What is Technical SEO and Why Should I Care?

You've probably heard about "SEO" – Search Engine Optimization. A lot of that focuses on content: keywords, writing great blog posts, that kind of thing. Technical SEO is the often-invisible foundation that makes sure search engines like Google can find, understand, and index your website's content. Think of it as building a clear, well-maintained road for Google's bots to visit your site. If that road is blocked or confusing, Google might miss important pages, or even stop visiting altogether. It's not about ranking directly; it's about enabling ranking. A beautifully written article won’t rank if Google can’t even read it.

What is a Sitemap and How Do I Check Mine?

A sitemap is essentially a list of every page on your website. It tells Google which pages you want them to consider for indexing. While Google can usually find your pages through internal links, a sitemap helps them discover content faster and more reliably – especially for newer or less-linked pages. It's like giving Google a table of contents for your entire site.

Why it matters: Ensures Google is aware of all your important pages, helping them get crawled and indexed quickly. This is particularly important for larger websites, e-commerce sites with many products, or sites with complex navigation.

How to check:

  1. Check for a sitemap file: Your sitemap is usually named sitemap.xml and located at the root of your domain (e.g., https://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml). Try typing that address into your browser. If you see XML code, you have a sitemap.
  2. Submit to Google Search Console: The best way to verify is through Google Search Console. Add your website, then go to the "Sitemaps" section. If your sitemap is correctly submitted and processed, you’ll see its status.

What to tell your developer: If you don't have a sitemap, or it's outdated, ask them to create one. Most content management systems (CMS) like WordPress have plugins that automatically generate sitemaps. Ensure the sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console. Also, if your website has a large number of pages, consider breaking the sitemap into multiple files (sitemap_1.xml, sitemap_2.xml, etc.) and creating a sitemap index file.

What is Robots.txt and Why is it So Mysterious?

The robots.txt file is a set of instructions for web robots (like Google's crawlers). It tells them which parts of your website they shouldn't crawl. This is often used to prevent indexing of duplicate content, admin areas, or pages that aren't meant to be public.

Why it matters: Prevents search engines from wasting time crawling unimportant pages, and more importantly, prevents them from indexing pages you don't want to appear in search results. A mistake in robots.txt can accidentally block Google from crawling your entire site!

How to check: Type https://www.yourdomain.com/robots.txt into your browser. You should see a text file with rules defining which bots are allowed or disallowed access to different parts of your site.

What to tell your developer: Be very careful with this file. A common mistake is blocking the entire site. Ensure you aren't unintentionally blocking Googlebot. For example, avoid using `User-agent: *` followed by `Disallow: /` as this will block all bots. A typical, safe robots.txt file might look like this:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /wp-admin/
Disallow: /tmp/
Disallow: /cgi-bin/

This example blocks access to the WordPress admin area and temporary directories.

What is HTTPS and Why Do I Need It?

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure version of HTTP. It encrypts the connection between your website and visitors' browsers, protecting sensitive information. In 2026, it's no longer optional – it’s a ranking signal, and browsers will flag HTTP sites as “Not Secure.”

Why it matters: It's a trust signal for users and search engines. Google prioritizes secure websites in search results. Without HTTPS, your site will be penalized and visitors might be scared away.

How to check: Look for the padlock icon in your browser's address bar when visiting your website. Also, check your site's URL – it should start with https://, not http://.

What to tell your developer: If your site doesn't have HTTPS, get it installed immediately. This involves obtaining an SSL certificate (many hosting providers offer them for free) and configuring your web server to use it. After installation, ensure all internal links and redirects use https://.

What are Redirects and When Should I Use Them?

Redirects send users (and search engines) from one URL to another. They’re crucial when you change a page's address. For example, if you redesign your website and change a product page from /product-a/ to /products/product-a/, you should implement a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.

Why it matters: Preserves SEO value when you move or delete pages. Without redirects, users (and Google) will end up on a broken page (404 error), leading to a bad user experience and lost rankings.

How to check: Use a redirect checker tool (many free online options) to see if redirects are working correctly. You can also simply type the old URL into your browser and see if it takes you to the correct new page.

What to tell your developer: Implement 301 redirects for any moved or deleted pages. Avoid redirect chains (redirecting from A to B to C) as they slow down loading times and can confuse search engines. Different server configurations handle redirects (e.g., .htaccess for Apache, web.config for IIS).

What are Crawl Errors and How Do I Fix Them?

Crawl errors occur when Googlebot encounters problems accessing or crawling pages on your website. These can be caused by broken links, server errors, or blocked pages (via robots.txt).

Why it matters: Prevents Google from indexing your content. Unresolved crawl errors can negatively impact your rankings.

How to check: Google Search Console's "Coverage" report shows any crawl errors Google has detected. It categorizes errors as things like "404 errors" (page not found) and "Server Errors" (something went wrong on your server).

What to tell your developer: Fix broken links (404 errors) by either restoring the missing pages, redirecting to relevant content, or removing the broken links. Investigate and resolve any server errors. Double-check your robots.txt file to ensure you haven't accidentally blocked important pages.

Addressing these technical SEO elements won’t instantly catapult your website to the top of Google, but they create a solid foundation for your content to be found and understood. If you’d like a professional audit to pinpoint areas for improvement on your site, the team at Eikeland SEO in Calgary can help. We offer a comprehensive Monthly SEO Audit to identify and resolve technical issues, optimize your content, and improve your overall search visibility.

Want to learn more about technical SEO? Check out our blog for helpful articles and resources.

Ready to dive deeper? Contact us today for a free consultation.