Site Health: What It Is and Why It Matters

Written By Damian Eslinger

Maintaining a healthy website is crucial for visibility, user experience, and long-term success. One of the most effective ways to monitor your website’s technical performance is through the Site Health Metric, a feature offered by platforms like Semrush. But what exactly is this metric, and why should you care?

What Is the Site Health Metric?

The Site Health Score in Semrush is a comprehensive indicator of your website’s technical SEO health, expressed as a percentage from 0 to 100. It is calculated based on the number and severity of issues found during a Site Audit, including:

  • Errors (critical issues)

  • Warnings (moderate issues)

  • Notices (minor issues)

Errors have the most significant impact on your score, followed by warnings and notices. The score does not depend on the number of pages crawled, but rather on the frequency and severity of issues found across those pages. [How is Sit...- Semrush]

What Does the Site Health Metric Measure?

Semrush’s Site Audit tool checks for over 140 different types of issues, including:

  • Broken links

  • Duplicate content

  • Crawlability problems

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Meta tag errors

  • HTTP status codes

  • Site structure and internal linking [SEMrush Si...- Databox]

Each issue is categorized and weighted, meaning fixing multiple problems of the same type (e.g., all broken links) can improve your score more than fixing isolated issues across different categories.

Why Does Site Health Matter?

A high Site Health Score is more than just a vanity metric—it directly impacts your website’s:

1. Search Engine Rankings

Search engines like Google prioritize technically sound websites. Issues like broken links or poor mobile usability can hinder crawlability and indexing, reducing your visibility in search results.

2. User Experience

Technical issues can frustrate users, leading to higher bounce rates and lower engagement. A healthy site ensures smooth navigation, faster load times, and better accessibility.

3. Conversion Rates

A well-optimized site builds trust and keeps users engaged, increasing the likelihood of conversions—whether that’s a sale, a sign-up, or another desired action.

4. Competitive Benchmarking

Semrush allows you to compare your Site Health Score against industry averages and the top 10% of websites in your niche. This helps you understand where you stand and what improvements are needed. [How is Sit...- Semrush]

How to Improve Your Site Health Score

Here are a few actionable tips:

  • Run regular audits using any website auditing tool.

  • Prioritize fixing errors before warnings and notices.

  • Optimize crawlability by improving internal linking and fixing broken pages.

  • Ensure mobile-friendliness and fast loading speeds.

  • Use structured data to help search engines understand your content.

Final Thoughts

The Site Health Metric is a powerful tool for anyone serious about SEO. By regularly monitoring and improving your score, you not only enhance your website’s performance but also boost its visibility, user experience, and conversion potential.

Whether you're a marketer, developer, or business owner, understanding and leveraging this metric can be a game-changer for your online presence.

Damian Eslinger