3 min read
Search engines change their algorithms often, but the technical basics of SEO stay much the same. If these foundations are in place, your content has a much better chance of ranking.
Make sure pages can be crawled and indexed
- Submit an XML sitemap in Google Search Console.
- Check that important pages are not blocked by robots.txt or a noindex tag.
- Fix broken links and redirect old URLs to their new pages.
Use a clear site structure
Group related pages logically and link between them. Important pages should be reachable within a few clicks from the homepage. Use short, readable URLs.
For a service business, a simple structure works well: a page for each main service, location pages only where you genuinely serve customers, and helpful articles that link to the relevant service pages.
Be fast on mobile
Google indexes the mobile version of your site, and most Filipino users browse on phones. Compress images, reduce unnecessary scripts and check your Core Web Vitals in Search Console.
| Metric | What it measures |
|---|---|
| LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) | How quickly the main content loads |
| INP (Interaction to Next Paint) | How quickly the page responds to taps and clicks |
| CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) | How much the layout jumps while loading |
Write good titles and headings
- Give every page a unique title and meta description that describe its content.
- Use one H1 per page and logical H2 and H3 headings.
- Add descriptive alt text to meaningful images.
Avoid duplicate content
Make sure each page has a single main URL, use canonical tags where needed, and avoid publishing many near-identical pages.
Add structured data
Schema markup for your business, products, articles and FAQs helps search engines understand your content and can improve how it appears in results.
Only mark up information that is visible on the page and accurate. Test your markup with Google’s Rich Results Test before and after publishing.
Secure your site
Use HTTPS everywhere. It protects visitors and is expected by browsers and search engines.
Monitor and fix
Check Search Console regularly for indexing errors, manual actions and performance changes. Technical SEO is ongoing maintenance, not a one-off task.
- Monthly: review indexing and Core Web Vitals reports.
- After each redesign or migration: check redirects and the sitemap.
- When traffic drops: compare by page and query before changing anything.
Frequently asked questions
How long does technical SEO take to show results?
Fixes such as unblocking pages can show effects within weeks once pages are recrawled. Ranking improvements usually take longer and depend on content and competition.
Does structured data guarantee rich results?
No. It helps search engines understand your content, but Google decides whether to show rich results.
Do I need HTTPS for SEO?
HTTPS is expected by browsers and search engines and protects visitors. Every modern site should use it.
