Learning basic coding enables you to do the following:
Improve communication with developers
Knowing the basics of web development helps SEOs and developers speak the same language. When you understand how HTML structures headings or how CSS affects page layouts, you can frame SEO requests in a way that aligns with developer workflows. It fosters collaboration and ensures SEO is integrated into the development process.
Make small changes yourself
Basic coding skills allow you to handle minor tweaks without relying on developers. This is invaluable when resources are tight or quick fixes like editing meta tags, adding alt text, or adjusting headings need to be made. It saves time and allows for rapid experimentation without disrupting site functionality.
Understand how websites work
HTML structures the page, CSS controls its appearance, and JavaScript powers interactions. SEOs who grasp these fundamentals can better diagnose issues like slow load times, poor mobile responsiveness, and content rendering problems—all impacting rankings.
Identify technical SEO issues
Technical SEO is about making websites easier to crawl and index. Knowing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript helps you audit a site properly and spot issues like JavaScript blocking search crawlers, broken HTML affecting accessibility, or CSS causing layout shifts. These are issues that hurt user experience and rankings.
Overcome resource constraints
You can still achieve lasting SEO results even with a small budget and team. Here’s how to outperform bigger competitors and consistently punch above your weight.
Identify quick wins
Focus on low-effort, high-impact tasks that deliver immediate results:
- Optimize title tags and meta descriptions: Small adjustments can boost click-through rates from search results.
- Improve internal linking: Better internal linking improves site navigation and distributes link equity more effectively.
- Update existing content: Instead of creating new content, refresh old posts with updated information to improve relevance and rankings.
Automate repetitive tasks
Many aspects of SEO are repetitive and time-consuming, but automation tools can save time.
Here’s how:
Conducting SEO audits: Tools like Moz Site Crawl can automate website audits, identifying broken links, duplicate content, and missing alt tags.
