When starting an SEO project, many people like to jump straight in and begin optimising their website immediately in order to see results as quickly as possible. After all, search engine optimisation is all about results. However, how can you expect to see results when you have no benchmark or plan for moving forward with your optimisation? This is where an SEO analysis can come in very handy indeed.

An SEO analysis (sometimes called an SEO report) will, as the name suggests, provide an analysis of the current status of your website in terms of search engine optimisation. The process involves looking in detail at many different aspects of your website, including title tags, keyword density, on-page linking, site-map usage and off-page aspects such as inbound links and your website’s social media profile. Only once this data has been gathered and analysed can you start to move forward with your SEO campaign.

A good SEO analysis will also contain details on your main competitors in the search results pages. By comparing your current SEO standing to that of your competitors, you will be able to see with ease what needs to be done to break into the top ten positions for your particular set of keywords. Knowing your market and knowing your targets are absolutely essential for ongoing search engine optimisation success and will form the bedrock of your SEO campaign going forward.

Google ranks websites differently depending on the industry and keywords you are looking to target. Only by having an SEO analysis carried out can you see what factors need to be addressed in order to rank your website for your chosen keywords in your industry. The information contained within the SEO analysis report is the vital foundation stone in your SEO success. With a professional SEO analysis as the starting point for your search engine optimisation campaign, your chances of success are greatly increased. Good luck!