Great question!
To build an SEO friendly website in 2025, you definitely want to go beyond just keywords and speed. Here are a few crucial elements I’d recommend focusing on:
1. Core Web Vitals: Yes — absolutely prioritize them. Google now treats these as ranking signals. Your site should load in under 2.5 seconds, be visually stable, and have fast interactivity.
2. Mobile-First Design: Since Google indexes mobile-first, your site must be fully responsive and optimized for all devices.
3. Structured Data (Schema Markup): This helps Google understand your content and can improve rich results (e.g., star ratings, FAQs, breadcrumbs).
4. Clean URL Structure: Avoid unnecessary parameters; use short, descriptive URLs with target keywords.
5. Internal Linking: A strong internal linking strategy helps both users and search engines navigate your site better.
6. Secure (HTTPS): Not just for trust — it's a confirmed ranking factor.
7. Content Depth and Intent: Your content should match searcher intent and offer real value. Thin pages won’t cut it anymore.
8. Image Optimization: Use descriptive ALT tags and compressed images to boost page speed and accessibility.
Tools I recommend:
* Screaming Frog (for technical audits)
* Google Lighthouse (for performance & Core Web Vitals)
* Ahrefs/Semrush (for SEO health and keyword insights)
* Schema.org (for markup examples)
Lastly, always test your site on Google Search Console before launch. It’ll catch indexing or crawl issues early on.
Hope this helps!
