Technical SEO plays a foundational role in how well your website performs in search engines. Unlike content or backlinks, these elements often go unnoticed—until rankings drop or pages vanish from search results. Whether you’re working with an SEO agency in South Africa or managing SEO internally, steering clear of technical missteps is essential for online visibility. Let’s explore the most common technical SEO errors, how they impact your site, and what you can do to fix them—before they hurt your rankings.
- Crawling & Indexing Issues That Block Visibility
If search engines can’t crawl or index your site, nothing else matters.
Robots.txt Misconfigurations
Your robots.txt file tells search engines which parts of your site they can or cannot access. A simple typo or overly restrictive command can prevent Google from indexing entire sections of your website.
Fix it: Audit your robots.txt using tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog. Allow essential directories and disallow only non-valuable ones like /wp-admin/ or staging environments.
Noindex Tags in the Wrong Places
Pages tagged with noindex won’t appear in search results. This is fine for thank-you pages or login screens—but a disaster if accidentally applied to service or product pages.
Fix it: Check meta tags and HTTP headers across key pages. Tools like Sitebulb or Ahrefs can help detect unintended noindex tags.
Sitemaps Not Submitted or Outdated
XML sitemaps guide crawlers through your site structure. Without them—or with outdated ones—Google may miss newly published or updated pages.
Fix it: Regularly update and submit your XML sitemap via Google Search Console. Make sure it includes all canonical pages you want indexed.
Recommended resource: Technical SEO tools checklist by Ahrefs - Duplicate Content That Dilutes Authority
Duplicate content confuses search engines, making it unclear which version to rank.
No Canonical Tags or Incorrect Use
Canonical tags signal the preferred version of a page when duplicates exist. Without them, search engines might index multiple versions—hurting your SEO.
Fix it: Ensure every page has a self-referencing canonical tag. For similar content (like product variations), use a canonical pointing to the master version.
HTTP vs. HTTPS and www vs. non-www Versions
If both HTTP and HTTPS versions of your site are accessible—or if www and non-www variants exist without redirects—it creates duplication and splits ranking signals.
Fix it: Implement 301 redirects from non-preferred to preferred versions and ensure your canonical tags match the canonical version.
Helpful link: Technical SEO guide for HTTPS implementation - Slow Page Speed Hurts Rankings & UX
Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. A sluggish site leads to higher bounce rates and lower crawl frequency.
Large Images or Uncompressed Files
Oversized images and bloated scripts are common culprits behind poor load times.
Fix it: Use WebP formats, lazy loading, and compression tools. Platforms like TinyPNG and Cloudflare can help streamline assets efficiently.
Too Many Server Requests or Redirect Chains
Every extra request slows things down—especially when redirects stack up.
Fix it: Audit your redirect map and remove unnecessary hops. Minify CSS, JS, and HTML wherever possible.
A well-structured technical SEO audit can help identify all speed-related bottlenecks. - Poor Mobile Usability
Mobile-first indexing means Google uses the mobile version of your site for ranking. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, your rankings suffer.
Unresponsive Layouts
If your pages don’t adjust correctly across devices, users bounce quickly—and so will your rankings.
Fix it: Use responsive design. Test layouts with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and Core Web Vitals report.
Blocked Resources or Missing Meta Viewports
Googlebot needs access to JS, CSS, and image files to understand your site’s layout.
Fix it: Avoid blocking these resources in robots.txt and use a viewport meta tag that scales correctly for all devices. - Weak Internal Linking Structure
Internal linking passes SEO value between pages and guides both users and search engines.
Missing Internal Links on Key Pages
Pages without internal links become orphaned—hard to find, hard to rank.
Fix it: Audit internal links regularly. Link relevant anchor text naturally, such as connecting SEO content to your blog posts or service pages. For example, a post about backlinks should include contextual links to your backlink building agency.
Repeated Anchor Text Everywhere
Using the same anchor repeatedly looks unnatural to both users and search engines.
Fix it: Diversify anchor phrases. Instead of only “SEO Services,” use variations like “search engine optimisation,” “Google marketing,” or “technical SEO audit in South Africa.” - Site Architecture Confuses Crawlers
A well-structured site ensures that content is logically grouped and accessible.
Too Many Clicks to Reach Key Pages
If a page is buried four or five clicks deep, it’s harder for bots (and users) to find.
Fix it: Flatten your site architecture. Ensure key pages are accessible within 2–3 clicks from the homepage.
No Breadcrumbs or Internal Hierarchy
Without a clear structure, Google may not understand page relationships.
Fix it: Implement breadcrumbs and hierarchical URLs that reflect your site’s content layers. - Poor URL Structure
URLs should be clean, keyword-rich, and easy to interpret.
Long, Random Strings or Session IDs
URLs like example.com/page?id=98347 are poor for SEO and usability.
Fix it: Use descriptive slugs—e.g., /technical-seo-errors/ instead of /article?id=98.
Dynamic Parameters Without Canonicals
E-commerce and filter pages often generate duplicate URLs with different query parameters.
Fix it: Canonicalize the primary version and block parameter-heavy URLs if needed. - No Ongoing Technical SEO Checks
Many issues creep back in if not monitored over time.
Outdated Plugins, CMS Errors, or Site Updates
Theme or plugin updates can break structured data, indexation settings, or site speed.
Fix it: Schedule monthly or quarterly technical SEO audits. Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and SEMrush can automate much of this process.
Set and Forget Mentality
A static site strategy ignores Google’s evolving algorithm and new SEO best practices.
Fix it: Stay current with core updates, and partner with a reliable SEO agency that proactively handles site health.
Start With a Technical SEO Audit
If your site suffers from any of these issues, it’s time to take action. An expert technical SEO audit can reveal critical gaps that are stalling your growth. Whether you’re dealing with slow load times, indexing issues, or mobile usability problems, fixing them can drive measurable gains in visibility and traffic. Need help uncovering and fixing technical SEO issues? Connect with a Google Marketing Agency in South Africa that understands how to align your technical foundations with business growth.
Prioritise Technical SEO to Stay Ahead
Ignoring technical SEO is like building a house on a cracked foundation—it might look fine, but sooner or later, it falls apart. From crawlability to structured data, each element contributes to a search engine’s ability to rank your site effectively. If you’re investing in SEO content or building backlinks, make sure your technical foundations are solid first. Technical SEO doesn’t just support your strategy—it determines its success.
