Technical SEO checklist for WordPress
A technical SEO checklist for WordPress covers the settings and fixes that help Google crawl, index and load a WordPress site properly. WordPress is search friendly out of the box, but themes, plugins and old settings often create problems that hold rankings back.
Indexing settings
Start by making sure Google is allowed to index the site. One wrong box can hide the whole website.
- In Settings, Reading, make sure Discourage search engines is not ticked.
- Connect the site to Google Search Console and submit the sitemap.
- Check the Pages report in Search Console for excluded pages.
Permalinks and structure
Clean URLs and a clear structure help both users and Google.
Use the Post name permalink setting, keep URLs short and organise pages into clear sections such as services and locations.
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Speed and Core Web Vitals
Slow sites lose visitors and rankings. WordPress speed often comes down to a few causes.
- Use good hosting and a caching plugin.
- Compress images and serve modern formats such as WebP.
- Remove unused plugins and heavy page builder elements.
- Check results in PageSpeed Insights.
Sitemaps, redirects and broken links
These housekeeping items prevent wasted crawling and lost rankings.
- Use an SEO plugin to generate the XML sitemap.
- Redirect old URLs with 301 redirects when you change them.
- Fix broken internal links regularly.
Schema and duplicates
Structured data and duplicate control help Google understand the site correctly.
Add local business or organisation schema, avoid indexing tag and archive pages that add no value, and set canonical tags through your SEO plugin.
Security and updates
A hacked or broken site loses rankings fast. Basic maintenance protects your SEO.
- Keep WordPress, themes and plugins updated.
- Take a backup before every update.
- Use a security plugin and strong passwords.
- Remove plugins and themes you do not use.
Mobile usability
Google uses the mobile version of your site for indexing, so mobile problems are search problems.
Check that text is readable without zooming, buttons are easy to tap and nothing spills off the screen. Test your main pages on a real phone, not only a desktop browser.
Monitoring after changes
Every redesign, plugin change or migration can introduce new issues.
- Check Search Console coverage a week after any big change.
- Crawl the site with an SEO crawler to find broken links and redirect chains.
- Compare traffic before and after the change.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions Australian business owners ask most about this topic.
Which SEO plugin is best for WordPress?
Rank Math and Yoast are both reliable. Use one, not both.
How often should I run a technical SEO check?
Run a quick check monthly and a full audit every six to twelve months, or after any redesign.
Do page builders hurt SEO?
Not by themselves, but heavy layouts can slow the site. Keep pages lean.
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