You’ll often hear me talk about onpage SEO, which focuses on addressing the things we can actually see on a web page – its headers, copy, images, and its meta data (which is not immediately visible on the page itself but does appear in the search listings). Technical SEO is not quite the same, but it is just as important.

It’s the stuff that happens behind the scenes. It’s the backend improvements we can make that make sure your platform is easily discoverable and works as it should. It’s all about using our technical expertise as web developers to make it faster, simple to navigate, and, crucially, much more accessible for Google and the other major search engines.


What are the basic elements of technical SEO?

If I listed every single thing we look at as part of a technical SEO audit, I’d be here all day – but here are some of the things you can expect this service to cover.

Website speed optimisation

Page load speed is a vital ranking factor for Google. Optimising factors like image sizes, code minification, and server response times can improve site speed, which will have a direct impact on user engagement and SEO.

Mobile responsiveness

Now that Google operates under a mobile-first indexing practice, the mobile version of your site is considered the primary version it looks at – so it needs to operate just as well as the desktop version! My team and I will adjust your mobile template to make sure everything looks perfect regardless of the device your website is being viewed on.

Crawlability

If Google’s going to index your pages and serve up your content in search, they need to be crawlable. Elements like a robots.txt files and XML sitemaps can help to guide search engine bots towards the pages you want them to review.

Indexing

Technical SEO includes managing what pages get indexed by using directives like “noindex” for pages that don’t need to be in search results. This prevents unnecessary content from competing with your key pages, so the most appropriate piece appears in the rankings.

URL structure and site architecture

Clean, logical, and consistent URL structures make it easier for the search engines to understand the content hierarchy of a website (ie, how your pages are organised, and which ones are likely to provide the most accurate and engaging information). Simple URLs with descriptive keywords can also improve each page’s ranking potential, so we’ll implement these wherever we can.

HTTPS security

Google considers HTTPS a ranking signal, so securing your site with an SSL certificate not only improves trust but also supports a better search engine presence.

Canonical tags

Canonical tags prevent duplicate content issues by specifying the preferred version of a webpage. This helps Google and co understand which version to prioritise and index.

Structured data markup (schema)

Adding structured data (or schema markup) to your site enables rich snippets, enhancing how your site appears in search results and making it more appealing to users. Better engagement often means improved click-through rates, so it’s a win/win.

404 error pages and redirects

By creating custom 404 error pages and using 301 redirects properly, we can help manage broken links and minimise the impact of errors. Both of these things can be frustrating for users and push them into abandoning their visit to your site.

Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are the specific metrics that Google uses to evaluate user experience, focusing on loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability. Optimising these metrics will make sure your website is first in line for indexing, so our technical SEO experts will focus on them as a matter of course.


What are the real-world benefits of technical SEO?

It all sounds very complex – but what do you actually GET from technical SEO?

Improved search engine rankings

And we’re all interested in these, right? Technical SEO enables search engines to understand your site better and index it more efficiently, which can directly improve your ranking potential, drive more traffic to your website from organic search, and lead to more tangible sales.

An enhanced user experience

Many technical SEO elements, such as page speed and mobile friendliness, also lead to a more enjoyable experience of your website overall. A well-optimised site will keep users engaged and increase their dwell time (and, handily, all these advantages will indirectly boost SEO).

Faster load times

Everyone’s impatient these days, and your prospects are no different. They want information about your business, and they want it now! Fast-loading sites are less likely to have high bounce rates and are more likely to retain visitors, so there’s a definite case for making sure your platform is performing at speed.

Reduced downtime

Regular technical SEO audits can help identify and fix errors like broken links, slow-loading pages, or indexing issues, improving site health and preventing unexpected issues that could prevent people from finding you or enjoying everything your website has to offer.

Better conversion rates

A technically sound site that loads quickly, works well on mobile devices, and has an intuitive structure is more likely to convert visitors into customers. Ultimately, this is what we’re all aiming for!

Future-proofing your website against algorithm updates

Google’s algorithm updates favour user experience, speed, and security above all else. So, investing in technical SEO helps you stay ahead of these updates and maintain great rankings over time. It’s a robust way to future-proof your site and protect your competitive advantage in the long run.


How does my technical SEO service work?

My technical SEO team can assist with all the above, and much more!

Once we have access to the back end of your website, we will investigate any issues and put together a plan for improving its performance. Then, with your consent, we’ll fix any lingering problems, optimise your website’s key elements according to best practices, and report back with any recommendations that might improve the way the site is structured.

Most of our work will happen in the background, so it won’t impact what your users see – but it WILL make a difference to their experience.

Contact me to learn more or read about my search engine marketing solutions.