Understanding log analysis in SEO: everything you need to know

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Log analysis

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Log analysis in SEO is a crucial step in optimising the performance of your website on search engines such as Google.

But what is really behind this technique and how can you use it to improve your natural referencing?

In this article, we take a closer look at 10 key aspects of this little-known practice, to give you a better understanding of how it works and what's at stake.

1. What is a log?

Before getting to the heart of the matter, it is important to define what a log is. In the context of computing and the web, a log (or log) is a text file that records all interactions between a server and its visitors. Each time a user accesses a page or downloads a file from your site, a line is added to the log to document this action.

2. Why analyse logs for SEO?

When it comes to improving your visibility on search engines, a large part of the work consists of identifying the problems and opportunities on your site.

Analysis of the logs enables us to understand how search engine spiders crawl and index your contentby providing valuable information about their behaviour and effectiveness. By identifying crawling and indexing problems, you can take the appropriate steps to resolve them and improve your SEO.

3. The main data contained in the logs

A log file generally contains several types of information, some of which are particularly useful for SEO purposes:

• Date and time : each line of the log is time-stamped to enable you to situate each action in time.
• IP address : the unique identification of the machine (visitor or robot) that accessed the site.
• Resource required : the URL of the page or file the user has tried to access.
• HTTP code : an indication of the success or failure of the request, with codes such as 200 (OK), 404 (not found) or 503 (server error).
• User agent : information about the type of browser or robot that made the request.

4. Identifying search engine robots

One of the first challenges when analysing SEO logs is to identify the lines corresponding to visits from search engine robotssuch that Googlebot, Bingbot or Yahoo ! Slurp. To do this, all you have to do is filter the lines according to their " User agent ". Note, however, that some malicious bots can masquerade as legitimate bots, so it is essential to also use their IP address to confirm their identity.

5. Measuring the frequency of exploration

As an SEO manager, it's important to monitor search engine interest in your content. One of the main ways of doing this is by measuring the frequency of explorationi.e. the number of times a robot accesses a specific page during a given period.

A high frequency of exploration generally indicates increased interest in your site and can be beneficial for your SEO. On the other hand, if certain important aspects of your content are rarely visited, this could indicate a problem with accessibility or popularity.

6. Analysing HTTP codes

To guarantee the best possible user experience and avoid SEO penalties, it's crucial to ensure that all the pages on your site return the correct HTTP code. Log analysis allows you to check this quickly and easily by identifying potential errors, such as :

• 404 (Not found) : a page that no longer exists or has been incorrectly linked to by another site.
• 503 (Server error) : an internal server error blocking access to content.
• 301/302 (Redirection) : a redirection to a new URLoften caused by changes to the structure of the site.

7. Identifying performance problems

One of the major benefits of log analysis in SEO is the ability to identify performance problems that may be affecting your search engine rankings. For example, if you notice that certain pages are very slow to load for robots, this could indicate a problem with your accommodation or your image optimisation. Similarly, a low scan frequency could indicate a problem with the internal networking or the accessibility of content.

8. Analyse the effectiveness of your internal linking

Le internal networkingIn other words, the way in which your pages are linked together is a key aspect of SEO. By analysing log data, you can check whether internal links are pointing to the right pages and detect any errors, such as broken links or unnecessary redirections.

This will enable you to correct these problems and improve the overall structure of your site.

9. Detecting and resolving indexing errors

Sometimes, search engines encounter errors when indexing your content, which can lead to your site being misunderstood and therefore ranked lower.

By analysing the logs, you can determine whether the robots have succeeded in indexing all your pages or whether they have been blocked by factors such as incorrectly configured directives in the robots.txt file or incorrect use of the meta tags "noindex".

10. Measuring the benefits of your SEO optimisations

Finally, analysing SEO logs is also useful for measuring the impact of changes made to your site.

For example, if you have implemented a new internal link structure or made changes to speed up loading time, it is worth checking whether these actions have had an effect on the frequency of exploration and indexing by search engines. This will enable you to assess whether your efforts are bearing fruit and adjust your strategy accordingly.

In short, log analysis is a valuable method of improving your natural referencing and gaining a better understanding of the workings of search engines. By taking the time to examine your log files regularly, you can quickly detect and resolve any problems that could be harming your online visibility and maximise your chances of success in the world of SEO.