Technical SEO is the engine room. If your site is slow, unstable, or hard for Google to crawl, content will not carry you. These fixes are especially important in Albania, where mobile networks and older devices are still common.
Priority fixes
- Optimize your largest images and fonts.
- Ship minimal JavaScript and defer non-critical scripts.
- Ensure robots.txt and sitemap.xml are live.
1. Core Web Vitals first
Google uses performance as a ranking signal. Aim for an LCP under 2.5 seconds and avoid layout shifts (CLS under 0.1).
- Compress images and serve modern formats.
- Preload your main font files.
- Reduce large JavaScript bundles.
2. Crawlability and indexing
If Google cannot discover your pages, you cannot rank. Keep your robots.txt clean, submit a sitemap, and avoid accidental noindex tags on production pages.
- Submit sitemap in Google Search Console.
- Use canonical tags to prevent duplicates.
- Fix 404s on high-value pages.
3. Use structured data
Schema helps Google understand your business and content. Albanian sites often skip this, creating an easy advantage.
- Use LocalBusiness or ProfessionalService schema.
- Add FAQ schema to relevant pages.
- Validate with Rich Results Test.
4. Mobile experience wins in Albania
Most local searches happen on mobile. Pages must be easy to read, quick to load, and navigable with one hand.
- Keep buttons large enough for touch.
- Avoid fixed popups that block content.
- Test on slower Android devices.
5. Target the right language
If you offer Albanian and English, use clear language targeting. Hreflang tags help Google show the right version to the right user.
- Use separate URLs for Albanian and English.
- Add hreflang tags for en-AL and sq-AL.
- Keep translations human, not machine-only.
Key takeaway
Fixing performance and crawlability is the fastest way to lift rankings. Content works best when the foundation is solid.