07/08/2026 No Comments

Technical SEO Checklist: Essential Steps to Improve Your Website Visibility

A visually attractive website is not enough to rank well on Google. Search engines must also be able to crawl, understand, index, and evaluate your website correctly.

This is where technical SEO becomes important. Technical SEO focuses on improving the technical structure and performance of a website so search engines can access its pages easily and users receive a faster, safer, and more convenient browsing experience.

In this guide, we will explain the most important technical SEO steps you should follow to improve your website visibility, search engine rankings, and overall performance.

What Is Technical SEO?

Technical SEO is the process of optimizing the technical elements of a website so search engines can crawl, understand, and index its pages properly.

It includes areas such as:

Website speed
Mobile responsiveness
URL structure
Page indexing
XML sitemaps
Robots.txt
Meta tags
Heading structure
Schema markup
Internal linking
HTTPS security
Broken links and redirects

Technical SEO does not replace good content. Instead, it creates a strong foundation that helps your content perform better in search results.

Essential Technical SEO Steps to Improve Website Visibility

Not every automotive customer uses every message. The required message set must be confirmed during the EDI onboarding process.

1. Use SEO-Friendly URLs

Your website URLs should be simple, descriptive, and easy to understand.

For better SEO and readability, use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_).

Recommended URL

`example.com/odoo-shipping-integration`

Avoid

`example.com/odoo_shipping_integration`

Hyphens clearly separate words and make URLs easier for both users and search engines to read.

Additional URL recommendations include:

Keep URLs short and meaningful.
Include the main keyword naturally.
Avoid unnecessary numbers and special characters.
Use lowercase letters.
Avoid repeating the same keyword.
Do not include dates unless the content is date-specific.
Avoid long category and folder structures.

Important Note for Existing URLs

Do not change an existing indexed URL only to replace underscores with hyphens unless necessary. Changing a live URL can affect existing rankings, backlinks, and traffic. When a URL must be changed, create a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new URL.

You can read Google’s URL structure recommendations here: Google URL Structure Best Practices

2. Improve Website Page Speed

Website speed is important for both user experience and search engine visibility.

A slow website can cause visitors to leave before the page finishes loading. It can also make it more difficult for search engines to crawl a large number of pages efficiently.

Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test your website: Google PageSpeed Insights

The tool analyzes both mobile and desktop performance and provides recommendations for improvement.

Common Page Speed Improvements

Compress large images.
Use WebP or AVIF image formats.
Enable browser caching.
Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files.
Remove unused CSS and JavaScript.
Reduce the number of third-party scripts.
Use lazy loading for images and videos.
Improve server response time.
Use a content delivery network.
Avoid unnecessary plugins.
Optimize fonts.
Preload important website resources.

You should also review your website’s Core Web Vitals, which evaluate loading performance, visual stability, and page responsiveness.

Do not focus only on receiving a perfect score. Prioritize improvements that create a faster and more stable experience for real users.

3. Add a Unique Meta Title to Every Page

The meta title tells search engines and users what a page is about. It commonly appears as the clickable title in search results.

Every important page should have a unique and relevant meta title.

Example : Odoo Shipping Integration Services | Vraja Technologies

Meta Title Best Practices

Include the main keyword naturally.
Keep the title clear and relevant.
Avoid keyword stuffing.
Make every page title unique.
Add the company name when appropriate.
Match the title with the actual page content.
Place the important keyword near the beginning.

Avoid using the same title, such as “Home” or “Services,” across multiple pages.

4. Add a Unique Meta Description to Every Page

A meta description is a short summary of the page content. It can appear below the page title in search results.

Although Google may sometimes create its own description, adding a well-written meta description gives search engines a useful summary of the page.

Example: Integrate FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, and other shipping carriers directly with Odoo. Automate rates, labels, tracking, and shipment management.

Meta Description Best Practices

Clearly explain what the page offers.
Include the main keyword naturally.
Use action-oriented language.
Make every description unique.
Avoid copying the same description across pages.
Give users a reason to click.
Keep the description relevant to the page.

Meta titles and descriptions should be reviewed regularly, especially for important service, product, category, and landing pages.

5. Correct the Heading Structure

Headings help visitors scan your content and help search engines understand the relationship between different sections.

Each page should normally have one main H1 heading, followed by properly organized H2 and H3 headings.

H1: Main page title
H2: Main section
H3: Subsection
H2: Another main section
H3: Related subsection

Avoid Incorrect Structures

Using multiple H1 headings without a clear reason
Moving directly from H1 to H4
Using headings only to increase font size
Repeating the same heading several times
Using headings that do not describe the content below them

You can inspect the heading structure of a webpage using the Web Developer Chrome extension: Web Developer Chrome Extension

After installing the extension:

1. Open the webpage you want to review.

2. Click the Web Developer extension.

3. Open the Information section.

4. Select “View Document Outline.”

5. Review the order of H1, H2, H3, and other headings.

The heading structure should be logical and easy to understand.

6. Add Schema Markup to Important Pages

Schema markup is structured data added to a webpage to help search engines understand its content more accurately.

Depending on the page, schema can provide information about:

The organization
Services
Products
Articles
Frequently asked questions
Breadcrumbs
Reviews
Events
Local businesses
Job postings
Software applications

Schema does not guarantee enhanced search results, but it gives search engines clearer information about the page.

Recommended Schema Types

Homepage: Organization or LocalBusiness schema

Service Page: Service schema

Product Page:Product schema

Blog Article: Article or BlogPosting schema

FAQ Section: FAQPage schema, when the content meets applicable search engine guidelines

Navigation Path: BreadcrumbList schema

Software or Odoo Application Page:SoftwareApplication schema

How to Generate Schema Markup: You can use the following tool to create JSON-LD schema markup:

Schema Markup Generator by TechnicalSEO.com

General process:

1. Select the appropriate schema type.

2. Enter the requested business or page information.

3. Generate the JSON-LD code.

4. Copy the generated schema.

5. Add it to the relevant webpage.

6. Test the page before publishing.

You can also review available schema types and properties on: Schema.org

How to Validate Schema Markup: Use Google’s Rich Results Test to check whether a page is eligible for supported rich results: Google Rich Results Test

You can also validate general Schema.org structured data using:Schema Markup Validator

After implementation, monitor structured data reports inside Google Search Console to identify errors or warnings.

Schema Implementation Best Practices

Add schema only for information visible on the page.
Use the correct schema type.
Do not add fake ratings or reviews.
Keep names, addresses, phone numbers, and business details consistent.
Avoid adding irrelevant properties.
Update schema whenever page information changes.
Test the final live URL after publishing.

7. Create and Submit an XML Sitemap

An XML sitemap provides search engines with a list of important website URLs.

It is especially useful for:

Large websites
New websites
Websites with many products or services
Websites with limited internal linking
Websites that frequently publish new content

A sitemap is commonly available at: `example.com/sitemap.xml`The sitemap should include only important, canonical, and indexable URLs.

Avoid including:

Redirected URLs
Error pages
Duplicate pages
Noindex pages
Test pages
Admin pages

Submit the sitemap through Google Search Console under the Sitemaps section. Google Search Console

8. Check the Robots.txt File

The robots.txt file provides crawling instructions to search engine bots. It is commonly located at: `example.com/robots.txt`

Review the file carefully to ensure important pages are not blocked accidentally.

For example:

text

User-agent: *

Disallow: /admin/

Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml

Do not use robots.txt as the main method for removing sensitive or unwanted pages from Google. A blocked page may still appear in search results if other pages link to it.

Use proper authentication for private content and a `noindex` directive for pages that should not appear in search results.

9. Make Sure Important Pages Are Indexable

A page cannot receive organic search traffic if search engines cannot index it.

Check important pages for:

Accidental noindex tags
Canonical tags pointing to another page
Robots.txt restrictions
Login requirements
Redirect problems
Server errors
Duplicate content
Soft 404 errors

Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to check whether a page is indexed.

The tool can show:

Whether Google has indexed the URL
The selected canonical URL
Crawling information
Mobile usability information
Structured data status
Reasons why a URL may not be indexed

10. Add Canonical Tags

Canonical tags help search engines identify the preferred version of a page when similar or duplicate URLs exist.

Example:

Canonical tags are useful when the same content is accessible through:

URLs with tracking parameters
Filtered category pages
HTTP and HTTPS versions
URLs with and without a trailing slash
Printer-friendly pages
Product variations
Duplicate category paths

Every indexable page should generally have a self-referencing canonical tag unless another page is intentionally selected as the preferred version.

11. Improve Mobile Responsiveness

A website should work properly on mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers.

Check the following elements:

Text should be readable without zooming.
Buttons should be easy to tap.
Content should fit within the screen.
Forms should work properly.
Menus should be easy to use.
Images should resize correctly.
Pop-ups should not block important content.
Page speed should remain acceptable on mobile connections.

Always review the mobile version of important pages instead of checking only the desktop design.

12. Use HTTPS and Fix Security Issues

HTTPS protects data transferred between the user’s browser and the website.

Your entire website should use HTTPS.

Check for:

Expired SSL certificates
HTTP pages that are still accessible
HTTP resources loaded on HTTPS pages
Mixed-content warnings
Incorrect redirects
Multiple versions of the same website

All variations should redirect to one preferred version, for example: https://www.example.com/

or https://example.com/

Do not allow HTTP, HTTPS, www, and non-www versions to operate as separate websites.

13. Find and Fix Broken Links

Broken links create a poor user experience and may prevent search engines from accessing important pages.

Common broken-link problems include:

Deleted pages
Incorrect URLs
Old blog links
Removed products
Changed page slugs
Broken external references
Missing images or documents

When an important page is moved, create a 301 redirect to the most relevant replacement page.

Do not redirect every deleted page to the homepage. When no relevant replacement exists, returning a proper 404 or 410 response may be more appropriate.

Useful website crawling tools include: Screaming Frog SEO Spider Ahrefs Webmaster Tools Google Search Console

14. Improve Internal Linking

Internal links connect one page of your website to another.

A strong internal linking structure helps users discover related content and helps search engines understand which pages are important.

Internal Linking Best Practices

Link related blogs to relevant service pages.
Link service pages to appropriate case studies.
Use descriptive anchor text.
Avoid anchor text such as “click here.”
Make important pages reachable within a few clicks.
Fix orphan pages that have no internal links.
Add breadcrumbs on larger websites.
Avoid adding too many unnecessary links.

Example Instead of:

“Click here to learn more.”

Use: Learn more about our Odoo shipping integration services.

The anchor text should clearly explain the destination page.

15. Optimize Images

Large and unoptimized images can reduce website speed.

Before uploading an image:

Resize it to the required display dimensions.
Compress the file.
Use WebP or AVIF when supported.
Add descriptive file names.
Add relevant alt text.
Avoid uploading unnecessarily large files.
Enable lazy loading for below-the-fold images.

Recommended Image File Name : `odoo-shipping-integration-dashboard.webp`

Avoid :`IMG_45897.webp

Example Alt Text: `Odoo shipping integration dashboard displaying carrier rates`

Alt text should describe the image naturally. Avoid adding unnecessary keywords to every image.

Decorative images that provide no meaningful information may use empty alt text.

16. Remove Duplicate and Thin Content

Search engines may struggle to identify the most relevant page when several pages contain nearly identical information.

Common causes of duplicate content include:

Multiple service pages targeting the same keyword
Product filter URLs
Printer versions
HTTP and HTTPS versions
Copied manufacturer descriptions
Repeated location pages with only the city name changed
Duplicate blogs
URL tracking parameters

Each important page should provide useful and original information.

Pages with very little value should be improved, combined with another page, redirected, excluded from indexing, or removed depending on their purpose.

17. Add Breadcrumb Navigation

Breadcrumbs show users where they are within the website structure.

Example: `Home > Services > Odoo Integration > Shipping Integration`

Breadcrumbs improve navigation and help search engines understand the relationship between website sections.

For better implementation, combine visible breadcrumb navigation with BreadcrumbList schema markup.

18. Review Redirects and Redirect Chains

A redirect sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another.

Use a 301 redirect when a page has permanently moved.

Avoid redirect chains such as: `Page A → Page B → Page C → Page D`

Instead, Page A should redirect directly to the final destination.

Also review:

Redirect loops
HTTP-to-HTTPS redirects
www and non-www redirects
Old campaign URLs
Changed product URLs
Deleted category pages

Too many unnecessary redirects can affect page speed and make website maintenance difficult.

19. Check Website Status Codes

Every website URL returns an HTTP status code.

Important status codes include:

200: The page is working normally.

301: The page has permanently moved.

302: The page has temporarily moved.

404: The page was not found.

410: The page has been permanently removed.

500: The server experienced an error.

503: The service is temporarily unavailable.

Important pages should normally return a 200 status code.

Regularly monitor 404, 500, and redirect errors using Google Search Console or a website crawling tool.

20. Optimize JavaScript-Based Content

Some websites load important content through JavaScript.

Search engines can process JavaScript, but excessive or poorly implemented JavaScript may create crawling, rendering, or performance problems.

Make sure important information such as the following is available to search engines:

Main page content
Product descriptions
Internal links
Headings
Pricing information
Navigation
Canonical tags
Meta titles and descriptions

Where possible, use server-side rendering, static rendering, or properly optimized modern frameworks for important SEO pages.

21. Add Hreflang Tags for Multilingual Websites

Websites targeting multiple countries or languages should consider hreflang implementation.

Hreflang tags help search engines understand which language or regional page should be shown to a user.

For example:

English page for the United States
English page for the United Kingdom
French page for France
Dutch page for Belgium

Hreflang tags must be implemented carefully. Each language page should reference the other available versions and include a self-reference.

Incorrect hreflang implementation can cause the wrong page to appear in regional search results.

22. Connect Google Search Console

Google Search Console is one of the most important tools for technical SEO.

It helps you monitor:
Search performance
Indexed pages
Crawling errors
Sitemap status
Page experience
Core Web Vitals
Structured data
Security issues
Manual actions
Mobile usability
Search queries and click-through rates

Website owners should review Search Console regularly instead of checking it only when traffic decreases.

Open Google Search Console

23. Set Up Website Analytics

Analytics tools help you understand how visitors use your website.

Google Analytics can provide information about:

Website traffic
Landing pages
User engagement
Traffic sources
Conversions
Devices
Countries
User journeys

Technical SEO data from Search Console should be reviewed together with user behavior and conversion data from analytics.

High rankings are valuable only when the traffic generates meaningful enquiries, purchases, registrations, or other business results. Google Analytics

24. Regularly Audit Your Website

Technical SEO is not a one-time activity.

Website changes, plugin updates, content removal, redesigns, migrations, and development work can create new technical issues.

A regular audit should review:

Indexing status
Page speed
Broken links
Redirects
Meta titles
Meta descriptions
Heading structure
Schema errors
Canonical tags
XML sitemap
Robots.txt
Mobile usability
Duplicate content
Internal links
Security and HTTPS

A small website may be reviewed every few months, while a large eCommerce or frequently updated website may require more frequent monitoring.

Recommended Technical SEO Tools

Google PageSpeed Insights

Use it to test website speed, Core Web Vitals, and performance recommendations. https://pagespeed.web.dev/

Google Search Console

Use it to check website indexing, crawling, search performance, sitemaps, and structured data. https://search.google.com/search-console/

Google Rich Results Test

Use it to test supported structured data and rich-result eligibility. https://search.google.com/test/rich-results

Schema Markup Validator

Use it to validate general Schema.org markup. https://validator.schema.org/

Schema Markup Generator

Use it to generate JSON-LD schema for organizations, services, products, FAQs, articles, and other page types. https://technicalseo.com/tools/schema-markup-generator/

Web Developer Chrome Extension

Use it to review page headings, images, links, forms, and document structure. https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/web-developer/bfbameneiokkgbdmiekhjnmfkcnldhhm?pli=1

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Use it to crawl your website and identify broken links, missing metadata, duplicate pages, redirect chains, and indexing problems. https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/

Technical SEO Checklist

Before completing your technical SEO audit, confirm that:

Important URLs use short and readable structures.
Hyphens are used instead of underscores in new URLs.
Every important page has a unique meta title.
Every important page has a unique meta description.
Each page has a logical heading structure.
Website speed has been tested on mobile and desktop.
Images are compressed and properly named.
Important pages are mobile-friendly.
The website uses HTTPS.
An XML sitemap is available and submitted.
The robots.txt file is configured correctly.
Important pages are indexable.
Canonical tags are implemented correctly.
Broken links and redirect chains are fixed.
Internal links connect related content.
Schema markup is added and validated.
Multilingual pages use hreflang where required.
Google Search Console is connected.
Website analytics and conversions are being tracked.
Technical SEO audits are performed regularly.

Final Thoughts

Technical SEO creates the foundation for better search engine visibility.

Good content, backlinks, and keyword optimization are important, but they may not produce the expected results when search engines cannot properly crawl, render, understand, or index the website.

Start by reviewing your website speed, URL structure, metadata, headings, schema markup, indexability, mobile performance, internal linking, and security.

Technical SEO improvements should also support real users. A website that is fast, easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, secure, and well organized is more likely to attract visitors, generate engagement, and convert traffic into business enquiries.

By following this technical SEO checklist and monitoring your website regularly, you can build a stronger foundation for long-term organic visibility and search performance.