How long does an SEO audit take?

It’s one of the first questions we get asked when someone’s looking to get to grips with their website performance. Understandably so. If you’ve noticed a dip in traffic or you’re planning a broader digital strategy, the timeline for an SEO audit matters. But here’s the thing: it’s not as cut and dry as “it takes three days.” The answer depends on your site, your goals and how deep you want to go.

Let’s break it down in plain English.

Not all audits are created equal

The term “SEO audit” gets thrown around a lot, but it’s not always clear what’s included. Some audits skim the surface. They’ll give you a few headline figures, flag the obvious errors and call it a day. Others dig into the technical nitty gritty, look at how your content’s performing, analyse your backlink profile and assess your site architecture.

Priority Pixels doesn’t do box ticking. Every audit we run is shaped around your business, your website and your goals. If you’re running a service-based site built with WordPress, we’re looking at very different things than if you’re managing a WooCommerce store with thousands of products.

So… how long, then?

For most WordPress websites, a standard SEO audit can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. It all depends on the size of your site and the depth of the audit. A smaller brochure-style site might be wrapped up in a few working days. If you’re running a large, content-heavy site or a busy WooCommerce store, expect a longer timeframe.

We’re not ones to rush through it either. A proper audit isn’t just about spotting errors. It’s about understanding why things aren’t working and what can be done to fix them. And that takes time.

What we’re actually doing

If you’re picturing someone pressing a button and letting some SEO robot scan your site, think again. Yes, we use tools. But we also use our heads.

Here’s a flavour of what’s involved:

• Technical checks: Broken links, crawl errors, indexing issues, dodgy redirects and all the background stuff that affects performance
• On-page analysis: We look at your headings, meta tags, internal linking and content structure. No keyword stuffing, just good practice
• Content review: Is it useful? Is it clear? Is it ranking? If it’s thin, outdated or competing with itself, we’ll spot it
• User experience: Fast-loading, mobile-friendly and easy to navigate? Or a confusing mess that’s haemorrhaging visitors?
• Backlink profile: Who’s linking to you? Are they legit? Are they helping or hurting your search visibility?

On top of that, we’ll also look at your analytics, Search Console data and anything else you’ve got plugged in to give us a better picture.

WooCommerce sites take longer (and for good reason)

If you’re running an e-commerce site, there’s just more ground to cover. WooCommerce stores tend to have more pages, more user journeys and more potential pitfalls. Product descriptions, filters, category pages, duplicate content… it’s a minefield if it’s not been done right.

So yes, WooCommerce audits take longer. But it’s worth it. When people find what they’re looking for easily and search engines can crawl and understand your site properly, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success.

What happens after the audit?

The audit is the diagnosis, not the cure. Once we’ve pulled everything apart, we’ll talk through what we’ve found and what we recommend next. That might involve technical fixes, content rewrites or a broader strategy to build your authority and trust.

We’ll explain everything in plain terms too. No jargon, no waffle, just practical steps you can take. Some clients want to make the changes themselves with our guidance. Others ask us to handle it all, which we’re more than happy to do.

Final thoughts

An SEO audit isn’t just a one-off checklist. It’s the foundation for improving your site, understanding your audience and showing up where it counts. Whether you’ve noticed a sudden drop in traffic or you’re planning a bigger marketing push, it’s a smart place to start.

Priority Pixels believes a thoughtful, well-executed audit can set the tone for everything else. So if you’re wondering how long it takes, the real answer is: long enough to do it properly. And not a minute less.

If you’re ready to take a closer look at your website, we’re here when you are.