Tag Archive for: Semrush site audit tips

How to fix: Non-secure pages

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Protect user credentials by using HTTPS to ensure data security and maintain trust.

Move to HTTPS
Encrypt data transmission by switching from HTTP to HTTPS.

  • Obtain and install an SSL/TLS certificate for your website.
  • Update your website settings to use HTTPS for all pages, especially those with <input type=”password”> fields.

Update Internal Links and Resources
Ensure all internal links and resources (like images and scripts) use HTTPS.

  • Check for mixed content errors and correct them to ensure full security coverage.

Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
Set up 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS to preserve SEO value and ensure a seamless user experience.

  • Update your server configuration to enforce HTTPS connections.

Test Your Site for Security
Use tools like SSL Labs’ SSL Test to confirm your HTTPS implementation is secure.

Following these steps will secure user information and help maintain your website’s reputation and search engine ranking.

How to fix: Issues with incorrect hreflang links

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Ensure your hreflang attributes are properly configured to guide search engines effectively.

Fix Broken Hreflang URLs
Verify that all hreflang URLs lead to live pages with HTTP 200 status codes.

  • Check for broken links and update or remove any invalid URLs.

Fix Hreflang Redirects
Ensure hreflang links do not redirect users, as this can confuse search engines.

  • Replace any URLs that trigger redirects with direct, final destination URLs.

Replace Relative URLs with Absolute Ones
Hreflang attributes must use absolute URLs to function correctly.

  • Ensure all hreflang links follow this format: https://example.com/path

Reviewing these elements will help search engines display the appropriate language version of your content, enhancing user experience and SEO.

 

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How to fix: Pages returning 4XX status code

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What’s the issue?

4xx errors mean some of your pages can’t be accessed, often because of broken links. This hurts your site’s user experience and search visibility.

Common Fixes:

  • Remove or update any links leading to error pages.
  • If you’re sure the links work, ask your web host for help or reduce how often search engines crawl your site using the crawl-delay setting in your robots.txt.

Tip: Broken pages can lower your site’s traffic and make it hard for search engines to navigate.

How to fix: Issues with hreflang values

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Issue: Your hreflang tags, which help Google show the right language or country version of your site, have the wrong codes.

Fix: Use the correct two-letter language codes (ISO 639-1) and country codes (ISO 3166-1). Double-check your codes to make sure they’re accurate.

Tip: If hreflang is broken, search engines may show the wrong language version of your page to users.

 

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How to fix: AMP pages with no canonical tag

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Ensure proper linking between AMP and non-AMP pages to avoid duplicate content issues.

Add a Canonical Tag
Establish the original version of your content using the canonical tag. For pages with both AMP and non-AMP versions, place the canonical tag on the AMP page, pointing to the non-AMP URL.

Example: <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/non-amp-version/" />

Use Self-Referential Canonical Tags
When only an AMP version exists, ensure the canonical tag points to itself.

Example: <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/amp-version/" />

Validation and Testing
Regularly check AMP pages for validation errors using tools like Google’s AMP Test or Semrush.

Following these guidelines will help improve SEO and prevent content duplication issues.

 

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How to fix: Size of HTML on a page is too large

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Quick fixes to enhance page load speed by minimizing the HTML code size.

Minify HTML Code
Streamline your code by removing spaces, line breaks, and comments. Use tools like HTML Minifier to automate this process.

Optimize Inline Scripts and Styles
Relocate and compress scripts and styles to external files. Move inline JavaScript and CSS out of the HTML and use minified versions.

Remove Unused or Redundant Code
Audit and clean up outdated or unnecessary HTML elements. Simplify the structure for more efficient markup.

Lazy Load Non-Critical Content
Reduce initial page load by loading assets only when needed. Implement lazy loading for images and non-essential scripts.

Use a Content Management System (CMS) Optimization
Leverage CMS tools to automatically optimize HTML output. Apply caching plugins and optimize your theme for cleaner HTML.

Regularly use performance analysis tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to keep your HTML size optimized.

How to fix: Pages with no viewport tag

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Issue: Missing viewport tags make your site look unoptimized on mobile devices, potentially hurting user experience and mobile rankings.

Fix: Add a viewport meta tag to each page to ensure proper scaling on mobile devices. Test the page on a mobile device to verify the layout.

Recommendations:

  1. Use a Standard Viewport Tag: Add <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> to each page’s <head> section to set the correct mobile scaling.
  2. Test Across Devices: Check how your site displays on various mobile devices and screen sizes to confirm it adjusts well.
  3. Consider Responsive Design: Ensure that your CSS and layout elements are responsive so the viewport tag effectively improves mobile usability.
  4. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test: Run Google’s mobile-friendly test on your site to confirm there are no mobile compatibility issues.

Tip: A well-configured viewport tag enhances mobile accessibility, improving SEO and user experience on smaller screens.

How to fix: Pages with a WWW resolve issue

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Issue: If your site can be accessed with or without “www” (e.g., both www.example.com and example.com), search engines might treat these as separate pages, splitting SEO value between them and hurting rankings.

Fix: Decide which version (with or without “www”) you want as the main one. Then, set up a 301 redirect from the alternate version to the preferred one. Use Google Search Console to confirm which pages are indexed correctly.

Tip: Consistent URLs help search engines focus on a single version, improving your SEO.

How to fix: Incorrect pages found in sitemap.xml

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Issue: Your sitemap.xml should only list clean URLs that lead directly to unique, active pages. Including redirects, duplicate content, or error pages (non-200 status codes) can confuse search engines, waste crawl resources, or even get your sitemap rejected.

Fix: Go through your sitemap.xml file and remove any URLs that:

  • Redirect to another page
  • Are duplicates or non-canonical versions of your pages
  • Return error status codes (anything other than 200)

Replace these with direct, canonical URLs that return a 200 status code, ensuring only the best-quality pages are in your sitemap.

Tip: A well-maintained sitemap boosts search engine efficiency and helps all your key pages get crawled.

 

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How to fix: Format errors in sitemap.xml files

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Issue: A sitemap.xml file with formatting errors can’t be read by search engines, which may cause them to ignore it entirely. This means they could miss important pages on your site, impacting your search visibility and indexing.

Fix: Use the Sitemaps report in Google Search Console to identify any issues in your sitemap.xml. Correct all errors, ensuring each tag and URL follows proper syntax. Reference Google’s guidelines for configuring a sitemap if needed.

Tip: A correctly formatted sitemap helps search engines efficiently find and index all your valuable pages.

 

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