Is Coding Required for SEO (in 2023)?
You do NOT need to learn coding to get SEO results. But it doesn’t hurt to have a base-level knowledge of HTML, CSS, PHP, javascript, or python. All you need to do as an SEO expert is to know how to identify technical issues. You can then work with a developer who will fix everything.
4 Technical SEO Issues That Need Coding
1. Optimize Page Loading Speed
Go to Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool and see what your score is on mobile and desktop.
Improving your score should be a priority because Google claims that page experience will be a ranking factor soon. Now the fastest way to fix these issues is to use AMP.
However, moving to an AMP website comes with a slew of other issues. If you don’t want to migrate to AMP, you’ll need to go through the process of optimizing the site for loading speed.
If you’re on WordPress, you can use WPRocket to streamline this process.
In addition to installing a caching plugin, you should also do the following:
1. Resize your images to avoid scaling
For example, the width of my blog content is ~ 680px. If I upload an image that’s 1000px, it will be scaled down.
This requires additional processing power, which can slow your page down at scale. It can all be avoided by uploading your images at the size that they’re going to appear on the website.
2. Compress your images
Use a tool like Optimizilla to compress your images so the file size is smaller.
2. Fix Mobile Design
Many of the actions you take above will crossover to your mobile design. However, you should use Google’s Lighthouse tool to get a deeper analysis of your mobile website.
At the end of the day, your website design should be responsive on all devices.
Using templates like GeneratePress can make your life a lot easier.
3. SSL Configuration
Google stated a few years ago that website security would be a ranking factor. That’s why they mark a website without an SSL certificate as not secure on Google Chrome.
Make it a priority to get an SSL certificate if you don’t have one. If you’re on WordPress, you can use Simple SSL to make sure it’s set up correctly.
4. Structured Data
This WordPress plugin can help you optimize for structured data. However, if you’re not on WordPress, you can use this tool to create your markup.
Then test your markup using this tool. Once everything looks good, add it to your website.
Conclusion
You don’t need to know how to code to get SEO results. You just need to know what to look for and then have a reliable developer with who you can work.
If you’re wondering “what to look for,” then I recommend downloading our free on-page SEO checklist.