Crawling, indexing and ranking are different
Crawling is the discovery and retrieval of a URL. Indexing is a search system’s decision to store and consider that page. Ranking determines how a result is ordered for a query. A sitemap can help discovery, but it does not force indexing or guarantee a position.
A page needs a clear preferred address
A website can expose the same content through several addresses: with and without www, with tracking parameters or through category filters. Canonical links indicate a preferred version, while redirects can move visitors from old addresses. These signals should agree with your internal links and sitemap.
A successful response matters
An important page should return its content with an appropriate success status. A missing page should return a real not-found response and offer useful navigation. Showing an attractive page does not prove the status code is correct. Ask for evidence from the response as well as the screen.
Performance is an experience, not a badge
Images, fonts, scripts and third-party widgets can affect load time and responsiveness. Review the templates your visitors use most often. Ask whether measurements come from a lab test or real users, and which devices and networks are represented. Prioritize changes that make the enquiry or purchase journey easier.
Migrations need a destination map
Before changing a site’s structure, list important existing URLs and identify their equivalent destinations. Preserve useful content and avoid sending unrelated old pages to the homepage. After launch, check redirects, canonical links, forms, navigation and indexing settings. Keep the old map so unexpected traffic changes can be investigated.
Ask for a prioritized handoff
A useful technical report explains the issue, affected pages, proposed correction and validation method. Ask what blocks discovery, what harms visitors and what is a lower-priority improvement. It should also identify who can implement the change and whether testing or a rollback plan is needed.
Further reading: Google’s SEO Starter Guide.