Technical Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most important aspects of any website. If your website isn’t performing properly from a technical standpoint, you’re losing out on potential traffic and revenue.
This guide will discuss the performance of a proper technical setup and some of the best technical SEO tools available.
What is Technical SEO?
Technical search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for websites to rank high in search results.
Technical SEO is optimizing a website for Google’s search algorithm. It is a search engine optimization type that focuses on improving the crawling and indexing of a website.
Technical search engine optimization includes optimizing your website’s structure, title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and content making search engines quickly index and crawls your site.
Technical SEO refers to creating XML sitemaps, submitting them to Google Webmaster Tools, and fixing any errors or issues that may prevent search engines from correctly accessing or ranking your site.
Technical SEO can be a bit daunting initially, but plenty of resources are available to help you get started.
Why should your website be technically optimized?
Technical search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for both small and large websites. It can help improve the visibility of a website in Google’s search results and make it easier to crawl and index a website.
Technically optimized websites provide a better user experience, load faster, and are easier for search engines to index. All of these factors can increase traffic and conversions.
If you want your website to succeed in technical SEO, you need to ensure it is technically optimized. Here are some tips on how to do that:
Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A CDN caches your content on servers worldwide to improve your website’s loading speed. Visitors can access your site’s content faster wherever.
Optimize your images
Compress images before uploading, as large images can slow down your website.
Minimize your code
Too much code can slow your website and make it difficult for search engines to index. Use CSS and JavaScript minimization techniques to reduce the amount of code on your pages.
Use a caching plugin.
Caching plugins can help to improve loading times as they create a static version of your website.
What is the performance of a website with a proper Technical setup?
A proper Technical setup enhances the website’s performance. The website loads faster and is more responsive. Users can navigate the site more easily and find the information they need quickly and efficiently.
A well-designed website with an excellent Technical setup can improve your company’s bottom line by providing a better user experience leading to higher customer satisfaction and conversions.
1. Fast Web Page Load
The fast page load is a characteristic of the site that is technically optimized. It is when the site loads quickly and efficiently for visitors, providing them with a positive experience. In addition to being fast, the site should also be easy to navigate and visually appealing. All of these factors contribute to making the site a success.
Several factors contribute to a fast page load. One is caching, which helps store frequently accessed data so that you can quickly retrieve it. Another is optimizing the code so that it runs efficiently. A well-designed website will consider these and other factors to provide visitors with a fast, smooth experience.
A fast page load is just one part of a successful website. However, it is essential to consider when designing and building a site. Optimizing the page speed can ensure visitors have a positive experience and are more likely to return.
2. Well Structured Data
A well-structured website will have well-structured data. The website’s code will be well organized and easy to read. Implementing structured data will make it easier for search engines to index the website’s content and rank well in search results.
A well-structured website is the foundation of a successful online presence. It is because the website’s code will be well organized and streamlined. In addition, a well-structured website will load faster and be more responsive to users.
Improperly structured websites can have negative consequences such as decreased visibility in search engines, decreased performance, and increased maintenance costs. A well-structured website will save you time and money in the long run.
3. Web Pages are crawlable
A technically optimized site’s essential characteristic is that web pages are crawlable. It means that crawlers of search engines can easily access and read the content on your website. If your web page is not crawlable, it will be difficult for search engines to find and index your content, hurting your website’s ranking in search results.
You must ensure that your website’s code is clean and well-organized to make it crawlable. You also need to use standard HTML tags and format your content in a way that is easy for search engine spiders to understand. In addition, you should avoid using Flash or other technologies that are not easily crawlable by crawlers.
4. Free from duplicate content issue
Technically optimized sites are free from duplicate content issues. It is one of the essential characteristics of a technically optimized site. If your site has the same content, it will be difficult for search engines to index pages and rank them accordingly. It can lower pages’ rank in search engines and traffic levels. Ensure all your multiple pages have unique and original content to avoid duplicate content.
5. Little to no dead links
A technically optimized website will have little to no dead links. It means that all of the internal links on the website work and lead to the intended destination. Easy navigation of a website will have a clear hierarchy and structure. All of the pages on the website will be easy to find, and there will be a logical flow to the website.
6. The site is secure
A site that is technically optimized is secure. The site has security in mind and uses SSL encryption to protect user data.
7. Have XML Sitemap
A technically optimized site will have an XML sitemap as it helps Google and other search engines find and index all of your web pages.
8. With hreflang for international websites
A vital characteristic of a technically optimized site is the use of hreflang for international websites. Hreflang is telling search engines which of the multiple versions of your content is for the intended audience. It is significant for websites that are targeting various countries or languages. Without hreflang, Google may serve the wrong content to your users, leading to a poor user experience.
Technical SEO Tools
Many technical SEO tools are available, each with its specific purpose. To technically optimize your site, you’ll need to choose the right tool for the job. Here are some popular technical SEO tools available:
- Google Search Console
- PageSpeed Insights
- Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test
- Chrome DevTools
Google Search Console
Google Search Console helps you understand how Google crawls and indexes your site, which can be helpful when troubleshooting issues with your site.
Google offers this technical SEO tool of free service that helps you monitor and maintain the site’s presence in Google Search results.
Google Search Console can help you with several technical SEO issues, such as:
Crawling and indexing: If Google is having trouble crawling or indexing your site, Search Console can help you troubleshoot the issue.
Structured data: You can use Search Console to test your data in the site structure and fix any errors that Google may find.
Security issues: Search Console can help you identify and fix any security issues with your site.
Mobile usability: You can use Search Console to test your site’s mobile usability and fix any errors that Google may find.
PageSpeed Insights
PageSpeed Insights is a technical SEO tool that analyzes the web page’s content and provides suggestions to make that page faster. For two reasons, Google believes site speed is essential: users are less likely to abandon a slow-loading page, and search engines are more likely to rank accelerated mobile pages higher than slow-loading ones.
There are many ways that PageSpeed Insights can help with technical SEO. First, it can help identify areas where a website is slow to load caused by various factors, including large images, unoptimized code, and third-party scripts. By identifying these issues, you can fix them to improve the website’s overall speed.
Second, PageSpeed Insights provides recommendations on how to improve the website’s performance. These recommendations’ basis is some factors, including browser caching, modification, and compression. Implementing these recommendations allows the website to load faster for users and search engines.
Third, PageSpeed Insights can help to improve the usability of a website. A fast-loading website is not only essential for search engines but also for users. If a website is slow to load, users will likely click away before the page has even finished loading. By improving the speed of the website, it will be more likely that users will stay on the site and be able to navigate it easily.
Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test
Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test is an excellent tool for technical SEO. The test will analyze and report a website’s mobile friendliness. The test is quick and easy to use. Enter a page’s URL into the testing tool, and Google will do the rest.
The test is helpful for technical search engine optimization because it can help identify potential website issues that make mobile users challenging to access. By identifying these issues, website owners can then take steps to correct them and improve the overall mobile experience for their visitors.
One potential issue this test can help identify is a website’s use of Flash content. Not all mobile devices support flash content, making it difficult or impossible for some users to view. If a website contains Flash content, the test will report this and suggest alternatives that you can use to provide a better experience for mobile visitors.
Another issue is that the test can identify if web page sizes are appropriate for mobile screens. If pages are too large or too small, they can be challenging to read and navigate on a mobile device. This test will report if pages are not appropriately sized and suggest changes that you can make to improve the experience for mobile visitors.
Chrome DevTools
Chrome DevTools is a valuable set of web developer tools built into Google Chrome. You can use it to debug, optimize and troubleshoot websites. Technical SEOs can use Chrome DevTools to investigate issues with their website’s code, rendering, and performance.
In addition, you can also use this technical SEO tool to test changes to a site before implementing them live. It can be instrumental in ensuring that changes will not adversely affect the site’s ranking or performance.
Another great thing about using DevTools is that it can help you optimize your website speed. Make necessary changes to improve the site’s speed by identifying slow-loading elements on a page. It is essential because website speed is a significant factor in search engines’ ranking. In addition, website speed is also crucial for user experience. By improving the speed of your site, you can improve both the ranking and the user experience.
Conclusion
While most people focus on the “on-page” search engine optimization factors such as keyword optimization and content marketing, technical SEO strategy is just as crucial for getting your website to rank high in SERPs.
If you have a poorly optimized website, all your on-page SEO efforts will be for nothing. That’s why make sure your website is technically sound before you start implementing any other SEO strategies.