Technical SEO is the unsung hero of search engine rankings. Even the best content won’t rank if Google can’t crawl, index, or understand your site. This blog breaks down the technical strategies to boost your website’s performance.

1. Site Speed & Core Web Vitals

• Page speed: A 1-second delay reduces conversions by 7% (Portent).
• Core Web Vitals: Google’s user experience metrics:
  • LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): Load time (<2.5s).
  • FID (First Input Delay): Interactivity (<100ms).
  • CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): Visual stability (<0.1).
• Optimization tools: Use Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or WebPageTest.

2. Mobile-First Indexing

• Google prioritizes mobile versions of websites.
• Ensure responsive design, fast loading, and tap-friendly buttons.
• Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

3. Crawlability & Indexability

• Robots.txt: Avoid blocking critical pages.
• XML sitemap: Submit via Google Search Console.
• Canonical tags: Prevent duplicate content issues.
• Fix 404 errors and redirect chains.

4. Structured Data (Schema Markup)

• Help Google understand your content with schema for:
  • Articles
  • Products
  • FAQs
  • Local businesses
• Use the Schema Markup Generator or plugins like Yoast SEO.

5. HTTPS & Security

• HTTPS is a ranking factor.
• Fix mixed content warnings and use a valid SSL certificate.

6. Technical Audits

• Tools: Screaming Frog, SEMrush, or Ahrefs.
• Check for:
  • Broken links
  • Thin content
  • Poor URL structure

Conclusion

Technical SEO is the foundation of rankings. Ignore it, and your content efforts will fall flat.