This document provides recommendations for improving implementation of SEO audits based on the author's experience. It notes that audits are often not fully implemented, missing opportunities for performance gains. The author then presents "The Rulebook" - six rules to follow when implementing audits: 1) Define the why, 2) Quantify everything, 3) Prioritize tasks, 4) Show relationships between tasks, 5) Understand stakeholders, and 6) Just do it (JFDI). Examples are given for each rule to illustrate how to apply it. The overall message is that full implementation is needed to realize the full benefits of an audit.

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3. @hannahjthorpe
FROM
RECOMMENDATION
TO
IMPLEMENTATION

4. @hannahjthorpe
Hannah
Thorpe
Head
of
SEO
@hannahjthorpe
hthorpe@white.net
Technical
SEO
Content
Marketing
Social
Strategy
I
improve
websites
for
customers,
which
helps
brands
sell
more

5. @hannahjthorpe
Why
do
we
produce
audits?
-­‐ To
improve
performance
of
a
website

6. @hannahjthorpe
Don’t
let
your
audits
end
up
in
the
‘technical
audit
graveyard’

7. @hannahjthorpe
Sometimes
blue
sky
thinking
just
isn’t
enough.
Let’s
get
practical.

8. @hannahjthorpe
There
is
no
such
thing
as
ROI
if
you
are
not
implementing

9. @hannahjthorpe
Who
actually wants
to
read
an
audit?

10. @hannahjthorpe
One
technical
audit,
fully
implemented
=
105.2% increase
in
number
of
organic
sessions
the
following
month

11. @hannahjthorpe
WHY
AREN’T
WE
IMPLEMENTING?

12. @hannahjthorpe
NO
TIME
LACK
OF
UNDERSTANDING
UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES
UNEXPECTED
VOLUME
OF
WORK
LIMITED
RESOURCE
NO
MOTIVATION
CONFLICTING
VIEWS

13. @hannahjthorpe
RUBBISH
EXCUSES

14. @hannahjthorpe
THE RULEBOOK

15. @hannahjthorpe
Define
the
why1
Quantify
everything2
Prioritise your
tasks3
Show
relationships4
Understand
your
stakeholders5
JFDI6

16. @hannahjthorpe
Define
the
why
1RULE

17. @hannahjthorpe
Amend
all
broken
links
either
by
removing
the
link
or
replacing
with
a
link
to
the
relevant
page…
…this
will
improve
the
UX
on
site,
and
the
way
authority
flows
around
the
entire
site…
…which
means
better
ranking
ability
to
generate
organic
traffic
and
more
likelihood
to
convert
users
who
have
a
good
experience
on
site.

18. @hannahjthorpe
Quantify
everything
2RULE

19. @hannahjthorpe
Long
lists
of
tasks
will
seem
intimidating
&
difficult
to
relate
to
day-­‐to-­‐day
Task Time Complexity

20. @hannahjthorpe
Prioritise your
tasks
3RULE

21. @hannahjthorpe
Task Time Complexity Priority
Score
1
-­‐ 3
Based
on
impact,
not
ease
of
implementation
-­‐ ‘quick
wins’

22. @hannahjthorpe
Show
relationships
4RULE

23. @hannahjthorpe
Milestone
Tasks
Individual
Tasks
vs.

24. @hannahjthorpe
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN
TASK
A
TASK
B
TASK
C
TASK
D
TASK
E
TASK
F

25. @hannahjthorpe
Understand
your
stakeholders
5RULE

26. @hannahjthorpe
Practice
what
you
preach
&
use
PERSONAS

27. @hannahjthorpe

28. @hannahjthorpe
JOB
TITLES
PERSONALITIES
vs.

29. @hannahjthorpe
“You
look
like
you
work
in
marketing”

30. @hannahjthorpe
THE
PLAYFULS
THE
POWERFULS
THE
PEACEFULS
THE
PRECISES
http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannylerner/2013/03/05/understand-­‐peoples-­‐personalities-­‐and-­‐become-­‐successful/#3da96fdf6a8bw

31. @hannahjthorpe
JFDI
6RULE

32. @hannahjthorpe
Ask
for
FORGIVENESSNot
PERMISSION

33. @hannahjthorpe
In
Real
Life

34. @hannahjthorpe
What
happens
when...
“I implemented
and it all went
wrong”

35. @hannahjthorpe
Why
did
you
do
it?
Alternative
option?
How
are
you
fixing
it?

36. @hannahjthorpe
THE
PLAYFULS
THE
POWERFULS
THE
PEACEFULS
THE
PRECISES

37. @hannahjthorpe
Make
good
choices.