Technical SEO Best Practices: How To Improve Discoverability, Crawlability & RankingsTable of ContentsIntroductionUnderstanding Technical SEOCore Web Vitals: Enhancing User ExperienceBoosting Discoverability and CrawlabilityAccessibility: Broadening Your Audience ReachAdvanced Strategies and ToolsReal-Life Examples: SEO in ActionConclusionFAQIntroductionIn today’s competitive digital landscape, optimizing your website for search engines is more crucial than ever. With constant updates to algorithms and the evolving nature of user experience expectations, staying on top of SEO best practices can be a challenging task. This post aims to simplify that for you. In collaboration with experts Steven van Vessum and Alexandra Dristas, we dive into the essentials of technical SEO. This article covers everything you need to know about improving discoverability, crawlability, and rankings on search engines.By the end of this blog, you’ll gain insights into core web vitals, accessibility, and advanced strategies to enhance user experience. So, whether you're looking to refine your current SEO efforts or establish a robust strategy from scratch, this guide has you covered.Understanding Technical SEOWhat is Technical SEO?Technical SEO involves optimizing your website for the crawling and indexing phase. It’s the foundational aspect of SEO that focuses on the backend structure of a website, ensuring search engines can efficiently index your content.Importance of Technical SEOUnlike content SEO, which focuses on the optimization of content for keywords and user engagement, technical SEO aims at website architecture and code efficiency. Proper technical SEO ensures that all elements of your site work together seamlessly, allowing search engines to navigate and understand it easily.Core Web Vitals: Enhancing User ExperienceWhat Are Core Web Vitals?Core Web Vitals are a set of specific factors that Google considers essential in a webpage's overall user experience. These metrics evaluate the responsiveness, visual stability, and loading performance of your site.Key Elements of Core Web VitalsLargest Contentful Paint (LCP) - Measures loading performance. An ideal LCP should occur within 2.5 seconds of when the page first starts loading.First Input Delay (FID) - Measures interactivity. Pages should have an FID of less than 100 milliseconds.Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) - Measures visual stability. Pages should maintain a CLS of less than 0.1 to ensure content doesn't shift unexpectedly.Improving these metrics not only boosts your ranking but also enhances user satisfaction by providing a smoother and more interactive experience.Boosting Discoverability and CrawlabilitySitemap OptimizationA sitemap is a blueprint of your website that guides search engines to efficiently crawl and index your site. Making sure your sitemap is up-to-date and submitted to search engines can significantly improve your site's discoverability.Robots.txt FileThis file tells search engines which pages to crawl and which to skip. Properly configuring your robots.txt file ensures that search engines focus on the most important parts of your website, thereby enhancing overall crawlability.Mobile-FriendlinessWith the majority of users accessing websites on mobile devices, search engines prioritize mobile-friendly sites. Utilize tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure your site provides a seamless experience on all devices.Accessibility: Broadening Your Audience ReachImportance of Accessibility in SEOWeb accessibility ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can easily navigate and interact with your website. An accessible site not only widens your audience but is also favored by search engines.Accessibility Best PracticesAlt Text for Images - Provides descriptions for images, making them understandable for screen readers.Keyboard Navigability - Ensure that all functionalities of your website are accessible via keyboard.Consistent Heading Structures - Proper use of headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) helps both users and search engines understand the hierarchy and structure of your content.Advanced Strategies and ToolsLeveraging Structured DataStructured data allows you to provide additional context to your content, making it easier for search engines to understand its relevance. Using schema markup can lead to rich snippets, which increase your website's visibility and click-through rates.Page Speed InsightsUtilize tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement in your site's speed. Faster-loading pages contribute to better user experience and higher rankings.Monitoring and AuditingRegular SEO audits help in identifying issues that may affect your site’s performance. Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Screaming Frog can be instrumental in uncovering and addressing technical SEO issues.Transitioning from Traditional SEO to Modern PracticesModern SEO is not just about keyword optimization but also about ensuring an optimized user experience and a technically sound website. Shifting focus from traditional methods to contemporary practices like mobile-first indexing and user-centered design can significantly improve your site’s search engine performance.Real-Life Examples: SEO in ActionCase Study 1: Impact of Core Web VitalsA leading e-commerce website improved its LCP from 3.5 seconds to 2.2 seconds by optimizing images and leveraging lazy loading. This led to a 20% increase in organic traffic and a 15% boost in conversion rates.Case Study 2: Enhancing CrawlabilityA blog optimized its robots.txt file and submitted an updated sitemap to search engines. This resulted in a 30% improvement in the indexing of new content, leading to a noticeable uptick in organic search rankings.Case Study 3: Accessibility ImprovementsAn information portal revamped its website to meet WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines. The site saw a broader audience reach, including a 10% increase in visits from visually impaired users.ConclusionTechnical SEO is the backbone of your website’s success in search engine optimization. By focusing on discoverability, crawlability, and accessibility, you can significantly improve your website's performance and user experience. As search engines continue to evolve, staying ahead with these practices will ensure that your website remains competitive.Remember, SEO is a continuous process. Regular audits, updates, and staying informed about the latest trends are key to maintaining and improving your site’s rankings. Implement these technical SEO best practices, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving higher visibility and better engagement from your audience.FAQ1. What is a good speed score for my website?Ideally, aim for a speed score of over 90 on Google PageSpeed Insights to ensure your website performs well.2. How often should I update my sitemap?Although there’s no set rule, updating your sitemap every time you make significant changes to your site is a good practice.3. How can I check my website’s accessibility?Tools like WAVE and Lighthouse can help you audit your site’s accessibility and provide actionable recommendations.4. What are rich snippets, and how can they help?Rich snippets are enhanced search results with additional information, like reviews or event dates. They improve click-through rates by making your listings more attractive to users.5. Is mobile optimization necessary if most of my audience is desktop-based?Yes, mobile optimization is crucial as search engines prioritize mobile-friendly sites. Additionally, it prepares your site for any future shifts in user behavior.By implementing these strategies and continually optimizing your site, you'll ensure it stands out in a crowded and competitive digital landscape.