Search Engine Optimization is essential for any website that wants to grow organically. Yet, many beginners unknowingly fall into common SEO mistakes that limit their website’s ability to rank, attract visitors, and convert. The good news? Every mistake can be fixed with the right strategy.
In this guide, we’ll break down the most common SEO errors, highlight related keywords such as SEO errors, on-page SEO issues, technical SEO problems, keyword mistakes, and ranking problems, and show you exactly how to fix them.
- Ignoring Keyword Research
Many beginners assume they know what users are searching for, but failing to perform proper keyword research leads to keyword mistakes that harm your SEO.
What Goes Wrong?
- Targeting keywords with too much competition
- Using keywords no one searches for
- Choosing irrelevant keywords
- Stuffing keywords unnaturally
- Not targeting **long-tail keywords
How to Fix It
- Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest
- Identify user intent: informational, transactional, or navigational
- Add long-tail keywords naturally
- Create content clusters around broader topics
Example: Instead of targeting “SEO,” try “how to fix SEO mistakes for beginners.”
- Not Optimizing On-Page Content
One of the most common on-page SEO issues is poor content formatting and lack of optimization.
What Goes Wrong?
- Missing headings
- No meta description or duplicated metas
- Missing image alt tags
- Thin or low-quality content
- Lack of internal linking
How to Fix It
- Use clear, structured headings
- Add compelling meta titles and descriptions
- Add alt text to every image
- Maintain at least 800–1200 words per blog
- Add internal links to guide user flow
- Publishing Duplicate or Low-Quality Content
Google prioritizes unique, high-value content. Beginners often make SEO errors like copying content or producing articles with no depth.
What Goes Wrong?
- Duplicate content across pages
- Copy-pasting from other websites
- Using AI-generated content without editing
- No fresh perspective or insights
How to Fix It
- Always write original content
- Update old posts with new data
- Add your own examples, case studies, or viewpoints
- Use plagiarism-checker tools regularly
- Slow Website Speed
A slow website is one of the biggest technical SEO problems and directly impacts rankings and user experience.
What Goes Wrong?
- Large unoptimized images
- Too many plugins
- Slow hosting
- Heavy themes and unnecessary scripts
How to Fix It
- Compress images using TinyPNG or WebP format
- Use a fast, lightweight theme
- Minify CSS and JavaScript
- Enable browser caching
- Upgrade to faster hosting or a CDN
Google expects pages to load under 3 seconds. Anything slower can hurt your ranking.
- Not Making the Website Mobile-Friendly
More than half of searches today happen on mobile. Not having a mobile-responsive design creates serious SEO mistakes.
What Goes Wrong?
- Text too small
- Elements too close together
- Pages not mobile responsive
- Slow mobile loading times
How to Fix It
- Use a mobile-responsive theme
- Test your site on multiple devices
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test
- Optimize mobile speed and design
Google uses mobile-first indexing, making this step critical.
- Not Building Backlinks
Backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking factors. Beginners often ignore link building, leading to ranking problems.
What Goes Wrong?
- No backlinks at all
- Low-quality or spammy backlinks
- Not diversifying anchor texts
- Only relying on directories
How to Fix It
- Write guest posts on niche websites
- Create shareable content (guides, infographics, tools)
- Use HARO to get media features
- Build internal links strategically
Backlinks act as “votes of confidence” that boost your site’s authority.
- Not Tracking SEO Performance
Many beginners publish content and simply hope it ranks—but without tracking data, you won’t know what’s working.
What Goes Wrong?
- No Google Analytics
- No Google Search Console
- Not tracking keyword performance
- Not analyzing CTR, bounce rate, or user behavior
How to Fix It
- Install Google Analytics 4
- Use Google Search Console for indexing and keyword data
- Track conversion goals
- Improve pages with high impressions but low clicks
This data-driven approach helps you avoid future SEO mistakes.
- Ignoring Technical SEO
Technical issues often go unnoticed but have a major impact on SEO health.
Common Technical SEO Problems
- Broken links
- Incorrect redirects
- Missing sitemap
- No robots.txt file
- Mixed content (HTTP/HTTPS issues)
- Crawl errors
How to Fix It
- Use tools like Screaming Frog or site audit tools
- Fix 404 errors and redirect chains
- Submit a sitemap via Search Console
- Clean up broken or outdated pages
Technical SEO ensures Google can crawl and index your site properly.
Conclusion
SEO can feel overwhelming, but almost every beginner struggles with similar SEO mistakes. The key is to understand what’s going wrong, fix each issue step-by-step, and focus on long-term growth. With proper keyword research, strong content, fast performance, and consistent tracking, your rankings will improve significantly.
Avoid common SEO errors, fix technical SEO problems, and build meaningful content—and your website will naturally see better visibility and traffic.
How Rohan Can Help You Fix Your SEO Mistakes
If you’re overwhelmed with SEO or unsure how to fix your SEO mistakes, Rohan can help you:
✔ Audit your website for SEO issues
✔ Fix technical SEO problems
✔ Improve website speed and mobile optimization
✔ Perform deep keyword research
✔ Create SEO-optimized content & blog strategies
✔ Build a long-term SEO roadmap
✔ Provide ongoing support and monthly progress reports
Rohan specializes in helping beginners avoid common SEO errors and build a solid foundation that leads to long-term organic growth.