Search Engine Optimization has become one of the major tools used in the e-commerce business. Successful implementation of a specific set of strategies can boost your traffic – and revenue – in a natural and organic way without explicitly buying ads or page views. And as you continue creating content in that manner, you can expect to maintain your position in rankings.
Content is indeed the key in SEO; however, there are a few other aspects that you should focus on. One of them is the technical side of your webpage, or in other words, how well your page performs.
Below, you will find a technical SEO checklist that will help you capture more traffic. The list includes creating a clear website structure, implementing HTTPS encryption, setting up 301 redirects correctly, providing a mobile-friendly layout, fixing broken links, and more. If you want to see if your website passes the technical SEO test, read on!
Enable HTTPS Encryption
The importance of HTTPS encryption is paramount in today’s digital landscape. It is a must-have for all businesses dealing with sensitive customer data or financial transactions, as it encrypts the data sent back and forth between your website and your customer’s browser.
HTTPS is not a deciding factor on whether your page is ranked or not, but it does affect your website’s trustworthiness in the eyes of Google. If a website presents a secure connection to its users, it becomes more trustworthy and will rank higher.
Create a Clear Website Structure
The website structure is the way in which the content on your site is organized. According to digital marketing specialists, a well-organized website consists of an intuitive menu structure, clear information architecture, and a logical flow of information.
An intuitive website structure makes it easy for users to navigate and find the information they are looking for. It is also easier for search engines to crawl your website and index its content.
Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile-Friendly
Having a mobile-friendly website is crucial in the current digital landscape. It’s not only a great way to capture people on the go, but it also helps your site rank higher in mobile searches. To know if your site is mobile-friendly, you can check it through Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
Most website templates are mobile-friendly, but you should recheck the website if you make changes to the template. Similarly, even if you have a custom-made site, you should check its compatibility with mobile devices, especially if you plan on capturing mobile traffic.
Check the Robots.txt File
The robots.txt file is a file that contains instructions for the search engines about which pages of your site should be crawled or not. For example, if you would like to block search engines from crawling certain pages, or you want to let them crawl only the homepage, you can do so in your robots.txt file.
You should always check if the file does contain any errors. If so, it may prevent search engines from crawling your site, or it may block an important page that you would like to be indexed.
Fix Broken Links
If your potential customers stumble upon a 404 error, they are likely to leave your website immediately. And same goes for search engines, as they will not be able to find the content linked to the broken link.
So, it is essential to check which pages on your website have broken links and fix them. You should also check if any of the pages have broken image links or links that point to a page that is no longer on your website, as missing elements decrease the trustworthiness of the website in the eyes of search engines.
Check the Page Titles and Descriptions
The title and description fields are two of the most essential elements for SEO. On each web page of your site, you should use a <title> tag that contains your target keyword, which is unique for each page. Make sure that the description is also unique and contains important keywords as well.
Set Up 301 and 302 Redirects
The 301 redirect is a type of redirection used to send users and search engines from one page to another. The main difference between 301 and 302 redirects is that the former tells search engines that the content has moved permanently, while the latter signals that the content has moved temporarily.
By utilizing those two redirects, you tell search engines that the content has been moved, and they will update their records regarding your pages. If done correctly, you can redirect the old page to a new page without affecting the old page’s rankings in search engines.
Test the Website Performance
Website performance is a critical factor for SEO, as it affects your page’s loading time. Google is pushing to create a better user experience, and when users are not happy with how long it takes until they get to the content they are looking for, they will leave the site. Measuring the loading times of specific pages and elements will help you see which parts still need optimization.
For example, if you see that images are slow to load, you can optimize them by reducing their size or converting them to a more lightweight format. Alternatively, you can install a plugin that will compress the images on the go. This way, you can significantly improve the speed of your pages while still maintaining their quality.
To Sum Up
Having a technically sound website is the first step to boosting your traffic. Make sure that your website passes Google’s crawl tests, is mobile-friendly, and has a clear website structure. By setting up the correct redirects, you can also tell search engines to update their records regarding certain pages.
The content on your site is the primary factor for SEO, but the search engines will have a hard time crawling and indexing it without a well-structured website. Using these tips, you can make sure that your web pages fit within Google’s guidelines and have a great user experience to offer.
