🕵️‍♀️ How I Evaluate My Website SEO

Ever Googled “how to evaluate my website SEO” and ended up more confused than before?

You’re not alone. As a small business SEO studio in Canada and the U.S., We've seen everything from broken links to missed keyword goldmines hiding in plain sight.

Here’s how we run a simple, powerful SEO audit checklist. It's the same 7-step process we use that turns hidden technical blunders into traffic you can actually spend.

Before we dive in, if you’d rather skip the DIY, my Website Audit Service includes a custom keyword analysis and SEO roadmap made just for small businesses.

For the more advanced SEO Site Audit, we get into far more detail and build a full 90-day plan using your top 25 search terms and backlink strategy.

🪶 Step 1: Start With Your Search Visibility, AKA “Can Anyone Even Find You?”

Before diving into backlinks and broken pages, open Google and type your business name.

• Do you appear in the top 3 results?

• Is your Google Business Profile showing your hours and reviews?

• Are your website titles descriptive, or just labelled "Services"?

If you’re buried or invisible, that’s your first red flag. A quick metadata and title tag cleanup alone can lift you a few positions.

🛠️ Pro tip: Use Google Search Console to check “Performance >Queries”. It shows you the exact keywords you’re accidentally ranking for.

💡 Step 2: Check Your Website Structure

Before running any tools, do a mini website SEO audit.

Look at your homepage title, meta description, and header structure. These tell Google who you are and what you do.

If you are missing out on keywords, your rankings will show it.

(I include this full review in my Small Business Website Audit for clarity in 3-5 days.)

SEO isn’t just about ranking for anything. It’s about ranking for what people actually search before buying.

I run every client through my 10-keyword core audit:

5 “money keywords” (service + city or intent to buy)

3 “content keywords” (educational blog phrases)

2 “brand keywords” (your name and direct searches)

My 5 Go-To Free Tools:

Mangools KWFinder, easy for small biz owners

Ahrefs Free Tools – check competitors

Google Trends – spot local shifts

(If you’d like us to pull your top 10 keywords and competitor rankings, we include this inside our Website Audit.)

📊 Step 3: Analyze Keywords (and Intent!)

🌍 SECTION 4: LOCAL SEO

Whether you’re based in Halifax NS, or Houston TX, small business SEO success depends on local intent.

My process works for both Canada and the USA, adjusting your keywords for your region’s search habits.

Think of this as your SEO audit checklist USA & Canada edition; same principles, just different maps.

Pro tip: Add your province, state or city in a few title tags. For example, “web design Halifax” beats “web design” every time.

🔗 Step 5: Backlink Health Check

Backlinks are Google’s “word of mouth.”
If your links come from sketchy directories or 2012 blogs, it’s time for a detox.

🛠️ Quick win:
Disavow spammy links in Search Console and reach out to local partners (suppliers, clients, chambers of commerce) for fresh backlinks.

💬 Step 6: Review Content & Calls to Action

Your content should:

Solve a problem your customer actually has

Include your focus keyword naturally in important areas

End with a clear next step: “Book your audit,” “Call us,” or “Get a quote.”

👉 If your reader gets to the bottom and doesn’t know what to do next, you will lost them.

📈 Step 7: Set a Baseline, Then Track the Wins

SEO isn’t a one and done job.
Use free tools like:

Google Search Console (impressions + CTR)

Google Analytics 4 (traffic and conversions)

Ubersuggest (free) or Mangools (keyword movement)

Track your 10 keywords monthly and celebrate small wins.

🪶Bonus: When to Call in a Sparrow

If all this sounds like a lot, it’s because evaluating your website SEO is a lot... But it’s also where your website starts paying rent.

That’s where we come in:
Our $249 Small Business SEO Website Audit delivers everything above , plus screenshots, voice notes, and a Canva-ready action plan that makes fixes ridiculously easy. All optimized for small business visibility in Canada and the USA.

Written by Chrystal of Creative Sparrow. Digital Alchemist; Branding & SEO strategist helping small business owners find their voice, fix their visibility, and grow without guesswork.
If you’re also working on your brand identity, peek at the Branding Audit. it pairs perfectly with your SEO tune up.