Technical SEO optimization
Senior SEO-specialist
Getting started with technical SEO optimization? On this page you will find a clear checklist and step-by-step plan to start working on the technology of your website today.
My technical SEO checklist
Are you planning to get started with technical SEO optimization? A clear checklist helps in carrying this out.
| Technical SEO Checklist | Importance (1-100) | Difficulty level (1-100) | Time for Implementation (1-100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Make sure the website can be indexed | 95 | 80 | 75 |
| 2. Implement SSL/HTTPS | 90 | 85 | 80 |
| 3. Improve website loading speed | 95 | 80 | 85 |
| 4. Make the website mobile-friendly | 95 | 80 | 80 |
| 5. Create an XML sitemap and robots.txt file | 85 | 70 | 65 |
| 6. Optimize website URL structure. | 85 | 70 | 70 |
| 7. Use schema markup for structured data | 85 | 75 | 70 |
| 8. Monitor and fix broken links | 85 | 70 | 70 |
| 9. Avoid duplicate content | 85 | 75 | 70 |
| 10. Make use of breadcrumb navigation | 80 | 70 | 65 |
| 11. Provide an error-free 404 page | 80 | 60 | 60 |
| 12. Use canonical tags where appropriate | 85 | 75 | 70 |
| 13. Monitor and optimize crawl budget | 85 | 80 | 80 |
| 14. Optimize images (size, compress, alt tags) | 85 | 60 | 70 |
| 15. Ensure correct HTTP status codes | 90 | 75 | 75 |
| 16. Ensure implementation of hreflang for multilingual sites | 80 | 80 | 70 |
| 17. Conduct regular technical SEO audits | 90 | 85 | 85 |
| 18. Check for mobile usability issues in Google Search Console | 85 | 70 | 70 |
| 19. Implement correct pagination for category pages | 80 | 70 | 70 |
| Ensure proper implementation of tracking codes (Google Analytics, Tag Manager, etc.) 20. | 90 | 75 | 80 |
Getting started with all facets of SEO optimization? Read more.
A technical SEO roadmap
What might a technical SEO strategy look like? This is an overall SEO roadmap and not necessarily based on one specific website. Feel free to use it as an example for your own personalized strategy.
| Month | Roadmap | Stakeholders/Resources | Priority | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Make sure the website can be indexed | SEO specialist, web developer | High | 2 weeks |
| 1 | Implement SSL/HTTPS | Web developer, hosting provider | High | 2 weeks |
| 2 | Improve website loading speed | Web developer, SEO specialist | High | 4 weeks |
| 2 | Make the website mobile-friendly | Web designer, web developer | High | 4 weeks |
| 3 | Create an XML sitemap and robots.txt file | SEO specialist, web developer | High | 2 weeks |
| 3 | Optimize website URL structure | SEO specialist, web developer | High | 2 weeks |
| 4 | Use schema markup for structured data | SEO specialist, web developer | Middle | 3 weeks |
| 4 | Monitor and fix broken links | SEO specialist, web developer | Middle | 1 week |
| 5 | Avoid duplicate content | Content team, SEO specialist | Middle | 2 weeks |
| 5 | Ensure correct content structure (H1, H2, H3, etc.) | Content team, SEO specialist | Middle | 2 weeks |
| 6 | Ensure an error-free 404 page | Web developer, UX designer | Middle | 1 week |
| 6 | Use canonical tags where appropriate | SEO specialist, web developer | Middle | 1 week |
| 6 | Monitor and optimize crawl budget | SEO specialist, web developer | Middle | 2 weeks |
The time frame is based on general estimates and may vary depending on the size of the site, the availability of resources, and the technical complexity of the task. The roadmap is designed to reflect an order of priority of tasks, but some tasks can be performed in parallel to reduce overall implementation time.
Conclusion
With the checklist and roadmap above, you can get started with technical SEO today. Note that for smaller websites, the content component will often be slightly more important than the technology. For a larger website, such as a web shop, technical SEO will quickly become very important. Good luck!