When I started out in SEO, I lived in the world of content and links. Storytelling, on-page optimisation, building links, that was my lane. But when I joined TAL Agency I was pretty much thrown into technical delivery and realised pretty quickly how important it really is. Crawlability, indexation, structured data… it was like peeking behind the curtain of SEO and seeing how the magic really happens. Don't get me wrong, I'd always had a basic understanding of tech and the role is played, but I'd always shied away from talking about it, leaving it to the 'experts'. I started asking more technical questions in client meetings, sitting in on dev calls, and getting my hands dirty in site audits. I immersed myself in sitemaps, schema, and server logs. I taught myself how to properly use Screaming Frog and how to break down its recommendations into actionable tickets my clients could implement to drive results. Before long, I no longer identified as a content and link specialist, but a fully fledged SEO all rounder who can talk in-depth about technical issues and what they mean for results. It’s been the most rewarding shift in my career. If you’re in content or PR and curious about technical SEO: start small. Run a crawl. Check out Screaming Frog's in-depth documentation on what the issues mean. Join Women in Tech SEO and ask questions. Ask Chat GPT to break down more complex recommendations so you can fully understand what they mean. It’s not about becoming a developer; it’s about understanding how search engines see your work. It’s changed the way I work, and it might just do the same for you.
Love this ,technical SEO really is the “behind the curtain” layer that makes all the content and link work shine. What was the one technical skill you learned that made the biggest impact on your client results?
Every SEO pillar matters, but I agree, technical is the backbone. If your site has structural, design, mobile, crawl, indexing, or schema issues, great content and links can’t reach their potential and it’s like locking it in a room no one can enter.
Technical SEO is the secret superpower! A lot of the people who are in it seem to fall into it by accident...and the ones who stay often end up loving it.
I agree. Initially, when I was into blogging, I even ranked some blogs. But I was unfamiliar with things like crawl stats, site structure, HTML and CSS contribution towards site performance. I encountered all of this during my agency experience, where we worked with news sites. That’s when i actually learned how things work in publisher SEO
It's like you reached inside my head and pulled out my thoughts. I've taken some SEO courses and read a TON of articles but I'm really interested in "getting my hands dirty." Thanks for the advice and the nudge Nicola Hughes! Looks like I've got some next steps to take! 😁
Love this journey. I’ve seen so many SEOs level up when they stop treating technical SEO as “someone else’s lane.” When content and tech come together, the strategy becomes bulletproof because you understand not just what users see, but what search engines see… Your point about “not becoming a developer but understanding the language” is spot on.
Impressive
Understanding the technical side transforms the way we approach SEO, definitely shifts from being just a content creator to a full SEO strategist.
Nicola Hughes Blending creative and technical SEO is a real game-changer.
Marketing & Communications Account Manager ✍🏻📲 | Copywriting, SEO, PR + Content Creation
2moReally enjoyed reading your inspiring post Nicola, I’m at the early stages of my career but I’m fascinated by the impact that Tech SEO can have - I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of it but I’m looking forward to learning more ☺️