The 15 Best A/B Testing Tools That Are Guaranteed to Boost Your Conversion Rates

What is your website’s conversion rate? What about your paid ads, forms, and landing pages?

No matter your conversion rate, there’s a good chance it could be better.

That’s because user preferences change over time. People get burned out by seeing the same ads and images, and styles change. Even the platforms where users hang out can shift.

There’s only one way to know if your ad, landing page, CTA, or entire website could convert better—and that’s to test it.

According to Invesp, 71 percent of companies run at least two A/B tests a month.

A B Testing Tools - 71 percent of businesses run at least two tests a month

However, only one in eight A/B tests drive significant change. That means a lot of companies are running A/B tests but not seeing results. A/B testing tools provide the framework and data you need to run better tests.

Why You Need A/B Testing Tools

A/B testing tools streamline the A/B testing process by making it easy to design, launch, and analyze tests. Is it worth the investment, though?

If you want to see real results with A/B testing, I strongly recommend using A/B testing tools. They can help by:

Tracking data: It can be hard to track clicks, conversions, and other significant KPIs. Many A/B testing tools track the data to ensure you have access to the information you need to make critical business decisions. They’ll even generate snazzy reports, so you look smart to your boss or clients.
Protecting your SEO: A/B testing won’t impact SEO—if you do it correctly. A/B testing tools help ensure your tests don’t run afoul of Google’s rules.
Automating testing: The more full-featured tools leverage automation to ensure testing is as efficient as possible. For example, automatically turning off ads that aren’t performing well, so you have more time to focus on running your business.
Streamlining the test creation process: Creating A/B tests can be time-consuming. It’s easy to get caught up in the details (Should this button be blue or green? Is this CTA good enough?). A good A/B testing tool makes building, launching, and tracking your tests easier.
Increasing your conversion rates: The most significant benefits of using A/B testing tools? They can help improve your conversion rates, lower bounce rates, and drive more sales. That’s because most offer recommendations based on AI or proprietary data.

If you’re still not sold, let’s look at how subscription-based mobile phone provider Ben used A/B testing to drive conversions.

Why You Need A/B Testing Tools - Example Ben

Ben began offering its customers access to the latest mobile devices in addition to affordable data and voice plans. They wanted to make sure customers knew they could choose the color of their phone, not just the model.

However, the company wasn’t sure how to share that news with customers. Using VWO, they ran two tests—one with the color palette under the phone image, and another with a menu option alongside the subscription choices.

After running the test for two weeks, they found that allowing users to choose the color option alongside their plan increased conversion rates by more than 17 percent and reduced customer calls to change device colors.

One simple test resulted in a large increase in conversion rates. Now, imagine if you continually ran tests like this. A/B testing tools make that possible.

The Best A/B Testing Tools

There are a ton of options when it comes to A/B testing tools. In fact, the A/B testing software market is expected to be worth $1,151 million by 2025, which means finding the right tool requires sifting through dozens of options.

No single A/B testing tool will work well for all businesses. An enterprise e-commerce site, for example, has far different needs than a local plumbing company.

To help you find the right one, we’ve analyzed the top A/B testing tools to compare features, pricing, and ease of use.

1. Google Optimize: Free A/B Testing Tool With Solid Features

Pricing: Free

Google Optimize is Google’s free A/B testing tool. The platform integrates with Google Analytics, making it easy to see how changes have impacted site performance.

With Optimize, you can create, launch, and track A/B testing performance all in one tool. If you’re already using Google Analytics or other Google tools, it’s simple to launch and set up your first test.

Main features include:

Ability to run several types of tests, including, A/B, multivariate, split URL, server-side experiments, and personalization.
Visual editor allows you to easily create tests.
SEO features to keep your tests from impacting your ranking.
Detailed reporting tools, including customizable reports and an experiment summary for a high-level or granular view of test results.
Built-in or customized objectives to set goals for your tests.
Experiment manager to see how tests perform over time and schedule experiments in the future.
Integration with all other Google tools including Analytics, AdSense, and Search Console.

Getting started is easy. Simply head to the Google Optimize page and click “Start for Free.” Once you accept the terms and conditions, you’ll be prompted to create your first experience.

Select the type of test you want to run, choose the URL, and then design your test.

There are a few drawbacks to Google Optimize. For starters, you can only run five experiments at a time. A few reviewers say the A/B testing preview tool is difficult to use and has a few bugs, which is another thing to consider.

For smaller sites that don’t need to run more than a few tests at a time, however, Google Optimize is a solid option.

2. Optimizely: Paid A/B Testing + CRO Tool for Fast-Growing or Enterprise Brands

Pricing: Call for a custom quote. According to Capterra, plans start at $50,000 a year but may be less for smaller sites.

When it comes to full-features A/B testing tools, Optimizely is one of the best on the market. This powerful tool offers a wide range of testing and tracking features, including:

Ability to run A/B and multivariate testing.
Advanced testing, including coding.
Exclusion groups enable you to run multiple tests on the same page without impacting SEO or UX.
Targeting and personalization dig deeper into the customer journey.
Powerful visual editor allows marketers to create tests—no dev needed.
Drag-and-drop templates to make creating tests easier.
Detailed reporting tools to highlight which experiments impact performance.

Optimizely is powerful—but it can also be intimidating for first-time testers. If you don’t have a large site and haven’t run A/B tests before, Optimizely may be challenging to use. However, if you have a large site and want to dig deep into your data and find out what customers really want, it’s worth a closer look.

To get started, reach out to their customer support team. They’ll ask for information about your website and traffic and then explain the full scope of features. Their team can also provide a customized demo so you can see the tools’ true potential.

3. AB Tasty: AI-Driven A/B Testing + Experimentation for Enterprise

Pricing: Call for a custom quote. TrustRadius reports pricing starts at $40 per month.

AB Tasty is an AI-powered A/B testing tool designed to help your business drive more conversions while providing world-class UX. They are trusted by more than 900 enterprise companies, including Sephora, Papa John’s, Walmart, and USA Today.

While it might not be ideal for smaller sites, it’s a good fit for enterprise companies looking to improve A/B testing and run more out-of-the-box tests.

Core features of the platform include:

The ability to run A/B and multivariate testing on mobile, app, or desktop platforms.
AI-powered targeting allows you to create incredibly granular segments based on user behavior.
Drag-and-drop text editor makes it easy to test any feature of your site, from the navigation bar to coding.
A broad range of goals including actions like demo requests, browsing behavior, and conversions.
Bayesian statistics engine doesn’t just track tests; it helps you understand the significance of tests by offering gain probability and media value.

There are a few drawbacks. AB Tasty doesn’t currently offer heat map tracking, while Optimizely does. Personalization features are in a separate tool, so it could cost more. Since they don’t list pricing on the site, it’s difficult to say for sure.

They also don’t support testing for paid ads, while Google Optimize does.

Is AB Tasty right for you? I don’t recommend it for smaller sites or those just getting started. It’s a full-featured tool with tons of options and ways to test, so it’s a great choice for enterprise companies, especially those in e-commerce.

4. Apptimize: Omni-Channel A/B Testing for Mobile-Focused Customer Journeys

Pricing: Contact for custom pricing. However, they do offer a 30-day free trial.

Having an app is good for business. A recent study found that 57 percent of shoppers prefer shopping in an app over other channels. However, A/B testing on apps is more challenging.

If you have an app or a buyer journey that crosses platforms, Apptimize might be a good solution for A/B testing. Apptimize provides A/B testing tools for web, mobile, OTT, and in-store. They specifically focus on testing for companies with frequent product rollouts, such as software companies.

Is it the right fit for your business? If your customer journey crosses platforms, it’s a solid option. Features include:

Robust A/B, multivariate, split testing, including in-person, in-app, website, and mobile sites.
Access controls and permissions limit who can make changes.
Funnel analysis to see how your test impacts conversions and other goals.
Activity dashboard to quickly see historical testing stats.

In addition to A/B testing tools, Apptimize offers features for workflow management to make the entire process smoother.

Overall, the Apptimize website is a little light on specific features, but they do focus on helping product teams test and personalize rollouts and manage new features.

If your goal is to figure out which color CTA button to use, this tool isn’t for you.

If you are constantly rolling out new features, want to better understand who your customers are, and want customers to enjoy a personalized experience across all devices, Apptimize is worth a try. Plus, they offer a free trial, so you can see if it’s a good fit.

5. Adobe’s Target Testing Tool: Full-Featured, Enterprise A/B Testing + Personalization Tool

Pricing: Contact for custom pricing. Plans vary based on product options, volume, and whether you need omnichannel testing. No free trial.

Adobe Target is a full-featured testing platform that allows businesses to test the entire customer experience, including images, copy, UI, apps, layout, background colors, and more. It can also test personalization’s impact, which is essential considering personalized CTAs convert 202 percent better than default CTAs.

Adobe Target includes:

Strong A/B testing features allow you to test just about every part of the user experience.
Visual composer makes it easy to create and run tests.
Multivariate and multiarm bandit testing to funnel traffic to the most successful experience earlier in the process.
Easy to set up, guided workflow enables you to quickly set up, test, and launch.
The ability to test on the client-side, server-side, or both.

Target also integrates with other Adobe products in Adobe Experience Cloud, so this is a great option if you’re using Adobe for analytics, insights, and content.

According to online reviews, Target is not beginner-friendly, so it’s probably not ideal for those just starting out. However, if you’ve used other A/B testing tools or are familiar with Adobe’s suite of tools, you likely won’t have any issues. Adobe also offers plenty of training modules to get you up to speed.

6. Intelligems: A/B Test Pricing for E-Commerce Stores

Pricing: Contact for pricing.

Most A/B testing tools focus on titles, headlines, and button colors. When it comes to driving e-commerce conversions, however, pricing can have a huge impact on conversion rates. Intelligems is an A/B testing tool designed for Shopify store owners to test pricing changes.

Does dropping your price a few cents impact conversions? What about raising prices? The only way to find the perfect price point is to test.

With Intelligems, you can easily test how pricing and features like Subscribe and Save impact LTV, checkouts, and long-term growth.

The Best A/B Testing Tools - Intelligems

Features include:

Easy-to-use test creator so you can test and launch tests faster.
Sophisticated data collection is turned into an easy-to-read data dashboard where you can see results at a glance.
A flexible testing structure allows you to see how shipping, discounts, and pricing (or any combination of the three!) impact a range of data points.
Expert recommendations ensure you develop a solid strategy based on expert insights.

This tool is relatively new but could be a game-changer for e-commerce stores. They are accepting suggestions for new features, so hopefully, they’ll expand testing options in the future.

7. VWO: Similar Features to Optimizely, but More Affordable

Pricing: Contact for full pricing, but Capterra reports pricing starts at $199.00 per month, which is far below Optimizely’s rate.

VWO is another full-featured testing tool similar to Optimizely and Google Optimize. If Optimize isn’t quite enough for your needs, but Optimizely is too pricey, VWO may be the perfect fit. It offers sophisticated testing funnels that are insanely customizable at more affordable rates.

VWO features include:

Create and launch tests for a range of tests, including A/B, split URL, multivariate, abandoned carts, and landing pages.
Targeting based on audience, behavior, campaign, and context.
Drag-and-drop test creator.
Engagement tracking and goal setting.
Customized visual reporting tools.
Mobile website testing.

VWO also tracks more than just traffic and conversions. It also leverages advanced tracking methods such as heatmaps, pageviews, screen activity, and user interactions.

The platform offers three plans, with higher plans offering additional features like campaign scheduling and custom JavaScript targeting.

One drawback is the lack of data storage. Heatmaps tests, for example, only store testing data for 60 to 90 days according to some reviews.

8. Unbounce: Landing Page Builder With A/B Testing Tool

Pricing: Paid plans start at $90 a month for up to 500 conversions and 20,000 visits. Unbounce offers a free 14-day trial.

Most of the tools we’ve covered so far are stand-alone A/B testing tools. You add a tracker to your website, then you can build, test, and launch A/B testing.

Unbounce is a little different. It’s actually a landing page tool with A/B testing baked into its software. Want to test your PPC landing pages? Test the impact of personalization? You can do all that—and a lot more.

A/B testing features from Unbounce include:

Unlimited A/B tests on all landing pages.
Easy-to-use test builder. Just duplicate your current page, change the elements you want to test, and launch.
Performance comparison tool to determine which page wins out.
A/B test sticky bars to determine which offers drive better results.
Smart builder that creates landing pages in just a few minutes.

Compared to full-featured A/B testing tools like Optimizely or VWO, Unbounce definitely lacks features. However, if you already use Unbounce or are considering it for landing pages and sticky bars, the A/B testing features are a strong selling point.

Unbounce is also more affordable than other testing tools, making it ideal for dipping your toe into A/B testing.

9. Facebook’s Experiments Tool: Free Tool to Test Social Ads

Pricing: Free to test, though you will pay for ads.

Social media ads can drive conversions, build brand awareness, and drive traffic to your website. However, it can also be challenging to tell which headline, offer, CTA, or image is responsible for driving clicks (and conversions).

When you consider the average conversion rate for Facebook ads is 9.21 percent, it’s clear there is plenty of room for improvement.

Recently, Facebook launched their Experiments Tool, designed to make it easier to A/B test paid ads on the platform. Brands can test campaign groups, campaigns, or ad sets against each other and easily see which performs better.

The Best A/B Testing Tools - Facebook Experiments

To get started, create your Facebook ads first in Meta Business Manager (aka Facebook business manager). Then, head over to Experiments Tool. Click Tests to get started and then select A/B test.

You’ll be prompted to select the ads you want to A/B test, schedule your campaigns, and name the test. You can also determine how Facebook should choose a winner based on key metrics like cost per result, cost per conversion, cost per 1,000 people reached, and cost per purchase.

When you’re done, it will ask you to review your testing parameters before launching your test.

This tool is important for two reasons: First, it’s straightforward to use, which isn’t the case for some of the more full-featured A/B testing tools. It’s also one of the few tools that allow you to A/B test social ads to optimize performance.

Currently, the tool doesn’t appear to work on Instagram, but hopefully, they’ll add that feature.

10. Ominconvert’s Explore: CRO + A/B Testing for E-Commerce

Pricing: Plans start at $167 per month.

For e-commerce, A/B testing is about more than testing CTA button copy or seeing if a top sticky bar converts better than a bottom sticky bar. It’s about pricing, product pages, images, mobile vs desktop, and so much more.

While most tools on this list work in any industry, Ominconvert was built with e-commerce sites in mind. Features to check out include:

Ability to test more than one website at a time.
Fast, professional support with a four-hour response time.
Advanced segmentation using JavaScript, cookies, UTM parameters, data layer attributes, and more.
Exit-intent and triggered overlay testing.
A/B and personalization testing dig deep into the customer journey.
CDN cache bypass using a dedicated browser extension.

You can also set and track as many goals as you want and gain insights into why specific tests aren’t working.

It’s worth noting this is not a tool for beginners; it can be code-heavy at times and requires a pretty decent understanding of your site’s backend. However, it’s also affordable at $167 per month. Ominconvert is used by several powerful brands, including Samsung and ING, so they definitely know their stuff.

11. Nelio A/B Testing: Powerful A/B Testing Plugin for WordPress

Pricing: Plans start at $24 per month for up to 5,000 views.

More than 455 million websites use WordPress—and you might be one of them. If you’re looking for an A/B testing tool that plays nice with the most popular CMS on the market, you’re in luck.

Nelio AB offers powerful A/B testing tools right in your WordPress dashboard. No more switching tools, integrating a dozen platforms, or getting lost trying to figure out how to set up a split test. Instead, you can click and install Nelio AB in just a few minutes.

Here are a few features Nelio AB provides:

Unlimited experiments to test pages, headlines, menus, themes, CTAs, widgets, and more. Pretty much any part of your WordPress site can be tested and improved.
No technical knowledge is needed. You don’t need to know how to code, how to read Java, or even what makes a test statistically significant.
Easy-to-read reporting tool provides insights and results with the click of a button.
Test finer details of your site using CSS testing (if you’re into that kind of thing).
Track how users navigate your website using heatmaps, scroll maps, and confetti.
Define goals and conversions to track what actually matters on your site.
Integrate with most of your other plugins, including JetPack, W3 Total, and WooCommerce.

While it’s missing some advanced features (like detailed segmentation), it still offers plenty. The fact that it lives in WordPress makes it convenient to use.

12. Freshworks: A/B Testing for Multichannel Engagement + Automation

Pricing: Free for up to 100 contacts; paid plans start at $19 per month.

Want to improve conversion rates? Personalization should be part of your marketing strategy. According to Salesforce, 66 percent of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations.

Freshworks can help you provide the custom experience your customers crave. It’s not an A/B testing tool; rather, it’s a CRM with built-in automation features, including A/B testing, split testing, and segmentation.

In addition to running tests, Freshworks also provides:

email marketing campaigns
landing pages
event tracking
marketing reports
chat campaigns
CRO testing

Freshworks also offers A/B testing features such as split URL testing, landing page optimization, segmentation, and detailed reporting. While the tool lacks more advanced features like heatmaps, its built-in A/B testing features make it worth a look, particularly if personalization is important to you.

13. A/B Testing Significance Calculator: See How Much Different Tests Impact Sales

Pricing: Free.

A/B testing tools offer a ton of data. Unfortunately, understanding the data can be a challenge. Is Test A actually better or did it just get more traffic? Do you even have enough traffic to make a decision?

That’s where my A/B testing calculator comes to the rescue. Plugin your test results, and see exactly which landing page, CTA, headline, or website drives better results.

The Best A/B Testing Tools - AB testing Significance Tool NeilPatel

With the click of a button, you can see how much impact your recent test had on sales. Want to check the result of a multivariate test? Click the “Add Another Variation” button to see how three, four, or more tests stack up.

14. Title-Generator.com: Title Generator to Find New Titles or Headings to Test

Pricing: Free.

Testing titles and headlines is a sure-fire way to increase conversions and make sure blogs, landing pages, email, and web pages perform well. Coming up with snappy new titles, however, can be a challenge.

That’s where a title generator tool comes in handy. Simply input your main keywords and the tool will generate a list of 700 headlines.

The Best A/B Testing Tools - Headline Generator

Review the list, decide which fits your content or ad the best, and add it to your A/B testing workflow.

As you can see from the image above, many are adjustable based on the content, so use these as inspiration, not set headlines you have to use.

15. Ad Headline Idea Generator: Free Tool to Generate Paid Ad Headlines to A/B Test

Pricing: Free.

When it comes to paid ads, there are several areas to test—the headline, image, ad copy, and landing page. If you have trouble coming up with different ad headline options, this tool can help.

Inkforall’s Ad Headline Idea Generator uses AI to generate ad headlines and copy. Simply enter your current ad, log in via Facebook, Google, or Microsoft, and the tool will generate a new ad using the information you’ve provided.

The Best A B Testing Tools - Inkforalls Ad Headline Idea Generator

While the AI isn’t perfect, it’s an easy way to find new ad formats to test. I do recommend reading and editing the AI generation—they definitely aren’t perfect. If you’re struggling to develop different ad versions to test, this tool is good for inspiration.

A/B Testing Tools Frequently Asked Questions

How do A/B testing tools work?

A/B testing tools generally offer a visual interface and tracking features to help businesses set up, run, and track the performance of tests. Most tools require you to add a tracking pixel to your website to track test performance.

Can you do A/B testing on social media?

Yes, but it requires a different setup than A/B testing on your website. Most social platforms support A/B testing on ads in their business center where you can test ad creatives, copy, or images.

You cannot A/B test post engagement or conversion directly. However, you can test social traffic impact by using A/B testing on your landing pages.

How do you get started with A/B testing?

The first step of A/B testing is goal setting. What do you hope to improve? Do you want more traffic, higher conversions, more social engagement, or something else? Then, make a hypothesis to test.

What elements should you A/B test?

Simply put, any elements! Do you think changing the CTA will improve conversions? Do you want to see if a different landing page image will increase demo sign-ups? Once you know what you want to test, choose one of the A/B testing tools from the list above and launch your test.

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Conclusion: A/B Testing Tools

A/B testing is the cornerstone of building an effective digital marketing strategy. These 15 A/B testing tools will help you build, launch, test, and record the results. If you’re just getting started with A/B testing, you can’t go wrong with Google Optimize. It’s easy to use, works with other Google tools, and allows you to run up to five tests at a time.

If you need more features or want a tool that does more than just run A/B tests, one of the other tools on this list might fit your needs.

Did your favorite A/B testing tool make the list? If not, share it in the comments.

The 15-Step SEO Audit That Is Guaranteed to Improve Rankings

You’ve set up your website and it’s looking good, but it’s not engaging visitors, and your traffic is falling.

You’re not alone. According to Ahrefs, 90.63 percent of content gets no organic traffic from Google.

How do you solve the problem? The answer might be discovered by running a website audit.

A website audit can increase your rankings along with visitor numbers and conversions.

If you’re not sure where to start, this guide talks you through it step-by-step.

However, before we get into it, let’s explain what an SEO audit is and why it’s necessary.

What Is an SEO Audit?

An SEO audit is a comprehensive analysis of a website and its search engine ranking (SERPs), including where improvements can be made.

When you conduct an SEO audit, you’re assessing your on-site optimization, identifying areas of opportunity for improvement, and gaining recommendations to improve your site’s search position.

An SEO audit can also uncover opportunities for improvement, including:

site speed
content gaps
technical SEO issues that reduce traffic
where competitors are outranking you
ways to improve UX

The average user spends 54 seconds on a website, and they make assumptions about your business even faster. According to one study, your site has less than two-tenths of a second to make a great first impression. That study was performed in 2011, so you may have even less time these days.

Making a great first impression is just one reason SEO audits are crucial—let’s look at a few more.

Why Are SEO Audits Necessary?

SEO audits provide a clear understanding of where your SEO strategy stands — and it can drastically increase your ranking. Need proof? After performing a simple content-focused SEO audit, Smash VC increased its organic traffic by 76 percent.

Although they can be time-consuming, an SEO audit is invaluable when it comes to improving online visibility and finding issues that need updating or addressing. For instance, audits help you:

find mistakes in your website’s code, content, and structure
stay competitive by providing actionable insights
identify whether you’re ranking for your chosen keywords and where you’re showing on the SERPs
update your content to align with algorithm and webmaster guideline changes
make decisions about which content to refresh
optimize your titles, headlines, and meta descriptions
do competitor analysis
measure the quality of backlinks, text length, and URL keyword opportunities, which are among the most important factors in SEO ranking
check loading times and mobile accessibility for the optimal customer experience

As you can see, an SEO audit is expansive and can affect all major areas of your website.

How to Know It’s Time for an SEO Audit

According to 45 percent of Search Engine Journal’s State of SEO respondents, personal or company websites are one of their top three sources driving the most business. It’s massively important that your customers can find you online, and to ensure they can, you need to perform regular SEO audits.

How often? It’s pretty much always a good time for an SEO audit. However, there are strong indicators that mean your site needs an SEO audit soon. These include:

your website’s organic traffic and conversions are falling
your site has a high bounce rate
your keyword rankings are falling and you don’t know why
customer satisfaction is declining. Research indicates SEO can increase ranking quality, thus boosting visitor satisfaction

You’ll also want to perform an SEO audit when you’ve built a new website or after a website migration. This will help you spot SEO challenges early so you can take the appropriate action.

However, rather than being a one-off event, it’s good practice to run an SEO audit at quarterly intervals to ensure your site is working at its best.

What to Do Before You Start Your SEO Audit

Regular SEO site audits were cited as the second most impactful tactic for increasing website traffic in a survey taken by professional SEOs.

The average SEO audit can take just a few hours—or up to six months. Getting prepared before you start the audit helps ensure you address the right issues, saves you time, reduces stress, and keeps you organized.

Before launching an SEO audit, make sure to:

Outline your goals: What do you want to achieve? Focus on any specific problems you might be having. For instance, perhaps your website isn’t showing for your chosen keywords, or your bounce rate is increasing. Just for clarity, a bounce rate between 26 and 40 percent is excellent, while the average is 45 percent.
Identify stakeholders and resources: Who is in charge of the project? What resources do they need? Will you have access to the people, tools, and data you need to perform the audit? Does anyone need to sign off?
Determine the metrics to measure
Decide on a date range: Do you want to look at your site’s performance for the last year, quarter, or month?
Choose your tools: There are plenty of multi-purpose tools, like Ubersuggest and Screaming Frog. For specific issues, there’s Copyscape for duplicate content, DeepCrawl for website crawling, Google Structured Data Tool, and Small SEO Tools’ keyword density checker.
Make a plan for your data: How will you analyze your data after your audit? Will you use a data visualization tool like Google Data Studio to report your findings? Get permissions and accounts created now so you can finish reports quickly while the data is still fresh in your mind.

The 15-Step SEO Audit Guide

Google has more than 200 different ranking factors—figuring out where you’re going wrong can be tough. However, a comprehensive SEO audit can uncover the cause and enable you to create an action plan to fix them.

This 15-step SEO checklist doesn’t cover the main issues that I see plaguing sites and reducing their ranking

1. Review (and Optimize) Meta Descriptions and Meta Titles

Here’s what you might not know: If your meta descriptions aren’t done well, Google will rewrite them. In fact, Google rewrites meta descriptions 62.78 percent of the time – which means you could be missing out on sharing your keyword or main selling point if you neglect your metas.

A meta description is a searcher’s invitation to your website. You’re looking to hook a reader in and get them to your website. A short, sweet, yet detailed meta description attracts more people to your site from search engine pages.

You can audit and optimize meta descriptions and page titles with Semrush in three simple steps:

Start a new project and run a site audit.
Complete a content audit to see a list of all pages, titles, and descriptions. Then, review the spreadsheet, remove unnecessary columns, and optimize your SEO.
Select the on-page SEO checker to gather ideas for optimizing your website’s pages.

2. Improve User Experience (UX)

Search engines are getting smarter and smarter, and whether you realize it or not, UX is a significant ranking factor—and 73 percent of customers say experience impacts purchasing decisions.

Therefore, if your UX is bad, your SEO and rankings are likely to suffer. The good news is there are countless ways to improve UX.

Many different factors affect how a user perceives your site, such as the design, usability, load time, and more, but there’s no need to overcomplicate things.

Look for the low-hanging fruit first. What are some obvious improvements that can make your site easier to navigate and view?

Concentrate on things like:

Your color scheme: Does it match your branding?
Headings: Ensure they stand out and make clickable links obvious.
Images and video: Images and video help to set a mood, present a product or service, or send visitors to certain areas of your pages. Make sure to add enough images and video where it’s necessary, but maintain a nice balance between text and photos.
Path to key pages: Can users easily find pages that matter most, like service pages, product pages, etc.?
Forms: Do forms work and are they easy to navigate?

Consider using a heatmap to evaluate UX and gain ideas for further UX optimization. Note that you may need to spend more time on this if you have significant UX issues.

3. Check for Keyword Cannibalization

Cannibalization happens when you have multiple pages on your site that are similar or with identical keywords. Essentially, they are competing with each other for the same search traffic.

When cannibalization occurs, it potentially damages your visibility by lowering rankings for the competing pages and causing visitor confusion. Fixing it can actually improve your traffic by three times.

To find keyword cannibalization, use a tool like Ahrefs to:

perform a site audit
view your historical rankings
complete a site search under your topic and look out for identical URLs

SEO Audit - keyword cannibalization chart Ahrefs

If you find pages are cannibalizing from other pages, consider redirecting weaker pages or combining the content into a single large page full of valuable information.

4. Fix Indexing Issues

Wondering why traffic to your website is flatlining? You might have common indexing errors like:

404 and server errors
missing pages
crawl issues and duplicate content

Other things, like too many permanent redirects, can cause indexing issues. It’s critical to know if you have too many re-directs since 74.9 percent of websites have them, according to a Semrush study.

There’s a variety of reasons Google might ignore your website, such as slow loading times, low-quality content, or lack of mobile-friendliness. However, you also need to remember that Google doesn’t index every page.

Beyond that, the potential answer to your indexing issues lies in Google’s Search Console.

You can use the tool to get valuable information about site-specific problems, such as security, duplicate content, and crawl issues.

To do this:

Click on the Start button, which takes you to the URL inspection tool.
Add your URL and wait for the results.
Learn how to analyze the results and troubleshoot errors.

Another option is to use a Google Index Checker that allows you to enter multiple URLs at a time.

If you’re still stuck, Google has a full list of indexing issues, along with their solutions. Alternatively, work with an SEO agency for further direction.

5. Optimize Content With Keywords

Did you know the top Google result gets ten times more click-throughs than the page in the number ten spot? How do you make sure your site is on top? It starts with keywords. Get these wrong, and you won’t see traffic or sales. With higher rankings come more conversions, leads, clicks, and backlinks.

Content optimization doesn’t have to be complicated. Just follow these simple steps:

Conduct competitor research using a tool like Ubersuggest.
Analyze keyword opportunities and look for gaps—these are topics your competitors are covering that you aren’t.
Create content targeting those keywords (or update older content to include the new keyword targets).
Enhance your content, including meta descriptions, with keywords.
Optimize your content for snippets and readability.
Implement a better internal linking strategy. Make sure to use optimized anchor text in your links.

There are plenty of tools available to partially automate the task, like Topic, which can make a significant difference to your website position.

6. Check for Duplicate Content

Duplicate content isn’t a negative ranking factor. And actually, an estimated 29 percent of websites have some duplicate content.

Even though duplicate content isn’t a negative ranking factor, it can impact SEO as it may stop Google from indexing and ranking web content and negatively impact link equity.

This problem can occur when you have multiple domains, or if you’re publishing content in different formats. You can check for duplicates by using a tool like Copyscape or the Duplicate Content Checker Chrome extension.

Should you find duplicates, Google has some easy fixes, such as:

using 301 redirects or top-level domains
watching how you syndicate content, as Google prioritizes the most appropriate page
limiting similar content, like identical copyright notices
not using placeholder pages
adding canonicalization to tell Google your preferred URL

7. Check Loading Times

The average site takes 1.286 seconds to load on desktop and 2.594 seconds on mobile. If your site takes longer, you could be falling behind.

Slow loading sites can lead to increased bounce rate, lower conversions, and reduced visibility.

Most crucially, for some time now, your site’s loading time is a Google ranking factor. If your site takes too long to load, chances are visitors are going to choose a competitor instead of waiting around.

How do you fix slow loading times?

Run a performance analysis with Google PageSpeed Insights to get your page speed score and to highlight any errors, along with suggestions for improvement.

If your loading times are lagging, you can also try:

optimizing images
using a Content Delivery Network
reducing the number of plugins and scripts
minifying CSS, JavaScript, and HTML
enabling GZIP compression on your server

If you still can’t figure out what’s causing your issues, feel free to reach out. My team is happy to help.

8. Analyze Organic Traffic

Organic traffic is the number of visitors that come to a website without you paying for search ads. You get organic traffic through links, mentions, and other types of online promotional efforts such as social media posts.

This kind of traffic is a valuable indicator of how popular your site is while helping measure the relevance and quality of your content and the effectiveness of your SEO strategy. It’s also valuable to your bottom line, with 94 percent of marketers saying organic traffic drives the highest ROI.

Now you understand its benefits, what’s the best way to boost organic traffic?

Begin by drawing up an SEO strategy. Use Ubersuggest for keyword and competitor research and add your chosen keywords throughout your pages, including in titles, URLs, and meta descriptions.

Next, conduct a technical SEO review of your site to ensure everything works as it should.

9. Analyze Mobile Friendliness

The more mobile-friendly your website is, the higher it shows in Google search results. Google introduced a mobile-first policy a while back, and with more than half of website traffic coming from mobile, it’s imperative you cater to these users.

You can assess mobile-friendliness by entering your URL into Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to get your score.

Use Google’s mobile usability report to assess the fixes you need to make. Depending on the score, consider performing a mobile makeover to improve UX or work with an agency on this.

10. Fix Broken Links

Broken links are one of the most common issues with websites—and most sites have at least a few. One study found the average site has 5.92 broken links per 100 pages. Broken links happen due to website updates, content changes, or deleted pages.

While it may not seem a major issue, most of us know how frustrating it is when links don’t work, and it negatively affects the overall customer experience.

In addition, broken links affect your rankings because Google relies on them for PageRank and anchor text. If these links are broken, Google can’t find them.

Fixing the problem is easy, though. Use a tool like Screaming Frog’s broken link checker to find any problems. You can then fix, delete, or redirect any links.

11. Improve Search Rankings With a Secure HTTPS URL

Google pushes for HTTPS for websites, and the search engine now labels sites without SSL as “unsafe” in its Chrome browser.

As well as being a measure of trustability, Google’s research shows there’s a significant move to SSL, with 98 percent of Chrome users loading pages using a secure URL.

However, as previous research indicates HTTPS has a moderate impact on ranking at best, it’s not a great idea to add SSL purely for SEO purposes.

If you do decide to make the move to HTTPS, Google has a list of best practices to guide you.

12. Complete a Content Audit

According to a study by Content Marketing Institute, 75 percent of successful content marketing teams plan to increase their content budget in 2022. Without a content audit, however, they might not know what efforts will drive ROI.

A content audit helps uncover what is working well and content that could be doing better.

Once you’ve finished the audit, you can optimize content and prioritize the most essential tasks.

Here are some of the key steps in a content audit:

Draw up a list of content assets. CoSchedule has a free template available. You can also download all your pages from Google Analytics.
Define your goals and create a list of any sticking points.
Select your tools, such as Ubersuggest, Google Analytics, or Blaze for creating inventory links, and a broken link checker like Screaming Frog.
Carry out research and analysis.
Identify recommendations.
Finally, create an action plan.

13. Complete a Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis helps you to understand your competition and spot opportunities that you can exploit to rank higher than them on Google.

It also enables you to see how your competitors are doing and what their strengths and weaknesses are while giving you an idea of how to better position your product or service to gain more traction.

Consider the following factors during competitive analysis:

keywords that your competitor ranks for
number of backlinks each website has
quality of backlinks
social media engagement (such as Facebook likes, Twitter followers, etc.)
website speed
mobile responsiveness

Plenty of tools can simplify this task, like Ubersuggest or SproutSocial for measuring social media campaigns.

With Ubersuggest, you just:

enter the competitor’s URL and select Search
choose the Keyword option from the left sidebar
analyze the keyword list
click Backlinks
select Top Pages from the left sidebar

14. Use a Website Crawl Tool

A website crawler, a.k.a. A web spider or web robot crawls the web “looking” at content. Google uses these bots to help rank content, but several SEO tools also use them to help identify SEO issues with your website.

A website crawler or internet bot finds problems such as:

crawlability and indexability issues
broken links
duplicate content

Semrush has an SEO audit tool that you can use to complete a website crawl in minutes:

Here’s how to use the crawling tool to find SEO issues:

launch a new project
configure the basic settings
determine crawling settings and the type of crawler you want to use
allow and disallow URLs based on what you want the bot to look at
analyze your data and view your site’s health score

Make sure to set a schedule so you can choose the frequency of website crawling

15. Identify Content Gaps

Content gap refers to topics users are looking for information about that your site doesn’t cover. Filling content gaps provides a better user experience and helps increase organic traffic.

You can discover content gaps by:

Looking at content rankings: Perhaps your keywords are ranking, but not as high as you’d like. Begin with the basics by checking that SEO fundamentals are in place and enhancing content where you can.
Using keyword research: Your first step is seeing what’s working, so check for high-performing keywords. Pay special attention to long-tail keywords as these often have lower competition, and look out for related keywords, too.
Competitive analysis: Which keywords are your competitors ranking for? Use these as inspiration for new topic ideas.

To speed things up, you can automate the process using a tool like Ahrefs.

Enter your URL, and the tool shows you which keywords your site isn’t ranking for. Ahrefs also lets you find subtopics.

SEO Audit Frequently Asked Questions

What is an SEO audit tool?

SEO audit tools help identify the SEO mistakes that can ruin your website’s rankings. SEMrush and Ahrefs are just two of the tools available. If you’re looking for free options, try our SEO Analyzer for a free report or SEOptimer for an analysis.

What are the best SEO audit tools?

It depends on what you’re looking for. Ahrefs’ site audit tool, SEMrush Site Audit, Ubersuggest, and Screaming Frog are excellent starting places for a comprehensive technical audit.

What should I do after an SEO audit?

Your SEO audit will tell you what’s wrong with your site. After it is complete, start prioritizing recommendations and implementing them. Start with the most manageable tasks first and then move on to more difficult ones. Finally, create a timeline and stick to it.

Why is an SEO audit important?

SEO audits are important because they uncover opportunities for improvement. Once you’ve fixed SEO issues, you’ll see more visibility, higher traffic, and more leads or sales. You can also connect with an SEO specialist to develop and execute a strategy.

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Conclusion: 15-Step SEO Audit Guide

It doesn’t matter how great your website looks—if it’s not working at its optimal level, it won’t attract the visitors, leads, and conversions rates you need to thrive.

A detailed SEO audit allows you to find and fix any potential issues, and it equips you with the information needed to boost performance, increase rankings, and enhance visibility.

Although SEO may seem complex, it has a powerful effect on your traffic. Many tools like Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog can help you get your website back on track.

Do you carry out regular SEO audits for your site? What are your favorite tools and strategies?

Is Getting “Google Guaranteed” Worth It?

Google has rolled out a new consumer protection feature called Google Guaranteed. Businesses advertising through Local Services Ads can apply for a Google Guaranteed qualification, offering extra reassurance to customers.

Google Guaranteed could be a powerful lead generation tool to help you stand out from your competitors.

The program helps showcase home service providers who have been pre-screened. With an easily visible green Google Guaranteed Badge showing a checkmark, these ads may draw customers’ notice more than others will. And it’s not just because of the eye-catching badge—it’s the knowledge they’re able to choose a business already certified by Google.

What should you know before applying? Let’s have a look at what Google Guaranteed is, who it benefits, and why you might want to consider it for your business.

What Is Google Guaranteed?

Google Guaranteed is a certification program created to increase customer confidence in local businesses. Customers who are vetting companies online can look for the Google Guaranteed Badge, which offers protection if something goes wrong.

Many businesses are already using Google’s Local Services Ads to generate leads for their companies through paid search efforts. The Google Guarantee offers help for businesses who want to draw more organic traffic instead.

Services booked through Local Services Ads are automatically insured up to a lifetime cap, which varies by location. Any customer booking this way has the comfort of knowing they can claim the amount of the invoice should they be dissatisfied with the service.

How to Tell If a Business Has Been Google Guaranteed

Google Guaranteed adds a green checkmark “badge” underneath the names of qualifying companies. If a customer uses an audio search on Google Assistant or Google Home instead of searching on a screen, there will be an audible confirmation of this guarantee.

Example of How Can Customers Tell If a Business Has Been Google Guaranteed

How Does Google Guaranteed Work?

If your business uses Local Services Ads, you can apply to the program by signing up for Local Services Ads and applying to be Google Guaranteed. If the service is available in your area and you receive certification, a badge or logo will be displayed next to your ad.

When you apply, Google will check your business license, insurance, and online reviews. They’ll also conduct background checks on employees—at no cost to you. Owners’ backgrounds are always checked, and other backgrounds are checked based on the nature of your business.

If your company passes this screening, you’ll receive a badge to show customers Google has prequalified you.

If a customer is unhappy with your service, they can submit a claim to Google to be reimbursed for the amount of their invoice. Google will then reach out to you to learn more and may request additional information from the customer. You’ll have the opportunity to resolve things with your customer. If that doesn’t work, Google will decide on a fair resolution based on its discretion and findings.

What Does the Google Guaranteed Program Cover?

Google Guaranteed will cover customers the amount of the invoice in question up to $2000 in the US and Canada, with varying limits in other countries as the program expands.

Lifetime limits in different regions are as follows:

United States: $2,000 USD
Canada: CAD $2,000
United Kingdom: £1,500
Germany: €1,500
France: €1,500
Ireland: €1,500
Italy: €1,500
Spain: €1,500
Belgium: €1,500
Netherlands: €1,500
Austria: €1,500
Switzerland: ₣2,000

What Isn’t Covered by Google Guaranteed?

There are limitations to the coverage that should be noted by both companies and customers. For instance, customers must have booked the work through Local Services Ads itself and claim reimbursement within 30 days of service completion.

The claim must be for the amount on the invoice for the original service performed, up to a lifetime maximum. It cannot include any additions, future projects, damages, or cancellations, and a customer’s dissatisfaction with the price is not considered a valid reason for a refund.

Is My Business Eligible for the Google Guaranteed Program?

If you’re eager to enroll, you may be in luck! Google Guaranteed has rolled out in many areas over the last couple of years, focusing on home services. The eligible industries for Google Guaranteed vary from region to region and may continue to change as the program expands. One of the first steps is to check eligibility to see if the program is available to you.

What Industries Are Eligible in the US?

In the USA, the following industries are eligible for Google Guaranteed: Appliance repair, auto glass, auto repair, carpet and upholstery cleaning, electrical, event planning, financial planning, garage door installation, home cleaning, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), junk removal, lawn care, locksmith services, pest control, pet grooming, photography, plumbing, roofing, tree services, water damage restoration, window cleaning, and window repair.

What Industries Are Eligible in Canada?

In Canada, Google Guaranteed covers HVAC companies, locksmith services, and plumbing businesses.

Does Google Guaranteed Cover All Professional Services?

The Google Guaranteed Program only covers home services for now. However, Google has a program called Google Screened, which covers professional services like financial planning, law, and real estate.

How Are Local Service Ads Related to Google Guaranteed?

The Local Services Ads program already offers you the ability to advertise to potential customers in your area through paid search.

Google Guaranteed is a feature of Local Service Ads intended to instill confidence in local businesses. It offers companies a way to potentially attract more organic traffic without investing the time and money needed for paid search engine marketing.

As a business owner, you may appreciate that it’s simpler to use, targets organic traffic, and costs you an easy-to-understand flat rate.

Is Google Guaranteed Worth It?

It depends on your business needs. You’ll need to decide if Google Guaranteed is worth the cost for your business, weighing the program’s cost and the time it will take to get and maintain the certification against the potential rewards.

You should also consider how much competition you typically have for your services. If you usually have to compete with a large number of other businesses, you’ll probably benefit more from having your ads highlighted.

How Does Google Guaranteed Benefit Businesses?

The Google Guaranteed Ads program offers a distinct way for businesses to rise to the top of search results, as they are displayed above the normal pay-per-click (PPC) Google Ads. Just keep in mind the ad format only allows you to show your company name, city, phone number, hours of operation, and customer rating.

What Does Google Guaranteed Offer Customers?

Google Guaranteed works to cut down on the confusion some experience when comparing local competitors by building customers’ trust in certified companies. The program acts as a consumer protection service, opening up a valuable avenue for customers to spend money with confidence. Vetting potential providers may become quicker and easier as customers know they have Google backing the quality.

Are There Any Drawbacks to the Google Guaranteed Program?

Applying to Google Guaranteed doesn’t result in an overnight acceptance, and you need to maintain your standing with the program. There are also costs associated with using the program, so any business should expect a bit of a learning curve to figure out how to measure results.

There is an in-depth certification process that includes background checks of some or all employees. Depending on the company’s size, this can take significant time to complete, so interested businesses should apply early and be patient while Google reviews their application.

It’s also worth noting this is a revenue source for Google, and they’re likely to expand it. While it may offer valuable benefits now, it will be interesting to see what happens in the future as more businesses sign up.

How will you stand out from the competition if they all get certified?

Is the Google Guaranteed Program Right for Your Business?

For many small businesses struggling to navigate the complicated world of pay-per-click search marketing, the Google Guaranteed Program could make a significant impact. It may allow you to spend less time worrying about keyword research and bidding strategies, so you could devote more of your time running your business.

While paid search can be a powerful tool, many businesses haven’t been able to devote the time or budget necessary to see a return on investment. While there is always expert digital marketing consulting available, those just getting started may want to try it out first.

How Much Does Getting Google Guaranteed Cost?

The program costs a base fee of $50 per month, for an annual cost of $600. However, there are also costs for every lead.

Google Guaranteed differs from pay-per-click. You’ll only pay when a customer calls or connects to engage your services, rather than paying each time a potential customer clicks on an ad.

Costs vary depending on your market and industry, but the average cost per Google Guaranteed lead seems to be about $25. Businesses are able to dispute leads that aren’t legitimate— for instance, if the customer is outside of the local area in your ad or if incomplete customer contact information is provided, preventing you from following up.

Similar programs have rolled out by other companies, such as Yelp’s Verified License, which you might compare with Google Guaranteed. Google’s new certification may resemble Yelp’s on the surface, but the Google Guaranteed program offers a powerful quality guarantee that Yelp doesn’t.

How to Set up Google Guaranteed for Your Business

To set up Google Guaranteed for your business, you’ll send in your application for consideration with Google.

You’ll indicate what country you’re in, what industry your business is in, and your zip code or postal code. This step will confirm if Google Guaranteed is available in your area, as mentioned above. Once that’s been confirmed, you can finish your application.

How to Get Ready for Google Business

If Google Guaranteed is not available in your area yet, there are still steps you can take to get ready for when it is. Ensure your business license and insurance are up to date. You should also check your Google reviews, encouraging your satisfied customers to review your business online, and address any negative reviews.

Maintain Your Google Guaranteed Standing

If you’ve been accepted into the Google Guaranteed Program, congratulations! However, your effort shouldn’t stop there. You’ll need to maintain the standards you established in order to receive the certification in the first place. These standards mean keeping your business license and insurance up to date. Monitor your Google reviews to address any issues, and continue to encourage your customers to provide reviews to begin with.

Conclusion

Google Guaranteed could be a powerful source of lead generation for businesses looking to grow. It may help small and medium-sized companies pull more organic traffic and compete without wading into paid search platforms.

Will you be signing your business up for Google Guaranteed?

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The Only Guaranteed Way To Build Wealth Is To Buy Yourself

The Only Guaranteed Way To Build Wealth Is To Invest In Yourself Do not Turn to the Financial Media for Advice Occasionally, I’ll check economic information on Reuters, Bloomberg, MSNBC and also so on, not for details to make financial investment choices, however simply for suggestions to compose one more blog site entrance. By many …

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