Technical SEO: first determine what goes wrong

1. Can the important page be reached?

Open the exact URL and check what the server returns. An existing page should normally give a successful response. An error page can look neat and yet return an incorrect status. Conversely, a true 404 for a permanently deleted page is not automatically an issue that needs to be resolved.

Distinguish between a moved page and content that no longer exists. In the event of a move, permanent redirection to the substantive successor is appropriate. Sending all old URLs to the homepage usually does not help a visitor looking for a specific service.

2. Can Google index the page?

Check the URL in Search Console and also view the live test. A noindex instruction asks search engines not to include the page. A block in robots.txt limits crawling; that's not a reliable way to remove a known URL from search results.

Then check the preferred URL, also known as canonical. This should match the intended version of the content. Don't put all the canonicals on the homepage. Use the same preferred version in internal links and the sitemap. A technically valid page is not automatically indexed by Google.

3. Does the visitor understand the page on mobile?

Test headlines, text, links and forms on a small screen. Can someone understand the service and reach out without zooming in? Does a fixed menu cover the heading that a page link jumps to? Does an error message work understandably when a mandatory field remains empty?

An important part of this control is manual. For example, a score does not show whether the form actually reaches your company after completion. Check that entire route with test data and confirm receipt before notifying visitors of a successful shipment.

4. Investigate speed with a concrete hypothesis

Start with the items that should load during the first screen. Is the main image much larger than the display requires? Are heavy scripts loaded that are not needed there? Does the page reserve space for images so that text doesn't shift unexpectedly?

Compare laboratory measurements under the same conditions and, where available, view data from real visitors. One PageSpeed ​​run may vary. A smaller file is controllable, but does not in itself prove a faster page or higher ranking.

5. Assessing a ranking decline

First identify which pages and queries are losing impressions or clicks. Compare the same countries, devices and search types over comparable periods in Search Console. Then check whether Google can fetch the current page and which URL it has selected as canonical.

Next, check whether the decline coincides with a confirmed Google update. Timing alone does not prove a cause. Avoid repeatedly changing titles and copy based on a single day: record changes and assess trends with enough data. A technical improvement does not guarantee a higher ranking.

Check the technical requirements for Google indexing and the official Google ranking update history.

Practical example on our own website

When checking our SEO page on October 25, 2026, the form address returned a 404. We have made the request route explicit: the visitor composes an email and sends it himself. This makes the next step clear, but does not replace automatic form submission.

The current search animation uses a 76,126-byte MP4 and a 5,828-byte still preview. The video loads only when it enters the viewport and respects reduced-motion preferences. This replaces the previous 471,711-byte GIF. File sizes were checked on 28 October 2026; they do not demonstrate improvements in Core Web Vitals, rankings or client results.

A useful technical task list

For each finding, note the URL, evidence, effect, owner and post-execution control. An inaccessible important service page is usually more likely to merit attention than a small save on a rarely viewed image. Adjust that consideration to the actual use of your website.

After a change, check the live page again and record what has been fixed. Keep technical delivery and search traffic developments separate. For continued visibility, the content must also match the search query: read our keyword research approach.

Official background: Google's basic SEO guidelines and Google's explanation of noindex.

Make your findings actionable

Use us SEO improvement plan for Excel or Google Sheets (CSV) to record the customer question, evidence, action and control per page. It contains three fictional examples and an empty work line; replace them with your own findings.

Do you want to tackle research and implementation together? View the work and concrete delivery of our SEO process.

Help with implementation?

Jimmy Buitenhuis helps you from Diemen, online or at your location, with research and implementation. We first discuss your website and goals and then agree on the work.