Google has recently issued a reminder to SEO professionals and website owners: don’t rely solely on SEO audit tool scores. While automated tools can highlight technical issues, they often miss the most important factor — context.
Why Tool Scores Don’t Tell the Full Story
Automated SEO audits are helpful starting points, but they often oversimplify complex website environments. Google’s Martin Splitt, from the Search Relations team, explained that audit tools provide checklists and guidelines, but real SEO audits require human insight and technical understanding.
For instance, a high number of 404 errors doesn’t always mean there’s a problem. If your site recently removed outdated content or products, those 404s are completely normal. The real issue arises when you notice a sudden increase in 404s without any changes to your website structure.
The Three-Step Framework for Better Technical SEO Audits
Splitt recommends a three-step approach for more accurate audits:
- Identify potential issues using tools and best practices.
- Create a custom audit report based on the specific website’s structure and goals.
- Develop actionable recommendations that focus on true technical barriers affecting crawling and indexing.
Before running any audit, understand your site’s technology stack — whether it’s WordPress, Shopify, or a custom CMS. Then, group findings by effort required and potential SEO impact.
When 404s Are Actually Normal
A spike in 404 pages can look alarming in tools, but it’s often just part of normal maintenance. Splitt clarified that you should only worry when there’s an unexplained increase in these errors. Use Google Search Console’s Crawl Stats report to compare trends and ensure 404s align with expected content changes.
Context Always Beats Scores
One of Google’s biggest takeaways: not every red flag is a problem. A multilingual website might need hreflang tags, but a single-language local business doesn’t. That’s why it’s essential to apply human judgment and prioritize findings that truly affect performance.
As Splitt emphasized:
“Please, please don’t follow your tools blindly. Make sure your findings are meaningful for the website in question and take the time to prioritize them for maximum impact.”
Why This Guidance Matters for SEO Professionals
Overreliance on SEO tools can lead to wasted time and effort on low-priority fixes. By understanding the why behind metrics, site owners can make smarter, data-driven improvements that actually move the needle in search visibility.
In short, context-driven audits deliver better results than checklist-driven ones — especially for large, international, or frequently updated websites.
As SEO continues to evolve, Google’s message is clear: automation can assist, but expertise wins. Whether you’re managing an enterprise site or a local business, ensure your audits balance data insights with human judgment for the best outcomes.
At Earn SEO, we understand that technical SEO goes beyond automated reports — it’s about insight, precision, and performance. Our technical SEO services in New York focus on identifying real issues that impact crawlability, indexing, and user experience. Whether you’re managing a local business site or an enterprise platform, our experts provide customized audits that turn data into action.
Get in touch with us today to schedule a comprehensive technical audit and take your website’s search performance to the next level.
Earn SEO was established in 2011 by Devendra Mishra, a highly educated professional with varied training and experience. Mr. Mishra is responsible for business development, attracting new Earn SEO partners, and interacting with clients, the media and press, and acting as Brand Ambassador.
Devendra Mishra
Founder
More from our blog
See all posts
