Top 10 Technical SEO Fixes to Boost Google Rankings

If your website looks great but still struggles to show up on Google, chances are it’s not your content; it’s your technical SEO.

Think of it like this: your website is a car. Content is the engine, design is the paint job, and technical SEO is the internal wiring that keeps everything running smoothly. If something in that wiring goes wrong, even the most powerful engine won’t move you forward.

Working with a Technical SEO Agency can help identify these hidden issues and optimize your website so it runs faster, safer, and climbs higher in search results.

In this post, we will cover the top 10 technical SEO fixes that can make your website faster, safer, and more visible in search results.

What Is Technical SEO?

Before diving into the fixes, let’s get clear on what technical SEO really means.

Technical SEO is all about optimizing the backend of your website so that search engines can easily crawl, index, and understand it.

It’s not about writing new content or adding more keywords; it’s about making sure your site’s foundation is strong enough for your content to shine.

In short, technical SEO ensures your site:

• Loads fast
• Is mobile-friendly
• Has a clean, crawlable structure
• Uses secure connections (HTTPS)
• Don’t confuse Google with duplicate pages or broken links

If your site’s technical health is poor, even the best content won’t rank as it should. Looking for a professional Technical Seo Services? Let us help you.

Issue 1: No HTTPS Security

Why it’s a problem
Google made HTTPS a ranking factor way back in 2014. If your site still uses “http://” instead of “https://”, you’re sending the wrong signal that your site might not be secure. Worse, most browsers now warn users before entering a non-HTTPS site. That’s enough to make potential customers hit “Back” immediately.

How to fix it

• Get an SSL certificate. Most hosting providers offer it for free now (like Let’s Encrypt).
• Install it and force HTTPS redirects. You can set this up via your hosting control panel or .htaccess file.
• Update internal links. Make sure all your URLs point to the HTTPS version.
• Check for mixed content. Use tools like Why No Padlock to find insecure elements (like old image URLs).

Pro Tip (from Reddit’s r/SEO): Many users noticed a quick improvement in traffic after switching to HTTPS, especially for sites that had “Not Secure” warnings showing up in Chrome.

Issue 2: Broken Links

Why it’s a problem
Broken links (404 errors) hurt both your user experience and SEO. When Google’s crawler hits a dead end, it wastes crawl budget, and when users do, it kills trust. Even one broken link on a key page can signal poor site maintenance. A Technical SEO Consultant can help identify these issues and ensure your site remains healthy and crawlable.

How to fix it

• Find broken links using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog.
• Fix internal links by updating them to the correct URLs.
• Set up 301 redirects for pages you’ve moved or deleted.
• Use a custom 404 page that helps users find what they need instead of bouncing.

Issue 3: Slow Page Speed

Why it’s a problem
Google has made speed a core ranking factor, especially for mobile searches. A slow site frustrates users, increases bounce rates, and kills conversions.

How to fix it

• Compress images using tools like TinyPNG.
• Enable browser caching.
• Minify CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files.
• Use a CDN (like Cloudflare).
• Test your site on PageSpeed Insights to see what’s slowing it down.

Issue 4: Poor Mobile Optimization

Why it’s a problem
Google indexes your site mobile-first, meaning it primarily looks at your mobile version. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re automatically at a disadvantage.

How to fix it

• Use a responsive design so your site adjusts automatically to different screen sizes.
• Avoid tiny text and unclickable buttons.
• Test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
• Eliminate intrusive pop-ups that block content on mobile screens.

Issue 5: Duplicate Content

Why it’s a problem
Duplicate content confuses Google about which page to rank, often leading to both versions performing poorly. This usually happens due to URL variations, tag pages, or even product filters on e-commerce sites.

How to fix it

• Use canonical tags to tell Google which version is the main one.
• Consolidate duplicate pages.
• Avoid publishing the same product descriptions across multiple URLs.
• Regularly audit your site with tools like Siteliner or Ahrefs.

Issue 6: Missing XML Sitemap

Why it’s a problem
Your sitemap is like a roadmap that helps Google discover all your important pages. Without it, some pages may never get indexed, especially new or deeper ones.

How to fix it

• Generate an XML sitemap using Yoast SEO (WordPress) or Screaming Frog.
• Upload it to Google Search Console.
• Keep it updated as you add or remove pages.

Issue 7: Noindex or Robots.txt Errors

Why it’s a problem
Sometimes, pages get accidentally blocked from being indexed because of incorrect robots.txt or meta noindex tags. You could be unintentionally hiding your best pages from Google!

How to fix it

• Check your robots.txt file to make sure it doesn’t block critical URLs.
• Review each page’s meta robots tag to ensure it’s set to “index, follow.”
• Test URLs in Search Console’s URL Inspection Tool.
• Consider using Technical SEO Audit Services to identify and resolve hidden indexing issues before they impact your rankings.

Issue 8: Missing or Incorrect Structured Data

Why it’s a problem
Structured data (schema markup) helps Google understand what your page is about. For example, if you’re running a recipe blog or local business, schema can add rich snippets like reviews, ratings, and prices, making your listing more clickable.

How to fix it

• Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to generate the code.
• Add schema types relevant to your business (LocalBusiness, Product, FAQ, Article, etc.).
• Test it using Rich Results Test or Schema.org validator.

Issue 9: Poor Internal Linking

Why it’s a problem
If Google can’t easily find your pages through internal links, they won’t get crawled as often. Plus, you lose the chance to pass SEO value between related pages.

How to fix it

• Link related blog posts together using contextual anchor text.
• Use breadcrumb navigation.
• Keep your key pages no more than three clicks from the homepage.
• Don’t overdo it; keep links natural and user-friendly.

Issue 10: Unoptimized Core Web Vitals

Why it’s a problem
Core Web Vitals measure real-world user experience, how quickly your page loads, how stable it feels, and how fast users can interact with it. Google uses these metrics as ranking signals under Page Experience.

How to fix it

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Optimize images and server response times.
• First Input Delay (FID): Minimize heavy JavaScript.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Use proper image and ad size dimensions to prevent layout shifts.
• Monitor performance in Google Search Console → Experience → Core Web Vitals.

Conclusion

You can write the best blogs, create beautiful designs, and run aggressive ads, but if your technical SEO is broken, you’re building success on shaky ground.

Start with the fixes above. You don’t need to tackle them all in one go; begin with the biggest issues (HTTPS, site speed, broken links) and move down the list.

Once your site’s technical health improves, Google will not only crawl your pages faster but also reward you with better visibility and higher rankings. Need expert help to get there? Seoraft can handle your technical SEO fixes and ensure your website is fully optimized for growth.