Have you been publishing content, tweaking your website, maybe even hiring a freelancer here and there but your rankings on Google still haven’t moved? You’re not alone. As the owner of SEO Vizon, I talk to business owners all the time who feel like they’re doing “all the right things,” but their traffic is flat or worse, declining.
Here’s the truth: It’s not always about doing more SEO. Sometimes, it’s about stopping the mistakes that are quietly dragging your site down.
Let’s break down the:
Top 10 SEO mistakes that might be hurting your rankings
Let’s break down the:
1. Targeting Wrong Keywords
You’re Targeting the Wrong Keywords One of the most common things I see? People are creating great content but for the wrong search terms. Either they’re too competitive (“digital marketing” won’t help a local business rank), or they’re not what real people are searching for.
Fix it: Use keyword research tools to find phrases your audience is actually typing into Google. Go for long-tail, high-intent keywords that align with what you offer.
2. Ignoring Meta Title and Description
You’re Ignoring Your Title Tags and Meta Descriptions Let’s keep it real your title tag is the first impression you make in search results. And your meta description is your one-line pitch. If you leave them blank or just let your CMS auto-fill them, you’re leaving traffic on the table.
Fix it: Write every title and meta description on purpose. Make them specific. Include your main keyword. Speak to the reader’s intent.
3. Your Website is Not Mobile Friendly
Your Site Doesn’t Work Well on Mobile If your website looks weird or takes forever to load on a phone, that’s a problem not just for users, but for Google too. Remember, mobile-first indexing is here to stay.
Fix it: Test your site on multiple devices. If you have to pinch and zoom to read something, you need a responsive design update. It’s that simple.
4. Slow Speed Website
Your Website Is Too Slow People won’t wait around. If your site takes more than 3 seconds to load, a big chunk of your traffic is gone and Google notices that.
Fix it: Compress your images, clean up bloated code, and run a speed test using tools like PageSpeed Insights. Don’t overcomplicate it just start fixing the biggest issues first.
5. Thin and Low Value Content
Your Content Is Too Thin If your page has 200 words and your competitor has 1,200 words of helpful information, who do you think Google is going to rank higher?
Fix it: Add real value. Answer actual questions your audience has. Break things down simply. Don’t fluff it up just be helpful.
6. Not Using Proper Headings
You’re Not Using Headings the Right Way Think of headings (H1, H2, H3) like chapters in a book. If your content is just one long wall of text, it’s hard for both readers and search engines to make sense of it.
Fix it: Use one clear H1 tag per page (that’s your main title), then break things up with H2s and H3s. It helps with readability and SEO.
7. Broken Links
You Have Broken Links Nothing screams “outdated website” louder than clicking a link and landing on a 404 page. It’s bad for user experience and for your SEO.
Fix it: Run a crawl of your site (tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs can help), and clean up any broken links. Redirect old pages to relevant ones if needed.
8. Internal Links Problem
You’re Not Using Internal Links Internal links help Google understand your site structure—and they keep people browsing longer. Win-win.
Fix it: Whenever you create a new page or blog post, ask yourself: “What other pages on my site could I link to from here?” Then do it.
9. Images without Alt text
Your Images Are a Mess Huge file sizes. No alt tags. Random file names like “IMG_0456.” These all slow down your site and waste SEO potential.
Fix it: Rename your images with descriptive names (like “on-page-seo-checklist.jpg”), use alt text, and compress your files before uploading.
10. Not Using Search Console and Analytics
You’re Not Looking at the Data This one’s a bad approach. If you’re not checking Google Analytics or Search Console regularly, how do you know what’s working or what’s not?
Fix it: Set up both tools if you haven’t already. They’re free. Use them to track what keywords you’re ranking for, what pages people visit most, and where they’re dropping off.
Final Word (From Someone Who Does This Every Day)
Here’s the thing: SEO isn’t about gaming the system anymore. It’s about showing up, being useful, and staying consistent. And that starts with avoiding the basics that hurt your site without you even realizing it.
At SEO Vizon, we specialize in helping businesses just like yours get seen by the right people, at the right time. Whether you’re looking for a technical audit, better content, or a full SEO strategy, we’ve got the tools and experience to help you grow.
Want to find out what’s holding your site back? Let’s talk. We’ll show you exactly where the problems are and how to fix them.
