Technical SEO: The Definitive, Plain‑English Guide
Authored by Outsourcing Planet to help you master crawlability, Core Web Vitals, structured data and more.
1. Why Technical SEO Matters
Analogy: Content is your train, backlinks are the stations, technical SEO is the rails and control room. Break the rails and nothing moves.
If search engines cannot freely enter, read and store your pages, every cent you invest in content or promotion is wasted. Looking for expert help? Our SEO agency in Spain offers end‑to‑end technical and content optimisation.
2. What Is Technical SEO?
Short definition: Optimising your site’s infrastructure so search engines can crawl, render, index and serve every page efficiently.
3. How Google Processes a Page
- Discovery – finds the URL via links or sitemaps.
- Crawling – downloads the first HTML.
- Rendering – executes JavaScript & builds full visual page.
- Indexing – stores content in Google’s database.
- Ranking – decides when to show the page.
4. The Eight Core Pillars (2025 Edition)
| # | Pillar | Plain‑English Meaning | 2025 Quick Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crawlability | Can Google reach every page? | Link each new page from a hub page. |
| 2 | Indexability | Will Google store it? | Remove accidental noindex tags. |
| 3 | Site Architecture | Tidy floor plan for bots & people | Keep key pages ≤3 clicks from home. |
| 4 | Speed & CWV | Fast, stable, responsive pages | Target LCP < 2.5 s, INP < 200 ms. |
| 5 | Mobile Optimisation | Works flawlessly on phones | Test on real devices, enlarge tap targets. |
| 6 | Security | HTTPS & safe browsing | Force HTTPS site‑wide, fix mixed content. |
| 7 | Structured Data | Give Google context | Add Product, FAQ, Article schema. |
| 8 | Canonicalisation | Prevent duplicate confusion | Self‑canonical on every page. |
5. Quick‑Start Checklist
- Crawl the site with Screaming Frog or Semrush; fix critical errors.
- Verify
robots.txtis not blocking valuable pages and confirm XML sitemap URLs are all canonical. - Ensure ≥90 % of pages pass Core Web Vitals in Search Console.
- Confirm Mobile Usability report shows 0 errors.
- All HTTP URLs must 301‑redirect to HTTPS.
- Structured data validated across all major templates.
- Schedule an automated weekly crawl (or ask our Strategic Business Solutions team to manage it).
6. Common Problems & Fast Fixes
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Rapid Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| New article never shows in Google | Orphan page or noindex |
Add internal links; remove noindex. |
| Rankings drop after redesign | Broken redirects | Map old → new URLs; add 301s. |
| Site feels slow on mobile | Heavy images & blocking JS | Serve WebP/AVIF; defer scripts. |
7. Measuring Success
Track these KPIs monthly in Looker Studio:
- Indexed / Submitted Pages ≥ 95 %
- Average INP < 200 ms
- % Pages Passing CWV > 75 %
- Crawl frequency of money pages trending up
- Rich‑result CTR uplift quarter‑over‑quarter
8. FAQs
Is technical SEO only for developers?
No. With clear processes—like the ones in this guide—marketing teams can handle sitemaps, compression and schema.
Does it replace content marketing?
Not at all; it amplifies it. Think of technical SEO as the runway where your content aircraft takes off.
How long until I see results?
Crawlability and speed fixes often pay off within weeks once Google re‑crawls.
9. Ready to Rank Higher?
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- Technical & content SEO audit
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- Web speed & performance enhancements
Rank higher. Get found. Grow organically or contact our team for a custom roadmap.
