30 Important Technical SEO Interview Questions For 2025

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, SEO remains a critical skill for any successful online marketing strategy. While on-page and off-page SEO are commonly discussed, technical SEO is often the backbone that ensures your website is search engine-friendly. For digital marketing job aspirants in India, especially those aiming for roles like SEO Analyst, Digital Marketing Executive, or SEO Specialist, having a strong grip on technical SEO concepts is a must.

This blog compiles the most commonly asked technical SEO interview questions that recruiters in India look for. Whether you’re a fresher stepping into the industry or a professional brushing up before an interview, these questions and answers will help you approach your interview with confidence and clarity.

Technical SEO interview questions

1. How do you check whether a URL is indexed by Google?
To check if a URL is indexed:

• Use the site: operator in Google Search, e.g., site:example.com/page-url.
• Alternatively, use the URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console for real-time index status and insights.

2. How do you block a URL from being indexed?
You can block indexing using several methods:

• Add a noindex meta tag in the HTML: <meta name="robots" content="noindex">.
• Block the URL in robots.txt (prevents crawling, not indexing if linked elsewhere).
• Return an HTTP 401, 403, or 404/410 status.
• Temporarily remove the URL via the URL Removal Tool in Google Search Console.

3. What are the most important SEO ranking factors, in your opinion?
These are the key ranking factors I consider most impactful:

• High-quality, original content aligned with search intent.
• Backlinks from reputable and relevant websites.
• Core Web Vitals and overall page speed.
• Mobile-friendliness and responsive design.
• Crawlability and indexability of all essential content.
• HTTPS and overall site security.

4. What SEO myths have you had enough of?
Here are some persistent myths that should be laid to rest:

• Keyword density matters more than relevance.
• Meta keywords help rankings (they don’t).
• Paid ads directly influence organic rankings.
• More content = better rankings regardless of quality.

5. What is your favourite website crawler and why?
Screaming Frog is my go-to crawler because:

• It handles JavaScript rendering.
• It integrates with GA, GSC, and PageSpeed Insights.
• It supports custom extraction, log file analysis, and bulk exports.

6. How do you analyse page speed and Core Web Vitals?
I use a combination of tools for both lab and field data:

• PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse for performance scoring and suggestions.
• Search Console for field data under the Core Web Vitals report.
• WebPageTest and GTmetrix for in-depth load breakdowns.

7. What are some quick technical SEO wins?
Here are some low-effort, high-impact fixes:

• Fix broken internal/external links.
• Optimise images for size and format.
• Add canonical tags where needed.
• Implement schema markup for rich results.
• Compress code and enable caching.

8. A site that’s been online 9 months is getting zero traffic. Why?
Possible reasons could include:

• Not indexed due to noindex, blocked by robots.txt, or crawl issues.
• No backlinks and hence no authority.
• Poor or irrelevant content with low search intent alignment.
• Technical issues like JavaScript rendering problems or slow performance.

9. How do you check if Googlebot may have problems accessing site content?
I investigate accessibility issues by:

• Using the URL Inspection Tool in GSC to see what Googlebot sees.
• Checking the robots.txt and <meta> robots tags.
• Reviewing crawl stats in Search Console.
• Performing log file analysis.
• Testing with Fetch and Render or Live Test features in GSC.

10. What example errors may an XML sitemap have and how would you handle them?
Common errors include:

• URLs returning non-200 status codes — fix or remove them.
• Non-canonical or noindexed URLs — exclude these.
• Incorrect file formatting — validate using XML validators.
• Including duplicate or irrelevant URLs — ensure only clean, indexable URLs are listed.

11. How do you perform a technical SEO audit?
A comprehensive technical SEO audit includes:

• Crawling the site with Screaming Frog or Sitebulb.
• Checking index coverage in GSC.
• Analysing page speed and Core Web Vitals.
• Reviewing structured data and schema markup.
• Testing mobile usability and accessibility.
• Auditing internal linking and site structure.
• Validating sitemaps and robots.txt.

12. You discovered that a website has hundreds of duplicate pages. What do you do?
To resolve this:

• Identify the source (e.g., URL parameters or CMS issues).
• Use canonical tags to point to the preferred version.
• Block duplicate-generating patterns in robots.txt or use parameter handling in GSC.
• Consolidate or merge duplicate pages where appropriate.

13. What do you use Google Search Console for? What’s your favourite use of that tool?
Search Console is used to:

• Monitor indexing status, crawl issues, and mobile usability.
• Track performance metrics like impressions, CTR, and average position.
• Submit sitemaps and inspect specific URLs. Favourite feature: URL Inspection Tool – it’s incredibly useful for real-time insights into how Google sees a page.

14. How do you check if the site uses structured data and whether it is valid?
I use the following methods:

• Rich Results Test or Schema Markup Validator for validation.
• Inspect the page source for application/ld+json scripts.
• Check the Enhancements section in GSC for errors and eligible rich results.

15. What are your favourite SEO resources?
Trusted resources I regularly follow:

• Google Search Central Blog.
• Ahrefs Blog and YouTube channel.
• Moz’s Whiteboard Fridays.
• SEMrush and SE Ranking blogs.
• SEOFOMO newsletter by Aleyda Solis.

16. How does website architecture impact SEO?
Site architecture affects:

• Crawl efficiency — flat, well-linked sites are easier to crawl.
• User experience — intuitive navigation improves engagement.
• Link equity flow — important pages should be closer to the homepage. Aim for a shallow, logical structure where important content is within 3 clicks.

17. What is Schema Markup, and how does structured data improve SEO?
Schema markup is a form of structured data that helps search engines understand page content.
Benefits include:

• Eligibility for rich results (stars, FAQs, product info).
• Enhanced visibility in SERPs.
• Improved CTR due to visual enhancements.

18. What are key considerations for international SEO?
International SEO involves:

• Implementing correct hreflang tags for language/region targeting.
• Choosing the right URL structure (ccTLD, subfolder, or subdomain).
• Translating and localising content properly.
• Managing geo-targeting settings in GSC.

19. What is the importance of XML sitemaps?
XML sitemaps help search engines:

• Discover and prioritise important URLs.
• Crawl large and dynamic sites more efficiently. Best practice: Include only canonical, indexable, and high-quality URLs.

20. Why is HTTPS important for website security and SEO?
HTTPS ensures:

• Data encryption between the browser and the server.
• Trust and security for users.
• SEO benefits as it’s a confirmed ranking factor.
• Modern browser features and no “Not Secure” warnings.

21. How can you optimise website loading speed?
Speed optimisation strategies include:

• Minifying CSS, JS, and HTML.
• Compressing and lazy-loading images.
• Using a CDN.
• Enabling server-level caching.
• Reducing third-party scripts and redirects.

22. What are the best practices for mobile optimisation?
Ensure your site is mobile-friendly by:

Using responsive design.

• Optimising font sizes and tap targets.
• Avoiding intrusive pop-ups.
• Testing with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
• Prioritising mobile-first indexing issues in GSC.

23. How can you handle duplicate content issues?
To fix duplicate content:

• Implement canonical tags.
• Set up 301 redirects for duplicate URLs.
• Avoid repeating boilerplate across pages.
• Use noindex for thin or duplicate pages.
• Consolidate similar pages where possible.

24. How do Google’s Core Web Vitals impact SEO rankings, and how would you optimise for them?
Core Web Vitals are a ranking signal. They measure:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) – optimise images, lazy-load below-the-fold.
• FID (First Input Delay) – reduce third-party JS and use code-splitting.
• CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) – reserve space for media and avoid dynamic content shifts.

25. What strategies do you use to optimise page speed, and what tools do you rely on for diagnosis?
Optimisation strategies:

• Compress assets and serve next-gen formats.
• Reduce server response time.
• Minimise render-blocking resources. Tools I rely on:
• Lighthouse
• PageSpeed Insights
• GTmetrix
• WebPageTest

26. What is your process for identifying and resolving technical SEO issues using log file analysis?
Steps include:

• Obtain server log files (at least 30 days).
• Use tools like Screaming Frog Log File Analyser.
• Identify pages not crawled or over-crawled.
• Look for 404s, 500s, or unexpected bot activity.
• Optimise crawl budget and internal linking based on findings.

27. What are hreflang tags, and how would you implement them on a multilingual website?
hreflang tags signal language and regional targeting.
Implementation options:

• In page head:
  <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-GB" href="https://example.com/uk/">
• In XML sitemaps or HTTP headers. Ensure every language version references itself and its alternates.

28. What is JavaScript SEO optimisation, and why is it important?
JavaScript SEO ensures JS-rendered content is crawlable and indexable.
Important because:

• Google renders JS after initial crawling (two waves).
• Poor JS implementation can hide content from bots. Solutions: server-side rendering (SSR), pre-rendering, or dynamic rendering.

29. How do site migrations and redirects impact SEO?
Without careful planning, migrations can harm SEO.
Steps to mitigate risk:

• Map all old URLs to new with 301 redirects.
• Update internal links and sitemaps.
• Monitor crawl errors and performance in GSC.
• Avoid redirect chains and loops.

30. What is your strategy for handling broken links, 404 errors, and soft 404s on a website?
My approach includes:

• Crawling the site to detect broken links.
• Redirecting removed pages to relevant live content (301).
• Creating helpful 404 pages with navigation options.
• Fixing soft 404s by improving content or returning a proper 404 status.

Conclusion

Technical SEO might seem complex at first, but understanding its core principles can set you apart in a competitive digital marketing job market.

Indian employers increasingly seek candidates who not only understand content strategy and backlinks but also grasp the technical foundations that make a website SEO-friendly.

By preparing thoroughly with the technical SEO interview questions in this blog, you’ll be better equipped to tackle interviews and demonstrate your readiness for real-world SEO challenges.

Keep learning, keep optimising, and most importantly, stay updated—because in SEO, change is the only constant.