Using DevTools Lighthouse for Continuous Technical SEO Audits

As a webmaster or SEO specialist, you’re likely no stranger to the importance of technical SEO audits in ensuring your website’s performance and user experience. While there are many tools available to help with this process, Google’s DevTools Lighthouse has emerged as a powerful and versatile tool for continuous technical SEO audits.

What is DevTools Lighthouse?

DevTools Lighthouse is an open-source auditing tool developed by the Chrome team at Google. It provides a comprehensive set of metrics for evaluating the performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO of your website. Lighthouse can be integrated into various development tools and workflows to provide continuous feedback on your site’s technical quality.

Why Use DevTools Lighthouse?

1. Comprehensive Auditing: Lighthouse provides a comprehensive set of metrics that cover all aspects of technical SEO, including performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO.
2. Continuous Feedback: With Lighthouse, you can get continuous feedback on your website’s technical quality without having to wait for scheduled audits or manual testing.
3. Easy Integration: Lighthouse can be easily integrated into various development tools and workflows, such as CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and monitoring platforms.

How to Use DevTools Lighthouse

Step 1: Install the Lighthouse Extension

To get started with Lighthouse, you need to install the Lighthouse extension in your Google Chrome browser. You can do this by navigating to the Chrome Web Store, searching for “Lighthouse”, and clicking on the “Add to Chrome” button.

Step 2: Open DevTools

Once installed, open DevTools by pressing Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Opt + I (Mac). This will open the DevTools panel in a new window.

Step 3: Run an Audit

In the DevTools panel, navigate to the “Lighthouse” tab and click on the “Generate report” button. Lighthouse will then audit your website’s performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO.

Step 4: Review the Report

Once the audit is complete, you can review the report in the “Report” tab of the DevTools panel. The report provides a detailed breakdown of your site’s technical quality across various metrics.

Best Practices for Using Lighthouse

1. Run Audits Regularly: To ensure continuous feedback on your website’s technical quality, run audits regularly (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly).
2. Monitor Progress: Use the report to monitor your progress and identify areas that need improvement.
3. Integrate with CI/CD Pipelines: Integrate Lighthouse into your CI/CD pipelines to ensure that changes made to your website are tested against technical SEO best practices.

Conclusion

Using DevTools Lighthouse for continuous technical SEO audits provides a powerful way to ensure your website’s performance and user experience. By integrating Lighthouse into your development workflow, you can get regular feedback on your site’s technical quality and identify areas that need improvement.