SEO Fundamentals Every Website Should Get Right

SEO starts with the build

Search engine optimisation isn't something you sprinkle on after a website launches. The most impactful SEO factors are baked into the technical foundation and content strategy from the start.

Technical SEO

Site speed

Page speed is a confirmed ranking factor. Google rewards fast sites because they provide better user experiences. This means optimised images, efficient code, proper caching, and ideally a CDN-based delivery architecture.

Mobile-friendliness

Google uses mobile-first indexing. Your mobile experience isn't just important for mobile users. It's what Google evaluates for all search rankings.

Crawlability

Search engines need to find and understand your pages. This requires:

• A clean sitemap.xml listing all important pages
• A robots.txt that doesn't accidentally block critical content
• A logical internal linking structure
• Pages that return proper HTTP status codes

Structured data

Schema markup (JSON-LD) helps search engines understand your content. For eCommerce, this means product information appears directly in search results. For businesses, it means opening hours, reviews, and contact information are surfaced prominently.

HTTPS

SSL encryption is a baseline requirement. Google explicitly favours HTTPS sites, and modern browsers warn users about insecure connections.

On-page SEO

Title tags and meta descriptions

Every page needs a unique, descriptive title tag (under 60 characters) and meta description (under 160 characters). These are your search result listing. They need to be accurate, compelling, and include relevant keywords.

Heading structure

Use headings (H1, H2, H3) to create a logical content hierarchy. One H1 per page that clearly describes the content. Subheadings that break the content into scannable sections.

Image optimisation

Every image should have:

• Descriptive alt text for accessibility and SEO
• Compressed file size for fast loading
• Descriptive file names (not IMG_4523.jpg)

Internal linking

Link between related pages on your site. This helps search engines understand content relationships and distributes page authority. It also helps users discover relevant content.

URL structure

Clean, descriptive URLs perform better than cryptic ones. /blog/seo-fundamentals/ is better than /p?id=4523. Keep URLs short, descriptive, and consistent.

Content strategy

Write for humans first

Google's algorithms are sophisticated enough to reward content that genuinely helps users. Write naturally, answer real questions, and provide genuine value.

Target realistic keywords

Ranking for "shoes" is nearly impossible for most sites. Ranking for "sustainable leather work boots Melbourne" is achievable and more likely to attract the right customers.

Keep content fresh

Regularly updated content signals to search engines that your site is active and maintained. A blog is an effective way to consistently publish relevant content.

Our SEO approach

At CodeDrips, SEO is built into our development process. Every site we build includes proper meta tags, structured data, sitemaps, performance optimisation, and mobile-responsive design. We give your content the best possible technical foundation for ranking well.