Building a website is easy, but maintaining it is challenging. A lot of times, there are possibilities that you may build the most amazing website ever, but there will be little traffic diverted toward it. This is when technical SEO comes to the rescue. Technical SEO ensures the highest possible website ranking by aiding to improve website traffic. It optimizes the website through various technical aspects, making it more visible. As a result, its performance improves manifolds. Technical SEO entails various elements, and each one is necessary to unleash the website’s potential to the fullest.
In this article, we shall discuss how technical SEO improves a website’s performance and which things should be considered while embracing it.
Website Architecture and Structure
The architecture and structure of a website are of supreme importance. It outlines the hierarchy of the content, giving it a certain kind of order and keeping it clean. When a structured website checks, the visitors can navigate through it quickly. Alongside this, it certifies the stability of the website.
The website architecture and structure include various elements that are discussed below:
a. URL Structure
The URL structure of a website is like a road map that showcases directions to the visitors. A well-structured URL lets users and visitors get the hang of the content hierarchy. This is why adding as many descriptive keywords to it as possible is necessary. The URL should be crafted to leave a memorable impression on the visitors. Easy to remember URL fetches the highest amount of organic traffic.
b. Internal Linking
Another significant component of the website architecture and structure includes internal linking. Connecting different web pages helps visitors move swiftly from one web page to another. You can connect different web pages through internal linking and help visitors easily explore the entire website. Visitors quickly get relevant content to explore, making their search easier. There is no denying the fact that Internal Linking is Important for a better performance of the website.
c. XML Sitemap
Another essential component of the website’s structure is the XML Sitemap. This is quite an essential part of the website as it offers search engine crawlers a complete list of web pages. It includes everything from the URL to the last modified date. It also has a priority list for each page. It is shown that the search engine can index efficiently.
d. Robots.txt File
The Robots.txt File Is a study text file that communicates with the web crawlers. You will find it in the website’s root directory, and it guides the web crawlers regarding the pages it should crawl and index. This way, it gets possible for the owners to control the actions of web crawlers on their websites.
They can restrict the crawlers from entering specific pages for their benefit. This way, the website owners can use those specific pages for their internal requirements only, and their information is not made public.
e. Mobile responsiveness
It is proven that most people skim through websites using their mobile phones. Hence, websites must be highly responsive to phones and easy to navigate for the viewers. It leads to a positive user experience, and the website gets more organic traffic. When a website adapts to the varied gadgets, it showcases the font, layout, and images that are easy to navigate.
f. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
AMP, also known as accelerated mobile pages, is an open-source initiative. Its main goal is to augment the performance of a mobile web page and enrich the user experience. By loading the pages faster, AMP makes the webpages super efficient and responsive.
g. Mobile Optimization Testing
Through mobile optimization testing, the web developer is able to evaluate the functionality of the website. It also determines the user experience on the mobile devices. A mobile-friendly website is sure to fetch great organic traffic.
Page Speed Optimization
The time a web page requires to load and display its content is known as the page speed. Anyone would find it annoying if the page loads super slowly! Page speed optimization is a necessary part of the technical SEO checklist. Here are some ways through which it can be achieved:
Minifying CSS and JavaScript
By using the technique of minifying CSS and JavaScript, web developers can optimize web page speed. When the file sizes reduce, they are easy and quick to load. Using descriptive variables while developing the JavaScript code makes it possible to maintain the readability level of the web pages.
Image Optimization
Another great way to augment the speed of web pages and enhance their performance is Image optimization. It refers to the size of the files uploaded on the web pages. If they are too big, they will increase the webpage’s loading time and vice versa!
Caching
By storing data from the internet, cashing increases the speed with which users can move from one webpage to another. This happens in a way that whenever a user goes to a website, the browser he is using copies information from static sources, including images. When the user makes the next request, the browser again uses the same information rather than loading the entire web page.
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Content delivery network, also known as CDN, refers to a network of servers distributed strategically across a geographical region. These include crucial elements such as JavaScript, CSS files, and HTML pages. Website owners can efficiently augment web pages’ speed by using content delivery networks.
Eliminating Render-Blocking Resources,
This is also a technique used by website developers to enhance the speed of web pages. There are times when resources like JavaScript files and CSS files may end up blocking the rendering of a page. As a result, there are times when the page loads slower, affecting the visibility of the content for the users. When these render-blocking resources are managed, the experience of users improves manifold.
Technical Site Health
One of the most crucial elements that determine a website’s performance is the technical site’s health. It includes a variety of elements such as codebase, infrastructure,, and configuration; by keeping the technical health of the website optimal, the web developers can ensure the highest possible search engine visibility for it. It includes various elements such as codebase, infrastructure, and configuration.
Here are a few components associated with it:
a. Crawlability and Indexability
The crawlability and indexability aspects can easily affect the website’s visibility. In simple words, crawlability is the ability of a search engine to access web pages and navigate through them. Crawlers, also known as search engine bots, crawl through the website and check out the content.
On the other hand, indexability is the ability of the search engine to make website pages a part of the index. In this way, judging whether the webpages would come up when someone searches about a related query becomes easier!
Broken Links and Redirects
Broken links and redirects affect the site’s health badly! They also harm the user-friendliness of the website. Broken links refer to hyperlinks that are non-existent and lead to inaccessible pages. It can happen for several reasons, including incorrect linking, page deletion, and even URL structure modifications.
Canonical Tags
HTML elements indicating the webpage version that is preferred when compared to other versions of similar content are called canonical tags. They work efficiently in taking care of duplicate content. Whenever someone searches, these tags showcase the correct webpage version. Canonical tags play a significant role in improving visitors’ experience by countering the duplication problem.
Duplicate Content
Content that appears identical on the website is considered to be duplicated. They tend to appear on web pages and hence are a cause of annoyance for the readers. It affects the ranking of the websites directly. Tackling it is necessary to ensure better technical site health.
HTTP Status Codes (4xx, 5xx)
The three-digit numbers that showcase the webpage’s status once the HTTP request is made make the HTTP status code. Where the 4xx error is about the client error, the 5xx talks about the server error. Once they are managed, they aid in improving the site’s health.
Structured Data Markup
Also referred to as schema markup, structured data markup is basically a code that can be added to the HTML of a website. Its basic function is to add extra content to the page that acts as some additional information and data. Through the structured data markup, it gets easier for the search engines to get the hang of the content. The website owners add the markup to their websites in varied manners, such as using an extension for content management systems.
Some major structured data markup are as follows:
Schema.org Markup
The schema.org is basically a vocabulary of tags. This vocabulary list is used by the website developers that aids them in structuring the data on the website properly. The added benefit that comes with it is that of displaying rich snippets, keeping the elements of the website visually appealing, and augmenting the chances of a click-through rate.
Another benefit associated with it is the enriched search results that are associated with providing additional information to the viewer. They aid the users take better decisions.
Rich Snippets
Search engines use structured data markup to augment the search results through rich snippets. These snippets don’t only provide additional and meaningful information to the users but also give better context to the content. The users can often make the required decision by reading the snippet and without clicking on the website.
Breadcrumbs
The hierarchical trail that mentions the user’s current location in the website’s structure is called breadcrumbs. When a website is pretty heavy and extensive, these breadcrumbs help the user get to know about their exact position, and it makes the website easy to navigate.
Local Business Markup
Local business markup offers detailed information to search engines regarding some local businesses. By going deep into the information available about the business, the local business markup talks about everything, including the name, phone number, opening hours, and address of a business. It also mentioned the reviews. Local businesses are able to augment their online presence by using the business markup logically.
Product Markup
Just like the local business markup mentions all the information related to the business, the product markup showcases all the relevant details about a product. It offers the user an extended version of structured data regarding the products they are looking for. This information includes a detailed description of the product, its ratings, and reviews, along with the price and status of availability.
User Experience (UX)
User experience means how the user feels as he navigates through the website. There are a plethora of elements that affect the user experience, and they include:
Site Navigation and User Flow
Site navigation and user flow refer to the seamless user experience. It includes everything from the organization of the website to its structure. It helps the users move through the website in a systematic manner. Alongside this, they include all the navigational elements that would let the users move from one page of the website to another.
Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs)
A clear call-to-action, also known as the CTA, works effectively when it comes to motivating users to take a specific action. As a matter of fact, they lead to purchases and downloads as per the need of the client. Hence, it’s necessary to place the CTAs strategically to bring maximum results. If a CTA is visible and one doesn’t need to scroll to find it, it’s bound to generate greater leads.
Readability and Formatting
Call to action should be easy to read so they generate the desired actions. They should also be formatted in a way that they aid in capturing the maximum possible user attention. If they are well formatted, they will surely attract users and encourage them to click it. To ensure that, the web developers need to focus on the font size, typography, contrast and color, and button design of the CTAs.
Engaging and Valuable Content
If the content displayed on the website is not engaging, it won’t retain the users. To capture visitors’ attention and encourage them to keep coming back, the content they read must be informative. Relevant and compelling content has the ability to build trust in online viewers and augment the authority of the website. Creating content according to the needs and preferences of the target audience is the right way to generate trust among the readers.
User-Friendly Forms
If the website requires some forms to interact with the users, it’s necessary to ensure that the forms are user-friendly. A well-designed form doesn’t only ensure a higher level of engagement with the audience but also leads to better conversions.
Technical SEO Auditing and Monitoring
The health and performance of a website are crucial for a website to thrive naturally, and technical SEO auditing and monitoring play a massive role in ensuring a website’s health. By evaluating the technical aspects of a website, it gets possible for web developers to address all the issues associated with it. The technical SEO auditing and monitoring include the following:
Regular Site Audits
One of the most significant ways to monitor the website’s performance is by auditing it periodically. Regular site audits help in evaluating the website from its technical perspective. It also aids the website developers in resolving all the issues faced by the visitors immediately. While auditing the website, the auditors have to consider the following aspects of it:
- The Technical SEO: By evaluating the speed of the website, the indexing, crawlability, and XML sitemap, the auditors are able to determine what factors are actually contributing to the low visibility of the website over the internet.
- On-page SEO: Another major element of the website that the auditors have to consider while auditing it is the on-page SEO. This includes everything from the page titles to the meta description and heading. When the web developer can optimize them, there is a greater organic reach toward the website.
Monitoring Google Search Console
One of the most pertinent parts of a strong SEO strategy is monitoring the Google Search Console. Regular monitoring offers a deep understanding of the website’s performance.
Analyzing Website Analytics
Analysis of the website analytics helps monitor the website’s performance and how visitors act. Its insights lead to ideas that make optimizing the website easier for developers. It also includes the identification of website traffic sources. These may incorporate options that include social media reach, referral sites, and paid advertising. They also aid in improving promotional strategies.
Identifying and Fixing Issues
Once the website issues are found, it gets more accessible for the website developers to fix them. This is an ongoing process. It aids in augmenting search engine visibility. They ensure to improve the website’s health and maintain it for an extended period.
Final Thoughts
Technical SEO is a great way to optimize websites and increase their visibility. A well-crafted and strong SEO strategy indexes the website efficiently and augments its performance, leading to better performance on SERPs. Hence, keeping in mind all the components of the technical SEO checklist before crafting and implementing it is necessary for the success of a business.
