Technical SEO is vital for improving your website’s search engine ranking and overall success. It focuses on the behind-the-scenes elements that impact site performance, user experience, and search engine visibility. By implementing technical SEO best practices, you can create a strong foundation for your website that both makes it more attractive to search engine ranking algorithms and delivers a seamless user experience. Let’s run through some key strategies to enhance your technical SEO and achieve measurable results.
1. Prioritise user experience with Core Web Vitals
Google’s Core Web Vitals have become essential metrics for measuring the real-world performance of websites. These metrics—Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)—help search engines determine how well your site serves its users. But more importantly, they directly influence how visitors perceive and interact with your content.Â
To optimise LCP, start by addressing render-blocking resources such as JavaScript and CSS files. Compress images, use modern formats like WebP or progressive JPEGs, and implement lazy loading to ensure elements are only loaded when needed. Ensure the LCP image element is included directly in the HTML rather than using JavaScript, and consider using the fetch priority HTML attribute to allow the LCP element to load sooner.Â
For INP, reducing DOM depth by streamlining third-party scripts, breaking down one-page websites into multiple pages and minimising the use of heavy frameworks can help reduce latency. Additionally, avoid installing poorly coded plugins and website templates, as they can significantly impact your INP score right from the start. The goal is to reduce the DOM size to fewer than 1,400 nodes, ideally aiming for fewer than 800 nodes.
To stabilise CLS, allocate defined dimensions for images and videos to prevent unexpected layout shifts during loading. Remember, never lazy load above-the-fold CSS. Another common CLS issue is the fallback font causing flash of invisible text (FOIT) and flash of unstyled text (FOUT). Consider preloading key fonts, defining a well-matched fallback font, and including size-adjust and font-display properties in your @font-face CSS rule to minimise unexpected layout shifts.
Google Search Console (GSC) and PageSpeed Insights are invaluable tools for identifying and resolving Core Web Vitals issues. These metrics are not just technical benchmarks but critical indicators of a user-centric approach. Improving them enhances not only rankings but also conversions and customer satisfaction.
2. Pay attention to schema markup
3. Utilise AI and automation
As artificial intelligence reshapes the digital landscape, technical SEO has entered a new era of precision and efficiency. Tools powered by AI can now tackle time-consuming tasks such as keyword analysis, competitor research, and audit reporting in minutes, allowing SEO professionals to focus on strategy and creativity.
Platforms like Screaming Frog, SEMrush, and Ahrefs integrate automation to streamline crawling, identify issues, and offer actionable insights. For example, AI tools can highlight crawl budget inefficiencies or surface unused keyword opportunities across thousands of pages. Custom scripts, meanwhile, can automate the creation of XML sitemaps, canonical tags, and hreflang annotations for complex, multi-regional sites.
Automation doesn’t replace human expertise—it amplifies it. When used strategically, it enables businesses to remain agile, especially as their sites scale and the digital landscape evolves. By embracing these tools, you create an SEO framework that adapts quickly and delivers consistent results.
4. Address security and privacy concerns
Security is paramount for maintaining user trust and search engine credibility. HTTPS has long been a ranking signal, but its implications extend far beyond algorithms. A secure site ensures the integrity of user data, prevents malicious attacks, and strengthens your brand’s reputation.
Privacy is critical in today’s regulatory landscape. Compliance with privacy standards is non-negotiable.
Begin by addressing common vulnerabilities such as outdated CMS plugins, weak passwords, and unencrypted data transfers. Use tools like Google Search Console to identify malware or hacked content and resolve flagged issues promptly. Implement security headers, enable two-factor authentication, and schedule regular patch updates to ensure ongoing protection.
Privacy is equally critical in today’s regulatory landscape. Compliance with privacy standards is non-negotiable. Employ cookie consent banners as required, provide clear opt-ins, and anonymise tracking data to align with user expectations and legal requirements. A secure, privacy-focused site signals to both users and search engines that your business prioritises safety and transparency.
5. Use hreflang tags for international SEO
For businesses targeting multiple regions or languages, hreflang tags are indispensable. These annotations ensure search engines deliver the correct language version of your content to users in different locations, avoiding duplication penalties and improving the user experience.
Correct implementation requires consistency and precision. Dynamic hreflang generation, which uses server-side logic to automate tag creation, is particularly effective for large-scale sites with extensive regional or linguistic variations. Validate your hreflang annotations using tools like DeepCrawl or Aleyda Solis’ Hreflang Generator.
Regularly review and update hreflang tags as your site structure evolves. Outdated or incorrect tags can misdirect search engines, leading to visibility issues in target regions. When implemented effectively, hreflang not only boosts rankings in localised searches but also improves audience engagement by delivering relevant content to the right users.
6. Consider crawlability and indexability
Crawlability and indexability form the backbone of technical SEO. Search engines need clear pathways to discover, crawl, and index your content. Any barriers in this process—such as broken links, orphaned pages, or improper redirects—can impede your site’s performance.
Start by auditing your site’s structure using tools like Screaming Frog or GSC to ensure that your target pages are properly indexed and crawled by Google. Address 404 errors, fix redirect chains, and consolidate duplicate content using canonical tags. Ensure your robots.txt file allows essential pages to be crawled and that meta robots tags are properly configured to prevent accidental deindexing.
An up-to-date XML sitemap is equally vital. Automate its generation to reflect structural changes and ensure it is submitted to search engines. By maintaining a clean, crawlable architecture, you make it easy for search engines to understand and rank your site.
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7. Future-proof your website
SEO is in a constant state of flux, driven by algorithm updates, emerging technologies, and shifting user behaviours. To remain competitive, future-proofing your website is essential.
Regular technical audits are your first line of defence. These uncover latent issues—such as slow-loading scripts, excessive DOM nodes, or vulnerabilities introduced by outdated plugins—before they escalate. Pair these audits with adaptive technologies like progressive web apps (PWAs) or headless CMS frameworks to ensure your site is prepared for new devices and user interfaces.
Scalability is another key consideration. As your site grows, ensure that its infrastructure—whether server capacity, database architecture, or content delivery systems—can handle increased demands without compromising performance. Future-proofing isn’t just about maintaining rankings; it’s about creating a foundation for long-term growth and innovation.
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Need to take control of your SEO?
At SIXGUN, we bring clarity to the complexity of technical SEO. Our team of experts is ready to conduct a comprehensive audit of your site, develop tailored strategies, and deliver measurable results. Get in touch with our team now to begin your journey towards search success.
