Have you ever wondered why some websites seem to magically appear at the top of Google search results while others are buried pages down? It’s not only because these high-ranking sites provide great content or have cool graphics. While these factors certainly play a role, optimizing technical SEO is another component that helps your content rank higher on search engines.
In today’s article, we’ll discuss the importance of keeping your site’s technical SEO up-to-date, as well as discuss the core components of technical SEO. We’ll also give you a few pointers for improving your site’s results in search engines.
What Is Technical SEO?
Technical SEO (search engine optimization) refers to optimizing a website’s infrastructure. Your site’s crawlability, indexability, and user experience are all a result of technical SEO. When technical SEO is done correctly, it can help boost your site’s visibility on Google and other search engines.
Understanding Crawling and Indexing
Two essential components of how search engines work are crawling and indexing. Crawling refers to how search engine bots, also known as spiders, discover and access pages on websites. Before a search engine can decide to index a page or show it in search results, it needs to crawl it. Indexing is the method search engines use to store and organize a website’s content within its database. If a page isn’t indexed, it won’t show in search results.
While it may sound complicated, the crawling and indexing process for search engines is actually quite simple. After you’ve published content on your site, Google bots crawl your site and review its pages. After they’ve been reviewed, Google indexes your pages, and if your pages meet ranking criteria, Google will show them in its search results.
What Are The Core Components Of Technical SEO?
When bots crawl a website, there are a few different core components that aid their search. Here are five core components of technical SEO to familiarize yourself with:
Site architecture and navigation: Having a clear hierarchy on your site ensures logical, user-friendly navigation that search engines can easily follow. Having a clear site structure also guides crawlers to find deeper pages.
Mobile optimization: Another important component of SEO is ensuring that your site is mobile-responsive. Your site should adapt to different screen sizes for the best user experience.
Site speed and performance: Your website’s speed and overall performance also affect technical SEO. It’s important to optimize images, minify code, and use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to reduce load times.
Accessibility: Another aspect of SEO is ensuring your website is accessible. Your site should use an SSL certificate for secure connections and follow accessibility guidelines to make the site usable for all visitors.
URL structures: When creating your website’s URL, the best practice is to choose a descriptive, short, and keyword-rich URL.
Why Is Technical SEO Important?
Many website owners make the mistake of ignoring technical SEO. While it can be tedious to focus on the backend of your site, there are major benefits to improving the technical SEO of your site. After all, you’ve invested time and money in making your website beautiful, and you want your target audience to see it.
Here are a few reasons that technical SEO is important:
1. Generates organic traffic:
The more optimized your site is, the more likely you are to generate organic traffic. A well-organized website with a clear hierarchy makes it easier for search engine bots to crawl and index pages. By addressing technical aspects of your site, you can remove barriers that may be preventing your site from ranking well.
2. Enhances user experience:
Improving technical SEO goes hand in hand with making your website easier to navigate for visitors and helps them find the information they need faster. Technical SEO improvements like improving site speed and mobile responsiveness help contribute to a positive user experience (UX).
3. Improves security:
Technical SEO often includes implementing security measures like HTTPS, which is currently a ranking factor for Google. Having a secure website that protects user data improves trust with users and search engines.
4. Improves Domain Authority:
Domain Authority is a score that’s calculated by multiple SEO tools that can help predict a site’s ability to rank in search engine result pages (SERPs). Auditing your website’s SEO using tools like Semrush or Ahrefs provides you with the knowledge and tools necessary for you to make positive SEO changes on your site.
Tips For Enhancing Your Site’s Technical SEO
Improving your site’s rankings through technical SEO doesn’t have to be overly time-consuming. By dedicating just a few hours a month, you can significantly improve your site’s performance. Here are a few tips for optimizing your site:
- Make sure every page has a meta description
- Add alt text to every image on your site
- Address and fix any broken links
- Audit and improve your site’s internal linking structure
- Use headers strategically, especially H2s and H3s
- Secure your site with HTTPS
- Improve your site speed
- Ensure your XML sitemap is submitted to search engines
It’s important to remember that technical SEO isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s an ongoing process, and it’s crucial to regularly audit and optimize your site to maintain its rankings in search results.
Want to improve your site’s performance and rankings? Let us help.
At 434 Marketing, we understand that your time is valuable, and you may not want to spend it improving your site’s technical SEO. That’s where our team steps in. Our team can conduct a technical SEO audit of your website. From our audit, we’ll take a holistic approach to identify areas of improvement and help you implement best practices to boost your site’s performance and rankings. Ready to take the next step?
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Brianna Arnold holds the role of Content Manager at 434 Marketing. As part of the 434 team, Brianna brings with her a career of experience in the agency world. She is responsible for ensuring client goals are achieved with measurable success. Brianna's digital marketing experience spans a myriad of skills,..
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