Tag Archive for: Semrush site audit tips

How to fix: Broken external images

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Issue: Broken external images don’t display properly, creating a poor user experience and signaling to search engines that your site may be poorly maintained.

Fix: Identify and fix broken external images by replacing them, removing them, or updating their URLs.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Replace Missing Images: If the external image is no longer available, find a new version of the image and replace the old one.
    • Example: <img src="newimagehost.com/pic.jpg" alt="Updated description">
  2. Update Moved Images: If the image has a new URL, update the link in your code to point to the new location.
    • Example: Change <img src="oldurl.com/image.jpg"> to <img src="newurl.com/image.jpg">.
  3. Remove Unneeded Images: If the image isn’t essential, delete the <img> tag from your page to clean up your code.
    • Example: <img src="brokenimage.jpg" alt="Remove this"> → Remove this line.
  4. Test After Fixing: Use a browser or SEO tool to check that all external images are displaying properly.

Tip: Keeping all external images functional improves user trust, enhances experience, and avoids negative SEO impacts.

 

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How to fix: Images without alt attributes

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Issue: Missing alt attributes on images means search engines can’t understand your images’ content, lowering your chances of ranking in image search. It also reduces accessibility for visually impaired users.

Fix: Add relevant alt attributes to all <img> tags on your website to describe the content of the images.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Describe the Image: Add a clear, concise description of what the image shows in the alt attribute.
    • Example: <img src="dog.jpg" alt="Golden Retriever playing in a park">
  2. Use Keywords Where Relevant: If the image relates to your page’s keywords, naturally incorporate them in the description.
    • Example: <img src="recipe.jpg" alt="Easy pancake recipe with blueberries">
  3. Avoid Overstuffing: Don’t cram keywords unnaturally into the alt text—keep it meaningful and user-friendly.
    • Bad Example: <img src="product.jpg" alt="Best shoes best shoes buy shoes best price">
  4. Leave Decorative Images Blank: If an image is purely decorative, set the alt attribute to empty.
    • Example: <img src="border.png" alt="">
  5. Test Your Fixes: Use browser developer tools or accessibility tools to verify all images now have useful alt attributes.

Tip: Adding proper alt text improves SEO, accessibility, and helps your site rank in image searches.

How to fix: Pages with temporary redirects

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Issue: Temporary redirects (302/307) don’t pass SEO value (link juice) to the new page and signal that the move is not permanent. Misusing them can harm your search rankings.

Fix: Replace unnecessary temporary redirects with permanent ones (301/308), and remove temporary redirects that are no longer needed.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Identify Temporary Redirects: Use an SEO tool or browser extension to find URLs using 302/307 redirects.
    • Example: https://example.com/old-page temporarily redirects to https://example.com/new-page.
  2. Determine Intent: Check if the redirect is truly temporary or if the page move is permanent.
    • Temporary Use: Keep the 302/307 redirect if you plan to revert the change soon.
    • Permanent Use: Replace the 302/307 redirect with a 301/308 redirect for permanent moves.
  3. Update Redirects: Edit your server or CMS redirect rules to switch temporary redirects to permanent ones where appropriate.
    • Example: Change 302 to 301 in your .htaccess file, CMS, or hosting panel.
  4. Test Redirects: Confirm that updated redirects work properly and point to the correct pages.

Tip: Permanent redirects (301/308) pass SEO value and help maintain rankings for moved pages.

How to fix: Pages with an underscore in the URL

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Issue: Using underscores (_) in URLs can confuse search engines, as they may treat them as part of a single word. Hyphens (-) are better for separating words in URLs, making them easier for search engines to read.

Fix: Replace underscores in your URLs with hyphens. However, if the page already ranks well, it’s better to leave it unchanged.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Update the URL Structure: Replace underscores with hyphens for new pages or low-ranking pages.
    • Example: Change yourdomain.com/my_page to yourdomain.com/my-page.
  2. Redirect Old URLs: If you update URLs, set up 301 redirects from the old URLs with underscores to the new URLs with hyphens.
    • Example: Redirect yourdomain.com/my_page to yourdomain.com/my-page.
  3. Avoid Changing Well-Ranked Pages: If the URL is performing well in search results, don’t make changes that could disrupt its ranking.
  4. Use Hyphens for All New URLs: When creating new content, always use hyphens as separators.

Tip: Clean, hyphenated URLs improve readability for both users and search engines.

How to fix: Pages without an H1 heading

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Issue: Missing an <h1> tag means your page lacks a clear heading that defines its topic, which can hurt SEO and confuse users. It also disrupts your page’s heading structure.

Fix: Add a concise, relevant <h1> heading to every page to clearly define its main topic.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Summarize the Page Topic: Write a short, descriptive <h1> that clearly explains what the page is about.
    • Example: <h1>10 Tips for Growing Indoor Plants</h1>
  2. Use Keywords Naturally: Include your primary keywords in the <h1> without stuffing them.
    • Example: <h1>How to Cook Perfect Pasta: A Beginner’s Guide</h1>
  3. Keep It Unique: Make sure each page has a unique <h1> that reflects its specific content.
    • Example: Avoid generic headings like <h1>Welcome</h1> on multiple pages.
  4. Align It With the Page Hierarchy: Use <h1> as the main heading and follow it with <h2> or <h3> for subheadings to create a clear structure.
  5. Check for Missing or Empty Tags: Use an SEO tool or browser developer tools to find pages without an <h1> and fix them.

Tip: A strong <h1> improves SEO and helps users quickly understand your page’s purpose.

How to fix: Pages with duplicate H1 and title tags

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Issue: If your <title> and <h1> tags are identical, search engines may view the <h1> as over-optimized, and you miss the chance to include additional relevant keywords.

Fix: Write unique content for your <title> and <h1> tags that are complementary but not identical.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Make the <title> Concise: Keep your <title> tag focused on the main topic and include primary keywords.
    • Example: <title>Learn JavaScript for Beginners</title>
  2. Expand the <h1>: Use the <h1> to elaborate or include secondary keywords.
    • Example: <h1>A Beginner’s Guide to Learning JavaScript Programming in 2024</h1>
  3. Use Both for Context: The <title> should attract search clicks, while the <h1> provides clear context when users land on the page.
  4. Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Both tags should flow naturally and focus on readability.
  5. Review and Edit: Check your site for duplicate <title> and <h1> tags using SEO tools or browser developer tools.

Tip: Differentiating <title> and <h1> improves SEO and makes your page more useful to users and search engines.

How to fix: Pages without meta descriptions

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Issue: Missing meta descriptions mean search engines will pull random text from your page, which might not be relevant or appealing to users, reducing your chances of getting clicks.

Fix: Add a clear and compelling meta description to every page, including relevant keywords.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Write Descriptive Text: Summarize what the page is about in 150-160 characters.
    • Example: <meta name="description" content="Learn JavaScript basics with our easy-to-follow guide for beginners. Start coding today!">
  2. Include Keywords Naturally: Use terms people might search for when looking for your page.
    • Example: For a recipe page, include “easy chocolate cake recipe” in the description.
  3. Avoid Repetition: Ensure each page has a unique meta description to avoid duplication issues.
  4. Check Search Preview: Use SEO tools to preview how your description will look in search results.
  5. Update Regularly: Review your descriptions as content changes to ensure they stay relevant.

Tip: Well-crafted meta descriptions improve click-through rates, boosting your SEO efforts.

How to fix: Pages with low text-HTML ratio

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A low text-to-HTML ratio often indicates that a webpage has too much code relative to its content, which can impact SEO and performance. Here’s a quick fix guide:

Minimize HTML Code

  • Remove unnecessary inline styles and scripts.
  • Clean up redundant HTML tags and whitespace.

Optimize CSS and JavaScript

  • Use external stylesheets and scripts instead of inline code.
  • Minify CSS and JavaScript files using tools like Autoptimize or WP Rocket.

Add More Quality Content

  • Write more relevant and high-quality text for the page.
  • Use headings, paragraphs, and lists to structure content.

Optimize Media

  • Compress images with plugins like Smush.
  • Use lazy loading for images and videos.

Remove Excess Plugins and Widgets

  • Disable unnecessary widgets, plugins, or third-party scripts.

Use a Clean Theme

  • Switch to a lightweight WordPress theme (e.g., Astra or GeneratePress).

Validate HTML

 

GTmetrix website speed testing tool

GTmetrix website speed testing tool

Test Improvements

  • Use tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to monitor improvements in the text-to-HTML ratio and overall performance.

These steps should help improve your page’s text-to-HTML ratio effectively.

Semrush Tip: Split your webpage’s text content and code into separate files and compare their size. If the size of your code file exceeds the size of the text file, review your page’s HTML code and consider optimizing its structure and removing embedded scripts and styles. source: semrush.com

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How to fix: Pages without enough text within the title tags

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Issue: Titles with fewer than 10 characters are too short to explain what your page is about. This limits your chances of ranking in search results and attracting clicks.

Fix: Add more descriptive text to your title tags to make them clear and helpful for users and search engines.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Describe the Page: Think about what your page is about and include words that explain its purpose.
    • Example: Instead of “Shoes,” use “Buy Comfortable Running Shoes Online.”
  2. Use Keywords: Add words people might search for when looking for your page.
    • Example: Include terms like “cheap, best, or “guide” if they fit your content.
  3. Make It Long Enough: Try to write titles that are at least 50 characters long but less than 70.
    • Example: “How to Cook Pasta: A Simple Beginner’s Guide” (54 characters).
  4. Check Your Work: Use free SEO tools or Google’s Title Tester to see how your title looks in search results.

Tip: Longer, detailed titles help users understand your page and improve your chances of ranking higher in search engines.

How to fix: Pages with too much text within the title tags

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Issue: Titles longer than 70 characters are often truncated in search results, making them less appealing and reducing click-through rates.

Fix: Rewrite your titles to be concise and stay within 70 characters.

Recommendations

  • Focus on Key Information: Place the most important keywords and information at the start of the title.
  • Keep It Engaging: Make your titles clear, concise, and attractive to users while staying under 70 characters.
  • Use Tools to Test Length: Use SEO tools or title preview tools to ensure your titles display properly in search results.
  • Optimize for Relevance: Avoid unnecessary words and keep titles directly relevant to the page’s content.

Tip: Short, well-crafted titles improve user engagement and click-through rates.