Technical foundations
Verify important URLs are crawlable, canonicalized, included in a valid sitemap, internally linked, mobile-friendly, and not accidentally blocked by robots rules.
Answer-engine readiness
Check whether each key page states direct answers, uses consistent entity names, includes specific facts, provides self-contained sections, and exposes appropriate structured data.
Authority and citations
Map where competitors are mentioned or cited. Prioritize legitimate editorial, review, community, partner, and creator sources already visible for the category.
Frequently asked questions
Does llms.txt improve rankings?
No ranking benefit is guaranteed. A maintained llms.txt can provide a concise official reference, but it does not replace crawlable pages, authority, or useful content.
Should every site allow every AI crawler?
No. Crawler access is a business and rights decision. Blocking should be deliberate, documented, and separated between training and search/citation use cases where possible.
How often should the audit be repeated?
Review core metrics monthly and perform a deeper technical and competitive audit quarterly or after major site changes.