Technical optimization starts on the server (which is where Google – and your users’ browsers – start when they access a website. They then progress through any site-wide software to the pages. They do not start on the pages). Websites consist of layers, or stacks, usually three. We apply technical optimization at every layer:
Like DNA (good and bad), server configurations and website settings (good and bad) are passed down, not up, and are passed on to users’ browsers from a page. Google pays close attention to this.
Website layers are made up of different types of applications and code. Humans don’t see code (they see words, images instead), but search engines and browsers do. Code is all they see: They can’t “see” words or images; instead, they programmatically “read” coded representations of them. In fact, search engines never see pages as you do, they only see page code on the server. So your webpages, site-wide software and server need to be configured to work with how they operate. Technical optimization removes obstacles to them and increases the features that help them traverse your site easily, download it cleanly and index it accurately in order to rank it:
Google has specific preferences for how a server is set up. The way you do this can make or break your site. Server settings control how your content is stored, served and consumed. All those beautiful brilliant pages will count for little if your server settings are wrong. They’re important for other reasons too: For example, Google specifically scores how well your site performs for social, local and mobile criteria. Many of the key points to deal with these criteria aren’t on a page – they can only be configured on the server or in site-wide software.
Your site structure and much of its performance are determined here, in the space below your server but above your pages. Some software and settings operate across the whole site, not just on an individual page. They affect everything to do with how your entire site is laid out and presented, and they affect how every page is displayed to users. The way these are handled technically is critical for Google as well as for browsers.
Webpages. On-page, from a technical perspective there are three things that matter to how your site performs in search results.
Social profiles. Social networks don’t allow access to their servers and site-wide software, so technical optimization is on-page:
Backlinks (links pointing to your site) are critical to your search ranking. Google values some (not all) types of links highly because they indicate an independent “vote” for a site. The wrong type of links will get you penalized and possibly banned from Google’s index. We implement technical methods with site-wide software and on-page to ensure you keep all the credit from good links people do point to you. Just as important, there are steps we can take to get rid of bad links – the links Google will penalize you for.
Link building is a distinct aspect of optimization because, like social network activities, it’s off-site. Neither you nor we can control them — they’re made by other people — but we can help you influence the quality.
