SEO audit template for on-page reviews
Page-level diagnosis against the query you actually want to win — headings, intent match, coverage gaps, and metadata.
- Google Search Console
- Live SERP data
- Sanity / CMS
- Google Docs
Audit /blog/ai-marketing-agents against the query "ai marketing agents". Tell me why it is stuck at position 11.
- Classified SERP intent8 of 10 results are listicles; our page is a single-product explainer
- Compared subtopic coverageMissing: pricing comparison, evaluation criteria, 6 named alternatives
- Checked on-page signalsTitle omits the query; H1 uses a brand phrase instead
- Reviewed Search Console data2,900 impressions, 1.1% CTR — impressions are there, clicks are not
The blocker is format, not optimization: the SERP wants a comparative listicle and the page is a single-product explainer. Restructure around named options and evaluation criteria, then fix the title. Impressions at 2,900 with 1.1% CTR confirm the relevance already exists.
This SEO audit template works one page at a time, which is what on-page work requires: it compares your page against the query it targets and the pages already ranking for it, then names the specific gaps. You get a rewrite plan for that URL, not a site-wide score.
What is an on-page SEO audit template?
A page-level checklist that tests one URL against one target query: does the page match the intent behind the query, does the heading structure answer it, is the primary term used naturally in the places that matter, and does the page cover the subtopics competitors treat as mandatory.
Test intent and format match
- Classify the dominant format in the live SERP for your target query
- Flag format mismatches before smaller on-page issues
- Check whether the first paragraph answers the query directly
Find coverage gaps against ranked pages
- List subtopics competitors cover that your page omits
- Surface entities and terms the topic expects
- Identify questions worth promoting into H2s
Fix metadata and structure
- Rewrite titles and descriptions within length limits
- Repair heading hierarchy and duplicate H1s
- Recommend internal links in and out with specific anchors
How does the audit judge search intent match?
It reads the top-ranking results for the query and identifies the format they share — a how-to, a comparison, a tool page, a definition. If your page is a different format, that mismatch outranks every other on-page issue, and the audit says so before discussing keyword placement.
What does the on-page SEO checklist cover?
Title and H1 alignment with the target query, heading hierarchy and question coverage, first-paragraph answer quality, internal links in and out, entity and subtopic coverage against competitors, metadata length and click-through appeal, and image alt text where it describes something meaningful.
Which pages deserve a page-level SEO audit first?
Pages ranking in positions five to twenty for a query with real volume. They already have relevance signals, so a targeted on-page fix moves them further than new content would — and the audit quantifies which gap is holding each one back.
How the on-page SEO template works across your stack
The agent fetches the page, reads the live SERP for your target query, and pulls that URL’s impressions, clicks, and query mix from Search Console. Your workspace Knowledge supplies brand voice and positioning so rewrite suggestions sound like you, and the finished plan can be handed straight to a writer or applied through your CMS.
- Google Search Console
- Live SERP data
- Sanity / CMS
- Google Docs
Who uses this SEO audit template
- Content marketers
- Diagnose why a page stalled on page two before rewriting it from scratch.
- SEO consultants
- Produce per-URL recommendations clients can hand to a writer without interpretation.
- Writers and editors
- Get a concrete gap list instead of "make it more SEO friendly".
How to run this SEO audit template in Metaflow
Give the agent a URL and target query
One page, one primary query. Multiple queries per run dilute the diagnosis.
Let it read the SERP and your page
It classifies the dominant intent format and extracts the subtopics ranked pages treat as required.
Review the gap list
Findings arrive ordered by expected impact, starting with intent or format mismatch if one exists.
Approve the rewrite plan
Take the suggested headings, metadata, and internal links into your CMS, or pass them to a writer.
What you provide
- Page URL
- Target query
- Optional: Search Console access for that URL
What you get back
- Intent and format verdict
- Subtopic and entity gap list
- Rewritten title, description, and heading outline
- Internal link recommendations with anchor text
Why use this SEO audit template?
Diagnoses one page against one query instead of scoring a whole domain
Leads with intent mismatch, the issue most checklists never test
Coverage gaps come from the pages actually ranking, not a keyword tool
Rewrite suggestions inherit your brand voice from workspace Knowledge
SEO audit template FAQs
How do you make an SEO audit?
Separate the layers. Run a technical audit for crawl and indexation, an on-page audit per URL against a specific query, and a content quality audit across the library. Bundling them produces a long document nobody finishes; this template covers the on-page layer.
Can ChatGPT do an SEO audit?
It can critique copy you paste in, but it cannot see the live SERP, your rankings, or your query data — so it cannot tell you whether the page has an intent problem or a coverage problem. That distinction is the whole point of this audit.
What is included in an on-page SEO audit?
Intent and format match, heading structure and question coverage, keyword placement in title, H1, and opening paragraph, subtopic coverage against ranked competitors, internal linking, and metadata. It deliberately excludes site-wide technical issues.
Which tool is best for an SEO audit?
For crawl data, a dedicated crawler. For on-page diagnosis, the limiting factor is judgment rather than data collection, which is where an agent that reads the SERP and applies a consistent rubric beats a metrics dashboard.
How much do SEO audits cost?
Agency audits typically run from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per site. Running the audit as a template turns it into a recurring workflow you can repeat per page at no marginal cost, which changes how often you bother.
Similar SEO templates
Key takeaways
- Audit one page against one query — bundled audits do not get actioned
- Check intent and format before keyword placement
- Pages in positions five to twenty repay on-page work fastest