Technical SEO plays a pivotal role in improving your website’s performance and ensuring it ranks well in search engines. However, even the best websites can encounter technical issues that hinder their rankings. Identifying and resolving these problems is key to maintaining your site’s visibility.
In this guide, we’ll explore the most common technical SEO issues, their impact on rankings, and actionable solutions to fix them.
What Is Technical SEO?
Technical SEO focuses on optimising the backend aspects of your website to ensure that search engines can crawl, index, and rank it effectively. Unlike content SEO, which deals with keywords and user experience, technical SEO covers elements like:
- Crawlability: How search engines access your pages.
- Indexability: Whether your pages can be added to search engines’ databases.
- Site performance: Factors like speed and mobile usability.
When technical SEO issues arise, they can prevent your website from reaching its full potential.
1. Crawl Errors
What Are Crawl Errors?
Crawl errors occur when search engines cannot access your website or specific pages. This can result from server errors, DNS issues, or blocked pages.
How to Fix Crawl Errors
- Use Google Search Console to identify crawl errors.
- Check your robots.txt file to ensure it doesn’t block essential pages.
- Address server issues by upgrading your hosting plan or troubleshooting configuration errors.
2. Duplicate Content Issues
What Is Duplicate Content?
Duplicate content occurs when identical or very similar content appears on multiple URLs. Search engines may struggle to decide which version to rank, leading to lower visibility.
How to Fix Duplicate Content
- Use canonical tags to point to the preferred version of a page.
- Consolidate similar content into one authoritative page.
- Avoid publishing duplicate metadata across pages.
3. Broken Links
Why Broken Links Are Problematic
Broken links not only frustrate users but also signal poor website quality to search engines, potentially harming your rankings.
How to Fix Broken Links
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to scan for broken links.
- Update broken links with working URLs or redirect them using 301 redirects.
- Regularly audit your website to catch new broken links.
4. Mobile Usability Issues
Why Mobile-Friendliness Matters
With the majority of web traffic now coming from mobile devices, Google prioritises mobile-friendly websites in its rankings.
How to Fix Mobile Usability Issues
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to identify issues.
- Optimise your site design for responsive layouts.
- Ensure buttons and links are easy to tap on smaller screens.
- Avoid intrusive interstitials that disrupt user experience.
5. Slow Page Speed
The Impact of Page Speed on SEO
Slow-loading websites leads to higher bounce rates and lower rankings.
How to Fix Slow Page Speed
- Compress images to reduce file sizes.
- Enable browser caching for faster load times.
- Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files.
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to speed up global content delivery.
6. Indexing Problems
What Are Indexing Problems?
If your pages aren’t indexed, they won’t appear in search results. Common causes include no index tags, blocked resources, or insufficient internal links.
How to Fix Indexing Problems
- Use Google Search Console to check which pages are indexed.
- Remove unnecessary noindex tags from pages you want to rank.
- Create an XML sitemap and submit it to search engines.
7. Structured Data Errors
The Importance of Structured Data
Structured data helps search engines understand your content better, leading to rich results like snippets, FAQs, and reviews.
How to Fix Structured Data Errors
- Use Google’s Rich Results Test to identify schema markup issues.
- Validate your structured data with the Schema Markup Validator.
- Fix errors like missing fields, incorrect formatting, or invalid item types.
8. HTTPS and Security Issues
Why HTTPS Matters
Google favours secure websites, and users are more likely to trust HTTPS-enabled sites.
How to Fix HTTPS Issues
- Install an SSL certificate to secure your website.
- Update all internal links to use HTTPS.
- Redirect HTTP URLs to their HTTPS counterparts using 301 redirects.
9. Orphan Pages
What Are Orphan Pages?
Orphan pages have no internal links pointing to them, making them difficult for search engines to find.
How to Fix Orphan Pages
- Use crawling tools to identify orphan pages.
- Add internal links to these pages from relevant parts of your site.
- Include them in your sitemap for better discoverability.
10. Incorrect Use of Redirects
Common Redirect Mistakes
- Using 302 (temporary) redirects instead of 301 (permanent).
- Creating redirect loops or chains that slow down your site.
How to Fix Redirect Issues
- Use 301 redirects for permanent URL changes.
- Limit redirect chains to avoid performance issues.
- Regularly audit redirects to ensure they function correctly.
Case Studies and Results
Conclusion
Technical SEO is the backbone of a high-performing website. By proactively addressing common issues like crawl errors, duplicate content, and slow page speed, you can ensure your site remains competitive in search rankings. Implement the strategies outlined in this guide to optimise your site and drive sustainable growth.