If you are looking forward to landing a role in SEO, especially on the technical side, preparation can help you a lot. Mastering those technical SEO interview questions will give you a competitive edge. Whether you are a fresher or an SEO manager, having a deeper understanding of SEO-related topics and search engine mechanics will help you to get further opportunities in the field.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through 20+ most commonly asked technical SEO questions with practical insights to help you be confident for your next interview.
Hiring managers want to make sure you understand the technical side of SEO well, with common skills like keyword research and content creation. Technical SEO consists of knowing how it works behind the scenes, which makes it easier for you to explore, read a website, and solve problems related to search pages. The questions they ask may help them understand how critically you think and how well you use your technical knowledge by applying your SEO skills to real situations, not just following basic tips.
It’s about making sure that you can take care of all technical parts of SEO as well, so the website performs the best.
SEO Technical Interview Questions for Interns
The following questions test your basic understanding of how search engines work:
1. What is robots.txt, and how does it affect SEO?
The robots.txt file is a text file that tells search engine crawlers (like Googlebot) which pages and directories on a website they should or shouldn’t visit.
2. Why is an XML sitemap important?
An XML sitemap lists the website’s key pages to help search engines find them, especially those without internal links, to ensure they are not missed.
3. What’s the difference between crawling and indexing?
- Crawling: It is a process where search engines discover new and updated pages and links.
- Indexing: It is a process that follows this step by storing and organizing the discovered content, easily searchable for users.
4. What are status codes like 404 and 301?
These are numerical codes used by servers to show the status of the response to the client’s request.
- 404: Page not found
- 301: Permanently moved to new URL
5. How does a search engine read a webpage?
Search engines use crawlers or bots that scan HTML code that follows links to new pages, extract text, and structure it. This content is later ranked based on relevance, quality, keywords, etc.
SEO Fresher Interview Questions and Answers
An SEO fresher is responsible for looking up SEO strategies that work to improve a website’s ranking. Gained practical experience in keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and other basic SEO principles with the help of other senior professionals. They are expected to understand and learn the basics of both on-page and technical SEO.
The following are some basic technical SEO questions that are frequently asked:
1. What is a canonical tag, and why use it?
- It’s an HTML element that tells the search engine which version of a webpage is the main or preferred one when there are multiple URLs with similar content.
- It helps to avoid duplicate content issues and get the correct URLs in search results.
2. What’s the difference between 301 vs 302 redirects?
The main difference between 301 & 302 redirects is how search engines convey them.
- 301 redirect: Indicates permanent move of a web page.
- 302 redirect: Indicates temporary move of a web page, also means the original URL will return.
3. How to check if a page is indexed?
Enter “site: your webpage URL” in Google search; if the page appears in the results, it’s indexed. Also, you can use tools like Google Search Console’s URL inspection tool, etc.
4. What are meta tags in SEO?
Meta tags are bits of code that help search engines understand what the page is about. Most common meta tags include “title tag” and ‘meta description,” which appear in SERPs and influence click-through rates.
5. What are some free SEO audit tools?
- Google Search Console
- Screaming Frog
- SEO Site Checkup
- Google Analytics
- Google Tag Manager
- Looker Studio
SEO Executive Interview Questions for Job Seekers
An SEO executive is responsible for improving website visibility for search engines through on-page and off-page strategies. They also collaborate with content and web development teams to implement the best strategies that increase organic traffic and rankings.
These are some questions that SEO executives often deal with:
1. How do you conduct a technical SEO audit?
Steps to Conduct a Technical SEO Audit:
- Crawl your website using SEO tools to identify:
1. Broken links
2. Duplicate content
3. Crawl errors
- Review key technical elements:
1. Site speed/performance
2. Mobile usability
3. HTTPS implementation
4. Structured data
- Check foundational files:
1. XML sitemap
2. robots.txt
3. Indexing
- Prioritize and fix issues based on SEO impact to:
1. Improve crawlability
2. Enhance user experience
3. Boost search engine rankings
2. What is Core Web Vitals, and how does it affect rankings?
Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure a webpage’s speed, interactivity, and stability. They’re a part of Google’s web page experience signals. This results in your web page ranking higher or lower.
(Better Core Web Vitals = better user experience = better chance at higher rankings.)
3. How to resolve duplicate content issues?
To resolve duplicate content issues, identify duplicate pages using tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog.
The main methods are:
- 301 Redirects:
Redirect duplicate pages to the original page. This strengthens ranking signals and prevents competition between similar pages.
2. Rel=Canonical Tags:
Add a canonical tag in the HTML header of duplicate pages pointing to the preferred URL. This tells search engines which page to prioritize without redirecting.
3. Google Search Console Settings:
Set your preferred domain (www vs. non-www) and manage URL parameters to reduce duplicates from URL variations.
4. How to optimize for mobile-first indexing?
To make sure your website performs well under mobile-first indexing, focus on making it fully mobile-friendly first, which includes:
- Responsive design: Ensure your site adapts to all screen sizes using one URL, avoiding duplicate content and improving user experience.
- Improve page speed: Optimize loading times by compressing images, caching pages, and minimizing code, especially since mobile users expect fast performance.
- Ensure mobile parity: Make sure your mobile site includes all the same content as your desktop site. Google primarily indexes the mobile version.
- Run mobile-friendliness tests: Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to find and fix mobile usability issues that could impact your rankings.
5. What are the most common crawl errors?
Crawl errors occur when a search engine finds issues in accessing your website.
- DNS Errors: These happen when a crawler can’t connect to your server due to domain name system issues, preventing access to your site.
- Redirect Errors: Improperly configured redirects, such as loops or chains, can confuse crawlers and waste crawl budgets.
- Server Errors: Server-side problems like overloads or misconfigurations can lead to errors, making your site inaccessible to crawlers.
- Mobile-Specific Errors: Issues like unresponsive design or slow loading times on mobile devices can block crawlers from properly indexing your mobile site.
These are some questions that SEO executives often deal with:
SEO Specialist Interview Questions with Detailed Answers
SEO Specialists work as search engine optimizers; they focus on improving a website’s visibility and increasing search results. Using strategies like keyword research, content creation, link building, and technical audits. Unlike SEO experts or managers, SEO Specialists are usually entry to mid-level professionals who are actively building their skills in the field.
The following are some important questions to look forward to with detailed answers:
1. How do you manage the crawl budget effectively?
Managing the crawl budget effectively ensures that search engines prioritize and crawl your most important pages. Here’s how you can do it:
- Prioritize High-Value Pages: Make sure your key pages are easily accessible and internally linked. Avoid pages that have no links pointing to them.
- Block Low-Value/ Duplicate Pages: Use robots.txt or noindex meta tags to prevent crawling of pages like admin pages, filters, duplicate content, and tag archives that don’t add SEO value.
- Fix Crawl Errors: Use Google Search Console to identify and fix crawl errors like 404s, redirect chains, or server errors that waste the crawl budget.
- Reduce Redirect Chains: Avoid excessive redirects, which slow down crawling and waste resources.
- Keep URLs Clean and Consistent: Avoid unnecessary URL parameters or session IDs that can create multiple versions of the same page.
- Optimize Site Speed: Faster-loading pages let Googlebot crawl more pages in less time.
- Submit an updated XML Sitemap: Keep your sitemap clean, and updated, and only include canonical, indexable URLs. This helps search engines discover new or updated content efficiently.
2. Explain how JavaScript rendering impacts SEO.
JavaScript rendering significantly influences SEO by affecting how search engines crawl, index, and rank web content. Here’s how:
Delayed or Missed Indexing: Search engines like Google process JavaScript after the initial HTML crawl. If crucial content is loaded via JavaScript, it might not be indexed promptly or at all, leading to reduced visibility in search results.
Crawl Budget Consumption: JavaScript requires more resources, potentially exhausting the crawl budget allocated to your site. This can result in important pages being overlooked during crawling.
Slower Page Load Times: Heavy JavaScript can slow down page loading, negatively impacting user experience and Core Web Vitals metrics. Slower sites may rank lower in search results.
Content Visibility Issues: If JavaScript fails to execute correctly, essential content might remain hidden from search engines, affecting indexing and rankings.
3. What are hreflang tags and how do they work?
Hreflang tags are HTML attributes that inform search engines about the language and regional targeting of a webpage. They are important for websites offering content in multiple languages or targeting different regions, ensuring that users see the most appropriate version of a page in search results.
Hreflang tags tell search engines which version of a webpage to show users based on their language and region. Each page includes tags pointing to all alternate versions, using language and country codes. This helps Google serve the right version in search results and prevents duplicate content issues.
4. How do you resolve non-indexed page issues?
To resolve the issue in Google Search Console, follow these steps:
- Request Indexing: Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to request indexing for the affected page. This is effective for a small number of pages.
- Check for Crawl Budget Issues: If many pages are affected, your site may have crawl budget limitations.
- Improve Content Quality: Google prioritizes indexing high-quality, unique content.
5. Describe your approach to structured data implementation.
Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying its content. It helps search engines understand elements like article type, product details, reviews, event times, and more. Implementing structured data enables pages to be eligible for results in Google Search, enhancing visibility and click-through rates. You can describe your approach in simple words, explaining how implementation involves selecting the correct schema, using it cleanly, validating with tools like Google’s Rich Results Test, Schema.Org, and monitoring performance in the Search Console. This ensures content is not only searchable but also more engaging in search listings.
Technical SEO Interview Questions for SEO Managers
An SEO manager plans strategies to improve a website’s search engine rankings. It includes managing SEO campaigns, technical audits, analyzing performance data, coordinating with teams, and adapting algorithm changes. SEO managers make sure to align SEO strategies with business goals to get more valuable results.
Some important topics that SEO managers should be prepared to discuss during interviews.
- How do you prioritize technical issues with a development team?
- Identify Issues: Use tools like GSC, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs to detect widespread problems (e.g., duplicate tags, and crawl errors).
- Developer progress: Collaborate with developers to classify tasks as low, medium, or high effort.
- High-Impact Pages: Prioritize fixes on top-performing or business-critical pages to show value quickly.
- Use coding language: Frame SEO issues in terms of site performance, UX, and code efficiency to align priorities.
- Project Management Tools: Track tasks in Jira, Trello, or Asana with clear goals, SEO impact, and deadlines.
2. Describe your SEO audit process at an enterprise scale.
An enterprise SEO audit analyzes a large-scale website to identify issues and uncover opportunities that can boost its search engine visibility and improve rankings.
- Identify business objectives: Engage with stakeholders to understand their goals and challenges. Address the areas that matter the most to the business.
- Define segments: Because an enterprise website is vast, focus on critical sections, templates, or issues that align with business priorities to ensure efficient use of resources.
- Utilize scalable tools: Use SEO tools capable of handling large datasets. Implement data sampling techniques to analyze representative sections of the site, identifying patterns and issues without the need for exhaustive crawling.
- Collaborate with teams: Work closely with development, content, and marketing teams to understand existing workflows.
- Implement monitoring: Set up ongoing monitoring systems to track site performance and detect issues promptly. Regular audits help maintain site health and adapt to changes in search engine algorithms.
3. How do you communicate SEO impact to non-technical stakeholders?
- Know Your Audience: Before diving into SEO talk, understand who you’re speaking to. Whether it’s a marketing lead or a business executive, tailor your explanation to match their level of technical knowledge and business priorities.
- Break Down the Jargon: Skip the technical terms and translate SEO concepts into everyday language. For example:
- Backlinks: “Online referrals or recommendations”
- Meta tags: “Snippets that tell Google what your page is about”
- Visual help: Use visuals like graphs, trend lines, and screenshots to make your points easier to grasp. Real-world examples and case studies work great too.
- Tie SEO to Business Goals: Always link SEO performance to things that matter to stakeholders.
- More qualified traffic
- Better leads and conversions
- Stronger online visibility and brand trust
- Outline What’s Next: End with a simple action plan. Tell them exactly what needs to be done, why it matters, and what results they can expect. Clarity drives alignment.
4. What’s your approach to JavaScript-heavy websites?
You can explain your approach to handling JavaScript-heavy websites in your own words, including these points:
- Run render tests: To compare raw vs rendered HTML and ensure content is visible to crawlers.
- Collaborate with developers: To implement Server-Side Rendering (SSR) or dynamic rendering when needed.
- Check rendered HTML output: To confirm that critical content and metadata are present post-render.
- Monitor crawl stats and indexing: Use Google Search Console and log file analysis to detect and resolve rendering or crawl issues.
5. How do you align technical SEO with overall marketing strategy?
Aligning technical SEO with the overall marketing strategy ensures that organic search efforts support broader business goals.
- Understand Business & Marketing Objectives: Start by identifying the company’s key goals. This sets the direction for technical SEO priorities.
- Collaborate Across Teams: Work closely with content, UX, dev, and paid media teams to ensure technical SEO enhances user experience, supports content visibility, and complements other marketing channels.
- Prioritize Technical Fixes: Focus on optimizations that directly affect performance, page speed, mobile usability, structured data, and crawlability, especially for high-converting or campaign-related pages.
- Support Content Discoverability: Ensure new campaigns and content are technically optimized for indexing and ranking. This includes proper internal linking, canonical tags, schema markup, and XML sitemaps.
- Align KPIs with Marketing Metrics: Track SEO impact using shared KPIs, organic traffic, conversions, and engagement, ensuring SEO success is measurable within the larger marketing framework.
How to Prepare for a Technical SEO Interview
To succeed in a technical SEO interview, focus on your knowledge and communication skills. Master essential tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, SEMrush, etc. They will help you to analyze crawlability and page speed, detect technical issues, and implement many other SEO strategies. Practice for those interviews yourself and get help from case studies to improve your knowledge and problem-solving skills. Stay up to date with guidelines and updates from Google Search Central. Focus on learning more complex technical SEO concepts, which will showcase your commitment to improving your skills.
Learn how to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise clearly and concisely. The ability to explain complex content can be a valuable skill; besides technical SEO skills, your basic communication skills also matter.
FAQ’s
Tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz help crawl, perform analysis, site audits, keyword tracking, and identify other SEO issues.
Yes, you can get an SEO job without coding knowledge, as coding is not a necessary skill that SEO needs for daily tasks. However, understanding basic programming languages and codes can be more helpful for in-depth technical SEO understanding.
SEO certificates are highly valuable. They showcase your knowledge and expertise, which offers advantages in hiring and strengthens your resume.
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