How to check SEO of a site?
What the score from an SEO tool actually tells you
Most tools that audit the SEO of a site produce a score from 0 to 100, which is useful as a quick benchmark but should be understood for what it actually measures: a weighted combination of the specific checks that particular tool runs.
Different tools use different criteria and weightings, which is why the same page will score differently across different tools. The number itself matters less than the underlying issues it flags. A page scoring 72 with three critical errors is in a worse position than a page scoring 68 with only minor warnings — the score is a summary, not the whole story.
Checking the SEO of a site without a dedicated tool
Even without a dedicated SEO tool, you can check several important signals manually. Type your website's URL into Google followed by the word 'site:' (e.g. site:example.com) to see which pages Google has indexed. Check your page titles in browser tabs and in search results by actually searching for your brand name or main topics. Use Chrome's built-in Lighthouse tool (F12 → Lighthouse tab) for a free technical and SEO report on any specific page. Manually check a few pages for obvious issues like missing descriptions, repeated titles, or images without alt text.
How often should you check your site's SEO?
For most small to medium sites, a thorough SEO check every quarter is sufficient, combined with brief monthly spot-checks on your most important pages. After a significant change — a redesign, a platform migration, a new content push, or a noticeable change in traffic — it's worth running an immediate check rather than waiting for the next scheduled review. Some types of issue (like a crawlability error introduced during a deployment) can suppress rankings quickly and silently, making it important to check promptly after any meaningful site changes.
Key Takeaways
- SEO scores are useful summaries but the underlying issues matter more than the number.
- You can check several important SEO signals manually using free browser tools.
- Check after every significant site change, not just on a fixed schedule.
Related Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does an SEO audit score out of 100 actually mean?
Most SEO audit tools give a score from 0 to 100. It is useful as a quick benchmark, but it is simply a weighted combination of the specific checks that particular tool runs. Different tools use different criteria and weightings, which is why the same page can score differently in each one. The number matters less than the issues behind it. A page scoring 72 with three critical errors is in a worse position than a page scoring 68 with only minor warnings. Treat the score as a summary and focus on fixing the underlying problems it flags.
Can I check the SEO of a site without a paid tool?
Yes, several important signals can be checked manually. Search Google for site: followed by your domain, such as site:example.com, to see which pages have been indexed. Look at your page titles in browser tabs and in search results by searching for your brand name or main topics. Chrome's built-in Lighthouse tool, opened with F12 and the Lighthouse tab, gives a free technical and SEO report for any individual page. You can also look through a few pages for obvious problems such as missing descriptions, repeated titles or images without alt text.
How often should I check my site's SEO?
For most small to medium sites, a thorough SEO check every quarter is enough, combined with brief monthly spot-checks on the most important pages. After any significant change, such as a redesign, a platform migration, a new content push or a noticeable shift in traffic, it is worth running a check straight away rather than waiting for the next scheduled review. Some problems, like a crawlability error introduced during a deployment, can suppress rankings quickly and silently. Checking promptly after meaningful site changes helps you catch these issues before they do lasting damage.