How to Fix Your Website’s Most Common SEO Mistakes

Even the best-looking websites can struggle to show up on Google if they have hidden SEO problems. Small mistakes often make a big difference in how search engines view your site. The good news is that most of these issues are easy to find and fix once you know what to look for.

One of the most common problems is missing or poorly written title tags and meta descriptions. These pieces of text inform search engines and users about the content of each page. If your titles are too generic or stuffed with keywords, you might be hurting your chances of ranking well. As Google’s SEO Starter Guide notes, “Writing descriptive and concise titles for your pages is crucial.”

Another mistake is having broken links or pages that return a 404 error. Not only do these frustrate visitors, but they also signal to search engines that your site might not be well-maintained. Using tools like Google Search Console or simple link checkers can help you identify and resolve these issues quickly.

Slow load times are also a huge issue. If your website takes more than a few seconds to load, visitors may leave before they even see your content. Compressing images, reducing unnecessary scripts, and using modern hosting can all improve speed.

Ignoring mobile users is another major pitfall. With most searches now happening on phones, having a mobile-friendly design is essential. If people have to pinch and zoom to read your text or if buttons are too small to tap, they will likely move on to a competitor’s site.

Many businesses also forget to create high-quality, original content. Copying text from other websites or writing shallow articles just to fill space does not help your rankings. Google rewards content that truly answers questions and offers value to users.

By addressing these common mistakes such as optimizing your titles, fixing broken links, improving speed, making your site mobile-friendly, and publishing helpful content, you can boost your visibility and make your website more effective.

Sources

Google SEO Starter Guide, https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide
Moz Beginner’s Guide to SEO, https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo