comprehensive strategic review. Look at broader trends, reassess your overall keyword strategy, analyze your top competitors more thoroughly, and check for any major changes in your industry or Google’s algorithms.

By consistently monitoring your website’s SEO status, you’re not just reacting to problems. you’re proactively optimizing your online presence for long-term success.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I check my website’s SEO?

You should be checking your website’s SEO on different frequencies depending on the metrics. For critical metrics like organic traffic, clicks, and impressions, a quick look daily or weekly in Google Search Console and Google Analytics is a good idea. For a deeper dive, like running a full site audit, checking your backlink profile, and reviewing on-page SEO elements, a monthly check is generally recommended. Finally, a thorough strategic review, including competitor analysis and keyword strategy adjustments, can be done quarterly or bi-annually. This layered approach helps you stay on top of both daily fluctuations and long-term trends.

Is there a free way to check my SEO score?

Absolutely! There are many fantastic free tools that can help you check your SEO score and status. Google Search Console and Google Analytics are indispensable for monitoring performance and user behavior, and they’re completely free. For quick audits, tools like Google PageSpeed Insights check your site speed and mobile-friendliness. Many third-party SEO tools like Seobility, SEOptimer, The HOTH, and HubSpot’s Website Grader offer free SEO checkers or limited free audits that provide an overall SEO score and actionable recommendations. Ahrefs also offers free “Webmaster Tools” for site owners to monitor health, backlinks, and keywords.

How Much Does SEO Cost Per Hour? (And Why It’s More Than Just a Number)

What’s the most important SEO metric to track?

While many SEO metrics are important, many experts would agree that Total Clicks from organic search found in Google Search Console is your “north star” metric. If this number is consistently going up, it’s a strong indicator that your SEO efforts are successfully driving more people to your website. It directly reflects increased visibility and user engagement with your search listings. Other crucial metrics like organic traffic, keyword rankings, and Core Web Vitals support this, but ultimately, more clicks mean more opportunities for your business.

How do I know if my SEO efforts are actually working?

You’ll know your SEO efforts are working if you see consistent, positive trends across several key metrics. Look for an increase in organic traffic and total clicks from search engines, improved keyword rankings for your target terms, and a higher average position in Google Search Console. Additionally, positive changes in user engagement metrics like a lower bounce rate and longer session durations, more high-quality backlinks, and an improvement in your website’s technical health e.g., better Core Web Vitals scores are all strong indicators of successful SEO. If these numbers are trending upwards, you’re on the right track.

Can I check a competitor’s SEO status?

Yes, you absolutely can and should check your competitors’ SEO status! This is a smart way to uncover new opportunities and understand what’s working in your industry. While you won’t have access to their private Google Search Console or Analytics data, many premium and some free trial SEO tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz, and Ubersuggest allow you to analyze a competitor’s website for key SEO factors. You can often see which keywords they rank for, their estimated organic traffic, their backlink profile, and even their top-performing content. This information helps you refine your own strategy and find areas where you can gain an advantage.

What if my website has a low SEO score?

If your website has a low SEO score, don’t panic – it just means there’s a lot of room for improvement! Most SEO checker tools will provide a prioritized list of issues. Start by tackling the critical technical errors first, like indexing problems, broken links, or slow page load times, as these can severely impact your site’s visibility. Next, focus on fundamental on-page optimizations like improving your title tags, meta descriptions, and heading structure, and ensuring your content is high-quality and uses keywords naturally. Addressing these issues step-by-step will have a noticeable impact and gradually boost your SEO score over time. How Much Does SEO Cost in Australia? A Straightforward Guide for 2025

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How to Check Your Website’s SEO Status (and Why It Matters)