13 Common Technical SEO Issues And How To Fix Them
- February 18, 2025
- Business Insights
Common technical SEO issues are problems that affect a website’s ability to be properly crawled, indexed, and ranked by search engines like Google. These issues typically involve aspects of a website’s structure, performance, and security that can hinder organic search visibility.Technical SEO plays a crucial role in ensuring your website is optimised for search engines. If your site has technical SEO issues, it can negatively impact your rankings, organic traffic, and overall performance. In this article, we will discuss 13 common technical SEO issues and how to fix them. These solutions will help Singapore businesses maintain a strong online presence and improve their search rankings.
1. Slow Website Speed
Problem:
Page speed is a ranking factor, and a slow-loading website can lead to high bounce rates and poor user experience.
Fix:
- Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to analyse speed issues.
- Optimise images by compressing them with tools like TinyPNG.
- Enable browser caching and use a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
- Minimise JavaScript, CSS, and HTML files.
- Upgrade to a high-performance hosting provider.
2. Mobile-Friendliness Issues
Problem:
With Google’s mobile-first indexing, websites that are not mobile-friendly may see a drop in rankings.
Fix:
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check compatibility.
- Implement responsive design with a mobile-friendly layout.
Ensure font sizes, buttons, and navigation work well on mobile devices.
3. Duplicate Content
Problem:
Duplicate content can confuse search engines and lead to ranking penalties.
Fix:
- Use canonical tags (rel=canonical) to indicate the preferred URL.
- Implement 301 redirects to consolidate similar content.
- Avoid copying content across multiple pages.
4. Broken Links (404 Errors)
Problem:
Broken links affect user experience and search engine crawling.
Fix:
- Use tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to find broken links.
- Fix internal links pointing to non-existent pages.
- Implement 301 redirects for removed pages.
- Create a custom 404 page with useful navigation links.
5. Poor XML Sitemap
Problem:
A poorly structured or missing XML sitemap can prevent search engines from indexing pages efficiently.
Fix:
- Generate an XML sitemap using plugins like Yoast SEO (for WordPress) or online tools.
- Submit the sitemap in Google Search Console.
- Ensure all important pages are included and remove unnecessary ones.
6. Incorrect Robots.txt File
Problem:
Blocking search engine crawlers unintentionally can prevent pages from being indexed.
Fix:
- Check your robots.txt file for disallowed sections.
- Use Google Search Console’s Robots.txt Tester to verify configurations.
- Allow search engine bots to access essential pages and resources.
7. Missing or Improper Use of Hreflang Tags
Problem:
For multilingual websites, missing or incorrect hreflang tags can cause ranking issues in different regions.
Fix:
- Use hreflang attributes to indicate language and regional targeting.
- Implement them in the HTML <head> section or via HTTP headers.
- Ensure proper mapping between language versions.
8. Orphan Pages
Problem:
Orphan pages (pages without internal links) are difficult for search engines to find and index.
Fix:
- Use a site audit tool to identify orphan pages.
- Add internal links from relevant pages.
- Include orphan pages in your XML sitemap.
9. Improper Redirects
Problem:
Using 302 redirects instead of 301 redirects can cause ranking dilution.
Fix:
- Use 301 redirects for permanent page moves.
- Avoid redirect chains (multiple redirects before reaching the final page).
- Use Google Search Console to monitor redirect errors.
10. Thin Content
Problem:
Pages with little or no valuable content can hurt rankings.
Fix:
- Identify thin content using tools like Google Analytics or Screaming Frog.
- Expand content with useful information, images, and videos.
- Merge similar pages to create more comprehensive content.
11. Mixed HTTP and HTTPS Content
Problem:
Having both HTTP and HTTPS resources can trigger security warnings and negatively impact SEO.
Fix:
- Use SSL certificates to ensure your entire site runs on HTTPS.
- Update all internal links to HTTPS.
- Use Google Search Console to identify mixed content issues.
12. Poor URL Structure
Problem:
Messy, unclear, or overly complex URLs can make indexing difficult and affect rankings.
Fix:
- Use short, descriptive URLs (e.g., example.com/seo-tips instead of example.com/index.php?id=123).
- Avoid special characters and numbers in URLs.
- Implement a consistent URL structure across your website.
13. Issues with Structured Data (Schema Markup)
Problem:
Incorrect or missing schema markup can affect how search engines display your site in search results.
Fix:
- Use Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool to validate schema markup.
- Implement structured data for rich snippets (e.g., FAQs, reviews, events).
- Follow Google’s guidelines for structured data markup.
Conclusion
Fixing these technical SEO issues can significantly improve your website’s visibility, user experience, and search rankings. Regular audits and monitoring using tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and PageSpeed Insights can help prevent SEO technical issues. By addressing these problems, Singapore businesses can optimise their online presence and stay ahead in search rankings.If you need expert SEO assistance, consider working with a professional SEO agency to ensure your website remains fully optimised and free of technical SEO problems.
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