While SEO is changing, I definitely keep the Google Adwords Keyword tool at the ready. It is like drinking right from the tap when it comes to finding search volumes, similar/competitive keywords and generally gauging where you might ultimately land if success occurs.

When diligencing digital assets, I try to inventory access first, then validate value, then look for risk. In practice, this is the order I usually go in. 1. Access & ownership (do this first) • Domain registrar. Confirm ownership, renewal dates, DNS access • Hosting account(s). AWS, GCP, VPS, etc. Confirm billing owner and admin access • Google Analytics and Search Console ownership. Admin access, not just viewer • Ad accounts. Google Ads, Meta, Pinterest, TikTok if applicable • CRM, ESP, and customer databases • Source code repos if any custom software exists If you cannot get admin-level access, that is already a diligence finding. 2. Traffic & audience assets • Google Analytics. Channel mix, trends, seasonality, top landing pages • Search Console. Queries, pages, impressions vs clicks, index coverage issues • Email platform. List size, growth, engagement, deliverability • Social accounts. Follower counts, engagement, referral traffic contribution Benchmarks I look for: • Heavy reliance on a single channel = risk • Flat or declining branded search = warning sign • Email engagement far below industry norms often signals list decay 3. Revenue systems • Stripe, PayPal, or processor exports. Gross vs net, refunds, chargebacks • Subscription vs one-time mix • Customer concentration. Top 5–10 customers as % of revenue • Renewal and churn mechanics. Especially auto-renew vs manual I usually reconcile processor data to the P&L. Mismatches are common and important. 4. Content & IP • CMS access and content inventory • Who actually owns the content. Employees vs contractors • Licensing on images, fonts, templates, and any third-party data • AI-generated content. When used, how, and with what tools 5. Technology stack • CMS, plugins, themes, and update cadence • Custom code vs off-the-shelf tools • Third-party dependencies and API risk • Backup, monitoring, and basic security posture Benchmarks here are less about perfection and more about maintainability. If it is fragile or undocumented, expect post-close work. 6. Operational glue • Key workflows. Lead intake, fulfillment, support, billing • Single points of failure. People, vendors, or tools • What breaks if one person disappears for 30 days That last point is often the most valuable diligence insight. I do diligence work focused heavily on digital and online businesses, and this checklist is roughly the order I use in real reviews. Even if you outsource parts of it, having a structured approach like this makes it much easier to spot risk early and avoid surprises after close.