Technical SEO is one of the most important foundations of a successful website. Even high-quality content can struggle to attract organic traffic when search engines cannot crawl pages efficiently, understand website structure, or index the right URLs.
A technical SEO audit helps website owners identify problems affecting crawling, indexing, page performance, mobile usability, and site architecture. By addressing these issues systematically, businesses can make their websites easier for search engines to access and easier for visitors to use.
Whether you manage a small business website, a SaaS platform, or a content-focused blog, a structured technical SEO strategy can help you build a stronger foundation for long-term organic growth.
1. Check Whether Google Can Index Your Important Pages
A page must generally be indexed to appear in Google's organic search results. However, publishing a page does not guarantee that Google will index it.
Start your technical SEO audit by reviewing Google Search Console. Open the Page Indexing report to investigate pages that are indexed and those that are excluded or experiencing problems.
Pay attention to issues such as:
Pages blocked by robots.txt.
Pages containing an unintended noindex directive.
Redirected URLs that should no longer be indexed.
Duplicate pages with canonicalization issues.
Server errors that prevent Google from accessing content.
Important pages that Google has discovered but not indexed.
Not every excluded page represents a problem. For example, login pages, duplicate URLs, and intentional redirects may correctly remain outside the index.
Focus on important pages that should appear in search results. Use URL Inspection in Google Search Console to investigate individual URLs and request indexing when appropriate after fixing the underlying problem.
2. Audit Your Robots.txt Configuration
The robots.txt file provides crawling instructions to compatible search engine crawlers. Incorrect directives can prevent crawlers from accessing important website sections.
For many Blogger websites, the robots.txt configuration is managed through Blogger settings when custom robots.txt functionality is enabled.
Before changing the file, review the existing directives and understand their purpose.
Check that:
Important public content is not unintentionally blocked.
Required resources can be accessed when necessary for rendering.
Sitemap information is accurate if included.
Rules do not conflict with your intended crawling strategy.
Remember that robots.txt is not a reliable way to remove a URL from Google's index. A blocked URL may still appear in search results if Google discovers it through other links.
If a page must be excluded from indexing, use an appropriate method, such as a noindex directive that crawlers can access, or another suitable removal mechanism.
Avoid copying a robots.txt configuration from another website without understanding how it applies to your own site.
3. Improve Website Speed and Core Web Vitals
Website performance affects user experience and can contribute to search performance. Slow pages may frustrate visitors, particularly on mobile devices or slower connections.
Google's Core Web Vitals measure several important aspects of page experience:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures how quickly the main content becomes visible. A good result is 2.5 seconds or less.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Measures responsiveness to user interactions. A good result is 200 milliseconds or less.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures unexpected visual movement. A good result is 0.1 or less.
These thresholds are evaluated at the 75th percentile of page visits, segmented by device where applicable.
Use PageSpeed Insights to examine real-user data when available and investigate laboratory performance diagnostics.
Common improvements include compressing oversized images, reducing unnecessary JavaScript, removing unused third-party scripts, and avoiding excessive advertising elements that delay rendering or cause layout shifts.
For Blogger websites, review custom themes and widgets carefully. Unnecessary scripts, large images, and external advertising integrations can create performance problems.
Do not remove useful functionality simply to achieve a perfect score. Prioritize improvements that deliver measurable benefits to visitors.
4. Fix Broken Links and Redirect Chains
Broken internal links can interrupt navigation and make it harder for visitors and crawlers to discover useful content.
During your audit, identify internal links that return errors, point to outdated URLs, or redirect through several unnecessary steps.
A practical process includes:
Crawl your website using a suitable SEO auditing tool.
Export internal URLs returning 404 or other unexpected errors.
Find pages linking to those URLs.
Update the links to the correct destination.
Implement a relevant permanent redirect when a page has genuinely moved.
Remove obsolete links when no suitable replacement exists.
Avoid redirecting every deleted page to the homepage. Redirects should lead to a relevant replacement when one exists; otherwise, returning an appropriate not-found response may be more accurate.
Also check for redirect loops and chains. A direct redirect from an old URL to its final destination is generally preferable to multiple intermediate redirects.
5. Implement Canonical URLs Correctly
Duplicate URLs can make it difficult for search engines to determine which version of a page should be treated as the primary one.
A canonical link indicates the preferred URL among duplicate or substantially similar pages. It is a signal rather than an absolute guarantee that Google will select that URL.
Review canonicalization when your website has:
Multiple URLs serving the same content.
Tracking parameters attached to otherwise identical pages.
HTTP and HTTPS versions.
Alternative hostnames or URL variants.
Similar pages created by filtering or sorting systems.
For a custom-domain Blogger site, confirm that the preferred domain and HTTPS version work consistently. Review canonical tags on important posts and pages to make sure they point to the intended URLs.
Do not automatically canonicalize different articles to one page simply because they cover related topics. Each unique article should generally identify its own preferred URL unless there is a legitimate duplication reason.
6. Optimize Your XML Sitemap
An XML sitemap helps search engines discover URLs that you want them to consider for crawling and indexing.
Blogger websites commonly provide a sitemap at a URL such as:
https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml
Replace the example hostname with your actual domain and verify that the sitemap loads correctly.
A useful sitemap should prioritize canonical URLs for important content. It should not intentionally promote URLs that redirect, return errors, or are excluded from indexing.
Check that:
Important published posts are discoverable.
URLs use the correct HTTPS hostname.
Redirected or obsolete URLs are not unnecessarily included.
The sitemap is accessible to search engines.
Google Search Console has the correct sitemap submitted.
A sitemap helps with discovery, but submitting one does not guarantee crawling, indexing, or higher rankings.
7. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly in Practice
Google primarily uses the mobile version of website content for indexing. If the mobile version lacks information available on desktop, search engines may have less content to evaluate.
Test your website on actual mobile devices and review important templates at different screen sizes.
Look for:
Text that is difficult to read without zooming.
Navigation menus that do not work correctly.
Buttons placed too close together.
Content extending beyond the screen.
Images that overflow their containers.
Intrusive pop-ups that interfere with reading.
Important links or text missing from mobile layouts.
For Blogger, check the responsive behavior of your theme, navigation menus, custom HTML widgets, and advertising placements.
A mobile-friendly layout should make the primary content easy to access without forcing visitors to navigate around unnecessary interface elements.
8. Strengthen Internal Linking and Site Architecture
Internal linking connects your articles and helps visitors discover related information. It also helps search engines understand the relationships between pages.
A clear structure organizes related content into meaningful sections instead of leaving individual articles isolated.
For example, a website focused on technical SEO could organize its content around:
Main topic: Technical SEO
Website crawling and indexing.
XML sitemaps and robots.txt.
Canonicalization and duplicate content.
Core Web Vitals and performance.
Structured data and website architecture.
Create internal links when they genuinely help readers explore a related subject. Use descriptive anchor text so visitors can understand what they will find on the destination page.
Avoid adding large numbers of unrelated footer links merely to manipulate rankings. A smaller set of relevant links usually creates a clearer experience.
For Blogger websites, labels, navigation menus, category pages, and contextual links can all help organize content when used consistently.
9. Review Structured Data and Rich Result Eligibility
Structured data uses a standardized format to describe information on a webpage. Depending on the content type and eligibility requirements, it may help Google understand a page and make it eligible for certain search result enhancements.
Common structured data types include Article, Breadcrumb, Product, Organization, and other types supported for relevant purposes.
To audit structured data:
Identify the markup currently present on important pages.
Test eligible markup using Google's Rich Results Test.
Investigate errors and warnings that affect eligibility.
Confirm that the markup accurately reflects visible page content.
Monitor relevant enhancements and indexing reports in Search Console.
Valid structured data does not guarantee a rich result. Google determines whether to display eligible enhancements.
Avoid adding unsupported or misleading markup, particularly ratings, product details, or business information that does not match the actual page.
10. Protect HTTPS and Website Security
HTTPS protects data exchanged between a visitor's browser and your website. It also helps prevent certain forms of interception and tampering.
For websites using custom domains, verify that HTTPS is enabled and that the site loads correctly over the secure version.
Check for:
Certificate errors.
Redirects from HTTP to HTTPS.
Mixed content caused by insecure resources.
Inconsistent internal links.
Unexpected security warnings.
Blogger users should review their HTTPS availability and redirection settings. Custom scripts, images, or widgets loaded over insecure HTTP may need to be updated to secure URLs or removed.
Security is essential for visitor trust, although enabling HTTPS alone will not overcome weak content or other SEO problems.
11. Audit JavaScript, Third-Party Scripts, and Advertising
Modern websites often rely on analytics, chat widgets, advertising networks, and other external services. These scripts can provide useful functionality but may also increase loading time or create rendering issues.
Review each third-party script and ask whether it delivers enough value to justify its performance cost.
Consider:
Removing scripts that are no longer used.
Loading nonessential scripts asynchronously when supported.
Avoiding duplicate analytics installations.
Reserving space for advertisements to reduce unexpected layout shifts.
Testing whether important content remains accessible.
Checking for console errors or failed external resources.
For Blogger sites that use automatic advertising, test the actual user experience on mobile and desktop. Excessive interruptions, overlapping elements, and unstable layouts can harm usability.
Never assume that every external script is safe or necessary simply because it comes from an advertising or analytics provider.
12. Create a Repeatable Technical SEO Audit Workflow
A consistent process makes it easier to find problems and measure improvements over time.
Use this checklist as a starting point:
Review Google Search Console indexing reports.
Inspect important URLs individually.
Verify robots.txt directives.
Check XML sitemap accessibility.
Measure Core Web Vitals and loading performance.
Find broken internal links.
Review redirects and canonical URLs.
Test mobile navigation and page layouts.
Audit structured data where relevant.
Verify HTTPS and secure resources.
Review third-party scripts and advertising behavior.
Monitor organic clicks, impressions, and affected pages after changes.
Prioritize issues according to their impact. A major indexing problem affecting hundreds of valuable pages should usually receive attention before a minor performance improvement on an obscure page.
Record what you change and compare results over time. This makes it easier to identify which fixes were useful and avoid repeatedly changing settings without clear evidence.
Final Thoughts
Technical SEO creates the foundation that allows valuable content to be discovered, crawled, and understood by search engines. By reviewing indexing, performance, redirects, canonical URLs, mobile usability, internal linking, and security, website owners can identify obstacles that limit their organic search potential.
Start with Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights, then investigate the issues affecting your most important pages. Fix critical problems first, test your changes, and continue monitoring performance.
A successful technical SEO strategy is not about fixing every warning reported by every tool. It is about identifying the problems that matter to users and search engines, resolving them carefully, and maintaining a website that supports sustainable organic growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I perform a technical SEO audit?
Review Search Console and website performance regularly. Conduct a more comprehensive audit after significant website changes, redesigns, migrations, or when meaningful indexing and traffic problems appear.
Which free tools are useful for technical SEO?
Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, Google's Rich Results Test, and browser developer tools are useful starting points. They help investigate indexing, performance, structured data, and technical behavior.
Can technical SEO alone improve Google rankings?
Technical SEO can remove obstacles that prevent search engines from accessing or understanding your content. Strong rankings also depend on relevance, content quality, competition, and other signals.
Does Blogger support technical SEO?
Yes. Blogger provides several SEO-related settings, while themes, custom domains, internal links, and additional scripts influence other aspects of technical performance. Available controls differ from those of a self-hosted platform.
What is the most important technical SEO issue to fix first?
Start with problems preventing important pages from being crawled or indexed correctly. Then investigate site-wide errors, broken links, performance problems, and other issues according to their impact on users and search visibility.
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