The Technical SEO It is a part of SEO, which focuses on the technical optimization possibilities of a website. These include, for example, source code, operating systems, and server configurations. Technical SEO is never solely responsible for a good keyword ranking, but rather a prerequisite for future optimization actions.
Background
When the Internet became increasingly successful in the late 1990s, search engine optimization (SEO) developed its own branch of online marketing, which ensured a good placement of websites in the SERPs of the search engines.
The optimization possibilities were still primitive. Generally, it was enough to fill a main page and subpages with appropriate keywords, both in the target area and on the page itself, in order to rank well for a particular keyword. At the same time, it was very easy to influence ranking with backlinks. Link popularity was the key factor, not domain popularity or website domain trust.
Due to the increasing complexity of search algorithms and increasingly differentiated web search, as well as an exponentially growing number of new websites, the demands for search engine optimization have increased. These changes can be found at this time mainly in Technical SEO. So, right now, to this part of search engine optimization it is given more and more relevance. For example, the availability of a website or the number of 404 errors on a website are positioning factors in the Google search engine.
The "technical SEO" phenomenon is comparable to that of Formula 1 racing. Not only will the best driver win, but the one with the best technically equipped vehicle will win. At the moment a great deal of knowledge and experience is required to get the most out of the websites for the search engines. Specifically in highly competitive areas, small technical differences such as faster load times or a "clean" source code can be the inflection point in the scale for a better ranking in the SERPs.
Technical SEO and tasks for current SEOs
Right now, technical SEO is not just a game for nerds, but a must have for search engine optimization.[1]. If you want to get the most out of websites, you should at least know the arguments of common programming languages or markup languages. Only if you understand the architecture of the page and the functionality of the servers and websites, will you be able to give programmers meaningful instructions on optimization and understand what steps and / or work will be required. In this way, knowledge in technical SEO is also important to boost workflow of the projects and for calculate possible costs with greater precision.
Since Google officially turned mobile device optimization for a website into a ranking factor in April 2015, the demand for technical website optimization has increased again. For example, a website must be able to be used without problems with mobile devices such as a mobile in order to position well in the mobile device search.
Tools for technical optimization
There are useful tools for doing technical SEO. An initial review of the technical aspects of a website can be done in the Google Search Console or in the Bing Webmaster Tools. A variety of viable tools are offered on the Internet. For example, an overview of 100 different SEO tools can be found on the Moz blog.[2]. Google offers two tools, the Page Speed Checker Tool and the Mobile Device Compatibility Check Tool, which can be used without logging into a Google account.
Possible apps for technical SEO
The individual aspects of technical SEO can be divided into different groups:
- URL optimization: Use of SEF URLs, for a hierarchy of flat pages.
- Avoid content duplication: Using canonical tags, 301 redirect.
- Server problems: load speed optimization, http header change.
- Source code: Reduction of unnecessary code snippets, elimination of tracking codes that are no longer needed and content compression.
- Display: for example, as part of mobile device optimization.
- Link structure: Avoid dead links.
- Crawl: Bot control.
- Metadata: Optimization for rich snippets.
- Security: Change of web portal to https.
Benefits
Technical SEO has the purpose of making a website optimally usable by each user. This includes that all content is easily accessible and that users can easily find their way around the web portal. With regards to actual search engine optimization, technical SEO plays an important role with regard to decreasing load times. These play an important role, especially because of the number of possible conversions. A 2015 study revealed that the number of conversions increased by more than 20 percent for every second decrease in load time.[3]. Google also takes into account shorter loading times when examining a website. In this way, technical SEO achieves a dual purpose. It serves to optimize usability and is an important prerequisite for better positioning.
Web Links
- Technical SEO posts with examples
- Technical SEO problems and their solutions on the Moz Blog
- Google's tool to boost loading speed: PageSpeed
- Yslow from Yahoo
- Firebug plugin for Firefox
- Google tool to check mobile device friendliness
