Guide topic
Managed website foundations
Build a crawlable, secure, accessible, fast website and keep its technical foundations from drifting.
How to Add an XML Sitemap So Google Can Find Every Page
An XML sitemap is a map of your site handed straight to search engines. Here is how to create one, point Google at it, and confirm your pages are getting indexed.
How to Add SSL (HTTPS) and Stop Browsers Calling Your Site 'Not Secure'
HTTPS is the baseline for trust, rankings, and modern browsers. Here is how to get a free certificate, force the secure version, and clear the warnings.
How to Add Security Headers to Protect Your Website and Visitors
Security headers are a few lines of configuration that block clickjacking, MIME sniffing, and script injection. Here is which ones to add and how.
How to Fix Your robots.txt So You Don't Accidentally Block Google
One stray line in robots.txt can hide your entire site from search. Here is how to read the file, fix the dangerous mistakes, and keep crawlers focused.
How to Find and Fix Broken Links on Your Website
Broken links frustrate visitors and tell Google your site is neglected. Here is how to find every dead link and fix it the right way.
How to Fix Canonical URL Issues and Avoid Duplicate Content
Canonical tags tell Google which version of a page is the real one. Get them wrong and you split your rankings or de-index good pages. Here is how to fix them.
How to Fix Redirect Chains and Loops That Slow Your Site
Redirect chains add hops that slow every page load; loops trap visitors entirely. Here is how to find them and collapse them to single, clean redirects.
How to Fix Mobile Usability Issues That Are Hurting Your Rankings
Google ranks on the mobile version of your site. If it is cramped, zoomed out, or hard to tap, your rankings suffer. Here is how to fix the common problems.
How to Write Image Alt Text That Helps Accessibility and SEO
Alt text describes your images to screen readers and search engines. Missing or vague alt text shuts out visitors and wastes ranking signals. Here is how to do it well.
How to Add Form Labels So Everyone Can Use Your Forms
Unlabeled form fields are invisible to screen readers and confusing for everyone. Here is how to label inputs properly so your forms actually convert.
How to Give Icon Buttons Accessible Names
Icon-only buttons like the hamburger menu, close X, and search magnifier announce as just 'button' to screen readers. Here is how to name them properly.
How to Write Link Text That Tells People Where They're Going
'Click here' and 'read more' are useless to screen readers and weak for SEO. Here is how to write descriptive links that help everyone.
How to Fix Low Colour Contrast So Your Text Is Readable
Light grey text on a white background looks elegant and reads terribly. Here is how to hit the contrast ratios that keep your text legible for everyone.
How to Fix Heading Structure for Accessibility and SEO
Headings are the outline of your page. Skipped levels and multiple H1s confuse screen readers and search engines alike. Here is how to get the hierarchy right.
How to Set the Language Attribute on Your Website
A single missing attribute can make screen readers mispronounce your whole site. Here is the two-minute fix that tells browsers what language your pages are in.
How to Add Titles to Embedded Maps, Videos, and Forms
Embedded content like maps and videos sits in iframes. Without a title, screen-reader users have no idea what they are about to enter. Here is the fix.
How to Fix Invalid ARIA Roles on Your Website
A misspelled or made-up ARIA role is silently ignored, leaving screen-reader users without the cues you meant to give them. Here is how to correct them.
How to Add a Main Landmark So Visitors Can Skip to Your Content
A main element lets screen-reader users jump straight past your header and navigation to the real content. Here is how to add it without breaking your layout.
How to Add a Skip Navigation Link for Keyboard Users
A skip link lets keyboard users bypass your menu and jump to the content. It is one of the simplest accessibility wins and it is required by WCAG. Here is how.
How to Add Proper Table Headers for Accessible Data Tables
A data table without header cells is just a stream of numbers to a screen reader. Here is how to mark up tables so the data makes sense to everyone.
How to Fix Soft 404 Errors and Save Your Crawl Budget
A soft 404 is a page that says 'not found' but reports success to Google. That mixed signal wastes crawl budget. Here is how to clean them up.
How to Fix a Slow Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
LCP measures how fast your main content loads. Under 2.5 seconds is the target. Here is how to find what is slow and fix it.
How to Optimize Images for a Faster Website
Large images are the number one cause of slow sites. Here is how to cut image weight by 60 to 80 percent without visible quality loss.
How to Fix Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) on Your Website
CLS measures how much your page jumps around while loading. Under 0.1 is the target. Here is how to stop the shifting.
How to Improve Interaction to Next Paint (INP) and Make Your Site Feel Faster
INP measures how quickly your site responds to taps and clicks. Under 200ms is the target. Here is how to fix a sluggish-feeling site.
How to Fix Render-Blocking Resources and Speed Up First Paint
Render-blocking CSS and JavaScript stop your page from showing anything until they finish loading. Here is how to unblock the first paint.
How to Test and Fix Mobile Usability Issues on Your Website
Most searches happen on mobile. Tiny tap targets, small text, and horizontal scroll quietly cost you customers. Here is how to find and fix them.
How to Fix Intrusive Popups That Hurt Your Mobile Rankings
Full-screen popups that block content can get you penalized in mobile search. Here is how to keep popups without breaking the experience or rankings.