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The Complete Technical SEO Checklist for WordPress Sites

ByErwee Coetzee

You’ve got a great-looking WordPress website and engaging content — but if your site isn’t technically optimised, Google might not even notice.

Technical SEO is the foundation that allows your design, content, and marketing efforts to shine. It ensures that search engines can crawl, index, and rank your website efficiently.

Whether you’re launching a new site or improving an existing one, this complete checklist will help you create a technically flawless, SEO-friendly WordPress website.

1. Start with Reliable Hosting and HTTPS Security

Your hosting provider is the engine of your site’s performance.

Choose a host that offers:

✅ SSD storage for speed.

✅ 99.9% uptime for reliability.

✅ Data centres near your audience — for South African businesses, local servers reduce latency.

✅ Built-in caching and CDN support to boost loading times.

Always secure your site with HTTPS by installing an SSL certificate. Google flags non-secure (HTTP) sites as unsafe, which hurts both trust and rankings.

2. Ensure Mobile-Friendliness

Google now uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily ranks the mobile version of your site.

Test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and fix any usability issues.

Best practices include:

  • Using a responsive theme that adapts to any screen size.
  • Avoiding pop-ups that block content.
  • Simplifying navigation for touchscreens.
  • Using legible font sizes (at least 16px).

If your site frustrates mobile users, it will frustrate Google too.

3. Improve Site Speed and Core Web Vitals

Speed is one of Google’s most measurable ranking factors.

Monitor your Core Web Vitals, which assess real-world loading experience:

  • LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): Under 2.5 seconds.
  • FID (First Input Delay): Under 100ms.
  • CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): Below 0.1.

Optimise performance by:

✅ Installing a caching plugin (WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache).

✅ Compressing images using Smush or ShortPixel.

✅ Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare.

✅ Removing unnecessary plugins and render-blocking scripts.

Even a one-second delay in load time can reduce conversions by 20%.

4. Create a Clear, Logical Site Structure

A strong structure helps both users and crawlers navigate your content.

  • Use short, descriptive permalinks (e.g. /services/seo/ instead of /page?id=123).
  • Organise pages hierarchically: Home → Services → SEO → Local SEO.
  • Use breadcrumbs to show users where they are.
  • Keep URLs consistent and include target keywords naturally.

A clean structure strengthens authority flow and improves indexing efficiency.

5. Install and Configure an SEO Plugin

Tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math simplify many technical tasks.

They help you:

  • Customise title tags and meta descriptions.
  • Manage canonical tags to prevent duplicate content.
  • Add schema markup for rich snippets.
  • Generate and update XML sitemaps automatically.
  • Control indexing settings for specific pages.

After installation, go through each tab carefully and tailor it to your site’s needs.

6. Submit an XML Sitemap to Google Search Console

A sitemap helps Google find and index your pages efficiently.

Most SEO plugins create one automatically at /sitemap_index.xml.

Submit it via Google Search Console → Sitemaps.

Regularly check for:

  • Indexing errors.
  • Excluded or redirected pages.
  • Broken URLs.

Your sitemap should include all public pages and exclude anything blocked from indexing.

7. Configure Robots.txt Correctly

Your robots.txt file instructs search engines on what to crawl or ignore.

A standard configuration looks like this:

User-agent: * Disallow: /wp-admin/ Allow: /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml

Don’t block key assets like /wp-content/uploads/, or your images and CSS files might not appear in search results.

8. Manage Canonical Tags and Duplicate Content

WordPress sometimes creates multiple URLs for the same content (categories, tags, pagination).

Add canonical tags to specify which version is the main one, using:

Always:

✅ Canonicalise to HTTPS.

✅ Avoid canonical loops (A → B → A).

✅ Align canonical URLs with your sitemap and internal links.

This prevents Google from splitting your ranking signals between duplicates.

9. Add Structured Data for Rich Results

Structured data (or schema markup) helps Google display enhanced listings — like ratings, prices, and FAQs.

Common schema types for WordPress sites include:

  • LocalBusiness — for local SEO visibility.
  • Product — for e-commerce.
  • FAQ — for service pages.
  • Review — for customer testimonials.

Yoast and Rank Math provide basic schema options, but advanced implementation through JSON-LD code gives you even more control.

10. Optimise Internal Linking

Internal links improve crawl paths, distribute link equity, and guide users through related content.

  • Link from high-authority pages (like your homepage or cornerstone blogs) to newer posts.
  • Use keyword-rich but natural anchor text.
  • Avoid orphaned pages (pages with no internal links pointing to them).

A well-linked structure keeps users exploring — and keeps crawlers indexing efficiently.

11. Fix Broken Links and Redirect Errors

Broken links hurt both user experience and SEO.

Scan your site using Broken Link Checker, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog.

Redirect outdated or removed pages using 301 redirects.

Example:

/old-seo-services/ → /seo-services/

Avoid redirect chains (A → B → C). Always redirect straight to the final destination.

12. Monitor Crawlability and Indexation

Sometimes, a great page doesn’t rank simply because Google can’t crawl or index it.

  • In WordPress, go to Settings → Reading and ensure “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” is unchecked.
  • Use Google Search Console to monitor:
    • Indexed pages
    • Crawl errors
    • Core Web Vitals reports
  • Check logs or analytics for crawl frequency and identify slow or skipped pages.

13. Keep Your WordPress Site Secure and Updated

Google values security as a trust signal.

✅ Update WordPress core, plugins, and themes regularly.

✅ Use security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri.

✅ Enable two-factor authentication.

✅ Back up your site with UpdraftPlus or Jetpack.

Security issues can trigger manual actions or malware warnings in Google Search Console — both of which destroy organic visibility.

14. The EC Business Solutions Approach

At EC Business Solutions, we view technical SEO as the invisible engine of sustainable growth.

Our specialists conduct in-depth WordPress audits to:

  • Improve Core Web Vitals and mobile performance.
  • Fix indexing and crawl-related issues.
  • Optimise schema, canonicals, and internal links.
  • Monitor progress through detailed analytics and reporting.

We transform WordPress websites into technically perfect, search-optimised digital assets.

15. Conclusion — Build a Site Google Loves

A beautiful WordPress site means little if Google can’t find or understand it.

By following this checklist, you’ll ensure your website is fast, secure, and fully optimised for both users and search engines.

👉 Lay the foundation for long-term visibility and growth with Professional SEO Services from EC Business Solutions — your trusted partner in performance, precision, and measurable digital success.

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