How a self-audit SEM checklist can protect your work from external audits - Search Engine Land

Search audits have the power to either help or ruin people’s work (and sometimes their career) at the same time.

And honestly? That’s a good thing.

SEM audits are powerful. External and internal audits are needed for the direct and indirect value they bring to your operation.

Audit types

First, let’s talk, non-extensively, about the most common types of audits:

• New biz pitch audit: These are straightforward – the goal is to find (usually surface-level) holes in the current efforts. Expect to do a lot of remote searches and ghosting your IP. You’ll likely use third-party tools like SimilarWeb, Semrush, Adthena and SpyFu to estimate competitor spending and determine their approach. No doubt about it, these aren’t fun. But the payoff could be literal dollars of new business.
• The “under the hood” audit: This is done when you’re pitching new business and the brand is already over their current agency. The business gives you some degree of keys to the castle with access to Google Analytics and their Google and Microsoft ads accounts. These are fun. There will be few, if any, unanswered questions. It’s also easier to win business and a great way to kick an operation in the gut when they are already down.
• “The consultant” audit: Huge pain, where the brand has brought in a “consultant” who is all-knowing, and questions the most minute things, forcing you to question your best practices and decide if truly is best in class.
• Self-audit: This is a noble and shockingly helpful...

Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.