The Ultimate SEO Checklist for Developers

Marketers may write the content, but developers build the foundation that allows that content to rank. Technical SEO refers to the optimizations you can make to your site's code and server configuration to help search engines crawl and index your content more effectively. Get this right, and you'll have a huge advantage.

1. The Holy Trinity: sitemap.xml, robots.txt, and Meta Tags

These are the absolute non-negotiables for any website.

• Meta Tags: Every page must have a unique <title> and <meta name="description">. This is the text that appears in Google search results. Use a Meta Tag Generator to craft them correctly. Then, see how they'll look with a SERP Snippet Preview.
• robots.txt: This file tells search engines which pages they are allowed or not allowed to crawl. A Robots.txt Generator can help you create one.
• sitemap.xml: This is a map of all the important pages on your site. It helps Google discover your content faster. Use a Sitemap.xml Generator to build it.

2. Page Speed is a Ranking Factor

Faster sites provide a better user experience, and Google rewards them with higher rankings. Your goal should be a load time of under 2 seconds. Use a tool like the Page Load Time Checker or Google's own PageSpeed Insights to analyze your performance. Minifying assets, optimizing images, and using a modern framework like Next.js are key.

3. Mobile-First Indexing

Google predominantly uses the mobile version of a site for indexing and ranking. Your site MUST be responsive and provide a great experience on phones and tablets. Use your browser's developer tools to test different screen sizes.

4. Use Semantic HTML and Structure Your Data

Use HTML tags for their intended purpose (<h1> for main headings, <nav> for navigation, etc.). For key pages, use structured data (Schema.org) to give Google more context about your content. For example, a "SoftwareApplication" schema can tell Google your page is a tool, not just an article.

By focusing on these technical SEO fundamentals, you provide the solid base your marketing team needs to succeed and ensure that the great content you're building gets seen by the widest possible audience.