Most small business websites I audit have the same problem: good services, decent content, and technical issues that quietly stop Google from ranking them. Fixing these is often the fastest SEO win available.

Work through this checklist with free tools: Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights and a browser.

1. Indexing

  • Search site:yourdomain.com on Google to see roughly how many pages are indexed.
  • In Search Console, open the Pages report and review "Not indexed" reasons.
  • Make sure important pages don't carry a noindex tag.
  • Check robots.txt is not blocking pages or folders you want ranked.

2. XML sitemap

  • You should have a sitemap, usually at /sitemap.xml, listing only real, indexable pages.
  • Submit it in Search Console and check it shows as successful.

3. Speed and Core Web Vitals

  • Test key pages in PageSpeed Insights on mobile.
  • Compress and resize images; use modern formats like WebP.
  • Remove unused plugins, scripts and heavy sliders.
  • Set width and height on images to avoid layout shift.

4. Mobile experience

  • Text readable without zooming, buttons easy to tap.
  • No horizontal scrolling and no pop-ups covering content.
  • Phone and WhatsApp buttons work in one tap.

5. HTTPS and security

  • Every page loads on https:// with a valid certificate.
  • http:// and www versions redirect to one preferred version.
  • Old URLs redirect to the right new pages with a single 301 redirect.
  • No chains of multiple redirects.
  • Fix internal links pointing to 404 pages.

7. Titles, headings and duplicates

  • Every page has a unique title tag and meta description.
  • One clear H1 per page that describes the page.
  • Canonical tags point to the main version of each page.

8. Structured data

  • Add LocalBusiness or ProfessionalService schema on the homepage.
  • Add Service, FAQPage, Article and BreadcrumbList where relevant.
  • Validate with Google's Rich Results Test.

9. Internal linking

  • Important service pages are linked from the homepage and menu.
  • Blog posts link to the related service page with descriptive anchor text.

10. Tracking

  • GA4 and Search Console installed and verified.
  • Form submissions, calls and WhatsApp clicks tracked as conversions.

Want a technical audit?

Fixing technical SEO issues is a big part of my SEO service. Send me your website for a free mini check.