Mitigating technical SEO issues by empowering engineers

SEO is not just about keywords and content. It ensures search engines can effectively access, crawl, and interpret a website. This is where technical SEO comes into play. 

As I highlight in my article “Unleashing enterprise SEO superpowers: The 4 pillars for SEO success,” mitigation and error management in technical SEO are crucial for a flawless online experience.

Companies can save time and money by equipping enterprise engineers with the knowledge of common technical SEO issues, streamlining the SEO process, and improving organic search performance.

Why engineers need to understand technical SEO

Here are some reasons why organizations must keep their engineers technical SEO-savvy engineers. 

Cost-effective and time-saving

By identifying and addressing technical issues during the development phase, engineers can prevent costly mistakes that require rework.

Improved website performance

Sites optimized from a technical standpoint offer better user experiences, which can result in higher engagement and conversion rates.

Evolution of SEO

As the SEO landscape changes, having engineers who are up to date with the latest trends and ensures a proactive approach to website development.

Recent developments in SEO

Technical SEO holds significant importance, as Google’s John Mueller tweeted July 24. 

“Technical SEO – it matters a lot. I double-checked some sites regarding SD usage. One had a performance report trending towards zero over 3 weeks. Cookie banner loaded with JS, no other content loaded for Googlebot. Soft 404s everywhere.”

Moreover, Google’s announcement about the reduction in visibility of FAQ rich results and the limitation of HowTo results to desktop devices indicates the dynamic nature of SEO. 

These changes underscore the need for technical vigilance, as even minor technical issues can significantly impact visibility in organic search results.

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Technical issues to monitor

Soft 404s

A soft 404 error occurs when a non-existent page displays a “page not found” message but doesn’t return a 404 status code. 

These errors can:

• Mislead search engines into indexing irrelevant pages.
• Adversely affects user experience by causing some confusion.
• Lead to unnecessary crawling and re-crawling by search engine bots.

To address soft 404s:

• Ensure non-existent pages return a 404 or 410 status.
• Use 301 redirects for pages that have moved to a new URL.

JavaScript SEO

JavaScript plays a crucial role in modern web development.

However, JavaScript comes with SEO challenges, including:

• Complex JavaScript can slow down indexing.
• JavaScript elements, like menus, need regular testing to ensure search engine accessibility.
• Ensure internal links within JavaScript are recognizable by search engines.

Implementing server-side rendering, code minification, and lazy loading can optimize load times and improve user experience and SEO performance.

Dig deeper: What to look for in a technical SEO audit

Empowering engineers with SEO knowledge

Engineers are at the forefront of website development, and their understanding of technical SEO can be transformative for an enterprise. 

Companies can ensure optimal website performance by integrating SEO best practices into development.

The ever-evolving nature of SEO, as evidenced by Google’s recent announcements, underscores the need for continuous learning and adaptation. 

With this knowledge, engineers can proactively address issues, ensuring that websites are user-friendly and search-engine-friendly.

Technical SEO, often overshadowed by its on-page counterpart, is a cornerstone of organic search performance. 

By empowering engineers with the tools and knowledge they need to tackle these challenges head-on, enterprises can enhance website performance, user experience, and their bottom line. 

As the SEO landscape shifts, a proactive approach to technical challenges will be the key to staying ahead.