10 Questions to Ask During SEO Due Diligence

Let’s talk SEO due diligence something that’s often overlooked when buying an online business.

Think of it as the health check for a website’s organic traffic and trust me it’s a crucial part of the process.

It’s like getting a pre-purchase inspection on a car you wouldn’t buy a clunker without knowing if it’s got some serious issues under the hood right?

Don’t be a dummy and skip SEO due diligence! 🤯 You wouldn’t buy a car without a mechanic’s inspection, right? 🚗 Learn how to avoid those nasty SEO surprises before you buy! 🔐

The Importance of SEO Due Diligence

Don’t be a dummy and skip SEO due diligence! 🤯 You wouldn’t buy a car without a mechanic’s inspection, right? 🚗 Learn how to avoid those nasty SEO surprises before you buy! 🔐

Why is SEO due diligence so vital? It’s all about understanding the true value of the website you’re considering buying.

It’s like looking at a fancy restaurant with a buzzing atmosphere but then finding out the kitchen’s a mess and the ingredients are subpar.

Sure the restaurant looks good now but can it maintain that buzz over the long haul? SEO due diligence digs into those underlying factors that could affect the website’s performance and its ability to sustain its revenue.

So think of SEO due diligence as a way to avoid those nasty surprises down the line.

It’s not about just looking at surface level stats like traffic numbers but about understanding the “why” behind those numbers.

Why is traffic going up or down? What’s the quality of the website’s content and backlinks? Are there technical issues that could hurt performance? It’s about getting a clear picture of the website’s organic health and whether it has the potential to grow and thrive.

10 Questions to Ask During SEO Due Diligence

Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty.

Here’s a 10-question checklist to help you evaluate the SEO health of a website you’re considering buying:

1. What’s the Website’s Traffic History?

It’s not just about traffic numbers it’s about the trend. Are we talking about steady growth a gradual decline or wild fluctuations? Are there dips that need explaining? Maybe a Google update caused a slump or there was a manual penalty. Understanding the why behind the traffic fluctuations is crucial. It’s like seeing the stock market go up and down but understanding the news events or economic factors driving those changes.

Tools to Use: Google Search Console is the gold standard for accurate data on clicks impressions and positioning. While third-party tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can provide insights they’re not always perfectly accurate.

2. What Keywords is the Website Ranking For?

This is where you get into the heart of the website’s search engine visibility.

Are they ranking for relevant keywords that drive traffic and more importantly revenue?

Consider These Factors:

• Relevance: Are the keywords related to the website’s niche and content focus?
• Value: Do these keywords have good search volume and potential to attract paying customers?
• Stability: How long has the website held its position for those keywords? Search engine rankings are dynamic so don’t rely solely on screenshots. Dive into Google Search Console and see how the keyword’s position has been trending over time.

3. How Fast Does the Website Load?

We live in a world of instant gratification so slow-loading websites are a big turn-off.

Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test page load speed and compare mobile versus desktop performance.

• Target: Aim for a site that loads under three seconds and keep in mind that mobile performance matters even more.
• Impact: Even if a website ranks well a slow load time can significantly impact user experience and lead to higher bounce rates (users leaving quickly).

4. Is the Website Mobile Friendly?

More and more people are browsing the web on their phones so a mobile-friendly site is a must.

Here’s what to check:

• HTTPS: Is the website secure with HTTPS? Google gives preference to secure websites.
• Basic Setup: Are there any obvious technical issues that could hinder mobile performance? This is your initial check but it’s worth deeper with a technical SEO audit to ensure everything is set up correctly.

5. What is the Website’s Backlink Profile Like?

Backlinks are like recommendations from other websites and they play a significant role in SEO.

Use Ahrefs Site Explorer to analyze backlinks and their quality.

• Relevance: Are the backlinks coming from websites relevant to the target website’s niche?
• Authority: Do those backlinks come from authoritative websites with a lot of traffic and trust?
• Dofollow/Nofollow: Is there a good balance of dofollow (links that pass ranking power) and nofollow (links that don’t pass ranking power) links?
• Red Flags: Watch out for unnatural link building practices that could put the website at risk of a manual penalty. This includes things like bought links links from low-quality websites or links with over-optimized anchor text.

6. Is the Website Crawlable and Indexable?

Search engines like Google use bots to crawl and index websites making them discoverable in search results.

Here’s what to look for:

• Crawl Errors: Use Screaming Frog to scan the website for crawl errors like 404s (not found) or blocked resources that could prevent bots from accessing important content.
• Indexing Barriers: Check for noindex tags password protection broken links or other barriers that might prevent indexing high-value pages like product or service pages.
• Internal Link Structure: A well-organized internal link structure guides bots to the most important content and makes it easier for users to navigate the site. Analyze the internal links and make sure there’s a logical user flow.

7. Are There Any Potential Link Building Risks?

A website with a history of aggressive link building tactics that violate Google’s guidelines could face a manual penalty which can be detrimental to its organic traffic and revenue.

Look for:

• Web 2.0 Over-Reliance: Does the website heavily rely on backlinks from low-quality web 2.0 platforms (like forums or blog comments)?
• Paid Links: Has the website used paid links or other forms of link manipulation?
• Foreign Domain Links: Does the website have an excessive number of backlinks from foreign websites that might not be relevant to its audience?

8. Is the Website’s Content High-Quality?

Content is king.

Here’s what to consider:

• Relevance: Is the content relevant to the website’s niche and audience?
• Authority: Is the content accurate well-researched and written by experts in the field?
• Uniqueness: Is the content original and not plagiarized? Use tools like Grammarly Premium or Copyscape to scan for plagiarism.
• Thin Content: Does the website have a lot of thin content with little value?
• Keyword Cannibalization: Does the website have multiple pieces of content competing for similar keywords? This can actually be a good opportunity to consolidate content and create more comprehensive pieces that perform better.

9. What is the Website’s Internal Link Structure Like?

A strong internal link structure is crucial for SEO.

It helps search engines crawl and index the website pass authority between pages and improve user experience.

Look for:

• Logical User Flow: Does the website have internal links that guide users to the most valuable pages?
• Descriptive Anchor Text: Does the anchor text (the words used for the link) provide context about the linked page and avoid keyword stuffing?

10. Are There Any Google Penalties?

Google manual actions are penalties applied to websites that violate Google Search Essentials.

Check Google Search Console for any messages about manual actions or penalties.

If you find penalties:

• Don’t Ignore Them: It’s important to address the issues that led to the penalty and work to get it removed.

SEO Strategy and Resources

Digging a little deeper into the website’s existing SEO strategy and resource allocation can provide valuable insights.

Ask about:

• Budget: What’s the website’s SEO budget? This can give you an idea of the commitment to organic growth.
• Dedicated Staff: Does the website have dedicated SEO staff like content managers or technical SEO specialists?
• SEO Focus: What are the main focuses of their SEO strategy? Content creation link building technical optimization?
• SEO Tools and Services: Are they using specific content writing services or hiring freelance writers? Understanding their tools and resources can help you estimate your post-acquisition costs.

SEO Due Diligence: The Bottom Line

SEO due diligence is a crucial step in buying an online business.

It helps you understand the website’s true value identify potential risks and make informed decisions.

Remember:

• Traffic is important but the quality of that traffic is crucial. Look for relevant traffic that drives revenue.
• If you’re not an SEO expert consider getting a professional SEO audit.
• Don’t rush the due diligence process. Take your time and ask the right questions.

Buying an online business is a big investment.

Don’t let SEO be an afterthought.

Do your due diligence and ensure you’re acquiring a website that’s built for sustainable growth and success!

Don’t be a dummy and skip SEO due diligence! 🤯 You wouldn’t buy a car without a mechanic’s inspection, right? 🚗 Learn how to avoid those nasty SEO surprises before you buy! 🔐