Launching a new website without proper technical SEO is like opening a shop without putting up a sign. Search engines need clear signals to find, understand, and rank your content. Use this checklist to ensure your site is ready.
Crawlability & Indexation
1. XML Sitemap
Create and submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console. Include all important pages, exclude thin content and duplicates.
Check: Visit yoursite.com/sitemap.xml — does it load and list your pages?
2. Robots.txt
Configure robots.txt to guide search engine crawlers. Don't accidentally block important content.
Check: Visit yoursite.com/robots.txt — is it allowing your main pages?
3. Google Search Console Setup
Verify your site in Google Search Console. Submit your sitemap and monitor for crawl errors.
Action: Set up Search Console immediately after launch.
4. Canonical Tags
Every page should have a canonical tag pointing to its preferred URL. This prevents duplicate content issues.
Check: View page source and search for "canonical" — is it correct?
5. Internal Linking Structure
Create logical internal links between related pages. Every page should be reachable within 3 clicks from the homepage.
Check: Can you navigate from your homepage to every important page easily?
On-Page SEO Essentials
6. Unique Title Tags
Every page needs a unique, descriptive title tag (50-60 characters). Include your primary keyword naturally.
Format: Primary Keyword — Secondary Info | Brand Name
7. Meta Descriptions
Write compelling meta descriptions (150-160 characters) for each page. Include keywords and a call to action.
Check: Do your descriptions make people want to click?
8. Heading Hierarchy
Use proper H1-H6 structure. One H1 per page, logical subheadings. Don't skip levels (H1 → H3).
Check: Does your page have exactly one H1? Is the structure logical?
9. Image Alt Text
All meaningful images need descriptive alt text. Be specific and include keywords where natural.
Bad: "image1.jpg" or "photo"
Good: "Modern website design on laptop screen showing conversion-focused layout"
10. URL Structure
Use clean, descriptive URLs with keywords. Avoid parameters, IDs, and unnecessary words.
Bad: /page?id=123&cat=5
Good: /services/website-design
Technical Performance
11. Mobile-Friendly Design
Your site must work perfectly on mobile devices. Test with Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
Check: Does everything work on your phone? Can you tap buttons easily?
12. Page Speed Optimisation
Target under 2.5 seconds for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Optimise images, minify code, use caching.
Check: Test with Google PageSpeed Insights. Aim for 90+ on mobile.
13. Core Web Vitals
Meet Google's Core Web Vitals thresholds:
- LCP: Under 2.5 seconds
- INP: Under 200 milliseconds
- CLS: Under 0.1
Check: Use PageSpeed Insights or Search Console to monitor.
14. HTTPS Security
Your entire site must use HTTPS. No mixed content (HTTP resources on HTTPS pages).
Check: Does your URL show a padlock? Are there any console warnings?
15. Image Optimisation
Use modern formats (WebP, AVIF), appropriate sizes, and lazy loading for below-fold images.
Check: Are images under 200KB each? Are they the right dimensions?
Structured Data (Schema Markup)
16. Organization Schema
Add Organization schema with your business name, logo, contact info, and social profiles.
17. LocalBusiness Schema (if applicable)
For local businesses, add LocalBusiness schema with address, hours, and service area.
18. Breadcrumb Schema
Implement BreadcrumbList schema to enhance search result appearance.
19. FAQ Schema
Add FAQPage schema to pages with FAQ sections for potential rich results.
20. Service/Product Schema
Use Service or Product schema for your offerings to help Google understand your business.
Check: Test your structured data at schema.org's validator or Google's Rich Results Test.
Content & User Experience
21. Quality Content
Every page needs substantial, valuable content. Aim for 300+ words minimum on important pages, more for competitive keywords.
Check: Does each page provide genuine value to visitors?
22. No Thin or Duplicate Content
Remove or consolidate pages with little content. Use canonical tags if similar pages must exist.
23. Clear Navigation
Users and search engines should understand your site structure immediately. Use descriptive menu labels.
24. 404 Error Handling
Create a custom 404 page that helps lost visitors find what they need. Don't leave them stranded.
Check: Visit a non-existent URL. Is your 404 page helpful?
25. Accessibility Basics
Proper colour contrast, keyboard navigation, ARIA labels where needed. Accessibility helps SEO and users.
Post-Launch Monitoring
Weekly for First Month
- Check Search Console for crawl errors
- Monitor indexation progress
- Review Core Web Vitals
- Check for 404 errors
Monthly Ongoing
- Review search performance
- Update content as needed
- Check for technical issues
- Monitor competitor changes
Tools You'll Need
Free:
- Google Search Console
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- Google Mobile-Friendly Test
- Schema.org Validator
Paid (optional but helpful):
- Screaming Frog (free up to 500 URLs)
- Ahrefs or Semrush for deeper analysis
- GTmetrix for performance testing
Common Technical SEO Mistakes
- Blocking CSS/JS in robots.txt — Google needs to render your pages
- Missing canonical tags — Creates duplicate content issues
- Slow server response — Fix hosting before other optimisations
- Not redirecting www/non-www — Pick one and redirect the other
- Forgetting mobile — Mobile-first indexing is the default
Need Help?
Technical SEO can feel overwhelming. If you'd rather focus on running your business, our SEO and digital growth service handles all of this, and every custom website design we ship comes with solid technical SEO foundations baked in. For the bigger picture of ranking as a local business, start with our guide to SEO for small business in Australia. For the performance side of the checklist, our guide to Core Web Vitals breaks down what Google actually measures. Ready to get your new site indexing and ranking from day one? Get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is technical SEO?
Technical SEO is everything that helps search engines crawl, understand, and index your site — site speed, mobile-friendliness, structured data, XML sitemaps, clean URLs, HTTPS, and correct indexation. It's the foundation content SEO is built on.
Do I need technical SEO if my site is brand new?
Especially then. Launching with technical issues — pages blocked from indexing, no sitemap, slow load times — means even great content won't rank. Getting the technical foundations right at launch is far cheaper than fixing them later.
How do I know if my website has technical SEO problems?
Start with Google Search Console (coverage and Core Web Vitals reports) and PageSpeed Insights. Common red flags are pages not indexed, slow mobile load times, missing meta tags, and no structured data.
Can I do technical SEO myself?
Some of it — submitting a sitemap, checking indexation, writing meta descriptions. The deeper items (schema, Core Web Vitals, crawl budget, redirects) usually need a developer. The smartest move is building on a foundation that ships SEO-ready.