Search engine optimisation remains one of the most effective ways to drive organic traffic to your website. However, even small mistakes can significantly impact your search rankings and visibility.
Many website owners invest time and resources into their SEO strategy, only to see poor results. Often, this is due to common errors that quietly undermine their efforts. Understanding these mistakes, and knowing how to fix them, is essential for improving your search performance.
We spoke with Luke, one of our in-house SEO experts, to identify the most damaging SEO mistakes and provide actionable solutions for each one.
1 - Technical SEO Errors
Technical SEO forms the foundation of your website's search performance. While it may seem complex, addressing core technical issues can deliver significant results.
Pages Not Indexed by Google
One of the most critical technical issues occurs when pages aren't indexed by search engines. This means your content is essentially invisible to potential visitors, regardless of its quality.
"We often find sites that are telling Google, 'don't list this website on Google. Don't index this page,'" Luke explains. "It's crazy because you might be putting all this effort into this page, and if you've told Google to not do that, it's all for nothing."
This issue is particularly common with e-commerce sites. Luke has discovered product pages set to "no index" while businesses actively try to sell those products.
How to Fix It
- Use Google Search Console to verify which pages are indexed
- Check the "Pages" report for excluded pages and identify the reasons
- Review your robots.txt file at yourdomain.com/robots.txt for blocking directives
- Inspect page source code for tags
- Submit an updated sitemap to Google Search Console
Duplicate Content Issues
Duplicate content occurs when similar or identical content appears on multiple pages across your site. This confuses search engines and dilutes your ranking potential. It also creates a poor user experience.
Common causes include:
- Product variations with identical descriptions
- Location pages using templated content
- Multiple URL versions (HTTP vs HTTPS, www vs non-www)
- Print-friendly page versions
- URL parameters creating duplicate pages
How to Fix It
- Implement canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of duplicate pages
- Consolidate thin or duplicate content into single, comprehensive pages
- Set up 301 redirects from duplicate URLs to the primary version
- Configure URL parameters correctly in Google Search Console
- Rewrite templated content to ensure uniqueness
Slow Page Load Speed
Site speed directly impacts both user experience and search rankings. Google has confirmed page speed as a ranking factor since 2010, and Core Web Vitals have made it even more important.
While some optimisation requires developer expertise, the solution can sometimes be straightforward. Even upgrading hosting quality or choosing better server locations can make a significant difference.
How to Fix It
- Analyse your site using Google PageSpeed Insights and Core Web Vitals reports
- Compress and optimise all images
- Enable browser caching to store static resources
- Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files
- Implement a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to serve content from multiple locations
- Consider upgrading from shared or budget hosting plans
- Add lazy loading for images and videos below the fold
- Remove or defer unused plugins and scripts
Broken Links and 404 Errors
Broken links create a poor user experience and signal to search engines that your site may not be well-maintained. When users encounter 404 errors, they typically leave immediately, which increases bounce rates and can negatively impact rankings.
Orphan pages present a related issue. These are pages that exist on your site but lack connections to your internal linking structure, making them difficult for both users and search engines to discover.
How to Fix It
- Conduct regular link audits using tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs
- Implement 301 redirects for all moved or deleted pages
- Create a custom 404 page that guides users to relevant content
- Ensure every page is accessible within 3-4 clicks from your homepage
- Develop a logical internal linking structure connecting related content
- Use descriptive anchor text for all internal links
Missing or Improperly Configured XML Sitemap
An XML sitemap serves as a roadmap for search engines, indicating which pages are important and how your site is structured. Without one, search engines must work harder to discover and understand your content.
How to Fix It
- Generate an XML sitemap using your CMS or a dedicated plugin
- Submit your sitemap to both Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools
- Include only indexable pages (exclude 404 errors, redirected URLs, and noindex pages)
- Update your sitemap automatically as you add or remove pages
- Keep individual sitemap files under 50,000 URLs
Lack of HTTPS Security
Website security is a confirmed ranking factor. Sites using HTTP instead of HTTPS not only rank lower but also lose user trust, particularly on pages requesting personal information.
How to Fix It
- Obtain and install an SSL certificate (many hosting providers offer free SSL via Let's Encrypt)
- Migrate all content from HTTP to HTTPS
- Update all internal links to use HTTPS URLs
- Implement 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS versions
- Update your Google Search Console property to reflect the HTTPS version
2 - Keyword Strategy Mistakes
Keyword selection and implementation form the cornerstone of SEO success. Poor keyword strategy wastes effort and produces minimal results.
Targeting Too Many Keywords Simultaneously
Many businesses attempt to rank for numerous keywords at once, diluting their efforts and achieving poor results across all targets. A more effective approach involves focusing on a narrow set of highly relevant keywords, building authority for those terms, and then gradually expanding to additional targets.
How to Fix It
- Identify 5-10 core keywords highly relevant to your business and offerings
- Prioritise long-tail keywords with clear commercial intent
- Evaluate keyword difficulty before committing resources
- Group semantically related keywords to create topic-focused content
- Monitor progress with initial keywords before expanding to additional targets
Mismatched Search Intent
Achieving rankings for keywords that don't match user intent wastes both your efforts and the user's time. Search intent falls into four categories:
- Informational: Users seek knowledge or answers
- Navigational: Users want to reach a specific website or page
- Commercial: Users research options before making a purchase decision
- Transactional: Users are ready to complete a purchase or conversion
How to Fix It
- Analyse current top-ranking pages for your target keywords
- Match your content format to what currently ranks (blog posts, product pages, videos, etc.)
- Ensure your content comprehensively addresses the user's query
- Align page types with intent (avoid creating product pages for informational queries)
Keyword Stuffing and Over-Optimisation
While early SEO practices often involved excessive keyword repetition, modern algorithms penalise this approach. Users also recognise and dislike over-optimised content, as unnatural keyword usage makes text difficult to read and signals manipulation rather than genuine value.
How to Fix It
- Write primarily for human readers, with search engines as a secondary consideration
- Use synonyms, related terms, and natural language variations
- Read content aloud to identify unnatural phrasing
- Focus on comprehensive topic coverage rather than keyword density
- Aim for keyword density between 1-2% as a general guideline
Neglecting Long-Tail Keywords
While high-volume keywords attract attention, long-tail keywords (specific, multi-word phrases) often deliver better conversion rates and face less competition.
How to Fix It
- Utilise Google's "People Also Ask" and "Related Searches" sections for keyword ideas
- Develop content addressing specific questions your target audience asks
- Target "[topic] + [modifier]" combinations such as "best," "how to," "reviews," or "near me"
- Build content clusters with pillar pages supported by long-tail keyword articles
3 - On-Page SEO Mistakes
On-page optimisation directly impacts how search engines understand and rank your content. These errors are typically straightforward to correct.
Poor Heading Tag Structure
Heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) help search engines understand content hierarchy and importance. Improper use of these tags diminishes their effectiveness.
Think of your page structure like a book. Your H1 represents the title, establishing the main topic. H2s function as chapter titles, breaking the content into major sections. H3s serve as subheadings within those chapters, providing further detail. This logical structure helps both search engines and users understand your content organisation.
How to Fix It
- Use one H1 tag per page as your primary headline
- Incorporate your primary keyword naturally into the H1
- Structure H2 and H3 tags in a logical, hierarchical manner
- Avoid skipping heading levels (e.g., jumping from H2 to H4)
- Make headings descriptive and useful for users scanning the page
- Ensure each heading accurately reflects the content in its section
Inadequate Title Tag Optimisation
Title tags serve as the clickable headline in search engine results pages (SERPs). They represent one of the most significant on-page SEO elements, yet many sites leave them generic or poorly optimised.
How to Fix It
- Maintain title tag length between 50-60 characters to prevent truncation
- Position your primary keyword near the beginning of the title
- Analyse top-ranking competitors’ title tags to understand what Google favours.
- Create compelling, click-worthy titles that accurately represent content
- Ensure every page has a unique title tag
- Avoid keyword stuffing or misleading clickbait tactics
Ineffective Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions function as advertising copy in search results. Although they might not directly impact rankings, they do significantly influence click-through rates. Many businesses either paste excessive text into meta descriptions or allow them to generate automatically, missing valuable optimisation opportunities.
How to Fix It
- Keep meta descriptions between 150-160 characters
- Write concise, persuasive copy that encourages clicks
- Include your primary keyword naturally (it appears bold in search results)
- Accurately summarise the page's content
- Create unique meta descriptions for each page
- Include calls-to-action where appropriate
If you find yourself struggling to naturally incorporate keywords into your meta description, this may indicate a mismatch between your keyword target and the actual page content.
Missing Image Alt Text
Alt text (alternative text) serves multiple purposes: it helps search engines understand image content, improves accessibility for visually impaired users, and provides additional keyword opportunities.
How to Fix It
- Write descriptive alt text for every meaningful image on your site
- Be specific about what each image depicts
- Include relevant keywords only when they naturally fit the image description
- Limit alt text to approximately 125 characters
- Avoid starting with phrases like "image of" or "picture of"
- Use empty alt text (alt="") for purely decorative images
Thin or Low-Value Content
Search engines prioritise comprehensive, valuable content that thoroughly addresses user queries. Pages with minimal content rarely achieve strong rankings.
How to Fix It
- Focus on content depth and quality rather than arbitrary word counts
- Address topics comprehensively, answering related questions within the content
- Include unique insights, original data, or expert perspectives
- Regularly update existing content to maintain relevance and accuracy
- Consolidate multiple thin pages into comprehensive resources
- Add multimedia elements (images, videos, infographics) to increase value
Non-Optimised URL Structure
URL structure affects both search engine understanding and user experience. Clean, descriptive URLs perform better than complex, parameter-heavy alternatives.
How to Fix It
- Create short, descriptive URLs that indicate page content
- Include your target keyword in the URL
- Use hyphens to separate words (not underscores or other characters)
- Minimise the use of parameters and session IDs
- Keep URL structure simple and logical
- Implement proper redirects when changing URLs
4 - Content Quality and Freshness Issues
Content quality directly impacts search performance and user engagement.
Outdated Content
Search engines favour current, accurate information. Outdated content signals that a site lacks proper maintenance.
How to Fix It
- Establish a regular content audit schedule
- Update statistics, examples, and references to maintain accuracy
- Expand existing content with new sections addressing emerging subtopics
- Update publication dates when making substantial revisions
- Remove or redirect content that cannot be meaningfully updated
Lack of Content Diversity
Different users prefer different content formats. Relying solely on text limits your content's reach and engagement potential.
How to Fix It
- Incorporate relevant images, infographics, and data visualisations
- Add video content where it improves understanding
- Develop downloadable resources such as PDFs, templates, and checklists
- Use tables and charts to organise complex information
- Consider interactive elements where appropriate
Insufficient Topic Coverage
Content that provides only surface-level information struggles to compete against comprehensive resources.
How to Fix It
- Research competing content to understand the standard for topic coverage
- Address all questions users might have about the topic
- Use "People Also Ask" boxes in search results to identify subtopics
- Include expert insights, such as interviews with industry professionals, to provide unique value
- Develop content clusters with comprehensive pillar pages supported by detailed subtopic articles
5 - Link Building Errors
Backlinks remain a crucial ranking factor, but quality matters significantly more than quantity.
Prioritising Link Quantity Over Quality
Natural backlinks occur when other sites reference your valuable content. However, many businesses pursue any backlink they can obtain, regardless of quality. The reality is that one high-quality link from an authoritative, relevant site provides far more value than numerous low-quality links from irrelevant sources with little traffic.
How to Fix It
- Focus on acquiring links from authoritative sites within your industry
- Create linkable assets such as original research, comprehensive guides, or useful tools
- Pursue guest posting opportunities only on quality, relevant websites
- Build genuine relationships before requesting links
- Regularly monitor your backlink profile and disavow toxic links
Acquiring Irrelevant Backlinks
Backlink relevance significantly impacts their value. Links from unrelated websites appear suspicious to search engines. For example, a website about pet care receiving backlinks from automotive sites raises red flags, as there's no logical reason for such a connection to occur naturally.
How to Fix It
- Pursue links only from websites in your niche or closely related industries
- Verify that potential linking sites receive genuine organic traffic
- Avoid link schemes, link exchanges, and low-quality paid links
- Evaluate Domain Authority and traffic metrics before pursuing backlinks
- Consider whether each link would make sense to a human reader
Neglecting Internal Linking
While external backlinks receive significant attention, internal linking is often overlooked despite being entirely within your control and highly effective.
How to Fix It
- Create links between related content throughout your site
- Use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text that indicates the destination page's content
- Create main pages with helpful, detailed information (cornerstone content) and support them with
- smaller articles on related topics that link back to it.
- Ensure important pages receive more internal links than less important pages
- Maintain a natural linking pattern rather than excessive cross-linking
Over-Optimised Anchor Text
Anchor text (the clickable text in a link) helps search engines understand the destination page's content. However, excessive use of exact-match anchor text can trigger spam filters.
How to Fix It
- Vary anchor text naturally across all backlinks
- Include branded anchors using your company name
- Employ partial-match keywords rather than always using exact matches
- Allow natural language to guide anchor text selection
6 - Local SEO Mistakes
Local SEO mistakes can be particularly costly for businesses serving specific geographic areas.
Inconsistent NAP Information
NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) consistency is fundamental to local SEO success. Inconsistent information across the web confuses search engines and undermines trust.
"Have that consistent across all of your touch points with Google. Whether that be your social media, your Google business profile, your website, any local listings or citations you have, like on yellow pages, white pages. Make sure your business name is actually what's listed on your ABN or your official business name or your website. It all matches exactly," Luke emphasises.
He explains the reasoning: "Google has to work out that consensus of like, yeah, cool, this is a legitimate business. This is what their info is. We know this because we have multiple verified and trusted sources that all say the same thing. If you start messing with that, then that all goes out the window."
How to Fix It
- Audit all online listings to ensure NAP consistency
- Use identical formatting everywhere, including suite numbers and abbreviations
- Update all listings immediately when relocating or changing contact information
- Consider using citation management tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal
For established businesses with numerous existing citations, professional assistance may be necessary—Luke notes it's "a big job even for someone that is experienced in doing it"
For new businesses, establish consistency from the beginning
Unoptimised Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile has become central to local search visibility. Businesses without optimised profiles miss significant opportunities for local customer acquisition.
Many businesses fail to claim their profile at all, while others claim it but leave sections incomplete. Google Business Profile now functions as a comprehensive hub for business information, customer interaction, and local visibility.
How to Fix It
- Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
- Complete every available section, including hours, services, and attributes
- Select the most specific and accurate business category
- Upload high-quality photos regularly, including exterior shots, interior views, products, and team members
- Publish weekly updates, offers, and announcements
- List all products and services with detailed descriptions
- Enable messaging features if you can respond promptly
- Add booking links where applicable
- Use Google Posts to share timely updates
Insufficient Local Citations
Local citations (directory listings) provide powerful backlinks for local businesses and are typically free to create. These listings appear on platforms like Yellow Pages, industry-specific directories, and local business associations.
Citations are valuable because they signal business legitimacy. Businesses that want customers naturally list themselves in relevant directories, making the absence of such listings a potential red flag for search engines.
How to Fix It
- Create listings on major directories, including Google Business Profile, Bing Places, and Apple Maps
- Add your business to industry-specific directories relevant to your field
- Claim listings on local directories such as Chamber of Commerce and local business associations
- Maintain NAP consistency across all citation sources
- Include your website URL and a complete business description
- Focus on legitimate, quality directories rather than pursuing every possible listing
Poor Review Management
Reviews impact both search rankings and customer decisions. How businesses respond to reviews matters significantly for both SEO performance and potential customer perception.
Responding to positive reviews reinforces customer relationships and demonstrates active engagement. Responding to negative reviews professionally shows potential customers that you take feedback seriously and work to resolve issues.
How to Fix It
- Respond professionally to every review, both positive and negative
- Thank reviewers and acknowledge specific points mentioned in their feedback
- Address negative reviews professionally and offer to resolve issues privately
- Ask happy customers to share their experience through reviews, no incentives needed.
- Provide direct links to review platforms to simplify the process
- Monitor reviews across all platforms, not just Google
Neglecting "Near Me" Search Optimisation
"Near Me" searches have grown substantially with mobile device usage. These searches often indicate high purchase intent.
Solutions:
- Ensure your Google Business Profile contains complete, accurate information
- Incorporate local keywords naturally into content (e.g., "Melbourne plumber" rather than just "plumber")
- Create dedicated pages for each service area if you operate in multiple locations
- Include city and region names in title tags and meta descriptions
- Implement location schema markup on your website
- Verify that your website functions properly on mobile devices
7 - Mobile Optimisation Mistakes
Mobile-first indexing means Google primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking purposes.
Non-Responsive Website Design
Websites that function poorly on mobile devices lose both rankings and visitors.
How to Fix It
- Implement responsive design that adapts seamlessly to all screen sizes
- Test your site using Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool
- Ensure tap targets (buttons and links) are appropriately sized and spaced
- Simplify form completion on mobile devices
- Avoid intrusive interstitials that cover content on mobile screens
- Ensure text remains readable without requiring zoom
Poor Mobile Loading Speed
Mobile users demonstrate even less patience than desktop users. Slow mobile sites experience higher bounce rates and lower conversions.
How to Fix It
- Optimise all images specifically for mobile delivery
- Reduce server response time
- Minimise mobile redirects
- Implement browser caching effectively
- Consider using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) for blog content where appropriate
8 - Analytics and Measurement Errors
Proper tracking and analysis are essential for measuring SEO success and identifying improvement opportunities.
Not Utilising Google Search Console
Google Search Console provides direct insights from Google about your site's performance, yet many site owners fail to use it.
How to Fix It
- Set up Google Search Console immediately if not already configured
- Submit your XML sitemap
- Monitor regularly for crawl errors and security issues
- Analyse which search queries drive traffic to your site
- Track Core Web Vitals performance metrics
- Identify and resolve indexing issues promptly
Focusing on Wrong Metrics
While rankings provide useful information, they don't directly generate revenue. Focus on metrics that align with business objectives.
How to Fix It
- Track organic traffic volume and trends
- Monitor conversion rates from organic traffic
- Analyse assisted conversions and multi-touch attribution
- Review bounce rates and time-on-page metrics
- Configure goal tracking in Google Analytics to measure specific conversions
- Track keyword rankings but avoid obsessing over daily fluctuations
Tools for SEO Diagnosis and Improvement
Various tools can help identify and resolve SEO issues:
Free Tools:
- Google Search Console: Provides direct insights into indexing status, performance, and issues
- Google Analytics: Tracks traffic sources, user behavior, and conversions
- PageSpeed Insights & Lighthouse: Analyses site speed and provides optimisation recommendations
- Google Business Profile: Essential for local SEO management
- Google Mobile-Friendly Test: Evaluates mobile optimisation
Paid Tools:
- SEMrush: Offers comprehensive site audits, keyword research, and competitive analysis
- Ahrefs: Specialises in backlink analysis and competitive research
- Screaming Frog: Provides detailed technical SEO audits
- Moz Pro: Includes keyword research, rank tracking, and site auditing capabilities
While these tools provide valuable data, effectively using them requires understanding both what to look for and how to interpret the results. For basic monitoring, ensure pages are indexed and your site functions properly. For more complex technical issues, consulting experienced professionals or agencies often delivers better results.
Priority Action Checklist
For businesses new to SEO or feeling overwhelmed, focus on these high-impact basics first:
Technical Foundation:
- Verify important pages are indexed in Google Search Console
- Identify and fix broken links (404 errors)
- Ensure HTTPS security is properly implemented
- Submit XML sitemap to Google Search Console
- Analyse and improve site speed
On-Page Optimisation:
- Ensure every page has a unique, descriptive title tag
- Write compelling meta descriptions for key pages
- Implement proper heading structure (one H1 per page, logical hierarchy)
- Add descriptive alt text to all images
- Resolve duplicate content issues
- Maintain a natural and logical internal linking structure, avoiding unnecessary cross-linking or excessive interlinking between pages.
Keyword Strategy:
- Identify 5-10 core keywords aligned with business goals
- Verify content matches search intent for target keywords
- Remove excessive keyword repetition
Local SEO (for local businesses):
- Claim and optimise Google Business Profile
- Verify NAP consistency across website and major directories
- Respond to all reviews
- Create citations in relevant local directories
Content Quality:
- Audit key pages for thin content and expand as needed
- Update outdated information
- Implement internal linking between related pages
Ready to Fix Your SEO Mistakes?
SEO mistakes are widespread across most websites. However, most problems are correctable with the right approach and priorities.
Addressing these fundamental issues positions your site ahead of competitors making similar mistakes without recognition. Begin with the priority checklist provided, utilise available free tools, and engage expert assistance for complex technical challenges when necessary.
SEO improvement is an ongoing process rather than a one-time fix. Consistent attention to these fundamentals yields compounding returns over time. At Websites That Sell, we help ensure your website is free from these common SEO mistakes. Our team can dive into your site, uncover what’s holding back your rankings, and show you exactly how to fix it. For more information, explore the SEO services we offer to help your business grow.