5 common website mistakes that are hurting your SEO

Search engine optimisation, SEO or SEM, can feel like a tricky puzzle that keeps moving around the board. You know that it's important for your online success, but sometimes figuring out what actually works and what doesn't can be a bit .... confusing. Let's be honest, most people don't have time to be diving into SEO every single day unless you are the dedicated SEO Guru for your organisation. However, here's the thing. If you are unknowingly making any one of these 5 common website mistakes, your SEO could be flopping without you even realising it.

Not only can your rankings be moving downwards rather than up, but they may also be impacting the engagement and sales of people that do reach your site. Don't worry! In this post, I'll break down the five biggest SEO blunders and show you how you can go about fixing them.

1. Ignoring mobile optimisation

   Because, who isn't on their phones nowadays?

   If your website hasn't been optimised for mobile devices, it isn't just a minor inconvenience: it can be a major dealbreaker! Google loves websites that are mobile-friendly, and they will bump you down the rankings if your site doesn't meet the basic requirements. Plus think about it this way, with more than half of the global web traffic coming from mobile devices, people will naturally bounce off your website if it doesn't look good on their phones.

   How to fix it

   • Responsive design: This means that you want your website to adjust seamlessly no matter the device. You want to make sure that you have a view of your website across different breakpoints. Look at tools at platforms that offer you the flexibility to adapt this easily.

   • Mobile testing tools: You can use tools such as Google's Mobile-Friendly Test or Bing's Mobile Friendliness Test, to make sure that your website is getting top marks.

   
   

2. Slow loading speeds

   Who has time for slow loading speeds?
   

   It's 2025. No-one has any patience for slow websites. If your site is taking more than a couple of seconds to be loading, you've already lost that visitor you've been working super hard to even land on your website. Search engines are paying attention to that and will notice if people are leaving your site fast. If yours is not pulling it's weight with fast-loading web pages, then expect a dip in your rankings.
   

   How to fix it

   • Compress images: Large images slow your site way down. Think of trying to run a sprint through mud. Use tools like TinyPNG to reduce your image size without compromising on sharpness and clarity. If your business is built on visual representation of your work, then be sure to check back for a blog on tips for how to showcase your portfolio effectively.

   • Reduce any redirects: Clean up your redirects and fix broken links. Consider that poor person or visiting bot from search engines taking an unnecessary detour on a road trip - it just wastes time!

   • Caching is your friend: Consider setting up caching on your site so that visitors don't have to reload your whole site every time they visit back. Fast, repeat visits equals happy users. Happy users = happy search engines!
     

3. Keyword stuffing and poor keyword strategy

   Nobody like a stuffed page, especially search engines.

   It may be tempting to stuff your content with as many keywords as possible, and while this may have been a strategy back in the 1990s, it is now a classic case of "just don't do it!" Keyword stuffing makes your content look awful, awkward and downright spammy. Not only does it annoy your users and confuse search engines, it will negatively impact your ranking. On the flip side, if you are targeting completely irrelevant keywords, you might as well be fishing with a broken reel - unlikely you'll catch anything... How to fix it

   • Keyword research: There are plenty of tools out there for keyword research that help you find keywords that actually make sense for your target audience. Look for terms which have a fairly sizeable search volume and lower competition.

   • Natural keyword use: We'll cover this in another article, but make sure to sprinkle your keywords naturally into your text. If you focus on creating value content that lows and makes sense to the reader, you will find greater benefits than just rankings.

   • Long-tail keywords: Instead of focusing on a broad keyword, think of questions that your users may be asking. For example, instead of "SEO", long-tailed phrases such as "best SEO tips for beginners", or "how to fix website SEO" will be easier to rank for and much more targeted.

   
   

4. Neglecting on-page SEO

   It's like leaving the house with all of the windows and doors open.

   You are leaving SEO points on the table, if the content on your page, think titles, headers and meta descriptions are not optimised. These are the elements that tell search engines what your page is all about. It helps the bots determine how to rank you, so don't waste the opportunity by skipping them. Not to mention how difficult you're making your content for your reader.
   

   How to fix it

   • Optimise your titles: Make sure that each of your pages has a clear and catchy title, with your main keyword included. This is your first impression, both to search engines and to your visitors: make it count.

   • Structure your tags: Header tags, think H1, H2, or H3, break up the content and organise it logically. Search engines pay attention to this structure and to headers, so be sure to throw in your relevant keywords where appropriate. No stuffing please...

   • Meta descriptions: This is that bite-sized preview of your page in search results sitting under the page title. Make it compelling and include your page keyword. A good description is more likely to get more people to click through.
     

5. Forgetting about user experience

   No one likes a cluttered, unnavigable website

   Not only are people impatient with slow load times, but they judge a website without seconds of landing onto it. If your website is cluttered, feels hard to navigate, or looks like it time-warped from the 80s, visitors will bounce. Guess what? Bounce rate impacts your SEO and ranking. If you website experience is frustrating, search engines will not be rewarding you with higher rankings...

   How to fix it

   • Simplify navigation: Your website needs to be easy to navigate. Much like a walk in the park, not a labyrinth with plenty of dead ends. Make sure that your menus are clear and that users can find what they're looking for in just a couple of clicks.

   • Internal linking: Not everything needs to be on your main menu bar. Guide visitors to other valuable content on your site using internal links. It helps people engage and stay on your website longer, and boosts SEO.

   • Interactive elements: Double check all of your buttons, forms and links to make sure that they actually work and are easy to find. Think of the last time you were trying to close a window, only for the X button to not work. Frustrating - so don't let your visitors down.

If your website is not living up to it's full SEO potential, it's time for you to make some changes. By fixing these five common mistakes - mobile optimisation issues, slow load times, poor keyword strategy, forgetting your on-page SEO, and a poor user experience - you'll be well on your way to a site that is ranking better and gets you more traffic. It's all about getting your website noticed. Make it a better place for your your visitors, and when you do that, search engines will notice and reward you.

So go ahead and give your website a quick audit, fix what's broken and let your SEO work for you.

Need a hand? Drop a comment or reach out - that's what we're here for!