We’re all living in a digital world with over 1.1 billion websites in total. Out of all these websites, whenever we search for a product or service we need, only a handful appear at the top. Why? Because those websites have better technical SEO optimization than others, allowing them to rank higher. Now, you might ask, what is technical SEO?
In simple words, technical SEO is the optimization of a website that makes it more user-friendly by focusing on the site architecture, decreasing page speed, and optimizing content for better crawlability.
In this blog, I’ll break down basic elements of technical SEO that I prioritize during every SEO audit and optimization. Let’s start!
What is Technical SEO and Why It Matters
Technical SEO refers to the behind-the-scenes elements that help search engines crawl, understand your content, and rank your website better. While it doesn’t involve writing blog posts or adding keywords to your homepage, it lays the foundation that makes all other SEO efforts work.
When I audit a website, I notice that poor ranking is not due to the content. It’s mainly because the search engines aren’t able to crawl or interpret your website. The content is there, but if the search engines aren’t able to understand it, how will they rank it?
That’s where technical SEO matters the most. It focuses on things like page speed, site architecture, mobile responsiveness, user friendliness, and clean code.
Here’s why it matters: Google won’t rank what it can’t read or load quickly. Technical SEO stays behind the curtain. It might not be the flashiest part of the website, but in my experience, it’s one of the most powerful.
Page Speed, Mobile Friendliness, and Core Web Vitals
When I start a website audit or SEO optimization, these are the first three things I check, as they affect both rankability and user experience.
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Page Speed
An average user spends 2 to 5 seconds on a website. And if your website is not loading fast enough, there’s no doubt you’re losing prospects. A slow website frustrates users, and when Google’s algorithm detects this, it pushes the website down.
To solve this issue, I recommend compressing images and videos, minimizing code, and utilizing proper caching to enhance speed. In simple words, don’t upload heavy files, including pictures, videos, and plug-ins, to the website.
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Mobile Friendliness
Your mobile is your new computer. 60% of all website traffic is coming from cellphones. People now no longer view websites on laptops; they prefer mobile devices. So, mobile optimization is not an option; it’s a necessity. I often use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to catch common issues.
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Core Web Vitals
These are Google’s key performance metrics with respect to loading speed:
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): How quickly the main content loads
- FID (First Input Delay): How fast the site responds to user interaction
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): How stable the visual layout is while loading
I use tools like PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse to monitor these vitals. Fixing these issues improves page speed and responsiveness, enabling a better user experience and higher search engine rankings.
Crawlability and Indexing: Getting Your Pages Found
Your content is a big part of SEO. It has all the relevant keywords that’ll help your website rank higher. But what if the Google search engine is able to interpret nothing when it crawls your website? Your website simply won’t rank higher.
That’s why your website should be easy to navigate. This will increase the crawlability and indexing of the website, helping search engines to interpret it faster, allowing for a higher ranking. Here’s how I keep these things in check:
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Page Visibility:
Sometimes websites accidentally hide key pages from search engines. I always check that the right pages are set to be visible and can be found.
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Fix Broken Links:
Your website should not have broken links or unresponsive buttons. They are frustrating, and search engines notice. Always check for broken links, and if there are, fix them.
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Submit a Clear Site Map
A sitemap is like a roadmap of your website. It helps search engines understand how your pages are connected and what to look at first.
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Check for Pages That Can’t Be Accessed
If pages are loading with errors or are difficult to access, they won’t get indexed. I always use simple tools to identify and fix these issues.
Ensuring that your website is easily crawlable and indexable increases your chances of achieving a better ranking. Now, pair that with top-notch content, and your website is well on its way to climbing higher in search results.
Using Robots.txt and Sitemaps Effectively
Robots.txt and Sitemaps help search engines crawl and index your website better. Robots.txt is a set of simple instructions given by your website to the search engines. It tells search engines which part of your website they shouldn’t access, keeping them focused on the pages that matter.
On the other hand, Sitemaps act like a blueprint of your website. It lists all your key pages and helps ensure nothing important gets overlooked. By keeping your sitemap updated and your robots.txt file clean, you make it easier for search engines to crawl, index, and rank your website efficiently.
Structured Data and Schema Markup Explained
Structured data is a way of adding extra details to your website, enabling search engines to better understand the content’s context. I often use schema markup, a type of structured data, to highlight important elements like product information, reviews, events, or FAQs.
This doesn’t just help with crawlability, it can also enhance how your page appears in search results through rich snippets, like star ratings or price tags.
When I’m implementing schema, I’m not updating my content. I’m just making it simple for Google search engines to interpret it better for a higher ranking. It’s a minor technical upgrade that can lead to a noticeable boost in visibility and click-through rates. And in competitive niches, that makes a real difference.
Common Technical SEO Issues to Fix
A well-designed website can also have minor technical errors that hurt visibility. When I start with an SEO audit of any website, the most common issues I look for are:
- Slow loading pages
- Heavy images and videos
- Broken link
- Duplicate content
- Easy Navigation
- Mobile Friendliness
Fixing these issues not only helps search engines crawl and index your website but also ranks it better.
All-In-All:
Now you know what is technical SEO. It’s a combination of simple strategies with a single goal: to improve your website performance. And once you improve your website performance, making it easier for search engines to crawl, your website gets ranked higher automatically. This is no rocket science, you just need an experienced company like Texas Web Studios to help you implement it the right way and get results that last.
Still asking what is technical SEO? And how can it help your website? Feel free to connect with us at Texas Web Studio and we’ll be happy to guide you.
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FAQs
- How is technical SEO different from on-page SEO?
Technical SEO focuses on site performance, and On-page SEO focuses on content and keywords.
- What tools are best for technical SEO audits?
I recommend using Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and PageSpeed Insights for quick and effective audits.
- Does technical SEO improve rankings directly?
Yes, by improving crawlability, speed, and site health, technical SEO helps search engines rank your site more effectively.
