SEO and AI visibility audit: what it checks and what it costs
An SEO audit tells you why your site isn't being found, and in what order to fix it. A good audit ends with a ranked list of actions, not an 80-page report nobody reads.
Now that customers also ask ChatGPT or Perplexity, an audit has one more thing to check: can those assistants read your site?
What does an SEO audit check?
An audit checks that Google can find, read and understand your pages, then that their content matches what your customers search for. It covers technical health, speed, content and, today, readability by AI assistants.
- Indexing. Which pages Google knows, which it ignores and why. That is what the Page indexing report in Google Search Console shows.
- Mobile speed. Google's Core Web Vitals and their official thresholds: main content shown (LCP) within 2.5 seconds, responsiveness (INP) of 200 milliseconds or less, visual stability (CLS) of 0.1 or less.
- Technical. http and https versions, redirects, title and description tags, sitemap, robots.txt, duplicate pages.
- Content. Does each page answer a real customer search? Do the headings say what you do and where?
- AI visibility. Can ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity crawlers read the site? Is key information (offer, prices, area, contact) clear and structured?
- Local SEO. If customers visit you: Google Business Profile, consistent name, address and phone wherever you are listed.
How much does an SEO audit cost?
Published prices range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on site size and audit depth. These are estimates from industry vendors, not independent statistics.
| Source | Stated price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| WebFX (US agency) | $101 to $750 per audit, for 43% of respondents | Survey of 250 US businesses on what they spend on SEO audits; WebFX sells audits |
| La Fabrique du Net (France) | €1,500 to €3,000 for a one-off audit | 2026 pricing guide; €5,000 median across 303 projects of all audit types |
| LionuXE, Visibility Audit | $240, fixed price | Audit scored out of 100, AI visibility included, plan of at least 10 actions, 5 business days |
What is in the LionuXE Visibility Audit?
The Visibility Audit is a full audit scored out of 100, delivered in 5 business days for $240. It ends with a plan of at least 10 concrete actions, ranked by priority, and a plain-language written summary.
- Full SEO audit scored out of 100
- Technical and mobile speed audit
- AI visibility: crawler access, readability, structured data
- Local SEO if customers visit you in person
- Prioritized action plan, at least 10 concrete fixes
- Plain-language written summary
Its fee is credited if you order a website within 30 days. And if your site only needs fixes, we'll tell you: you can apply the plan yourself or with your current provider.
How long before fixes show results?
Google says some changes take effect in a few hours, others could take several months. It generally suggests waiting a few weeks to assess whether your work had an effect in search results.
Technical fixes, on the other hand, can be measured right away: speed, indexable pages, structured data. That is why, when we deliver a website, we hand over before/after measurements.
How do you spot a serious audit?
A serious audit doesn't promise the top spot: Google itself says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google. It shows verifiable findings, page by page, and says what to fix first.
- Evidence. Every issue comes with the affected URL and the measured value.
- Priorities. Actions are ranked by expected impact and effort, not dumped in a list.
- The questions Google suggests asking. Can you show examples of previous work? Do you follow Google Search Essentials? What results should I expect, and in what timeframe? Our sample audit is online to answer the first one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I audit my own website?
Partly. Google Search Console (free) shows indexed pages and Core Web Vitals, and PageSpeed Insights measures speed. What is often missing is the interpretation: knowing what to fix first.
Do you need access to my website?
No. The Visibility Audit is done from the outside, the way Google and your customers see the site. Search Console access, if you have it, lets us go further.
Does the audit cover ChatGPT and Perplexity?
Yes: AI crawler access, page readability and structured data. We can't guarantee an AI will cite you; nobody can.
What happens after the audit?
You get the report and the action plan. You can apply it yourself, with your provider, or hire us for the website: the audit fee is credited if you order the website within 30 days.
Order a Visibility Audit See pricing See a sample audit
Sources: Google, do you need an SEO? · Google, Core Web Vitals · Google, Page indexing report · Google, SEO starter guide · WebFX, SEO audit cost · La Fabrique du Net, pricing