BlogSampo Saukko 21.11.2024

Technical SEO: 10 Technical SEO stumbling blocks to address

Without a solid foundation in technical search engine optimization, even the best content will remain undiscovered. Dagmar’s Technical SEO Specialist, Sampo Saukko, shares 10 critical areas to address to make your site more visible, improve search engine rankings, increase traffic, and drive sales.

1. Speed Optimization: Ensure your site loads quickly

Website speed is a critical component of technical SEO. If your site is slow, visitors will leave before interacting, increasing your bounce rate. Google’s Core Web Vitals emphasize the importance of speed, interactivity, and visual stability. Remember to compress large images and use modern file formats. Implement modern caching practices and remove unnecessary code.

While we use advanced and paid tools to analyze site speed, you can also monitor performance using free resources like Yellow Lab Tools or the Core Web Vitals section in Google Search Console.

2. User experience: optimize for mobile, usability, and accessibility

As mobile device usage grows, ensuring your site works seamlessly on smaller screens is crucial. A lack of mobile optimization can degrade the user experience and lower your rankings in search results.

Make sure your site is:
• Responsive.
• Clear and easy to use.
• Fast, usable and accessible on mobile devices.

3. Security and data protection: Prioritize safety and compliance

Search engines value secure websites. Implementing HTTPS is essential for protecting your site and users.

Additionally:
• Ask for user permissions to collect data as required by law.
• Avoid collecting unauthorized information.
• Protect user data to prevent serious consequences and penalties.

Search engines value secure websites, and HTTPS is a necessity. Ensure that your site is also fully secure and compliant with data protection regulations.

Best practices for security:
● Use HTTPS and valid SSL certificates.
● Request user consent for data collection where legally required.
● Avoid collecting unauthorized information or storing sensitive data improperly.

4. Site structure: Keep it clean and logical

A well-organized site structure helps both users and search engines navigate your content efficiently. Poor structure leads to crawling issues and lowers visibility in search results. Group your content logically and make navigation intuitive.

5. Duplicate content: Avoid repetition

Duplicate content confuses search engines and can harm your rankings. Ensure each page on your site offers unique value.

How to prevent duplicate content:
● Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a page.
● Avoid publishing the same content across multiple URLs.

6. Metadata: Create compelling titles and descriptions

Well-crafted metadata, such as titles and meta descriptions, directly impacts search result click-through rates. Google recommends writing unique descriptions for every page. Keep your meta titles under 60 characters and descriptions under 120 characters. Use tools like Word Counter to ensure these limits are met.

Metadata, including meta titles and descriptions, significantly impacts your click-through rate (CTR) in search results. Google recommends crafting unique and relevant descriptions for every page.

Tips for writing metadata:
● Keep meta titles under 60 characters and descriptions under 120 characters.
● Use tools like Word Counter to manage character limits.

7. Broken links and error pages: Fix issues promptly

Broken links and 404 error pages negatively affect user experience and SEO performance. Use 301redirects to point outdated or removed pages to relevant alternatives.

How to detect and fix broken links:
● Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Search Console.
● Redirect or update broken links to restore functionality.

8. Search engine-friendly technology: Avoid JavaScript pitfalls

Search engines may struggle to interpret JavaScript-based elements like drop-down menus or “load more” buttons. For guidance, consult Google’s JavaScript SEO Basics and related resources.

Search engines often struggle with JavaScript-heavy websites, particularly features like “load more” buttons or dropdown menus. Ensure all important content is accessible to crawlers.

There are several solutions to this issue, which have been explored in greater depth by Search Engine Journal and Google itself.

9. Content structure: Use appropriate HTML elements

Organizing your content with proper HTML elements (e.g., H1-H6 headings) helps search engines understand your site’s structure. Clear content hierarchy improves user experience and strengthens your rankings.

10. Crawl budget management: Optimize with sitemaps, robots.txt, and html-tags

Search engines allocate a limited “crawl budget” to each website, meaning only a certain number of pages are crawled and indexed. For example, parameterized URLs often pose a challenge.

How to optimize crawl budget:
● Block unimportant or irrelevant pages using robots.txt or noindex tags.
● Point the priority content with canonical tags.
● Remove unnecessary nofollow-tags if they
● Prioritize key pages in your sitemap to ensure they are crawled and indexed.

Ready for growth?

Do you want to unlock the full potential of your company’s website?
Dagmar’s SEO experts are here to help you achieve better visibility and increased sales.

Contact Dagmar’s Search Engine Marketing Services.

AUTHOR

Sampo Saukko

Technical SEO Specialist

sampo.saukko@dagmar.fi

+358505210152

Sampo works as a Technical SEO Specialist at Dagmar, bringing extensive and diverse experience in digital marketing, search engine optimization, and web development. He combines deep expertise in technology and SEO with a strong understanding of business, leveraging advanced AI solutions to ensure clients’ websites remain competitive, user-friendly, and easily discoverable across both current search engines and emerging platforms.
In his free time, Sampo enjoys exploring nature, relaxing at his summer cottage, and traveling.