At Weblinx, we’re always emphasising that SEO isn’t just about ticking boxes. And the recent advice from Google reinforces this: you can execute perfect redirects, polish your link profile and run flawless site migrations, but if the overall quality of your site is lacking, none of these interventions will magically fix that.

Here’s what you need to know and what you should really be doing.

The core message from Google

At a recent event, Google reaffirmed two critical points:

• “Links / site-moves don’t solve quality issues”
• “Technical SEO doesn’t fix quality issues (but it’s good for other things!)”

In plain terms: you can migrate your site, consolidate URLs, and gain a few high-quality backlinks, but if the site doesn’t meet user expectations, it still won’t outrank competitors.

What does “quality issues” actually mean?

When Google talks about quality issues, they’re not necessarily referring to things like “my site looks ugly” or “I have no links”. Instead, they’re talking about whether your site genuinely satisfies user intent, offers value, and is trustworthy. For example:

• Does the content answer the query the user typed, or is it off-topic?
• Are you simply moving content around (via site moves/redirections) without improving the actual user experience?
• Are you relying on backlinks or technical fixes to mask underlying content or UX weaknesses?

In short: foundational SEO work (links, redirecting, crawling/infrastructure) is still vital, but it isn’t the whole story. It will never compensate for sub-par content or a weak UX.

Why this should matter to you

As an SEO consultant (and for your clients), this has practical implications:

• If a site has technical issues (slow load speed, bad mobile experience, crawling/indexing problems), you should fix them, but don’t expect these fixes to by themselves lift rankings unless your content is up to scratch.
• If you’re planning a site move (domain change, rebranding, URL restructure), great. But if you’re doing it and thinking, “Once this is done, we’ll magically rank higher,” think again. Without strong content and user value, that effort may yield little.
• If you’re chasing link acquisition aggressively thinking “more links = better ranking” yes, links matter. But not if the site looks weak or irrelevant once the click lands. Google’s message: links are not a substitute for value.

Technical SEO & site moves – Still important, just not “magic”

Let’s clarify: All the technical stuff still matters. The fact that Google emphasises “technical SEO doesn’t fix quality issues” implicitly confirms that technical SEO does serve important functions. For example:

• Ensuring your site is crawlable, indexable, mobile-friendly and secure.
• From a linking perspective: making sure your redirects are set up properly when you change URLs or move domains.
• Making sure your architecture, canonical tags, sitemap and robots.txt are configured so Google can find your pages.

But here’s the kicker: all of this is the foundation; your content and experience must then stand up to scrutiny.

Our approach: Three-phase strategy

1. Foundation phase – Technical & infrastructure
   Before anything else:
   • Audit crawlability, indexation status, page speed, mobile usability, and secure connection (HTTPS).
   • If you’re doing a site migration or domain change, plan it carefully: ensure 301 redirects, update canonical tags, adjust internal linking and sitemap, and communicate with Google where needed.
   • Review link profiles: Are you getting good links? Are there toxic ones? Are the links pointing to valuable content?
2. Quality phase – Content, UX & value
   This is where many fail. Ask:
   • Does each page deliver on what it promises in its headline, meta description and search snippet? If a user arrives there, is their need satisfied? (Google emphasises this point.)
   • Is the content well-written, organised, relevant, distinct from competitors and genuinely helpful?
   • Is the user experience smooth, quick loading, intuitive navigation, mobile-friendly, and minimal distractions/annoyances?
   • Are you managing site moves, redirects or link acquisitions in a way that preserves user value rather than disrupting it?
3. Growth Phase – Links, optimisation & continuous improvement
   Once you have a strong technical foundation and high-value content/UX:
   • Build meaningful links to genuinely great content (not just link-for-link’s-sake).
   • Optimise internal linking to spread equity, highlight your key pages, and make sure your architecture supports user journeys.
   • Monitor analytics and search console: what pages are underperforming? What content needs refreshment? What keywords are shifting?
   • Reinforce user value: update older content, consolidate underperforming pages, and remove or rework thin content.

A simple truth: You can’t shortcut quality

Let’s be brutally honest: too many businesses (and agencies) focus on technical or link metrics alone because they’re measurable and feel actionable. The problem: they ignore the harder work of making the site genuinely good. But as Google is signalling, you can’t shortcut that. The fastest redirect, the flashiest link, the biggest domain change, none will “fix” a poor site.

If you try to treat technical SEO as the fix rather than a necessary enabler, you’ll plateau. Rankings stagnate; traffic dries. Meanwhile, competitors with slightly less “perfect technicals” but significantly better content will overtake you.

What to do right now

Here’s what you should do this week:

• Audit your existing site: Look for pages where user intent isn’t being met, content is outdated or irrelevant, or the UX is weak.
• Check if any major site move or domain change is planned: if yes, ensure you have a complete redirect plan, sitemap update, internal link review, and canonical tags sorted.
• Run a crawl / indexation check: Are there unexpected 404s, soft 404s, blocked pages, or duplicate content issues?
• Look at your link profile: Are you building for volume or value? Do your inbound links land on valuable pages or weak ones?
• Prioritise content: For the top 10 – 20 high-value pages (for your business/clients), review whether they satisfy user needs better than the competition. If not, improve or replace them.

In summary

For Weblinx and for the clients we serve, our job isn’t merely to “fix SEO bits”. It’s to ensure the whole package works: the infrastructure, the links and, crucially, the quality of the site. Whilst technical SEO and site moves are vital, Google is clear: if your site doesn’t deliver real value, you won’t reap the rewards. The time and effort we invest in content and UX will determine whether those technical fixes and link gains translate into meaningful ranking and traffic improvements.

If you’d like us to carry out a full audit, technical, content and link profile, let’s talk. Because in today’s search environment, being “just okay” isn’t enough. You’ll be overtaken by those who do the fundamentals and deliver genuine value.