Do it right the first time — Clarity-driven SEO, guided by Rā

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  • Technical SEO Audit Checklist — From DNS to Crawlability

    Technical SEO Audit Checklist for Global E-Commerce & B2B Brands

    This is not a generic template. This is the exact checklist I use in client audits — infrastructure-level, field-tested, and built for scale. Designed specifically for technical SEO in global e-commerce and B2B environments, it covers every critical layer: from server to sitemap, from Core Web Vitals to hreflang.

    1. Server & Hosting — The Foundation

    • HTTPS enforced via 301 redirect from HTTP — non-negotiable for security and rankings.
    • Valid SSL certificate with no mixed content warnings.
    • HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 enabled for faster resource delivery.
    • Server response time < 500 ms — critical for Core Web Vitals.
    • Accurate HTTP status codes — avoid soft 404s; return real 404s for deleted pages.

    2. Crawlability & Indexing — Make Your Site Visible

    • robots.txt allows Googlebot to access key pages.
    • No accidental noindex tags — verify meta tags and CMS settings.
    • XML sitemap submitted and error-free in Google Search Console.
    • Self-referencing canonical tags on all pages to prevent duplication.
    • Consistent URL structure across domains/subdomains — consolidate signals via 301s or canonicals.

    3. Core Web Vitals & Performance — Speed = Visibility

    • LCP < 2.5s — optimise images, lazy-load media, defer non-critical JS.
    • INP < 200ms — minimise JavaScript execution time for interactivity.
    • CLS < 0.1 — reserve space for dynamic content to avoid layout shifts.
    • Modern image formats (WebP/AVIF) with responsive sizing.
    • Critical CSS inlined, JS deferred — prioritise above-the-fold rendering.

    4. International SEO — Scale Across Markets

    • hreflang implemented correctly — one-to-one mapping between language/country versions.
    • Unique content per language version — avoid near-duplicates.
    • Separate GSC properties per market — with clear geotargeting (if applicable).

    5. WordPress-Specific — Avoid Common Pitfalls

    • Permalinks use post name — never ?p=123.
    • Restrict /wp-login.php access — or hide it behind IP allowlists.
    • Single sitemap source — Yoast only, no plugin conflicts.
    • Remove unused plugins — they slow down your site and create security risks.

    This checklist resolves ~95% of technical issues found in real-world audits for international e-commerce and B2B brands.

    Want me to run it on your site?

    For deeper guidance, refer to:

Do it right the first time — Clarity-driven SEO, guided by Rā.

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