When a site audit is conducted, the SEO issues declared in that audit can be resolved by efficiently integrating technical SEO solutions and practices. Technical SEO is the lifeline for a website as it helps the site to better find, crawl, and index by the search engines. For enhancing site viewability online and securing a position on SERP, technical SEO is a must aspect. Let’s dive deeper and find out about the SEO audit issues and how they can be fixed through technical SEO. You can also reach out to us to book a Free Technical Audit.
1. Crawlability
After registering on certain search engines, they send a spider also known as a bot to go through the content of the web pages to find out about the nature of site operations and nature. This process is called crawlability of the website.
Issues:
Broken Links
Broken links are links that lead to inaccessible pages inside and outside of the website that show errors like 404. These are very dangerous for the crawlability of the web pages as this issue obstructs the crawler from crawling.
Impeded CSS and JavaScript
There is a high possibility that sometimes CSS and JS files get jammed restricting search engine bots from properly crawling the web pages.
Un-Updated XML Sitemap
An outdated and wrongly integrated XML sitemap can also hinder the crawlability operation of the crawl bot.
Resolutions:
Fixing of Broken Links
Broken links can be fixed by identifying them with with help of advanced tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog SEO Spider.
Ensure Access to JavaScript and CSS
Important source code files that contain JS and CSS code should be accessible to crawlers for better crawlability.
Update and Maintain Sitemap
Integrate XML sitemaps and regularly update URLs on sitemaps to ensure the bot can easily crawl all web pages.
2. Indexability
Indexability is the next step after crawlability in which search engines save your web pages in their search engine databases. It is an important factor for site audit and issues within it can be rectified with robust technical SEO solutions.
Issues:
Robots.txt Blocking
Robots.txt file allows permission for elements to show information. Blocking them accidentally can cause issues in the indexing of web pages.
Meta Tags
Valuable pages can be restricted from indexing on search engines due to the wrong use of meta tags like nofollow and noindex.
Duplicate Content
Duplicate content is a similar type of content on multiple pages of the website that usually confuses the search engine to index the correct page. This technical SEO issue cannibalizes the SEO practices leading to a decline in ranking on search engines.
Resolutions:
Regular Reviewing Robots.txt File
Continuously monitor the robots.txt file and ensure all relevant factors have proper access to your site ensuring smooth indexing
Refinement of Meta Tags
Review the use of meta tags throughout the website and evade the use of nofollow and noindex tags.
Usage of Canonicalization:
Proper integration and application of canonical tags are very significant to guide search engines about the same content webpages and choose the most valuable and authoritative among them.
3. Streamlining Site Speed
Slow site speed is another one of the technical SEO issues that can affect the site by decreasing the user engagement rate which eventually leads to poor search engine performance.
Issues:
Big Size Image Files
Images that are very big and are not optimized properly can slow down the speed of the website.
Unminified Code Files
Fundamental HTML, CSS, and JS files with tons of extra characters like line breaks and white spaces, can increase the file size causing the site to load slowly.
Unadjusted Server Response
Unchecked server settings with excessive HTTP petitions can necessarily increase the site response time
Resolutions:
Image Optimization
There are a lot of free and premium image optimization tools available online. Images can be optimized with these tools to reduce their sizes hence increasing site speed.
Correctify Code Files
Review the basic code files and remove any unnecessary elements from the code to ensure optimum site speed.
Improve Server Response
Use methods like browser caching and also utilize cache clearing coding on-site to reduce the response time of the server.
4. Mobile Friendliness
Most of the web searches are made with mobile devices nowadays. It has become essential that the website must possess mobile responsiveness. Even Google has prioritized the ranking of websites based on mobile-friendliness through mobile-first indexing.
Issues:
Lack of Design Responsive
Another important Technical SEO issue is the lack of mobile responsiveness that seriously downgrades your website in search engines.
Flash Content
If your website is old and contains flash-generated content. This can cause technical SEO issues most devices do not support flash anymore.
Resolutions:
Create and Integrate Responsive Design:
Develop web design that can cover responsiveness in browsers of various mobile devices.
Avoid Flash:
Instead of Flash use HTML5, CSS3, and SVG Graphics to make graphical content on your website mobile-friendly.
5. HTTPS and SSL Security
HTTPS is the indication of the credibility and authenticity of the website. If it is not integrated, it can cause severe Technical SEO issues leading to low rankings and a lack of viewer trust.
Issues:
HTTP Instead of HTTPS
Websites that still run on HTTP elements instead of HTTPS are highly vulnerable and unable to gain visitors’ trust.
Mixed Content
A website that is still executing on HTTP leads toward the mixing of content. It happens because the content should transfer to HTTPS and when it does not, it affects the SEO practices and ranking on search engines.
Resolutions:
Incorporate SSL Certificates
Acquire SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certification and integrate it on the website to convert it from HTTP to HTTPS.
Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
Utilize options of 301 permanent redirections to transfer the site from HTTP to HTTPS building the assurance about the security of the website.
6. Structured Data and Schema Markup
Schema markup or structured data are key components in technical SEO solutions as they play a significant role in informing search engines about the content and context of your web pages. They are also helpful in boosting the viewability of websites online.
Issues:
Lack of Structured Data
No or improper implementation of structured data discourages search engines from gaining info about the content of your web pages
Effects of Incorrect Markup on Rich Snippets
Non-organized structured data can stop rich code snippets eventually preventing the sites from being visible in the search engines.
Resolutions:
Add Schema Markup
Integrate relevant scheme types like products, recipes, articles, blogs, and local businesses to enable search engines to learn about the context of your web pages.
Test and Validate
Data testing tool provided by Google Structured data to test and validate that the markup is performing fine.
7. Internal Linking
Internal linking is very crucial to guide properly both the search engine bots and users about the site navigation system. It also boosts the credibility of the website in the eyes of search engines.
Issues:
Broken Internal Links
The internal links that direct the crawlers toward empty or non-accessible pages can cause issues for spiders to perform crawling.
Irrelevant Anchor Phrase Linking
If the pages are not linked appropriately in terms that the anchored keywords or phrases are not relevant can confuse the bots.
Excessive internal Linking
Overfilling the web page content with too much internal linking can compromise the authenticity of the website.
Resolutions:
Strategic Anchor Text Linking
Apply to link on phrases or keywords that get connected perfectly with the content to whom these links are applied
Limit Internal Links
Integrate internal links in certain limits to save the page from over-saturation of internal links.
Summation
Rectification of technical SEO issues is the most crucial step to crawling, indexing, and elevating a website in search engine rankings. In order to solve these SEO issues inclusively, certain technical SEO solutions can be applied to achieve the goal. These approaches include fixing broken links, optimizing site speed, device responsiveness with compatibility, integration of schema markup, and conversion from HTTP to HTTPS, ensuring the stability of the website and user alike. Our robust digital marketing company provides exclusive technical SEO services. So why are you waiting? Message us right now and reserve a Free Technical Audit of your website.
