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2023 Technical SEO Checklist For Beginners & Experts
May 22, 2023
6 minutes
If you are anything like us at Digital Treasury, you’re constantly looking for ways to improve your technical SEO game. And with the waves of changes that hit the SEO metrics in 2021, you want to know if the strategies you’ve been using will still be as effective in 2023, right?
In that case, you’d be pleased to learn the content of this article. Here, we have summarized all the steps you need to maintain and up your technical SEO in 2023 into a 7-point ultimate checklist. Have a look!
Then, once you're done, check out our 5 day SEO challenge!
7-point Technical SEO Ultimate Checklist To Improve Your Website in 2023
Spoiler alert: There won't be a whole lot of changes to what you already do. If your technical SEO practices are positive and solid, you only need a little guidance. Either way, this list contains all you need!
Revisit Your Website Architecture
The first thing you should optimize in 2023 is your website structure. Why?
The core of technical SEO issues lies in how easily search engine bots can crawl and index your website. However, even with a poorly-structured site, your audience might still read your posts and even buy from the links. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same thing for Google.
Unless your website architecture is top-notch, crawlers will hardly find your web pages. Ultimately, that would lead to crawling and indexing issues. So, what should you do?
In 2023, revisit your website architecture.We’ll advise you to stick to a flat structure that is suitable for your audience as well as search engine bots. And as part of your restructuring efforts, take a look at your URL component. Ensure that it is SEO-friendly – in other words, paginate your URLs.
Note: If you'd redesign your website or restructure its content, always redirect your old URLs to the new ones. Else, search engine bots will experience broken links, which might affect your site user experience.
Pro tip: If your website architecture is already excellent, still perform audits to fix crawling and indexing issues before they spiral out of control.
Related reading: How Often Should You Redesign Your Website?
Audit Your Website’s Robots.txt File
If you are particularly worried about your website's indexing, you should check your robots.txt file first. Aside from being a critical technical SEO component, it is the first thing search engine bots check on your website.
For those reasons, the robots.txt file is a big deal – and it will continue to be so even in 2023. But you might want to find it first and check the pages with the "disallowed" tags. That would be the key to resolving the majority of your crawlability headaches.
Note: you can find the robots.txt file using Google Search Console. And if you don’t want search engine bots to crawl a particular page on your website, specify such with the “disallow” tag.
Create & Use Sitemaps
We understand that creating sitemaps might be a bit of work for you. However, if you are bent on improving your technical SEO game in 2023, you need these elements. In particular, your website needs HTML and XML sitemaps. Why?
Much like architecture and pagination, sitemaps are crucial to your website’s visibility to search engines and humans. Visibility aside, these elements are also essential to your site’s indexing.
In essence, create as many sitemaps as required by your website. About that, we'll advise you to have one for each content format on your site. For example, create a sitemap for categories like your PDFs, images, and videos.
Check Your Site’s Loading Speed
You probably know this point already and might have even put in considerable work to improve the speed of your website. Regardless, you can still do better – continue improving your site’s speed even in 2023. Here is why:
Though loading speed has long been a ranking factor for SERPs, it's more crucial since the June 2020 page experience update. In essence, you can never slack on your site’s loading speed - even beyond 2023.
But, say your website loading speed is beyond 10 secs – what then? What can you do?
This guide can help: How To Speed Up Your Website & Why It’s Important!
Create & Check Your Links
Quality links, be it internal or external, are key contributing factors of SEO. When done right, they can improve your website’s user experience. However, if you need the links for technical SEO, we'll suggest that you check your internal links in 2023.
In essence, if you want a particular page on your website to index and rank, you need to bulk it up with internal links. Also, ensure that the sources are from authority sites with significant crawlability.
Most importantly, check all your internal links to find broken and dead weights. Once you find the mishaps, fix them on the spot.
Treat Google Core Web Vitals Kindly
Google Core Web Vitals is a big umbrella that captures your website's loading speed, visibility, and responsiveness. So, they are a big deal. Besides, these "vitals" are now crucial to ranking your site on SERPs – since May 2021. And trust us, they will grow in importance even in 2023.
So, what should you do?
Like you optimized and updated your website architecture, you’d also do the same for the Google Core Web Vitals. And fortunately, there is a standard you can aim for using Page Insights. Check it out:
- Loading speed – 2.5 seconds
- First Input Delay – 100 milliseconds
- Visual stability – should be less than one-tenth of a second
Overall, ensure that your website passes the Google Core Web Vitals test!
Suggested reading: First Input Delay (FID): What Is It? How Can You Reduce It?
Use HTTPS
Another critical component of the Google Core Web Vitals is security. Your website should be as secure as possible. That is the only way you can ensure the safety of your users’ data, their trust, and continued visits.
In that case, you should upgrade from HTTP to HTTPS. The latter is a secure version, and it comes with an SSL certification. But beyond the SSL certificate, HTTPS is also one of the ranking factors on SERPs.
Bottom line: if you have not upgraded your URL, you should do so in 2023. Use HTTPS and maintain a single site version to avoid confusion.
Key Takeaways
In 2023, stick to the technical SEO strategies that focus on your website user experience. And throughout the process, remember to treat Google Core Web Vitals kindly – always!
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Who is Digital Treasury?
We're a Melbourne-based digital agency with extensive experience helping Australian businesses build stronger online presences. Our team specialises in web design, development, hosting and SEO services - everything you need to get found online and convert visitors into customers.
Over the years, we've worked across different platforms and industries, giving us the insight to know what actually works for businesses like yours. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to improve your existing website, we focus on practical solutions that deliver real results for your business.
What types of businesses and industries do you work with?
We work with a wide range of Australian businesses, with particular expertise in healthcare, B2B services, SaaS companies, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), professional services and e-commerce brands. Our team offers tailored SEO and web solutions that are customised to fit your industry, target audience and business goals.
Where is Digital Treasury located and do you work with businesses Australia-wide?
We are based in Melbourne but we work with clients throughout Australia. Our work is mostly done remotely by video conferencing and emails, which makes collaboration easier regardless of where your business may be based.
What services does Digital Treasury offer?
Our key services include Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Website Design, Website Development, Website Maintenance and Website Hosting. They are provided either separately or combined, ensuring that we provide you with one reliable source to help establish your online presence for your business.
How do I get started with Digital Treasury?
Getting started is easy. Just contact us for an initial conversation about what you want, your budget and timeframe. We will talk to you about what you need, give advice about the best way forward and provide you with a detailed, upfront proposal.
What makes Digital Treasury different from other agencies?
We integrate our technical skills with honest communication and a strong emphasis on results that will benefit your company. Being a small team allows us to give you personal attention, upfront costs and all the support we would give to our own project.
Do you work with small businesses and startups?
Absolutely. Many of our clients are small businesses and startups looking to establish or improve their online presence. We will make suggestions based on your particular situation and budget needs, providing useful services at affordable prices.
How do you communicate with clients and report on progress?
We are convinced that clear communication should be maintained consistently during any of our projects. In accordance with the chosen service, you will be updated about your project through emails, meetings and detailed reports. We maintain constant contact with you, answering your queries along the way.
How does Digital Treasury structure its pricing?
We keep our pricing straightforward by providing a complete project quote rather than breaking it down into confusing line items. This approach gives you a clear understanding of exactly what you'll pay for the entire scope of work.
Every project is different, so costs depend on your specific requirements and the complexity involved. We'll assess your needs and provide transparent pricing that reflects the full value of what we'll deliver for your business.
Am I locked into a long-term contract?
We believe in earning your trust through quality work rather than tying you down with restrictive contracts. For specific projects like website builds, we'll provide you with a clear upfront quote so you know exactly what to expect.
Our ongoing services like website hosting, maintenance and search engine optimisation work a bit differently - we discuss these on a flexible arrangement basis that suits your business needs and budget.
Can you provide case studies or examples of previous work?
Yes, we can provide case studies and examples of our previous work. Potential clients frequently request these to see concrete evidence of our past successes. They want to understand how we’ve helped similar businesses achieve their goals through SEO and website development. Our case studies typically highlight our clients’ challenges, the strategies we implemented, and the measurable results we achieved, such as increased traffic and higher conversion rates. This builds trust and demonstrates our ability to deliver on our promises.
What types of SEO services do you offer?
We offer a comprehensive range of SEO services designed to boost your online visibility. Our core services include technical SEO fixes, on-page and content optimisation, local SEO for Melbourne businesses, thorough keyword research, detailed SEO audits, strategic link building, and ongoing performance tracking.
Can you guarantee first-page or number-one rankings?
No reputable SEO agency can guarantee specific rankings because search engines like Google use complex algorithms that change frequently. These changes are completely outside anyone's control. What we can promise is our commitment to using proven, white-hat strategies that give your website the best possible chance of ranking well.
Rather than making unrealistic promises, we focus on sustainable SEO practices that build long-term visibility and drive genuine business results. Our approach is about maximising your opportunities for success, not making guarantees that simply can't be kept.
Do you offer local SEO for businesses targeting specific areas?
Yes. Local SEO ensures that your business is found in location-specific search results and map results, making it perfect if you offer your products or services within specific suburbs or locations. We ensure that we optimise your Google Business Profile and your website content for local search.
Do you help with content optimisation?
Yes. Quality and relevant content plays a very important role in effective SEO optimisation. We can optimise your current webpages as well as provide you with some suggestions for creating content based on your keywords.
How much does SEO cost?
Pricing for SEO is determined based on your specific business goals, how competitive your industry is and the amount of work needed to achieve results. We will customise pricing plans depending on budgets while giving you a definite quote right from the start.
How do you decide which keywords to target?
We do extensive keyword research to know how your prospective clients search for information on the internet. After analysis of various parameters like search intent, relevancy, competition and commercial value, we shortlist keywords that resonate well with your products and services.
Do I need to change my website's content for SEO?
Yes, quite often. We recommend refreshing existing content frequently or creating new pieces that better match what your potential customers are actually searching for online. Of course, changes should be carefully implemented with regard to your company’s tone of voice.
What is the contract length for your SEO service?
We ensure that our SEO agreement remains flexible as opposed to being committed to long-term contracts. Even though SEO is most effective when conducted on a continuous basis, we do not mind discussing agreements that work for your benefit.
Is it necessary to hire an SEO agency or can I do SEO myself?
You can surely do basic SEO on your own and we are happy to point you in the right direction. However, SEO is very time-consuming and keeps changing frequently. Hiring an experienced SEO agency will ensure that you get more out of it without having to think about it anymore.
How does backlink building contribute to SEO success?
Backlinks are simply links to your website from another website. Search engines consider backlinks as an indication of credibility and authority. Our approach is to build links to your site through ethical and sustainable methods, building up the reputation of your website in the process.
What does your website design process look like?
We start by understanding your business goals and target audience to ensure your website truly connects with your customers. From there, we develop a web design strategy and create initial designs that we refine based on your feedback. Once you approve the designs, we go ahead to the development phase.
When should I consider redesigning my website?
A redesign is worth considering if your site looks outdated, performs poorly on mobile, loads slowly, is difficult to update or no longer reflects your brand. A modern, well-built website can improve user experience, credibility and your ability to attract customers.
Which CMS platforms do you build websites on?
We specialise in Webflow and WordPress, selecting the most suitable platform for you. WordPress allows for versatility, whereas Webflow gives you a sleek design with easy maintenance. We will suggest the most appropriate choice for you.
Do you provide SEO with your website builds?
Yes. All our websites are developed using SEO guidelines like a clean layout, quick loading speed, mobile optimisation and solid on-page foundation. In addition to that, we have professional SEO service packages that help businesses increase their online presence.
Do you offer ongoing website maintenance?
Yes. We offer website maintenance services to ensure that your website is safe, up-to-date and working properly. This encompasses software and plug-in upgrades, security protection, backups and basic changes to give you a hassle-free experience so that you can concentrate on your business.
Can I migrate my existing site to your hosting?
Yes, we can absolutely handle the complete website transfer to our managed hosting platform without any hassle on your end. Our team manages the entire migration process, ensuring your site moves across smoothly without downtime or disruption to your business.
Can we provide feedback throughout the process?
Absolutely and we actually encourage it. Collaboration is at the heart of how we work, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to review our progress and share your thoughts at every stage. It ensures we're building exactly what you have in mind, rather than guessing what might work.
Will I own my website once it's built?
Yes. After completion of your project, the website will be yours. We believe in absolute transparency when it comes to issues of ownership and accessibility and would gladly take care of your requirements in this respect.
How long does it take to build a website?
The timeline for your website project really depends on what you're looking to achieve. A straightforward business website typically takes a few weeks from start to finish, while more complex builds with custom functionality or extensive content requirements will naturally take longer.
We'll give you a clear timeline estimate once we understand your specific needs during our initial consultation. This way, you'll know exactly what to expect and can plan your launch accordingly.
What kind of support do you provide after my website launches?
We don't go away once we've launched. We provide continuing support, maintenance and hosting to ensure that your website runs at optimum capacity. If you have any queries about how to develop your website, we will be there for you.
