Technical SEO Checklist for 2025: What’s New and What Still Works

by siguradmin | Apr 23, 2025 | Marketing Strategies | 0 comments

Staying ahead in SEO means staying updated—and when it comes to technical SEO, the landscape continues to evolve with new search engine algorithms, core web vitals, and UX expectations. As we step into 2025, now is the perfect time to update your technical SEO strategy to make sure your site is optimized for both search engines and users.

Here’s your ultimate technical SEO checklist for 2025, highlighting what’s new, what still works, and what you shouldn’t ignore if you want to stay competitive.

1. Mobile-First Indexing Is Non-Negotiable

What still works: Google has fully embraced mobile-first indexing. This means your mobile version is the primary version Google uses to index and rank your site. What to do in 2025:

Ensure your mobile and desktop versions have the same content.
Use responsive design instead of separate URLs for mobile.
Optimize for mobile speed, accessibility, and navigation.

2. Core Web Vitals: A Ranking Factor You Can’t Ignore

What’s new: In 2025, Core Web Vitals are still crucial but evolving. Google now places more emphasis on interaction to next paint (INP) instead of first input delay (FID).

Checklist updates:

Optimize Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) under 2.5 seconds.
Keep Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) below 0.1.
Improve INP to ensure fast and responsive interactivity.

Use tools like PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse to track your progress.

3. Secure Your Site with HTTPS

What still works: Google gives ranking preference to secure websites. If your site is still using HTTP, it’s time to switch. What to check:

Your SSL certificate is valid and up to date.
All internal links use HTTPS versions.
Fix any mixed content issues.

4. XML Sitemaps and Robots.txt: Still Essential

What still works: Search engines still rely on your sitemap and robots.txt file to crawl and index your site effectively.

2025 checklist:

Update your XML sitemap regularly.
Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console.
Disallow only the necessary pages in robots.txt (e.g., admin pages).

5. Structured Data and Schema Markup

What’s new: Google continues to enhance rich results using structured data. In 2025, AI-powered search features are leaning heavily on schema to understand content better.

Tips:

Use schema for articles, FAQs, products, reviews, etc.
Test with Google’s Rich Results Test Tool.

Keep up with new schema types introduced by Schema.org.

6. Crawl Budget Optimization

What still works: Googlebot has limited resources when crawling your site. Prioritizing the most important pages ensures better indexing.

How to optimize:

Fix broken links and redirect chains.
Use internal linking to highlight high-priority content.

Avoid duplicate or thin content that wastes crawl resources.

7. Canonical Tags to Prevent Duplicate Content

What still works: Canonical tags help consolidate ranking signals for similar or duplicate pages. What to check:

Every page has the correct canonical tag.
No conflicting or self-referencing tags.
Use canonical URLs across paginated content.

8. URL Structure and Site Architecture

What’s new & still relevant: In 2025, clean and logical site architecture remains critical for user experience and crawlability.

Checklist:

Use short, descriptive URLs with keywords.
Maintain a flat site structure (ideally, all pages reachable within 3 clicks).

Use breadcrumb navigation for better UX and SEO.

9. 404 Pages and Redirects

What still works: Broken links are bad for SEO. A well-managed 404 page helps retain users, and 301 redirects help preserve link equity.

What to check:

Audit your site for broken links regularly.
Set up custom 404 pages that guide users.

Use 301 (not 302) redirects for permanent changes.

10. Technical SEO Tools for 2025

What’s new: AI-powered tools are making technical SEO smarter and more efficient.

Recommended tools:

Google Search Console – Your go-to for indexing issues.
Screaming Frog – Still a top choice for deep technical audits.
Ahrefs / SEMrush – Advanced crawling and performance tracking.

JetOctopus or Sitebulb – Next-gen crawling with UX insights.

Technical SEO in 2025 isn’t just about fixing errors—it’s about creating a fast, accessible, and structured site experience for users and search engines. While some foundational practices remain the same, new updates like the INP metric, AI-driven search behavior, and evolving schema standards make it essential to stay proactive.

Use this checklist to audit your site regularly and make improvements that drive organic growth, enhance usability, and future-proof your SEO strategy.

When it comes to SEO, two things matter the most: making sure your pages are properly indexed by Google and ensuring they deliver a smooth, fast user experience. Google Search Console (GSC) is one of the most powerful free tools available to achieve both. It not only helps identify indexing issues but also provides insights into Core Web Vitals—metrics that directly affect rankings and user satisfaction.

In this blog, we’ll break down how to fix indexing issues and improve Core Web Vitals using Google Search Console.

Understanding Indexing Issues

If your website isn’t indexed, it won’t appear in Google search results—no matter how great your content is. Common indexing issues include:

Crawled but not indexed: Google has seen your page but didn’t add it to search results.
Duplicate content: Pages with similar content may not be indexed.
Blocked by robots.txt or meta tags: Technical settings that prevent crawling.

Server errors (5xx) or not found (404): Broken pages that block indexing.

How to Fix Indexing Issues with GSC

Check the Coverage Report – Navigate to Index > Pages in GSC to see which URLs are indexed and which aren’t.
Inspect URL – Use the URL inspection tool to check if Google can crawl and index your page.
Fix Errors – Resolve technical issues (broken links, redirects, duplicate tags, robots.txt blocks).
Request Reindexing – Once fixed, request indexing to speed up the process.

💡 Tip: Regularly monitor sitemaps and ensure your most important pages are included.

Improving Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are Google’s way of measuring user experience. They focus on:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Loading performance (should be under 2.5s).
First Input Delay (FID) / Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Interactivity (should be under 200ms).

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Visual stability (should be under 0.1).

How to Improve Core Web Vitals with GSC

Check the Experience Report – GSC provides Core Web Vitals data for desktop and mobile.
Optimize LCP – Compress images, use faster hosting, enable caching, and reduce render-blocking scripts.
Improve Interactivity (FID/INP) – Minimize JavaScript, use lazy loading, and reduce third-party scripts.

Stabilize Layout (CLS) – Always define image dimensions, avoid dynamic ads pushing content, and maintain consistent design.

Why This Matters for SEO

Pages with indexing issues won’t show up in search at all.
Poor Core Web Vitals lead to higher bounce rates and lower rankings.
A well-optimized site provides better user experience, which Google rewards.

By consistently monitoring Google Search Console, you not only fix hidden SEO issues but also future-proof your website for better rankings and conversions.

Google Search Console is more than just an SEO tool—it’s your direct communication channel with Google. By using it to resolve indexing issues and improve Core Web Vitals, you ensure your website is discoverable, fast, and user-friendly.

✅ Regularly monitor GSC.

✅ Fix technical SEO errors promptly.

✅ Keep improving Core Web Vitals.

Do this, and you’ll see your site climb in rankings while keeping visitors engaged.