Introduction

No matter how good your content is, it won’t perform if search engines can’t properly crawl, index, or understand your site.
In 2025, technical SEO isn’t just about fixing broken links or improving page speed — it’s about structuring your website for AI-driven indexing, mobile-first experiences, and Core Web Vitals compliance.
Here’s your step-by-step audit checklist to keep your website at peak technical health.

1. Website Crawlability & Indexation

Before anything else, ensure search engines can access and index your pages correctly.

• Use Google Search Console to check crawl errors and indexing status.

• Review your robots.txt file to ensure important pages aren’t blocked.

• Submit and validate an up-to-date XML sitemap.

• Remove orphaned or duplicate URLs.

Pro Tip: Use a crawler like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to simulate how search engines navigate your site.

2. Core Web Vitals & Page Speed

Google still prioritises user experience metrics, especially:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – load speed of main content (target < 2.5s).

• First Input Delay (FID) – site interactivity speed.

• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – visual stability.

Fixes:

• Compress and lazy-load images.

• Remove unused JavaScript/CSS.

• Enable caching and CDN delivery.

• Use Lighthouse or PageSpeed Insights for ongoing audits.

3. Mobile-First Indexing & Responsive Design

In 2025, Google indexes your mobile version first — not desktop.

• Check your site on various devices with responsive testing tools.

• Avoid intrusive pop-ups or heavy scripts that disrupt mobile UX.

• Make sure font sizes and tap targets meet accessibility standards.

Automation Tip: Use BrowserStack or LambdaTest to automate mobile device testing.

4. Site Architecture & Internal Linking

A strong site structure improves crawl depth and distributes link authority.

• Maintain a logical hierarchy (Home > Category > Subpage).

• Keep key pages within 3 clicks from the homepage.

• Add breadcrumb navigation.

• Regularly audit internal links using Screaming Frog’s crawl map.

Quick Win: Turn underperforming service pages into internal link hubs using blog links and contextual anchors.

5. Canonicalization & Duplicate Content

Duplicate content can harm crawl efficiency and dilute authority.

• Use canonical tags to signal preferred versions of pages.

• Ensure your domain resolves under one protocol (e.g., e.g., https://www vs https://).

• Check for duplicate metadata, titles, or product descriptions.

6. Structured Data & Schema Markup

Structured data helps AI-driven search engines understand your content better.

• Implement FAQ, Breadcrumb, and Organization schema.

• For blogs, use Article schema with author and publish date.

• Test with Google’s Rich Results Test tool.

Automation Tip: Use a WordPress plugin like Rank Math or Schema Pro to automate schema insertion.

7. Redirect Chains & Broken Links

Multiple redirects slow your site and confuse crawlers.

• Identify redirect chains longer than one hop and fix them.

• Replace 404s with relevant 301 redirects.

• Use a broken link checker monthly to maintain clean linking.

8. HTTPS & Security

Security signals impact SEO trustworthiness.

• Ensure your SSL certificate is valid and auto-renewing.

• Redirect all HTTP pages to HTTPS.

• Regularly check for mixed content issues.

• Enable HSTS and security headers.

9. Log File Analysis & Crawl Budget Optimization

Your log files reveal how search engines interact with your site.

• Analyse crawl frequency, errors, and bot behaviour.

• Block non-essential pages (admin, cart, etc.) from crawl waste.

• Prioritise high-value URLs for indexing.

10. Automation Tools & Scheduling

Automate routine technical SEO tasks to save time:

• Ahrefs / SEMrush Site Audit – schedule weekly crawls.

• Screaming Frog + Google Sheets integration – automate reporting.

• Zapier or Make.com – set up alerts for crawl errors or downtime.

Technical SEO Audit Checklist (Summary)

• Crawl your website monthly.

• Check Core Web Vitals and fix issues.

• Validate mobile performance and responsive design.

• Review internal links and site structure.

• Audit schema markup and structured data.

• Fix redirect chains and 404 errors.

• Analyse log files and optimise crawl budget.

• Automate recurring checks and reporting.

Conclusion

Technical SEO is not a one-time task — it’s an ongoing discipline that keeps your site performing in a rapidly changing search landscape.
By following this 2025 checklist, you’ll ensure your site loads faster, ranks stronger, and aligns with Google’s evolving AI-driven algorithms.

Call to Action

Not sure where your website stands technically?
Reach out to Forge My Site for a full technical SEO audit — we’ll identify hidden issues and automate your performance tracking for long-term growth.