10 Top Common SEO Mistakes and Solutions

If people can’t find your website, your content might as well not exist. Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most critical digital marketing tactics — yet it’s easy to misstep.

Many businesses unknowingly make SEO mistakes that can hurt their rankings.

The good news? These mistakes are fixable. Zoe Marketing & Communications has supported companies with SEO since 2020. Here, we’ve identified frequent errors and how to solve them.

10 common mistakes with SEO and how to fix them

1. Overlooking basic on-page SEO

Google constantly scans websites for relevant, helpful content. If your pages lack optimized metadata, headers and keywords, your site won’t rank as well as it could.

Solutions

• Use title tags under 60 characters with primary keywords.
• Write meta descriptions under 160 characters that encourage clicks.
• Structure content with H1s, H2s and H3s for clarity.
• Aim for 300-700 words for blogs and around 300 words for landing pages.

2. Neglecting mobile optimization

More than 55% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing visitors and hurting your rankings.

Solutions

• Use responsive design (most website builders support this).
• Test your site using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
• Compress images to improve loading speed.
• Avoid tiny fonts, popups and Flash animations.

3. Ignoring user experience (UX)

A slow, cluttered or frustrating site can drive visitors away. Google tracks this behavior and penalizes bad UX with lower rankings.

Solutions

• Simplify navigation with clear menus and logical page structures.
• Use PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix speed issues.
• Regularly test your site’s UX by navigating it as a user would.

4. Keyword stuffing

Stuffing your pages with excessive keywords doesn’t help — it hurts. Google penalizes sites that try to manipulate rankings with unnatural phrasing.

Solutions

• Write for humans first, search engines second.
• Use Google Keyword Planner to find relevant, natural keywords.
• Focus on quality content that provides real value.

5. Not using analytics tools

If you’re not tracking your website’s performance, you’re missing key insights on what’s working (and what’s not).

Solutions

• Set up Google Analytics (GA4) to monitor site traffic.
• Use Google Search Console to track keyword rankings.
• Analyze conversion rates and bounce rates to refine strategies.

6. Skipping site speed optimization

If your website takes longer than 3 seconds to load, visitors will leave — and Google takes note.

Solutions

• Use Google PageSpeed Insights to assess site speed.
• Compress images and minimize unnecessary code.
• Enable browser caching to improve repeat visitor load times.

7. Missing internal linking and backlinks

Google prioritizes websites that show authority and connectivity — and linking plays a major role in that.

Solutions

• Add internal links to connect relevant pages within your site (a good guideline is 5-10 for every 2,000 words).
• Earn backlinks from trusted industry sites (but never buy them).
• Audit and remove low-quality backlinks that might hurt your rankings.

8. Having duplicate content

Search engines struggle when multiple pages contain identical content. They don’t know which to rank higher, diluting your SEO.

Solutions

• Use Google Search Console to identify duplicate content.
• Apply canonical tags to signal the “main” version of a page.
• Use 301 redirects if duplicate pages exist in error.

9. Bypassing local SEO

If your business serves a specific region, but you’re not optimizing for local search, you’re missing out.

Solutions

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile.
• Use location-based keywords (city, ZIP code, nearby landmarks).
• Get local backlinks from reputable sources.

10. Getting complacent

Google has about 200 ranking factors and updates its algorithms constantly. What worked last year might not work today.

Solutions

• Stay updated on Google’s latest SEO trends.
• Review analytics weekly and adjust accordingly.
• Audit and refresh old content to stay competitive.

Next steps for fixing and avoiding common SEO mistakes

SEO mistakes happen! But now, you know how to fix them. Making even small improvements can help boost your search rankings.

Need expert guidance? Talk to us at Zoe Marketing & Communications. We can optimize your SEO strategy and drive results.

Or, keep building your SEO knowledge with:

• What SEO is in digital marketing, including the 3 types
• Top tactics for a full-funnel marketing strategy