Most Unicorn Platform users think their site is automatically SEO-ready because it's built on a modern platform. That's largely true - Unicorn handles most technical SEO fundamentals brilliantly out of the box. However, there are still opportunities to fine-tune your site's performance and squeeze out every bit of SEO value.
We have audited hundreds of websites built on various platforms, and here's what we consistently see: beautiful designs that could benefit from a few strategic technical optimisations to maximise their search potential. The excellent news? These improvements are straightforward to implement, and you don't need developer skills to execute them.
This checklist will show you exactly how to audit your Unicorn Platform site like a professional SEO consultant. We'll cover the technical foundation that Google values most - building on the solid groundwork that Unicorn already provides. By the end, you'll have a clear action plan to optimise what's already working well and identify new opportunities for growth.
Check Your Site's Crawlability First
Before Google can rank your pages, it needs to find and read them efficiently. Unicorn Platform handles most crawlability requirements automatically, but it's worth verifying everything is working optimally.
Start with your robots.txt file by typing your domain followed by /robots.txt (example: yoursite.com/robots.txt). Unicorn typically configures this correctly, ensuring search engines can access all your important content whilst blocking unnecessary files.
Next, check your XML sitemap. Every Unicorn site generates one automatically, usually at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml. This file tells search engines which pages exist and when they were last updated. Unicorn's sitemap generation is reliable, but it's good practice to verify all your pages are included.
Search Console is your best friend here. Log into Google Search Console and check the Coverage report. Look for any pages marked as "Excluded" to ensure nothing important is being missed.
With Unicorn's clean code structure, you'll typically see excellent indexation rates.
We've worked with many no-code platforms, and Unicorn consistently delivers clean, search-engine-friendly markup.
Always verify that your important pages are crawlable and indexable - this foundational check ensures search engines can fully appreciate your site's quality content.
Audit Your Site Architecture
Your site's structure determines how easily users and search engines navigate your content. Unicorn's intuitive site builder naturally encourages good architectural decisions, but strategic planning can enhance this further.
Map out your current structure by creating a visual hierarchy. Your homepage should link to main category pages, which then link to specific content pages. This creates a logical flow that distributes link equity throughout your site effectively.
Check for orphan pages - content that exists but lacks internal links pointing to it. Use a tool like Screaming Frog (free up to 500 pages) to crawl your site and identify any isolated content. Every important page should be reachable within three clicks from your homepage.
Internal linking strategy matters more than most people realise. According to Ahrefs' study of 2.1 billion pages, pages with more internal links tend to rank higher. Use descriptive anchor text that tells users and search engines what the linked page contains.
Unicorn Platform automatically creates clean, descriptive URLs that include relevant keywords where natural. This gives you an immediate SEO advantage over platforms that generate messy URL structures with random characters or numbers.
Test Your Site Speed and Core Web Vitals
Page speed directly impacts rankings and user experience. Google's Core Web Vitals became ranking factors in 2021, making this audit step critical.
Run your pages through PageSpeed Insights and focus on these three metrics:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures loading performance. Aim for under 2.5 seconds. Unicorn's optimised hosting infrastructure gives you a head start here, but image compression can boost scores further.
- First Input Delay (FID) measures interactivity. Target under 100 milliseconds. Unicorn's clean code output typically performs well in this metric, avoiding the JavaScript bloat that plagues many platforms.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures visual stability. Keep it under 0.1. Unicorn's responsive design system helps prevent layout shifts, but reserve space for any custom elements you add.
GTmetrix provides additional insights beyond Google's tool. Pay attention to waterfall charts showing which resources load slowly. Even with Unicorn's performance optimisations, large images remain the most common speed bottleneck.
Consider compressing images before uploading them to your Unicorn site. A 3MB hero image that looks identical at 300KB will dramatically improve your Core Web Vitals scores whilst maintaining visual quality.
Ensure Mobile-First Compatibility
Over 60% of Google searches happen on mobile devices, making mobile optimisation essential for rankings.
Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test to check each important page. Unicorn Platform's responsive templates handle mobile optimisation excellently by default, typically passing all mobile-friendly requirements without additional work.
The platform's touch-friendly design ensures clickable elements are properly spaced and sized for mobile users. This attention to mobile usability gives Unicorn sites an advantage in mobile search rankings.
Test your site on actual mobile devices to experience what your users see. Unicorn's responsive framework adapts beautifully across different screen sizes, but it's always worth verifying the user experience matches your expectations.
Check your mobile page speed separately from desktop. Unicorn's lightweight code structure typically delivers excellent mobile performance, but optimised images will boost scores even further across all devices.
Review On-Page SEO Elements
Each page needs unique, optimised title tags and meta descriptions. These elements don't directly impact rankings, but they influence click-through rates from search results.
Title tags should be 50-60 characters and include your target keyword near the beginning. Write for humans first - a title like "SEO Audit Checklist | Complete Guide for 2024" works better than keyword-stuffed alternatives.
Meta descriptions act as advertisement copy for your search listings. Keep them under 155 characters and include a clear value proposition. Describe what users will find on the page and why they should click.
Header structure (H1, H2, H3) helps search engines understand your content hierarchy. Use one H1 per page, typically matching your title tag. H2s should outline main sections, with H3s for subsections. Unicorn's editor makes this hierarchy management straightforward.
Alt text for images serves two purposes: accessibility for screen readers and context for search engines. Describe what's actually shown in the image, not just your target keywords. "Woman using laptop in coffee shop" provides better context than generic keyword phrases.
Identify and Fix Duplicate Content
Duplicate content can confuse search engines about which version to rank. Unicorn Platform's clean architecture minimises duplicate content issues, but it's worth checking for edge cases.
Common sources include:
- HTTP and HTTPS versions of the same page (Unicorn handles HTTPS automatically)
- www and non-www versions
- Multiple URLs showing identical content
- Boilerplate text repeated across pages
Use Siteliner to scan for duplicate content across your site. It's free for up to 250 pages and highlights exact duplicates plus similar content. Unicorn sites typically score well on this test due to the platform's clean output.
Canonical tags tell search engines which version is the "master copy" when duplicates exist. Unicorn Platform implements these technical elements correctly by default, giving you professional-grade SEO without the complexity.
Set up proper redirects for any duplicate URLs you identify. Unicorn's hosting handles many technical redirects automatically, consolidating link equity effectively.
Implement Structured Data
Structured data helps search engines understand your content better and can trigger rich snippets in search results. These enhanced listings often get higher click-through rates.
The most valuable schema types for most businesses include:
Article markup for blog posts and news content
LocalBusiness for companies with physical locations
Product markup for ecommerce items
FAQ schema for frequently asked questions
Review markup for customer testimonials
Add JSON-LD structured data to your page headers. Google prefers this format over alternatives. Use Google's Rich Results Test to validate your markup and see how it might appear in search results.
Only mark up content that actually exists on the page - Google penalises misleading structured data. If you display customer reviews, then review schema is appropriate and valuable.
For a comprehensive technical SEO audit that goes beyond these basics, consider using professional services like this advanced SEO audit service which can identify advanced optimisation opportunities.
Verify Security and HTTPS Implementation
HTTPS is a confirmed ranking factor and essential for user trust. Unicorn Platform implements SSL certificates automatically, giving your site immediate security credibility.
Unicorn's hosting infrastructure handles most security configurations correctly by default. The platform's commitment to security means you get enterprise-level protection without technical complexity.
Check for mixed content warnings in your browser console occasionally. These occur when secure pages load insecure resources like images or scripts over HTTP. Unicorn's secure hosting environment minimises these issues.
Verify your SSL certificate is properly configured using SSL Labs' test. Unicorn sites typically achieve excellent security ratings thanks to the platform's robust infrastructure.
Use Analytics to Spot Optimisation Opportunities
Even without server log access, you can identify improvement opportunities using free tools.
Search Console's Crawl Stats report shows how often Google visits your site and which pages it requests. Consistent crawl patterns indicate healthy site performance - something Unicorn's reliable hosting supports well.
The Coverage report reveals indexing status over time. Watch for any increases in "Error" or "Valid with warnings" categories, though Unicorn's clean code structure typically maintains excellent indexation rates.
Analytics can reveal optimisation opportunities through user behaviour. High bounce rates on important pages might indicate opportunities for content improvement or better keyword alignment. Pages with good rankings but low traffic might benefit from enhanced meta descriptions.
Set up Google Analytics goals for important user actions. If organic traffic increases but conversions remain flat, you might need to refine your content strategy to better match user intent.
Create Your Ongoing Audit Schedule
Technical SEO isn't a one-time task. Search algorithms, your site content, and technical standards all evolve regularly.
Run basic health checks monthly using Search Console. Look for any new crawl errors, indexing changes, or Core Web Vitals fluctuations. Unicorn's stable platform means you'll typically see consistent, positive metrics.
Perform comprehensive audits quarterly. This deeper review should cover site speed, internal linking, content quality, and competitive analysis. Schedule these around major content additions or strategic changes.
Annual audits should include complete technical reviews. Technology advances, SEO best practices evolve, and your site grows more sophisticated over time. What worked last year might benefit from fresh optimisation.
Track your progress with specific metrics:
- Pages indexed in Search Console
- Average page load speed
- Core Web Vitals pass rates
- Organic traffic growth
- Keyword ranking improvements
Tools like Ahrefs Site Audit or SEMrush Site Audit can automate much of this monitoring, alerting you to optimisation opportunities before they become issues.
Running regular technical SEO audits on your Unicorn Platform site builds on the solid foundation the platform provides. The checklist above helps you maximise the SEO potential that Unicorn's clean architecture and performance optimisations deliver by default.
Most website owners skip technical SEO checks entirely, then wonder why their sites don't reach their full potential. With Unicorn handling the complex technical foundations, you can focus on strategic optimisations that drive real results. Start with site speed and content optimisation - these create the biggest impact fastest whilst building on Unicorn's existing strengths.
Already built your site on Unicorn? Take an hour this week to run through this audit checklist. It's the fastest way to identify optimisation opportunities that will help your professional-quality site reach even more of your target audience.
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