Last Updated on April 23, 2026
Follow these steps every time you begin a new SEO audit:
- Open the Agency Google Drive
- Navigate to the shared drive where all client folders are stored
- Find the Client’s Folder
- Open the folder for the client you’re auditing
- Create a New Audit Document
- Click New in the top-left corner
- Hover over Google Sheets
- Select “From a template”
- Choose the Correct Audit Template
- You’ll land in the template gallery
- In the “Audits & Reports” section, select: “Client Name In-Depth SEO Audit.”
- Rename the File
- Begin working through the tabs in order.
- Each tab builds on the previous one, so follow the sequence from left to right.
Audit Walkthrough
This tab helps you understand how the site performs for non-branded, high-value keywords—the queries that actually represent demand, not people already searching for the business by name.
- Pull the top non-branded queries from Google Search Console.
- Go to: Performance → Search Results → Queries
- Apply a filter to exclude branded terms.
- Add the keywords in, plus:
- KD (from Ahrefs)
- Volume (from Ahrefs)
- Clicks (from Search Console)
- SC Position (from Search Console)
This tab helps you understand how the site performs for non-branded, high-value keywords—the queries that actually represent demand, not people already searching for the business by name.
- Pull the top non-branded queries from Google Search Console.
- Go to: Performance → Search Results → Queries
- Apply a filter to exclude branded terms.
- Add the keywords in, plus:
- KD (from Ahrefs)
- Volume (from Ahrefs)
- Clicks (from Search Console)
- SC Position (from Search Console)
Everything you need for this tab is found in Ahrefs and Search Console.
Ahrefs
- Log into Ahrefs
- Enter the client’s URL into the top bar
- Simply record the DR and Ref. Domains from the backlink profile
Search Console
- Log into Search Console
- Click on “Search results”
- Record the Clicks and Impressions for the last 4 months, 1 month at a time (record November, then December, then January, etc.)
This tab helps you understand how the site performs for non-branded, high-value keywords—the queries that competitors are ranking for and you aren’t.
- Go into Ahrefs -> Competitive Analysis -> Content Gap
- Input ~ 4 competitors
- Filter to competitors’ organic position where at least 2 competitors rank 1-20
- Input the data into the content gap tab on the audit.
Notes:
- Please write the competitor name and link to their website. This is client-facing, and we want to do the little things that make it look nice.
- Please don’t include keywords that obviously don’t belong and don’t include branded keywords
This tab helps you understand what sites are linking to your competitors.
- Go into Ahrefs -> Competitive Analysis -> Content Gap
- Input ~ 4 competitors
- Filter to at least 2 competitors’
- Input the data into the Link Intersect tab on the audit.
Notes:
- Please write the competitor name and link to their website. This is client-facing, and we want to do the little things that make it look nice.
- Please don’t include links that obviously don’t belong
This tab helps you understand how the site performs for non-branded, high-value keywords—the queries that actually represent demand, not people already searching for the business by name.
- Pull the top non-branded queries from Google Search Console.
- Go to: Performance → Search Results → Queries
- Apply a filter to exclude branded terms.
- Add the keywords in, plus:
- KD (from Ahrefs)
- Volume (from Ahrefs)
- Clicks (from Search Console)
- SC Position (from Search Console)
This tab helps you understand how the site performs for non-branded, high-value keywords—the queries that actually represent demand, not people already searching for the business by name.
- Pull the top non-branded queries from Google Search Console.
- Go to: Performance → Search Results → Queries
- Apply a filter to exclude branded terms.
- Add the keywords in, plus:
- KD (from Ahrefs)
- Volume (from Ahrefs)
- Clicks (from Search Console)
- SC Position (from Search Console)
This tab helps you understand how the site performs for non-branded, high-value keywords—the queries that actually represent demand, not people already searching for the business by name.
- Pull the top non-branded queries from Google Search Console.
- Go to: Performance → Search Results → Queries
- Apply a filter to exclude branded terms.
- Add the keywords in, plus:
- KD (from Ahrefs)
- Volume (from Ahrefs)
- Clicks (from Search Console)
- SC Position (from Search Console)
This tab helps you understand how the site performs for non-branded, high-value keywords—the queries that actually represent demand, not people already searching for the business by name.
- Pull the top non-branded queries from Google Search Console.
- Go to: Performance → Search Results → Queries
- Apply a filter to exclude branded terms.
- Add the keywords in, plus:
- KD (from Ahrefs)
- Volume (from Ahrefs)
- Clicks (from Search Console)
- SC Position (from Search Console)