Why Your SEO Company Should Be Asking for FTP Access

If your SEO company hasn’t asked for FTP access, it’s time to question whether they’re doing their job effectively.

Many critical SEO tasks require access to your website’s server files, and without it, they might be limited in what they can achieve.

Below are some essential SEO tasks that can’t be done without FTP access.

What is FTP?

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It’s a way for web developers or SEO experts to access the “back end” of your website to manage files directly. Think of it like having the keys to a locked filing cabinet that holds all the important files for your website. Be very careful who you give these details to—make sure you fully trust them, and always keep backups of your website.

1. Editing the .htaccess File

• Purpose:
  The .htaccess file is crucial for implementing 301 redirects, enabling Gzip compression, and controlling browser caching. These actions directly impact how your site performs in search results by improving site speed, URL structures, and redirect handling. If your SEO company isn’t asking for FTP access to edit this file, they’re missing out on optimising key technical factors that affect your website’s SEO performance.

2. Modifying functions.php in WordPress Themes

• Purpose:
  The functions.php file allows for adding important SEO-related code, such as custom meta tags, structured data, or code for performance improvements. These customisations can directly improve how search engines crawl and index your site. If your SEO team isn’t asking for access to this file, they could be missing opportunities to implement powerful backend SEO strategies.

3. Robots.txt File Updates

• Purpose:
  The robots.txt file tells search engine crawlers which parts of your website they should and should not index. SEO professionals need access to update this file to ensure only relevant pages are indexed and that crawl efficiency is maximised. If your SEO provider isn’t editing the robots.txt file, they may not be ensuring that your site is fully optimised for search engine visibility.

4. Optimising Site Speed (Server-side Adjustments)

• Purpose:
  Site speed is a key ranking factor for search engines, and FTP access is essential for optimising performance. Critical tasks like enabling Gzip compression, leveraging browser caching, and adjusting PHP scripts require server-side modifications that can only be done with FTP access. If your SEO company is not addressing site speed through server-side adjustments, they’re likely falling short in one of the most important areas for improving your site’s search engine rankings and user experience.

5. Editing CSS Files

• Purpose:
  CSS files control the appearance of your site, but they also impact its load time. Large, unoptimised CSS files can slow down your website, leading to poor user experience and a drop in SEO rankings. FTP access allows SEO experts to directly edit and minify CSS files, speeding up your site. If your SEO provider isn’t asking to optimise these files, they’re likely neglecting a crucial part of the technical SEO process.

6. Editing Coded Headers

• Purpose:
  The headers of your site contain key SEO elements like meta tags and structured data. These elements help search engines understand your content, ensuring that it is properly indexed and ranked. FTP access is required to edit header files directly, making sure these tags are implemented correctly. Without access to this area, your SEO company could be missing out on optimising the very parts of your site that affect your ranking in search results.

7. Finding Errors Hidden in Files

• Purpose:
  Errors within files like .htaccess, functions.php, or even CSS can cause issues that are not always visible but can still affect your site’s SEO and performance. These hidden errors might be causing broken links, improper redirects, or slow page load times, all of which can harm your site’s search engine rankings. FTP access is necessary to dig into these files, find hidden errors, and fix them. If your SEO team isn’t asking for access, they could be missing critical problems that need to be resolved.

Why FTP Access Matters for SEO

If your SEO company isn’t asking for FTP access, it’s a sign they may not be doing all the work necessary to optimise your website. FTP access is required for many essential tasks that improve your site’s performance, speed, and search engine rankings. Without this access, their ability to implement vital backend changes is severely limited.

In conclusion, if your SEO provider hasn’t requested FTP access, they may be overlooking important aspects of your site’s optimisation. It might be time to re-evaluate their approach and ensure they have the tools they need to do the job properly.

Questions to Ask Your SEO Company:

1. “Are you optimising site speed by enabling Gzip compression and leveraging browser caching?”
   • Why ask? These tasks require direct access to server files, such as .htaccess, which is crucial for improving site speed—a major SEO ranking factor.
   • Follow-up: “If not, why not take my FTP details to make those important adjustments?”
2. “Have you checked if my website is using proper security headers?”
   • Why ask? Security headers are important not only for security but also for building trust with search engines. You can easily check whether your website is using security headers by running a test on securityheaders.com. Properly implemented headers can help protect your site from attacks like cross-site scripting, and they often require updates through FTP access.
   • Follow-up: “Would you like my FTP details to ensure that security headers are properly configured?”