A Step-By-Step SEO Analysis Guide for Client SERP Success

What’s an SEO campaign without post-analysis? A missed opportunity to conquer SERPs, outperform competitors, and reach SEO goals. 

Picture this: you've poured a ton of creative energy into crafting the most captivating collateral for your client. From eye-catching graphics to meticulously written blogs, their content is top-notch. 

There’s just one problem–your client’s website is nowhere to be found on search engine results. In fact, organic traffic volume is next to nothing, which draws some serious concerns and even doubts about your agency’s services. 

In this case, a thorough SEO analysis empowers your agency to devise more effective SEO strategies, replicate top-performing campaigns, and make data-driven SEO improvements. 

Aside from being an integral part of your client’s marketing strategy, it’s a sure way to prove your SEO expertise. 

What Is SEO Analysis?

SEO analysis is the systematic evaluation of your client’s search engine optimization efforts, which ensures its effectiveness and identifies areas of improvement. 

It involves the assessment of:

• On-page SEO elements. These are internal website factors that can be directly optimized to improve your client’s SERP performance. This includes meta information, page and link structure, and website content

• Off-page SEO elements. This refers to SEO-related activities outside your client’s website that influence search rankings. Examples include backlink acquisition and guest blogging

• Technical SEO elements. Evaluates a website's backend, code, and structure for performance improvements in search engine rankings.

Perfecting the nuances of SEO analysis is key to climbing the search rankings, significantly boosting traffic by snagging those top spots, which have significantly higher SERP clickthrough rates.

Understanding the Importance of SEO Analysis

To provide a more detailed explanation, SEO analysis:

• Monitors website performance (e.g., perceived page load times), which influences user perception and behavior

• Measures content traction and provides insight into what resonates with target audiences most

• Evaluates your client’s backlink profile, which gives a better understanding of website authority and overall reach

• Identifies technical SEO issues that affect search rankings, such as missing metadata and 404-page errors. This is especially important since top-ranking websites often achieve higher clickthrough rates 

How To Perform an SEO Analysis

Remember that SEO is all about the end result–customers finding your client’s brand and completing a conversion activity. If your client’s website isn’t in the top SEO rankings, it defeats the entire purpose of your efforts.

To get started, here are the steps to execute a comprehensive SEO analysis. 

1. Check Current Visibility on Google

First things first–see where your client ranks on Google search results. This gives you a better idea of current SEO performance and whether improvements are needed. No need to head to Google’s search bar each time. Use the Google Search Console integration on AgencyAnalytics to: 

• View your client’s current SERP position and the number of impressions across different web pages

• Uncover search performance by geographic region. This confirms whether your client’s demographic targeting is effective and may also reveal new target markets

• Identify sitemap errors, which affect Google’s ability to crawl your client’s website and display it on search results

Read more on how to do a Google SERP analysis

Easily stream your client’s SEO metrics into real-time visual dashboards. Monitor top-performing pages, engagement by geographic region, and more—try AgencyAnalytics today; it’s free for 14 days.

2. Monitor Keyword Performance

Here’s a vital part of the search visibility mix–consistent keyword monitoring. 

The strategic use of SEO-relevant keywords increases the chances of showing up on SERPs and reaching the right users. And since no two days in SEO are the same, keyword relevance  changes quickly, especially with the emergence of competitor content or evolving search intent. That’s why post-publication keyword monitoring is also critical.

Tracking target keywords manually is time-consuming. In fact, it’s nearly impossible when you’re managing multiple Google search campaigns with unique keywords and phrases. Luckily, the Google Search Console integration also helps here. Use it to:

• Monitor clicks, impressions, and clickthrough rates for selected keywords. Use this to evaluate the effectiveness and ROI of your client’s keyword strategy

• Uncover long-tail keyword variations that are boosting your client’s SERP position. This gives more insight into search intent and helps to develop content for each stage of the customer journey

3. Analyze Metadata for Any Errors or Omissions

Think of metadata as a digital introduction to your client’s content. Meta titles are the headlines that are prominently on SERPs–they summarize the content of a particular web page and often entice clicks (if it piques user interest enough).

A meta description complements a meta title, providing a short but more detailed overview of the web page’s content. If this metadata is incomplete, unoptimized, or omitted, it’s a missed opportunity to rank higher and capture user attention. 

To avoid this from happening, use an SEO Audit Tool to detect:

• Missing or irrelevant metadata, which results in compromised content visibility or not reaching intended audiences

• Duplicate metadata. This makes it challenging for search engines to differentiate between different pieces of content. As a result, your client may end up with reduced search visibility or ranking for a lower-priority web page

• Metadata that isn’t well optimized for search engines (e.g., exceeding character limits, inaccurate or missing title tags)

A well-written meta title and meta description can lead someone from simply seeing the page or blog in their search results to actually clicking on it and engaging with the content. Those two elements should always describe the content accurately and pique interest.

Ruben Roel, President and Founder of Investigator Marketing 

4. Review Internal Links

Internal links are an opportunity to incorporate relevant anchor text, which promotes deeper website exploration and reinforces your client's authority. In turn, they significantly boost your client’s search ranking and enhance internal link structure.

Here’s another situation where an SEO Audit tool or internal linking tool truly shines. With the click of a button: 

• Identify internal link issues (e.g., 400 and 500-page errors) that affect user access to information on your client’s website

• Uncover a missing HTTPS redirect. This is especially important since it provides a secure browsing experience and ensures data privacy

• Pinpoint internal linking opportunities, which improves traction to other web pages and overall link structure

5. Look At Content Performance Metrics

Beyond keyword monitoring and search visibility, it’s important to understand how content is received on a user-centric level. 

Monitoring content marketing metrics identifies what resonates most and how users interact with your client’s website. For example, is there significantly more website traffic and higher clickthrough rates for a particular content topic? 

If so, it’s an opportunity to create impactful strategies and replicate content ideas for greater impact. 

To get started, track key SEO metrics such as: 

• Organic Search Traffic: The number of website visitors acquired through unpaid search engine results. Generating consistent SEO traffic is cost-effective and builds your client’s brand authority over time

• Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave your client’s website after viewing only one page. A low bounce rate signifies that users are engaged with your client’s content, potentially leading to improved search rankings

• Clickthrough Rate: The ratio of website link clicks to the number of times it was displayed in search results. Use this to evaluate the appeal of titles and meta descriptions

• Pages Per Session: The average number of pages a visitor views during a single session on your client’s website. If this metric is high, it indicates more website exploration, which positively impacts SEO rankings

• Average Time On Page: The average duration visitors spend on a specific page. This also gives more insight into top-performing pages, which is an opportunity to encourage conversion-oriented behavior (e.g., using more CTAs)

• Conversion Rate: The percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action (e.g., making a purchase or filling out a contact form). A high conversion rate demonstrates the effectiveness of SEO efforts in driving valuable user interactions 

6. Perform a Backlink Assessment

Think of backlinks as external endorsements of your client’s website. High-quality backlinks have the potential to increase relevant search traffic, elevate search rankings, and open doors to collaborative opportunities. However, not all backlinks are created equally.

For example, a spammy backlink may lead to irrelevant traffic and even penalties from search engines. This may result in lower search rankings and a significant dent in your client’s online reputation.

While this sounds like an agency’s nightmare, there’s a solution–conducting regular backlink assessments. This helps to:

• Track changes to backlink volume, including referring domains and the number of new backlinks

• Produce an overall backlink quality score (i.e., a Trust Flow score)

• Understand the perceived authority of your client’s website (as indicated by the Citation Flow score)

• Identify broken or lost backlinks. This ensures that there are no gaps in your client’s link-building strategy or lost opportunities for more content reach

Gain a comprehensive view of your client’s backlink profile, view actionable insights, and identify steps to strengthen their online presence–it’s free for 14 days on AgencyAnalytics. 

7.  Assess the User Experience (UX)

It's widely known that search engines prioritize websites that provide a smooth, user-friendly experience. A positive user experience reduces bounce rates, enhances engagement, and attracts more organic visitors.

Keeping an eye on website performance metrics is easier than you think. Simply use a platform like Google Lighthouse to monitor: 

• Page load time, which often determines whether a user exits a website

• The parts of your client’s website that load first. For example, prioritize loading meaningful content first (like a CTA or product image) since this is more impactful than non-responsive or secondary elements

• Accessibility Score, which gauges whether your client’s website can be accessed by differently-abled users

• Best Practices Score, a metric that measures the overall user-friendliness of your client’s website

Are website optimization issues affecting your client’s SEO performance? Keep an eye on actionable data like page load times and more–try this exact dashboard on AgencyAnalytics, free for 14 days. 

Interpreting SEO Analysis and Fixing Common Issues

After you’ve completed a thorough analysis of your client’s SEO efforts, it’s time to act on those findings. 

Based on the SEO-related issues we’ve identified, here’s a quick summary of how to resolve them.

Choosing the Right SEO Tool for Your Agency

SEO tools automate various aspects of the SEO analysis process, such as mass crawling websites for technical SEO errors or quickly doing a backlink analysis. 

If your team is ready to start working with an SEO tool, consider the following questions: 

• What SEO features are most important to your agency? (e.g., keyword research, backlink analysis)

• Is it possible to diagnose technical SEO issues with this tool?

• Are there competitor SEO insights available?

• Does this SEO tool offer adequate customer support?

• Are multiple integrations supported (e.g., with CRM systems and other marketing platforms)?

• Does this tool provide reporting and analytics?

By considering your agency’s unique SEO needs beforehand, it becomes much easier to decide on a tool that gets the job done. 

Invest in an all-in-one SEO reporting tool with over 80 integrations and 24/5 live customer support–try AgencyAnalytics today, free for 14 days.

9 Best SEO Analysis Tools for Agencies

Now that you’ve narrowed down what to look for in an SEO tool, it’s time to explore what’s on the market. Here’s a top ten list of SEO agency software, including each tool’s use cases. While this list includes free SEO tools, some platforms require a subscription, which we'll also include below.

1. Ahrefs

Ahrefs excels in SEO analysis thanks to its vast backlink database and robust competitor analysis. This makes it a versatile tool for enhancing website visibility and understanding the wider landscape. 

Their free SEO features include a Keyword Generator and Webmaster Tools ( including SERP snapshots and SEO metrics). Ahrefs’ Lite package starts from $99/month and goes up to $999/month for an Enterprise plan. 

Plus, Ahrefs integrates seamlessly with AgencyAnalytics for an enhanced reporting experience. 

2. Majestic

Similarly, Majestic offers comprehensive backlink analysis and competitive intelligence. Its standout features include Trust Flow and Citation Flow scores, which give insight into the quality and quantity of backlinks. 

Majestic’s Lite plan starts from $49.99/month, going up to a Full API package from $399.99/month.  If you’re an AgencyAnalytics user, easily populate those data-rich SEO insights into a Majestic dashboard to share directly with your clients. 

3. Moz

Moz provides a variety of SEO features, including backlink analysis, keyword research capabilities, and a score for overall Domain Authority (DA). This platform also has an active user community, which helps to address any platform or SEO-related issues. 

Their Pro package starts from $179/month and also offers a free 30-day trial. Larger agencies may benefit from the Premium package, which is priced at $599/month.

For a more integrated approach, filter Moz metrics into a visual dashboard on AgencyAnalytics. 

4. Semrush

Another powerhouse SEO tool is Semrush. It’s commonly used to conduct competitive keyword research, find link-building opportunities, and track keywords. There’s also a built-in social media management tool, which is handy for running multiple client campaigns.

Semrush offers a free 7-day trial, and their Pro package begins at $129.95/month. Enterprise-level agencies should explore the Business plan, starting from $499.95/month. To access quick and intuitive analytics, use the Semrush integration on AgencyAnalytics. 

5. Google Search Console

As we’ve previously covered, Google Search Console is a free service that evaluates a client’s website search visibility. This tool reports on clicks, impressions, top-performing search terms, and any site indexing issues. That means it becomes much easier to analyze a website’s user-friendliness and take actionable steps to improve it. 

This platform also integrates seamlessly with AgencyAnalytics, which means it’s easy to view GSC metrics and insights alongside related SEO insights (like organic traffic).  

6. Google Lighthouse

A quick reminder to add Google Lighthouse to your suite of SEO tools (if you haven’t already). Use this free tool to identify technical issues that affect SEO performance, gauge website speed, and measure adherence to website best practices. 

As we mentioned earlier, AgencyAnalytics users have access to a Google Lighthouse integration that showcases website performance metrics. Use this feature to add greater context to the UX improvement strategies you present to clients.

7. Google Analytics

No list of SEO tools is complete without a mention of a Google Analytics account. This platform provides actionable insights, such as organic traffic numbers, keyword insights, conversion tracking, and audience breakdowns, offering a more granular understanding of user behavior and content performance assessment. 

Don’t get lost in complex GA data, though. Sign up for a free 14-day trial of AgencyAnalytics and try the Google Analytics integration instead.

8. Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Need an SEO tool that can mass crawl multiple URLs and identify backlink issues? Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a great option. This advanced SEO tool automates the detection of broken links, which saves billable time and reduces manual work. This tool is especially beneficial for replacing broken links with valuable client content.

Their free version comes with a website crawl limit of 500 URLs. If your agency needs unlimited website crawls and additional features, their paid license costs $259/year. 

9. Google Keyword Planner

Rounding off this list is Google Keyword Planner. While this free tool is used to find PPC keywords for Google Ads, it’s still helpful to implement effective SEO strategies. 

For example, start by identifying top converting keywords for a client’s business. Then, create organic content that provides supplementary information about related topics and answers any possible user queries. 

It’s an often overlooked way to extract SEO gold from PPC keywords and position your client as an authority in their industry. 

Weave SEO Insights Into a Central and Visual Interface

Whether you’re exploring an SEO tool or two, one thing is certain–you’ll need a systematic approach to track progress.

Moving up the SERPs requires strategy, and there are multiple contributing factors. It’s impossible to see the full picture without a central hub to display all your client’s SEO metrics. Otherwise, you’ll spend that precious billable time toggling between multiple SEO platforms and losing sight of important data points. 

Here’s the missing puzzle piece–a client reporting tool like AgencyAnalytics. Not only does this platform automatically retrieve metrics, but it also comes with a suite of SEO tools that make your job easier.

From a comprehensive backlink checker to SEO audits, use AgencyAnalytics to monitor SEO KPIs and produce better results for clients. Check our SEO report template and link building report template for examples.

We’ve been using AgencyAnalytics for many years now, and it’s proven to be a dramatic time-saver and cost-saver for us. With the real-time interface, white label dashboards, and accurate rankings, we have all the tools we need to set us and our clients up for success.

Sander Schilder

Invest in a client reporting tool that gives a thorough SEO analysis and offers a range of agency-centric features. Create an SEO report or custom dashboard in just a few clicks–it’s free for 14 days on AgencyAnalytics.