Drayton Animal Health - Website Report

Introduction

The comprehensive analysis of the website’s technical and SEO performance highlights both strengths and areas for improvement. By addressing these key issues, the website can enhance its user experience, performance, and search engine visibility, ultimately leading to better conversions.

Key Findings

1. Optimise JavaScript and CSS: A significant amount of unused JavaScript (338 KiB) and CSS (149 KiB) can be removed to improve performance and reduce load times.

2. Improve Server Response Times: Current server response time is 1,570 ms. Optimising server settings or implementing a CDN can help reduce latency and enhance user experience.

3. Adopt Modern Image Formats: Converting images to formats like WebP or AVIF can save up to 2,070 KiB, speeding up load times and reducing bandwidth usage.

4. Enhance Cache Strategies: Implement effective caching policies to improve load times on repeat visits, which is crucial for user satisfaction and SEO.

5. Fix Indexability Issues: Ensure all important pages are indexed by search engines and remove unnecessary ‘noindex’ tags to boost organic traffic.

6. Address 404 Errors and Redirect Chains: Fix broken links and simplify redirect chains to prevent loss of page authority and improve user navigation.

7. Enhance Content Quality: Focus on increasing the word count and relevance of content, particularly on pages with low word count, to improve SEO and user engagement.

8. Improve Backlink Profile: Strengthen the site’s domain authority by acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources within the industry.

9. Security Enhancements: Implement security headers and ensure all content is served over HTTPS to protect user data and improve trust.

10. Leverage Advanced Analytics: Use enhanced analytical tools to gain deeper insights into user behaviour and adjust strategies accordingly for better performance and conversions.

By focusing on these key aspects, the website can achieve a significant boost in performance, leading to improved user engagement and higher conversion rates. Regular audits and ongoing optimisation will ensure the site remains competitive and aligned with modern web standards.

Summary

The website’s performance analysis reveals a mix of strengths and areas for improvement. While it achieves a rapid First Contentful Paint (FCP) and Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), indicating quick initial visual feedback, challenges remain in JavaScript efficiency, main-thread work, and server response times. Key recommendations include optimising caching, reducing unused JavaScript and CSS, and improving server response times to enhance overall user experience and performance.

Key Performance Metrics

• • First Contentful Paint (FCP): 0.8 seconds

The FCP is swift, suggesting that initial content appears on the screen quickly, which is beneficial for user engagement.

• • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): 1.1 seconds

The LCP metric shows that the largest visible element loads swiftly, contributing to a positive user experience.

• • Speed Index: 2.8 seconds

Indicates how quickly the contents of a page are visibly populated, with room for improvement.

• • Time to Interactive (TTI): 3.1 seconds

The time taken for the page to become fully interactive is moderate, but optimisations can reduce this.

• • Total Blocking Time (TBT): 340 ms

The TBT is relatively low, but further reduction can enhance responsiveness.

• • Max Potential First Input Delay (FID): 220 ms

The FID is within a reasonable range but could be optimised further.

Areas for Improvement

• • Server Response Time: 1,570 ms

A faster server response time is crucial as it impacts all subsequent requests. Optimising server configurations can help reduce this delay.

• • JavaScript and CSS Optimisation:
  • Reduce Unused JavaScript: 338 KiB potential savings

Identify and remove JavaScript not required for the initial load to decrease network load and improve performance.

• • Reduce Unused CSS: 149 KiB potential savings

Similar to JavaScript, unused CSS should be eliminated to decrease payload and enhance performance.

• • Reduce JavaScript Execution Time: 1.8 seconds

Optimising JavaScript execution can significantly improve load times and responsiveness.

• • Third-Party Code Impact:

Third-party scripts are blocking the main thread. Consider deferring their loading until the page is mostly loaded.

• • Render-Blocking Resources: 450 ms potential savings

Inline critical JS/CSS and defer non-critical resources to accelerate the initial render.

• • Cache Policy:

Improve cache policies for static assets to speed up repeat visits.

• • Network Payloads: Total size of 4,335 KiB

Consider compressing and optimising resources to reduce the total byte weight, improving load times and user costs.

• • Modern Image Formats: 2,070 KiB potential savings

Convert images to next-gen formats like WebP or AVIF for better compression and faster downloads.

• Minify CSS: 2 KiB potential savings

Minifying CSS can slightly reduce file sizes and thus improve load times.

Recommendations

1. Enhance Cache Strategies:
Implement efficient caching policies to improve load times on repeat visits.

2. Optimise JavaScript and CSS:
Identify and remove unused code, and defer loading scripts/styles that are not critical for initial rendering.

3. Improve Server Response Times:
Consider optimising server configurations or using a content delivery network (CDN) to reduce the server response time.

4. Adopt Modern Image Formats:
Serve images in formats like WebP or AVIF to achieve better compression and faster loading times.

5. Reduce Third-Party Impact:
Limit the number of third-party scripts, and load them asynchronously after the primary content.

By addressing these key areas, the website can significantly enhance its performance, resulting in a better user experience and potentially improved SEO outcomes.

Overall Feedback Summary

Upon analysing the dataset, several technical SEO issues have been identified that could potentially impact the website’s search engine performance. Addressing these issues promptly will enhance the site’s visibility, user experience, and overall efficiency. Below is a detailed report highlighting the key issues, their potential impact, and specific recommendations for resolution.

Indexability Issues

Pages with No Index Tags

• • Impact: Pages with ‘noindex’ tags are excluded from search engine results, which may hinder organic traffic.
  • Fix: Review the necessity of ‘noindex’ tags. If pages are meant to be indexed, remove the ‘noindex’ directive.

Missing Canonical Tags

• • Impact: Lack of canonical tags can lead to duplicate content issues, harming SEO performance.
  • Fix: Implement canonical tags for pages with similar or duplicate content to indicate the preferred version to search engines.

Crawl Errors

404 Errors

• • Impact: 404 errors can negatively affect user experience and waste crawl budget.
  • Fix: Identify and rectify broken links by updating URLs or implementing 301 redirects to relevant pages.

Redirect Chains

• • Impact: Redirect chains can slow down page load times and cause loss of page authority.
  • Fix: Simplify redirects by ensuring each URL points directly to the final destination, minimising chain length.

On-Page SEO Issues

Missing <title> Tags

• • Impact: Pages without <title> tags miss out on an essential ranking factor and appear unprofessional in search results.
  • Fix: Add unique and descriptive <title> tags to each page, incorporating relevant keywords.

Duplicate <meta description> Tags

• • Impact: Duplicate <meta description> tags can lead to reduced click-through rates.
  • Fix: Craft unique and engaging <meta descriptions> for each page, ensuring they align with the content.

Content Issues

Low Word Count

• • Impact: Pages with insufficient content may be viewed as low quality by search engines.
  • Fix: Enhance content by adding value through detailed information, multimedia elements, or user-generated content.

Missing <h1> Tags

• • Impact: <h1> tags are crucial for outlining the main topic of a page; missing tags can confuse search engines.
  • Fix: Ensure every page features a single, descriptive <h1> tag that summarises the page content.

Technical Performance

Slow Page Load Speed

• • Impact: Slow load times can increase bounce rates and negatively impact user experience.
  • Fix: Optimise images, utilise browser caching, and minimise server response times to improve page speed.

Uncompressed Resources

• • Impact: Uncompressed files can increase load times, affecting performance.
  • Fix: Implement GZIP or Brotli compression for resources like CSS, JavaScript, and HTML.

Security Issues

Mixed Content

• • Impact: Mixed content can trigger security warnings and impact user trust.
  • Fix: Ensure all resources are loaded over HTTPS by updating URLs of images, scripts, and other linked content.

Missing Security Headers

• Impact: Missing security headers can leave the site vulnerable to attacks.
• Fix: Implement security headers such as Content-Security-Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, and X-Frame-Options for enhanced protection.

By addressing these technical SEO issues, the website can improve its search engine ranking potential, enhance user experience, and ensure a secure browsing environment. Regular audits and maintenance are recommended to keep the site optimised and competitive.

Summary

The website is constructed using a variety of modern technologies, including WordPress as a content management system and Cloudflare as a content delivery network (CDN). The technology stack is fairly standard for a WordPress site, utilising plugins like Contact Form 7, MonsterInsights, and Yoast SEO, alongside jQuery libraries for front-end development. While the current stack is robust, there are several opportunities for enhancement, particularly in areas of performance, security, and modernisation of technologies.

Detailed Technology Stack Assessment

Servers

• • CDN: Cloudflare is used, providing improved load times and enhanced security features such as DDoS protection.
  • Databases: MySQL is employed, which is a common choice for WordPress websites due to its reliability and compatibility.

Add-ons

• • WordPress Plugins:
  • Contact Form 7: A widely used plugin for creating forms.
  • MonsterInsights: Facilitates integration with Google Analytics for visitor tracking and analysis.
  • Yoast SEO: Assists in optimising content for search engines.
  • WordPress Themes:
  • HashThemes Total: A versatile theme that may offer various customisation options.

Analytics

• • Form Builders: Contact Form 7 is utilised for form creation.
  • Analytics Tools:
  • Google Analytics: Standard tool for tracking and reporting website traffic.
  • MonsterInsights: Provides an interface for Google Analytics within WordPress.

Web Development

• • JavaScript Libraries:
  • jQuery and jQuery Migrate: These are essential for many WordPress themes and plugins, although they are somewhat outdated compared to modern JavaScript frameworks.
  • Programming Languages: PHP is the primary language, aligning with WordPress’s native environment.

Security

• • reCAPTCHA: Implemented for spam prevention and bot detection.

Other

• • Widgets and Photo Galleries: Slider Revolution is used for creating sliders and galleries, offering dynamic content presentation.

Content

• • CMS and Blogs: WordPress is employed, which is suitable for managing content efficiently.

Marketing

• • SEO Tools: Yoast SEO is integrated, providing a comprehensive solution for search engine optimisation.

Recommendations for Improvement

1. Performance Enhancements:

• • Caching: Consider implementing a caching plugin like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache to enhance load speeds.
  • Image Optimisation: Utilise tools like Smush or Imagify to compress images without losing quality.

2. Security Improvements:

• • Regular Updates: Ensure all plugins, themes, and WordPress core are updated regularly to mitigate vulnerabilities.
  • Security Plugins: Consider adding security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri for enhanced protection.

3. Modernisation:

• • JavaScript Libraries: Evaluate the necessity of jQuery, considering a transition to more modern frameworks like React or Vue.js for better performance and scalability.
  • PHP Version: Ensure the server is running the latest stable version of PHP for improved performance and security.

4. SEO and Analytics:

• Advanced Analytics: Explore enhanced analytical tools or features within Google Analytics for deeper insights into user behaviour.
• SEO Audits: Regularly conduct SEO audits to ensure all technical aspects are optimised for search engines.

These recommendations will help in improving the overall efficiency, security, and user experience of the website, aligning it with modern web standards.

Summary

The SEO analysis highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the website’s current search engine performance. The site has a notable presence for specific niche keywords, with “drayton animal health” leading as a top-ranked keyword. However, there is significant room for improvement in ranking performance, particularly for high-volume and high-competition keywords. The site’s estimated traffic value (ETV) is relatively modest, indicating potential opportunities for optimization and strategic growth in visibility.

Rankings and Keyword Analysis

• • Total Ranked Keywords: The site ranks for a total of 24 keywords.
  • Top-Ranked Keyword: “Drayton animal health” holds the first position, contributing significantly to the site’s visibility.
  • Position Distribution:
  • Position 1 Keywords: 1 keyword
  • Position 2-3 Keywords: 0 keywords
  • Position 4-10 Keywords: 0 keywords
  • Position 11-20 Keywords: 0 keywords
  • Position 21-50 Keywords: 10 keywords
  • Position 50+ Keywords: 13 keywords

Search Volume and Competition

• Highest Search Volume: 90 for the keyword “drayton animal health.”
• Keywords with CPC > $1: 11 keywords
• Average Competition: The competition metric varies, with some keywords having no available data, while others face high competition levels.

Backlinks and Domain Authority

Backlinks play a crucial role in SEO performance, but this analysis does not include specific backlink data. A comprehensive backlink audit is recommended to identify opportunities for strengthening domain authority and improving keyword rankings.

Strategic Recommendations

1. Focus on High-Value Keywords: Prioritise keywords with higher search volumes and lower competition to improve ranking positions and drive more traffic.
2. Content Optimisation: Enhance content quality and relevance for targeted keywords, ensuring the use of keyword-rich headings (<h1>, <h2>, etc.) and meta tags.
3. Improve Backlink Profile: Increase efforts to acquire high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites within the industry to boost domain authority and search rankings.
4. Monitor and Adjust: Regularly monitor keyword performance and adapt strategies to align with changing search trends and competitive dynamics.

Conclusion

The current SEO performance reveals a solid foundation with key strengths in niche areas but highlights the need for targeted improvements. By refining keyword strategies, enhancing content, and strengthening the backlink profile, the site can achieve better search visibility and increased traffic value.