📍 Introduction
Technical SEO is the backbone of search engine optimisation, ensuring that search engines can crawl, index, and rank your website efficiently. For Auckland businesses looking to improve their online presence, fixing technical SEO issues can lead to higher rankings, faster site speeds, and better user experiences. Understanding SEO timelines is crucial as it helps businesses set realistic expectations for the results of their SEO efforts. Here’s a step-by-step technical SEO checklist to optimise your website.
1️⃣ Improve Website Speed & Performance
Website speed is a ranking factor and a key component of user experience (UX).
🚀 How to Optimise Speed:
✔ Minimise HTTP Requests – Reduce the number of files loaded on a page.
✔ Enable Browser Caching – Store site elements locally for faster reloading.
✔ Compress Images – Use formats like WebP and enable lazy loading.
✔ Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) – Improve load times across locations.
📌 Real-World Data: A 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7% (Google).
2️⃣ Ensure Proper Website Indexing
Search engines must crawl and index your website to rank it.
🔍 Best Practices for Indexing:
✔ Submit an XML Sitemap to Google Search Console.
✔ Use Robots.txt Correctly – Block only necessary pages.
✔ Check for Orphan Pages – Ensure all important pages are interlinked.
✔ Fix Broken Links & 404 Errors – Redirect or remove them.
📌 Action Step: Use Google Search Console to identify indexing errors.
3️⃣ Optimise for Mobile-Friendliness
With 60%+ of searches coming from mobile, Google prioritises mobile-first indexing.
📱 How to Ensure Mobile Optimisation:
✔ Use responsive design that adapts to all screen sizes.
✔ Ensure tap targets (buttons, links) are easy to use.
✔ Optimise images for mobile loading speed.
✔ Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
📌 Real-World Data: 52% of users say they’re less likely to engage with a company due to a bad mobile experience (Google).
4️⃣ Implement Structured Data (Schema Markup)
Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better.
📌 Recommended Schema Types:
✔ Local Business Schema – Show contact details, address, and opening hours.
✔ FAQ Schema – Enhances featured snippets and search visibility.
✔ Review Schema – Displays star ratings in search results.
✔ Breadcrumb Schema – Improves navigation and SEO.
📌 Action Step: Use Google’s Rich Results Test to validate schema markup.
5️⃣ Secure Your Website with HTTPS
Google prioritises secure websites, and HTTPS is now a ranking factor.
🔐 Security Best Practices:
✔ Install an SSL certificate (HTTPS).
✔ Regularly update plugins, themes, and software.
✔ Use firewalls and security plugins to block threats.
✔ Set up automated website backups.
📌 Real-World Data: 82% of visitors will leave a site that isn’t secure (HubSpot).
6️⃣ Fix Duplicate Content Issues
Duplicate content confuses search engines and can hurt rankings.
🛠 How to Resolve Duplicate Content:
✔ Use canonical tags to point to the preferred version.
✔ Avoid boilerplate text across multiple pages.
✔ Implement 301 redirects for duplicate URLs.
✔ Regularly audit content using tools like Screaming Frog.
📌 Action Step: Check for duplicate content in Google Search Console.
🚀 Conclusion
Technical SEO is essential for Auckland businesses looking to improve their search rankings and deliver a fast, secure, and mobile-friendly experience. By optimising site speed, indexing, mobile usability, structured data, security, and content, you can boost visibility and performance.
📌 Next Steps:
✅ Perform a technical SEO audit using Google Search Console.
✅ Optimise site speed, security, and mobile usability.
✅ Need expert assistance? Contact our SEO Services in Auckland team today!
