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Common Technical SEO Issues

What Does Technical SEO Mean?

Assume a site without Technical SEO as a higgledy-piggledy marketplace with search engines as customers. A scene of absolute chaos, right? Customers will have a tough time finding the shop of their choice.
Now, think of Technical SEO as a regulatory body that clears up encroachments, installs signboards, and makes the marketplace an orderly one. Customers will now find it easy to navigate the place, right?
Likewise, a technically sound SEO makes manoeuvering, indexing, and ranking a site so much easier for search engines.
Optimizing your website and server to meet the technical requirements of search engines for crawling and indexing is known as Technical SEO.
Because search engines tend to prioritize sites with specific technical qualities, it is highly recommended to optimize the technical aspects of your site.
Mobile-friendliness, crawl error fixes, web page mapping, broken link fixes, XML sitemap optimization, image optimization are some of the tasks involved in Technical SEO.
Ensuring that your site's architecture and security are in harmony with search engines' expectations is also a part of Technical SEO.

15 Common Technical SEO Issues & Solutions for Them

1. Duplicate Content

One of the top issues many websites face is Duplicate Content. According to this Raven survey, around 29% of websites contain duplicate Content.
Let's see what Google says about duplicate content. A content piece that is appreciably similar or completely matches with other Content is termed Duplicate Content.
According to Google, Content intended to manipulate search engines has grounds for action. From search engines' point of view, duplicate Content is a confusing attribute. Hence, they will not conclude as to which URL to list high. As a result, they are likely to rank both URLs lower than their actual weightage. You, on the other hand, will suffer from traffic and ranking loss.
Solution: Though there are many ways to fight duplicate content, setting up a 301 Redirect to the original page is best.

2. Lack of XML Sitemaps

As the name suggests, XML sitemaps serve as a map for search engines to navigate your site better. A faulty sitemap may mislead Google.
Though sitemaps are recommended for all sites, those with complex internal structures and rich information need them at any cost.
Through sitemap, you explain to Google the relationship between different kinds of your site content. This information is crucial for Google to crawl your site intelligently.
A sitemap also comes in handy when you update your old Content. It will tell Google about the changes. As we all know, Google loves fresh content.
Solution: There are several errors associated with sitemaps. Some common errors are not updating the latest copy of your sitemap to the search console. Some exclude sitemaps altogether. Check whether you have mentioned your sitemap's location in robots.txt. Also, get rid of old and multiple versions of your sitemap.

3. Meta Description Issue

Meta descriptions are snippets that tell search engines what a web page is all about.
The most common mistake many makes is giving a skip to Meta descriptions. Some assume that Meta descriptions are needed only for a few pages. We can't stress enough the importance of Meta descriptions and their role in helping Google index your site.
Your Meta descriptions also have the potential to create curiosity among the audience. Nicely written Meta descriptions can significantly improve the CTR (Click Through Rate).
Another mistake site owners make is not optimizing the Meta descriptions. In 158 words (the word limit for Meta descriptions), you can slip in some important keywords relevant to the page and improve your SEO.
Solution: Do a site audit to find which important pages miss Meta descriptions. A tool like MozPro can help you with this task. Start with high-ranking pages that lack Meta descriptions. Keep track of the pages that undergo changes and updates. Make sure the changes reflect in Meta descriptions too.

4. Lack of mobile-friendliness

This is the worst Technical SEO mistake one could make. Let's take a look at a piece of data to know the importance of mobile-friendly sites. Mobile devices drove 54.8% of global website traffic in the first three months of 2021.
Not having a mobile-friendly site affects you on multiple fronts. To begin with, Google says that it "predominantly uses the mobile version of the content for indexing and ranking."
If your site is not optimized for smaller devices, users will bounce back to the SERP. Having a high bounce rate signals to Google that your site is not a resourceful one.
Also, people's perceptions about your business will go south. They may be forced to think that your site is outdated or defunct.

5. Missing Alt Tags

Alt Tags, aka alternate texts, give context to images and inform the same to search engines. Google does not read the text within an image. Hence Alt tags gain significance.
Though a picture is worth a thousand words, some people have cognitive issues in understanding it. They usually hover over the image to understand the context.
Your images are another valuable resource that you can optimize for better visibility. Not using Alt tags can negatively affect your SEO. Since Alt tags help visually impaired people understand a page's Content, not using them will put you on the back foot. After all, you are non-inclusive. That gives Google another reason not to rank your site higher.
Key Takeaway: Understand the purpose of Alt tags and use them wisely. Say that you need to give Alt tag to an image of a kid playing basketball. Don't give the Alt tag as "Basketball." Instead, say, "an American boy playing soccer in his backyard." Be descriptive. Do not force yourself to stuff keywords in an Alt text. Just explain what the image is.

6. Chaotic URLs

Optimizing your URLs will give you two advantages. Firstly, it will help search engines understand a page's Content better. Secondly, it can trigger curiosity among your audience about the Content.
Say that the URL for your new blog post on a steak recipe looks like this: http://www.example.com/blog/2394/show.html.
The readability of this URL is not bad but worse. A search engine is certainly not going to understand what this page is all about.
Take this URL instead: http://www.example.com/blog/make-restuarant-style-juicy-steak-at-home.
The second one makes so much sense. Your URL is also a nice little place to insert keywords. Please don't overdo it and keep the characters less than 70.

7. Using Thin Content

Thin content is either automatically generated or scraped from other sources. They do not provide real value to readers. Search engines give no weight to thin content and take action against those who try to manipulate them using it.
According to Google, "attempt to improve page ranking and attract visitors by creating pages with many words, but little or no authentic content" will invite action.
Thin content did not have a negative impact in the 2000s. Hence, SE optimizers exploited this "loophole." and dumped a truckload of keywords onto one piece of content and got handsome traffic in return.
Today, thin content is a sword of Damocles that hangs over your site's head. However, you need not worry if your site has a few pages with thin content.

8. Broken Links

Another curse for your site's SEO is broken links. Address it early; otherwise, expect drops in traffic and ranking.
A broken link is a dead link that one cannot access. In other words, it's a path leading to a dead end. Broken links are a terrible bedfellow for search engines since they seriously impact user experience.
Reasons for broken links are a few. You might have updated the URLs but with no redirects. The videos, PDFs, or other pages (outbound links)you have linked to might have been removed or moved.
Whatever the case may be, search engine algorithms do not tolerate dead links as they cause bounce rates and a bad user experience.
Solution: Audit the outbound links from your website. There are extensions available to check whether your outbound links are broken. Google Search Console also helps you on this issue.

9. Ignoring Best Practices for robots.txt

Robots.txt is essentially a file that tells search engines to avoid certain pages or sections of your site.
Mistakes are bound to happen while setting up robots.txt files if you ignore Google's best practices.
Some do not add a "no index" directive on a page level. This is a highly recommended practice. Similarly, some add a "no index" directive to the robots.txt file. Keep in mind that Google does not recommend this and will ignore the directive.
Placing robots.txt files in sub-directories or some other folder is also another common mistake. Always store the file in the root folder.

10. Ignoring HTTPS Security

Giving a skip to HTTPS Security can cause serious trouble to your technical SEO.
Having an HTTP site is detrimental to your business as Google will mark it as "not secure" when users are trying to enter your site. Google strongly advocates for HTTPS encryption. It says that "HTTPS unlocks both performance improvements and powerful new features that are too sensitive for HTTP."
It may be noted that Google, on August 6, 2014, announced that it would prefer HTTPS sites over others in search results. The search engine giant has been marking non-HTTPS sites with the "not secure" message since July 2018.
Solution: Get an SSL certificate and install it on your site to convert it into an HTTPS one.

11. Not Using Redirect Option Properly

Abusing the 'Redirect' option is a Technical SEO mistake many make. Improper handling of the Redirect option will result in traffic and ranking loss.
Many follow the practice of redirecting 404 URLs to their home page. This is a bad strategy. Bear in mind that Google still considers the URLs as 404s.
Another mistake one makes is not giving enough thought before opting for a 301 redirect. A 301 redirect tells search engines and bots that a specific file has been moved to a new location.
Upon learning the information, the search engines will know that they need to use the new URL for requests. They will also give the old URL's ranking to the new one.
Keep in mind that if you intend to reverse a 301 redirect, your old page will not get back the ranking from the new one. It is just a one-way street.

12. Poor Internal Link Structure

A good internal linking will make users navigate your site effortlessly. Websites with a large volume of content need to make the pages easily accessible for their users. Internal linking comes as a rescue for them.
Internal linking improves SEO, crawlability, and UX (User Experience). A good rule of thumb is that a user should not be more than three clicks away from any given page.
Internal links also pass authority, thanks to Anchor Text. Please do not overdo the process of Internal Linking as it may leave a negative impression on the readers. Give links only if they are absolutely relevant to a particular piece of content.
Pro Tip :
Think of your site as a pyramid.
Assume that your homepage is on the top.
Arrange the content of your site as categories, giving top slots to the important ones. This will help you optimize your Internal Linking strategy.

13. Meta Description Ending in Ellipses

This is another Meta description mistake that will affect your site's UX and CTR. Ellipses at the end of Meta descriptions occur when you ignore the pixel limit.
Contrary to popular belief, Google does not consider your Meta descriptions' word limit but the width in pixels. The allowed Meta description length is up to 920 pixels. In other words, you can use up to 158 characters.
Keep in mind that the 158 character limit includes spaces. When it comes to mobile devices, the pixel limit is 680. It means that Google will display up to 120 characters of your Meta description in search results.
Descriptions ending in ellipses will make customers frustrated. As a result, they may skip your site and visit the one that has a well-composed Meta description.

14. Unnatural Links

You might have avoided all sorts of black-hat SEO tactics. But your links still tend to fall into the Bad Links category if you don't pay enough attention.
One of the common mistakes companies make is bombarding their press releases with a truckload of keywords. Remember : A press release is where you inform your customers about the happenings and product releases.
If yours is a baby store and you have introduced a new 'Organic baby feeding bottle,' do not mention the term umpteen times in an article. And never make the mistake of giving links in your press releases. For Google, press release links are no different from a link scheme.
Search engines also hate links from foreign guestbooks, low-quality directories, discussion forums, Private Blog Networks (PBNs), Social Bookmarking sites, and blog comments.

15. Multiple Homepage Versions

Having multiple versions of your homepage without a preferred one is detrimental to a good backlink profile and your site authority.
Let's say you have a site called www.example.com.
For search engines, your website now has two versions: https://www.example.com & https://example.com. If you have installed an SSL certificate, your site will have two more versions.
The exciting thing to consider is that search engines will treat all four versions differently. This is why you should always set your preferred version in Google Search Console's Site Settings. Not doing so will share the SEO benefit between all four versions.

Technical SEO FAQs

1. How to Find Technical SEO Errors?

A comprehensive site audit is the best method to identify and address the Technical SEO errors in your site. A few things that you should audit are your sitemap, internal links, HTTPS content, speed, crawling performance, etc.
Recommendations: Google Search Console, SEMRush, Ahrefs, MozBar, and WebPageTest can help you with Technical SEO.

2. How to Address Duplicate Content Issue?

When it comes to Duplicate Content, prevention is better than fixing.
Using Canonical Tags will help avoid duplicate content. These tags tell search engines that you own a particular piece of content. Even if your content were scraped and republished on other sites, Google would know yours is original. If you want search engines to avoid duplicate pages, use Meta robots.

3. How to Use 301 Redirects Correctly?

Using a 301 Redirect will signal Google that a particular page has permanently moved to a new URL. The reason for using this is the passing of authority from the old URL to the new one. In other words, the new URL will inherit the full ranking power of the old one. Use 301 Redirects only if you are permanently moving the page to a new URL.

4. How to Check my Site's Mobile-friendliness?

The easy way to do this is to use Google's free Mobile-Friendly Test tool. All you need to do is to input your site's URL. Google will take a few seconds and tell you whether your site is mobile-friendly. If it is not, the tool will also provide you with a Mobile Usability Report. The report will tell you if your site suffers from incompatible plugins, non-responsive design, wide content, etc.