The 2-Minute SEO Diagnostic

Most SEO problems fall into two categories: you're either targeting the wrong things (an Opportunity problem) or you're not credible enough to rank for the right things (an Authority problem). The fix for each is completely different.

This diagnostic helps you figure out which one you're dealing with, in about two minutes.

Part 1: Opportunity Check

Answer honestly. "I think so" counts as "No."

1. Do you know, with actual data, what your target audience searches for?

Not what you think they search for. Not what your competitors seem to rank for. Do you have keyword and topic research showing real search volume, real intent patterns, and real opportunities in your space?

→ YES: You've done the research. Move to question 2. → NO: You have an Opportunity problem. You're flying blind. Start with keyword and topic research before anything else. See Keyword & Topic Research.

2. Does your existing content match the intent behind those searches?

When someone searches "best financial planner Auckland," they want a list of options with enough detail to compare. When they search "how to choose a financial planner," they want educational content. When they search "Smith Financial Planning reviews," they want social proof. Is your content matching what people actually want when they search?

→ YES: Your content aligns with intent. Move to question 3. → NO: Opportunity problem. You have content, but it's mismatched. Audit your top pages against the intent behind their target queries. See Content Marketing.

3. Are you visible on the right platforms, not just Google's standard results?

If your audience searches on Google Maps, are you optimised there? If they search YouTube, do you have video content? If they use "People Also Ask" or AI overviews, are you structured to appear? Opportunities aren't just keywords. They're platforms.

→ YES: You're covering the relevant surfaces. Move to Part 2. → NO: Opportunity problem. You're fishing in the wrong pond. Review where your specific audience actually discovers solutions. See Local SEO if geographic.

Part 2: Authority Check

4. Do other credible websites in your industry link to you or mention you?

Not directories. Not paid placements. Genuine editorial links or mentions from sites that your audience would recognise and trust. Do you have them?

→ YES: You have external validation. Move to question 5. → NO: Authority problem. Your Reputation pillar is thin. You need to earn links through genuine value, not buy them. See Link Building.

5. Does your site load fast, work well on mobile, use HTTPS, and have clean technical foundations?

Check your Core Web Vitals. Try your site on a phone. Look for broken pages, crawl errors, and missing structured data. These are the signals that make your authority legible to algorithms.

→ YES: Technical foundation is solid. Move to question 6. → NO: Authority problem. Your Trust Signal pillar, what algorithms can see, is compromised. Fix the technical foundation before investing in content or links. See Technical SEO.

6. Can a visitor tell within 10 seconds that you're a genuine expert in your field?

Is there an author page? Are credentials visible? Does your content demonstrate first-hand experience, or does it read like it could have been written by anyone? Can a human (or an algorithm) see your E-E-A-T?

→ YES: Your expertise is visible. Your Authority foundations are in place. → NO: Authority problem. Your Brand pillar isn't making your expertise legible. Add author information, demonstrate experience in your content, and make your credentials visible. See The Trust Algorithm for the full framework.

Your Diagnosis

Mostly "No" in Part 1: You have an Opportunity problem. Focus on research, intent mapping, and platform coverage before investing in authority-building.

Mostly "No" in Part 2: You have an Authority problem. Your targeting may be right, but you need to build credibility through technical excellence, genuine expertise signals, and earned external validation.

"No" in both parts: You have both problems. Fix Opportunity first (make sure you're targeting the right things), then build Authority for those specific topics.

All "Yes": Your foundations are solid. Your next move is optimisation: deeper content, stronger internal linking, and expanding into adjacent opportunities. Or look at the other side of the equation: is your Offer compelling enough to convert the traffic you're getting?

What to Do with Your Diagnosis

The power of the O+A framework is clarity. Instead of a sprawling to-do list of SEO tasks, you have a focused direction: am I building Opportunity, or am I building Authority?

→ The O+A Framework. Understand the full equation → Stop Guessing. Start Diagnosing.. The deeper version of this diagnostic → Back to the homepage