14 Technical SEO Mistakes – How to Find and Fix The Errors Ξ FTF

We’ve run over 100 technical audits this 12 months.

By this we’ve gained deep insights into how technical construction impacts a web site’s efficiency in search.

This text will spotlight the commonest technical Web optimization points we encounter and which have the largest impact on organic traffic when corrected.

1. Mismanaged 404 errors

This occurs fairly a bit on eCommerce websites. When a product is eliminated or expires, it’s simply forgotten and the web page “404s”.

Though 404 errors can erode your crawl funds, they gained’t essentially kill your Web optimization. Google understands that generally you HAVE to delete pages in your website.

Nonetheless, 404 pages generally is a drawback after they:

• Are getting site visitors (internally and from natural search)
• Have exterior hyperlinks pointing to them
• Have inside hyperlinks pointing to them
• Have a lot of them on a bigger web site
• Are shared on social media / across the internet

One of the best follow is to arrange a 301 redirect from the deleted web page into one other related web page in your website. It will protect the Web optimization fairness and ensure customers can seamlessly navigate.

Methods to discover these errors

• Run a full web site crawl (SiteBulb, DeepCrawl or Screaming Frog) to search out all 404 pages
• Test Google Search Console reporting (Crawl > Crawl Errors)

Methods to repair these errors

• Analyze the listing of “404” errors in your web site
• Crosscheck these URLs with Google Analytics to grasp which pages have been getting site visitors
• Crosscheck these URLs with Google Search Console to grasp which pages had inbound hyperlinks from outdoors web sites
• For these pages of worth, determine an present web page in your web site that’s most related to the deleted web page
• Setup “server-side” 301 redirects from the 404 web page into the present web page you’ve recognized – If you will use a 4XX web page – ensure that web page is definitely useful so it doesn’t impression person expertise

 

2. Web site migrations points

When launching a brand new web site, design adjustments or new pages, there are a variety of technical features that ought to be addressed forward of time.

Widespread errors we see:

• Use of 302 (non permanent redirect) as an alternative of 301 (everlasting) redirects. Whereas Google recently stated that 302 redirects cross Web optimization fairness, we hedge based mostly on inside information that reveals 301 redirects are the higher possibility
• Improper setup of HTTPS on a web site. Particularly, not redirecting the HTTP model of the location into HTTPS which might trigger points with duplicate pages
• Not carrying over 301 redirects from the earlier website to new website. This typically occurs in case you’re utilizing a plugin for 301 redirects – 301 redirects ought to at all times be setup by a web site’s cPanel
• Leaving legacy tags on the location from the staging area. For instance, canonical tags, NOINDEX tags, and so forth. that stop pages in your staging area from being listed
• Leaving staging domains listed. The other of the earlier merchandise, once you do NOT place the correct tags on staging domains (or subdomains) to NOINDEX them from SERPs (both with NOINDEX tags or blocking crawl through Robots.txt file)
• Creating “redirect chains” when cleansing up legacy web sites. In different phrases, not correctly figuring out pages that have been beforehand redirected and transferring ahead with a brand new set of redirects
• Not saving the power www or non www of the location within the .htaccess file. This causes 2 (or extra) cases of your web site to be listed in Google, inflicting points with duplicate pages being listed

Methods to discover these errors

• Run a full web site crawl (SiteBulb, DeepCrawl or Screaming Frog) to get the wanted information inputs

Methods to repair these errors

• Triple test to ensure your 301 redirects migrated correctly
• Take a look at your 301 and 302 redirects to ensure they go to the correct place on step one
• Test canonical tags in the identical means and guarantee you have got the correct canonical tags in place
• Given a selection between canonicalizing a web page and 301 redirecting a web page – a 301 redirect is a safer, stronger possibility
• Test your code to make sure you take away NOINDEX tags (if used on staging area). Don’t simply uncheck the choices the plugins. Your developer might have hardcoded NOINDEX into the theme header – Look > Themes > Editor > header.php
• Replace your robots.txt file
• Test and replace your .htaccess file

 

3. Web site pace

Google has confirmed that website speed is a rating issue – they count on pages to load in 2 seconds or much less. Extra importantly, web site guests gained’t wait round for a web page to load.

In different phrases, gradual web sites don’t generate income.

Optimizing for web site pace would require the assistance of a developer, as the most typical points slowing down web sites are:

• Giant, unoptimized pictures
• Poorly written (bloated) web site code
• Too many plugins
• Heavy Javascript and CSS

Methods to discover these errors

Methods to repair these errors

• Rent a developer with expertise on this space (find out how FTF can help)
• Be sure to have a staging area setup so web site efficiency isn’t hindered
• The place doable be sure you have upgraded PHP to PHP7 the place you employ WordPress or a PHP CMS. It will have a big effect on pace.

 

4. Not optimizing the cell Person Expertise (UX)

Google’s index is officially mobile first, which implies that the algorithm is wanting on the cell model of your website first when rating for queries.

With that being stated, don’t exclude the desktop expertise (UX) or simplify the cell expertise considerably in comparison with the desktop.

Google has stated it needs each experiences to be the identical. Google has also stated that these utilizing responsive or dynamically served pages shouldn’t be affected when the change comes.

Methods to discover these errors

• Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to test if Google sees your website as mobile-friendly
• Test to see if “smartphone Googlebot” is crawling your website – it hasn’t rolled out in all places but
• Does your web site reply to completely different units? In case your website doesn’t work on a cell gadget, now’s the time to get that mounted
• Received unusable content material in your website? Test to see if it masses or in case you get error messages. Be sure to totally take a look at all of your website pages on cell

Methods to repair these errors

• Perceive the impression of cell in your server load
• Give attention to constructing your pages from a mobile-first perspective. Google likes Responsive websites and is their preferred option for delivering mobile sites. In the event you at the moment run a standalone subdirectory, m.yourdomain.com take a look at potential impression of elevated crawling in your server
• If you could, contemplate a template replace to make the theme responsive. Simply utilizing a plugin may not do what you want or trigger different points. Find a developer who can scratch construct responsive themes
• Give attention to a number of cell breakpoints, not simply your model new iPhone X. 320px broad (iPhone 5 and SE) remains to be tremendous vital
• Take a look at throughout iPhone and Android
• You probably have content material that wants “fixing” – flash or different proprietary methods that don’t work in your cell journey – contemplate transferring to HTML5 which can render on cell – Google web designer will help you reproduce FLASH information in HTML

 

5. XML Sitemap points

An XML Sitemap lists out URLs in your website that you just wish to be crawled and listed by serps. You’re allowed to incorporate details about when a web page:

• Was final up to date
• How typically it adjustments
• How vital it’s in relation to different URLs within the website (i.e., precedence)

Whereas Google admittedly ignores a whole lot of this data, it’s nonetheless vital to optimize correctly, notably on giant web sites with difficult architectures.

Sitemaps are notably useful on web sites the place:

• Some areas of the web site should not accessible by the browsable interface
• Site owners use wealthy Ajax, Silverlight or Flash content material that isn’t usually processed by serps
• The positioning could be very giant, and there’s a likelihood for the net crawlers to miss among the new or lately up to date content material
• When web sites have an enormous variety of pages which are remoted or not nicely linked collectively
• Misused “crawl funds” on unimportant pages. If so, you’ll wish to block crawl / NOINDEX

Methods to discover these errors

• Be sure to have submitted your sitemap to your GSC
• Additionally bear in mind to make use of Bing webmaster tools to submit your sitemap
• Test your sitemap for errors Crawl > Sitemaps > Sitemap Errors
• Test the log information to see when your sitemap was final accessed by bots

Methods to repair these errors

• Be certain your XML sitemap is linked to your Google Search Console
• Run a server log evaluation to grasp how typically Google is crawling your sitemap. There are many different issues we’ll cowl utilizing our server log information afterward
• Google will present you the problems and examples of what it sees as an error so you may appropriate
• In case you are utilizing a plugin for sitemap era, be certain that it’s updated and that the file it generates works by validating it
• In the event you don’t wish to use Excel to test your server logs – you should utilize a server log analytics software reminiscent of Logz.io, Greylog, SEOlyzer (nice for WP websites) or Loggly to see how your XML sitemap is getting used

 

6. URL Construction points

As your web site grows, it’s straightforward to lose monitor of URL constructions and hierarchies. Poor constructions make it tough for each customers and bots navigate, which can negatively impression your rankings.

• Points with web site construction and hierarchy
• Not utilizing correct folder and subfolder construction
• URLs with particular characters, capital letters or not helpful to people

Methods to discover these errors

• 404 errors, 302 redirects, points together with your XML sitemap are all indicators of a website that wants its construction revisited
• Run a full web site crawl (SiteBulb, DeepCrawl or ScreamingFrog) and manually overview for high quality points
• Test Google Search Console reporting (Crawl > Crawl Errors)
• Person testing – ask folks to search out content material in your website or make a take a look at buy – use a UX testing service to file their experiences

Methods to repair these errors

• Plan your website hierarchy – we at all times suggest parent-child folder constructions
• Be certain all content material is positioned in its appropriate folder or subfolder
• Be certain your URL paths are straightforward to learn and make sense
• Take away or consolidate any content material that appears to rank for a similar key phrase
• Attempt to restrict the variety of subfolders / directories to not more than three ranges

 

7. Points with robots.txt file

A Robots.txt file controls how serps entry your web site. It’s a generally misunderstood file that may crush your web site’s indexation if misused.

Most issues with the robots.txt are inclined to come up from not altering it once you transfer out of your improvement surroundings to stay or miscoding the syntax.

Methods to discover these errors

• Test your website stats – i.e. Google Analytics for large drops in site visitors
• Test Google Search Console reporting (Crawl > robots.txt tester)

Methods to repair these errors

• Test Google Search Console reporting (Crawl > robots.txt tester) It will validate your file
• Test to ensure the pages/folders you DON’T wish to be crawled are included in your robots.txt file
• Be sure to should not blocking any vital directories (JS, CSS, 404, and so forth.)

 

8. An excessive amount of skinny content material

It’s not a good suggestion to crank out pages for “Web optimization” functions. Google needs to rank pages which are deep, informative and supply worth.

Having an excessive amount of “skinny” (i.e. lower than 500 phrases, no media, lack of goal) can negatively impression your Web optimization. Among the causes:

• Content material that doesn’t resonate together with your target market will kill conversion and engagement charges
  Google’s algorithm seems closely at content material high quality, belief and relevancy (aka having crap content material can harm rankings)
• An excessive amount of low high quality content material can lower search engine crawl price, indexation price and finally, site visitors
• Somewhat than producing content material round every key phrase, acquire the content material into widespread themes and write way more detailed, helpful content material.

Methods to discover these errors

• Run a crawl to search out pages with phrase depend lower than 500
• Test your GSC for guide messages from Google (GSC > Messages)
• Not rating for the key phrases you’re writing content material for or abruptly lose rankings
• Test your web page bounce charges and person dwell time – pages with excessive bounce charges

Methods to repair these errors

• Cluster keywords into themes so moderately than writing one key phrase per web page you may place 5 or 6 in the identical piece of content material and increase it.
• Work on pages that try to preserve the person engaged with quite a lot of content material – contemplate video or audio, infographics or pictures – in case you don’t have these abilities discover them on Upwork, Fiverr, or PPH.
• Take into consideration your person first – what do they need? Create content material round their wants.

 

9. An excessive amount of irrelevant content material

Along with “skinny” pages, you wish to be certain that your content material is “related”. Irrelevant pages that don’t assist the person, may detract from the good things you have got on website.

That is notably vital when you have a small, much less authoritative web site. Google crawls smaller web site lower than extra authoritative ones. We wish to be certain that we’re solely serving Google our greatest content material to extend that belief, authority and crawl funds.

Some widespread cases

• Creating boring pages with low engagement
• Letting serps crawl of “non-Web optimization” pages

Methods to discover these errors

• Evaluation at your content material technique. Give attention to creating higher pages versus extra
• Test your Google crawl stats and see what pages are being crawled and listed

Methods to repair these errors

• Take away quotas in your content material planning. Add content material that provides worth moderately than the six blogs posts you NEED to submit as a result of that’s what your plan says
• Add pages to your Robots.txt file that you’d moderately not see Google rank. On this means, you’re focussing Google on the good things

 

10. Misuse of canonical tags

A canonical tag (aka “rel=canonical”) is a bit of HTML that helps serps decipher duplicate pages. You probably have two pages which are the identical (or comparable), you should utilize this tag to inform serps which web page you wish to present in search outcomes.

In case your web site runs on a CMS like WordPress or Shopify, you may simply set canonical tags utilizing a plugin (we like Yoast).

We regularly discover web sites that misuse canonical tags, in quite a few methods:

• Canonical tags pointing to the flawed pages (i.e.pages not related to the present web page)
• Canonical tags pointing to 404 pages (i.e., pages that not exist)
• Lacking a canonical tag altogether
• eCommerce and “faceted navigation“
• When a CMS create two variations of a web page

That is important, as you’re telling serps to deal with the flawed pages in your web site. This may trigger large indexation and rating points. The excellent news is, it’s a straightforward repair.

Methods to discover these errors

• Run a website crawl in DeepCrawl
• Evaluate “Canonical hyperlink factor” to the foundation URL to see which pages are utilizing canonical tags to level to a unique web page

Methods to repair these errors

• Evaluation pages to find out if canonical tags are pointing to the flawed web page
• Additionally, it would be best to run a content audit to grasp pages which are comparable and wish a canonical tag

 

11. Misuse of robots tags

In addition to your robots.txt file, there are additionally robots tags that can be utilized in your header code. We see a whole lot of potential points with this used at file stage and on particular person pages. In some instances, we now have seen a number of robots tags on the identical web page.

Google will battle with this and it could possibly stop a superb, optimized web page from rating.

Methods to discover these errors

• Test your supply code in a browser to see if robots tag added greater than as soon as
• Test the syntax and don’t confuse the nofollow hyperlink attribute with the nofollow robots tag

Methods to repair these errors

• Resolve how you’ll handle/management robots exercise. Yoast Web optimization offers you some fairly good talents to handle robotic tags at a web page stage
• Be sure to use one plugin to handle robotic exercise
• Be sure to amend any file templates the place robotic tags have been added manually Look > Themes >Editor > header.php
• You may add Nofollow directives to the robots.txt file as an alternative of going file by file

 

12. Mismanaged crawl funds

It’s a problem for Google to crawl all of the content material on the web. With the intention to save time, the Googlebot has a funds it allocates to websites relying on quite a few elements.

A extra authoritative website may have a much bigger crawl funds (it crawls and indexes extra content material) than a decrease authority website, which may have fewer pages and fewer visits. Google itself defines this as “Prioritizing what to crawl, when and the way a lot useful resource the server internet hosting the location can allocate to crawling.”

Methods to discover these errors

• Discover out what your crawl stats are in GSC Search Console > Choose your area > Crawl > Crawl Stats
• Use your server logs to search out out what the Googlebot is spending essentially the most time doing in your website – this can then let you know whether it is on the correct pages – use a software reminiscent of botify if spreadsheets make you nauseous.

Methods to repair these errors

• Cut back the errors in your website
• Block pages you don’t actually need Google crawling
• Cut back redirect chains by discovering all these hyperlinks that hyperlink to a web page that itself is redirected and replace all hyperlinks to the brand new ultimate web page
• Fixing among the different points we now have mentioned above will go a great distance to assist improve your crawl funds or focus your crawl funds on the correct content material
• For ecommerce particularly, not blocking parameter tags which are used for faceted navigation with out altering the precise content material on a web page

Check out our detailed guide on how to improve crawl budget

 

13. Not leveraging inside hyperlinks to cross fairness

Inside hyperlinks assist to distribute “fairness” throughout a web site. A number of websites, particularly these with skinny or irrelevant content material are inclined to have a decrease quantity of cross-linking throughout the website content material.

Cross-linking articles and posts assist Google and your website site visitors strikes round your web site. The added worth of this from a technical SEO perspective is which you can cross fairness throughout the web site. This helps with improved key phrase rating.

Methods to discover these errors

• For pages you are attempting to rank, take a look at what inside pages hyperlink to them. This may be executed in Google Analytics – have they got any inside inbound hyperlinks?
• Run an inlinks crawl utilizing Screaming Frog
• You’ll know your self in case you actively hyperlink to different pages in your website
• Are you including inside nofollow hyperlinks through a plugin that’s making use of this to all hyperlinks? Test the hyperlink code in a browser by inspecting or viewing the supply code
• Use the identical small variety of anchor tags and hyperlinks in your website

Methods to repair these errors

• For pages you are attempting to rank, discover present website content material (pages and posts) that may hyperlink to the web page you wish to enhance rating for, and add inside hyperlinks
• Use the crawl information from Screaming Frog to determine alternatives for extra inside linking
• Don’t overcook the variety of hyperlinks and the key phrases used to hyperlink – make it pure and throughout the board
• Test your nofollow hyperlink guidelines in any plugin you’re utilizing to handle linking

 

14. Errors with web page “on web page” markup

Title tags and metadata are among the most abused code on web sites and have been since Google has been crawling web sites. With this in thoughts, website homeowners have just about forgotten concerning the relevance and significance of title tags and metadata.

Methods to discover these errors

• Use Yoast to see how nicely your website titles and metadata work – purple and amber imply extra work might be executed
• Key phrase stuffing the key phrase tag – are you utilizing key phrases in your key phrase tag that don’t seem within the web page content material?
• Use SEMRush and Screaming Frog to determine duplicate title tags or lacking title tags

Methods to repair these errors

• Use Yoast to see tips on how to rework the titles and metadata , particularly the meta description, which has undergone a little bit of a rebirth because of Google improve of character depend. Meta description information was set to 255 characters, however now the typical size it’s displaying is over 300 characters – benefit from this improve
• Use SEMrush to determine and repair any lacking or duplicate web page title tags – be certain that each web page has a singular title tag and web page meta description
• Take away any non-specific key phrases from the meta key phrase tag

Bonus: Structured information

With Google turning into extra subtle and providing site owners the power so as to add completely different markup information to show somewhere else inside their websites, it’s straightforward to see how schema markup can get messy. From:

• Map information
• Evaluation information
• Wealthy snippet information
• Product information
• Guide Evaluations

It’s straightforward to see how this will break a web site or simply get missed as the main target is elsewhere. The right schema markup information can in impact help you dominate the onscreen factor of a SERP.

Methods to discover these errors

• Use your GSC to determine what schema is being picked up by Google and the place the errors are. Search Look > Structured Information – If no snippets are discovered this implies the code is flawed or you could add schema code
• Use your GSC to determine what schema is being picked up by Google and the place the errors are. Search Look > Wealthy Playing cards – If no Wealthy Playing cards are discovered this implies the code is flawed or you could add schema code
• Take a look at your schema with Google’s own markup helper

Methods to repair these errors

• Establish what schema you wish to use in your web site, then discover a related plugin to help. All in One Schema plugin or RichSnippets Plugin can be utilized to handle and generate a schema.
• As soon as the code is constructed, take a look at with Google Markup helper under
• In the event you aren’t utilizing WordPress, you may get a developer to construct this code for you. Google prefers the JSON-LD format so guarantee your developer is aware of this format
• Take a look at your schema with Google’s personal markup helper

 

Wrapping it up

As search engine algorithms proceed to advance, so does the necessity for technical Web optimization.

In case your web site wants an audit, consulting or enhancements, contact us directly more help.