G22 — Chapter 7 - Technical SEO

Criterion G22 : DNS prefetch — guide + checklist

PART 1 - Fundamentals Chapter 7 - Technical SEO Keyword : dns prefetch

Here we talk about a criterion that often makes a difference in audits.

The criterion **G22 — DNS prefetch** is part of our SEO checklist (335 criteria). Here, you have a **practical** method to check and fix it — with a concrete example.

What exactly this criterion covers

Here we talk about a criterion that often makes a difference in audits.

**G22 — DNS prefetch** (Chapter 7 - Technical SEO): <link rel=dns-prefetch> for anticipatory DNS resolution

Why it matters (SEO + UX)

Why it matters: it is a signal of understanding for the engine. When poorly applied, we often observe: ambiguity (wrong associated query), duplication between pages, or loss of performance on impressions.

On high-volume generated sites, this criterion also serves as a **safeguard**: a stable rule prevents 1,000 errors at once.

How to check (step by step)

Approach: quick audit (manual + 1 tool). Recommended tool: **Search Console (Links)**.

  1. Crawl (Screaming Frog): 200/301/404 + canonicals + depth.
  2. Check the anchor and target page (intent coherence).
  3. Verify stability (no useless parameters, no redirect chains).

Tip: first isolate 10 “representative” URLs (top pages + generated pages) before scaling the fix.

How to fix properly

Strategy: fix the minimum necessary, then stabilize.

  • Fix broken links (301/update targets).
  • Write **descriptive** anchors (subject + angle), not “click here”.
  • Build internal linking: pillar pages → subpages → backlinks.

Then: re-crawl 50–200 URLs, then monitor Search Console for 7–14 days (impressions/CTR/indexing).

Concrete example (illustrative)

Example (illustrative):

  • **Context**: FAQ page for restaurant in Lille
  • **Before**: Identical anchors everywhere (“click here”) + broken links.
  • **After**: Descriptive anchors + links to pillar pages (e.g., restaurant → FAQ page).
  • **Note**: Goal: better distribute internal popularity and guide crawl.

Checklist to tick

  • [ ] 0 critical broken link
  • [ ] Respects: <link rel=dns
  • [ ] Descriptive anchors
  • [ ] Internal linking to pillar pages
  • [ ] Reasonable depth
FAQ

Frequently asked questions — G22

What is the most common mistake on “DNS prefetch”?

Applying an automatic pattern too generic (same logic on all pages) without adding a differentiating element.

Which tool is fastest for large-scale checking?

For this type of criterion, a crawl (e.g. Screaming Frog) + targeted verification in Search Console (Links) is generally the fastest combo.

How to prevent this from recurring on 10K generated pages?

Freeze an auto-generation rule (title/structure/schema/URLs) + add automatic control (crawl or test) before production import.

Ready to go from theory to action?

Validate this criterion with an audit, then deepen the method in the Academy.

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