Top Common SEO Mistakes Businesses – Large or Small – Make
I’ve been asked to do a short presentation on the topic of common SEO mistakes businesses make. Small businesses and large enterprises alike are missing some good opportunities when it comes to their search engine optimization. That presentation sparked the creation of this blog post. I’ve started of with five, only to reduce them to four but since this is an open document.
I will add as we go so please come back and check out for any new additions. I also asked fellow SEOs and digital marketers so you’ll see their quotes throughout this article.
It depends – is an answer you’ll often get it SEO. No good presentation starts without defining the acronyms. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization (fun fact – “optimization” is also correct but not used in North America, and if you Google both, you’ll see slightly different results). If you ask 10 people, they’ll probably give you 10 different definitions, all of them being correct. My definition of SEO is this:
Search Engine Optimization is figuring out how to be on top of the Google Search Result Pages (also referred to as SERP) without giving money to Google through Google Ads.
Now you noticed how I chose my words carefully – I did not say “free” because SEO is many things but free is not one of them.
I often describe SEO as being a three-legged stool:
backlinks,
site architecture (I include here technical and UX – user experience, UI, site speed, etc) and
content – not only optimized pages but high-quality content:
Blogs
Videos
Podcasts
Webinars
Case studies
As you will see, not all legs are equal, tho. I would argue that content can trump everything else (unless there are some major technical SEO issues that need to be addressed ASAP. Event if there are many similarities, each SEO campaign is unique thus needs to be treated as such.
What Does Google Want?
As I told my audience, if you need to remember a single thing about SEO, that single thing is this:
Google will always try to show their users, the people who perform the queries, the best possible answer for that query!
One of the world’s biggest companies, with billions of dollars in revenue and we’ve figured out how it works and what it wants – YAY.
Do All Businesses Need SEO?
The short answer is yes, they do. The real question is – do they need to invest heavily in SEO from the start? In many cases, you might see faster results if you invest your budget in paid ads, for example – that’s a reality. But we won’t be discussing this today.
So, what are some common SEO mistakes businesses – LARGE or small – make with their SEO?
Mistake no. 1: Falling for Misinformation
Trusting salespeople without verifying their claims.
Have you ever spoken with those overly enthusiastic salespersons who make big promises but deliver little? I used to work for some, not too long. But here’s the thing. They will promise you the world just to sign the contract and put you on a monthly retainer and then….. crickets. Overpromise and underdeliver. This is quite common for large agencies with a history, often prioritizing their internal tasks rather than the client’s satisfaction, often resulting in the client’s saying I’ve paid money for SEO and it did nothing for me.
One SEO mistake that isn’t often discussed is the focus on ‘SEO-first’ content creation. Too many businesses, both large and small, produce content aimed solely at ranking without considering other business uses. With economic pressures pushing for higher returns on investment, it’s essential that content also be used for lead generation, onboarding, and customer success. Well-planned content serves multiple functions and still helps you rank. Additionally, as Google’s focus has shifted toward topical authority, creating thin, keyword-stuffed content does more harm than good. Cover topics thoroughly and demonstrate interrelatedness to build authority and rank higher over time.
Wasted resources on ineffective SEO strategies.
Many businesses pour time and money into tactics that don’t give results, often due to misleading advice or poorly executed plans. For example, building some local citations that your business might or might not need. I will note here that many businesses don’t really engage with their campaign managers – a topic for another conversation, but what you need to know is that SEO is a team effort, and the most successful campaigns are the ones that have the client engaged.
(Not) Verifying the credibility of SEO providers before committing
This also can lead to disappointing results. It’s essential to do your research, ask for case studies, and check their track record and references to ensure they can deliver on their promises.
Do a Google search and see where THEY rank for a keyword that’s relevant to them.
One common mistake to avoid is beware of duplicate content. With more brands using dynamically created websites, content management systems, and practicing global SEO, the problem of duplicate content plagues many websites which can confuse search engine crawlers and prevent the correct content from being served to your target audience. Search engines don’t want to show multiple pages with the same content, so they must decide which page is the best fit. Visibility falls for every duplicate page, which reduces your link exposure. External sites could link to a duplicate page rather than your “preferred” location. If different sites link to different versions of the same page, you’re diluting the value of these external links. You can use Google to check for URLs leading to duplicate content, or you can use a free online duplicate content checker. You work hard to get your strong rankings so don’t let that effort go to waste unnecessarily or by accident.
Mistake no. 2: Not Understanding the Value of SEO
Most business owners don’t understand the value; until they do, and realize the potential of this channel.
Focusing only on costs without recognizing long-term benefits.
Focusing only on the costs of SEO without considering the long-term benefits can be a mistake. While the initial expense might seem high, the return on investment over time—through increased traffic, visibility, brand awareness and sales—makes it worthwhile.
It’s important to see SEO as an investment in your business’s future growth rather than just an upfront cost. You noticed how this excluded from the start the statement “SEO is free.” How many of you were under the impression that SEO is free?
We see a lot of it happening across client sites: they have too many orphan pages, so any backlinks they get end up only going to that one page when the link juice could be distributed across other pages that get internal links. The core cause is the fact that you have to manually insert internal links, but your writers or editors can add them before publishing, and it goes a long way to increasing Domain Authority!
Missing out on significant growth opportunities.
This can happen when businesses overlook the potential of effective SEO. Without a strong SEO strategy, you might not reach your full audience, leaving valuable traffic, leads, and sales = aka money – on the table. It’s important to see SEO as a key driver of growth that can open up new markets and expand your business’s reach. I’ve seen that happening.
Businesses often fail to update their content regularly. Stale or outdated information reduces search engine visibility and relevance over time. Prioritizing fresh content, mobile responsiveness, and comprehensive keyword strategies is key to achieving effective and sustainable SEO results.
Not Viewing SEO as a long-term investment but just an expense
Think of SEO as a long-term investment rather than just a cost. While there might be initial expenses, the benefits—such as increased traffic, higher rankings, and more leads—will pay off over time, making it a smart investment for your business’s growth.
Many lose – if you win, it might be because someone has made the bad decision of switching agencies. For example, in the middle of their SEO campaign, the new agency wipes out all the work the previous agency did – quite common in the digital marketing space.
Internal links are crucial for guiding both users and search engine crawlers through your website, and for showing them which pages on your site are related. Yet businesses sometimes think that this equals linking a random word in an article to another article that is somewhat related to that word, even if that article in itself has nothing to do with the content they’re working on. Let’s pretend that Emanuel has an article on this site on AI-generated art. While he’s editing this very post, he notices that he has a sentence that says: “I’m not a big fan of content pruning – the ‘art’ of removing (and redirecting, hopefully) the content that’s not performing (…)” If he would add a link to his article on AI-generated art from the word “art” that would be a good example of linking two pieces of content together that aren’t related, but making users (and Google) think they are. Internal linking needs to be done in a thoughtful way so related content is grouped together, users can easily learn more about a certain topic, and Google understands which topics you’re an authority in. This also means that tools that automate internal link building based on keywords (example: “Always link the word ‘backlinks’ to this one article on backlinks.”) should be used very carefully – if at all.
This is a term that corporations use; target audience is something more reliable to a small business; call it as you want; if you’re not addressing it, your efforts are wasted.
Not clearly defining who your ideal customer is.
Without a clear understanding of your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), your SEO strategy lacks direction. Identifying who your target audience is, their needs and their pain points is crucial to developing a focused and effective SEO plan. This theoretically should be simple as you defined this already in your business plan – as a business – right? hm… you won’t believe how many businesses don’t have this figured out.
One uncommon SEO mistake I’ve noticed, which often goes overlooked, is the excessive focus on ‘high-volume’ keywords without aligning them with the user’s search intent. Many businesses scramble to rank for competitive terms but miss out on conversions because their content doesn’t address the specific needs or questions of their audience.
This misalignment not only wastes significant SEO effort but also diminishes user experience, leading to lower engagement and reduced trust. Focusing on intent-matching rather than just keyword volume can dramatically improve both SEO performance and user satisfaction.
Ineffective targeting leads to lower ROI
When you don’t know who you’re targeting, your SEO efforts can miss the mark, attracting traffic that doesn’t convert. This results in lower engagement and a reduced return on investment (ROI).
For example, a large tech company focuses its SEO on general terms like “software services” instead of specific terms like “enterprise cloud solutions.”
This brings in visitors looking for small-scale or basic services, not the big enterprise clients they want.
As a result, they get lots of traffic but very few leads or conversions. By adjusting their SEO strategy to target enterprise-specific keywords – any campaign starts with an SEO audit and keyword research: industry, competitors, location – they could attract the right audience and see a better return on investment.
I’m going to say something that goes against my industry. We like to show increased traffic, keyword positioning, organic growth, etc. The stats are nice, but at the end of the day, we help businesses make money—that’s it.
Well, an uncommon SEO mistake that I once encountered was not aligning SEO strategies with user intent shifts over time. I realized that we tend to focus on static keywords and fail to adapt to how user search behavior evolves. This resulted in optimized content not addressing current user queries or needs. From that moment, I continuously reassessed keyword relevance and modified content to reflect changes in search intent, especially as industries or products change. This has helped maintain search visibility and kept content valuable.
Identify and target your ICP to tailor your SEO efforts effectively
Again, this is redundant because, as a business, you’ve identified your target audience, right? I used to work in agencies and saw so many businesses, from smaller to large. You won’t believe how many don’t have this stuff figured out. Their business model, their service, their audience, etc. I want to rank for everything everywhere… has no successful business said… ever.
One overlooked SEO mistake I’ve observed at FreezeNova is the underestimation of server location’s impact on local SEO. Many businesses focus heavily on content and keywords but ignore the server’s geographical location, which can significantly influence site speed and SEO performance for local searches. By hosting their site closer to their target audience, businesses can improve site responsiveness and search engine rankings. This simple change is often neglected but can make a substantial difference in a crowded market. Prioritizing server proximity to your audience can yield surprising improvements in your SEO efforts.
Mistake no. 4 – Not Leveraging EEAT
EEAT is an acronym – it stands for Expertise, Experience, Authority and Trust and it’s an abstract metric that Google uses when it decides to rank a website. It started for websites in the YML (your money or your life) category but soon expanded to almost all other fields. You need to demonstrate who you are and why you have the authority to speak on this topic.
This is when a smaller business can outrank a larger one. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I managed to outrank one of the largest brands in the world (an American car company) for a fairly significant keyword because of EEAT. Help Google figure out who you are.
One often overlooked SEO mistake is failing to align content with user intent, despite keyword optimization. At Securiti.ai, we leverage organized client data and past interactions to deeply understand our audience’s needs. This approach has revealed that content must not only include relevant keywords but also address the specific queries and concerns of our audience to truly engage them. By aligning our content more closely with the detailed user profiles derived from our data analytics, we’ve seen significant improvements in both our search rankings and user engagement.
Businesses that have been around for a while carry… a LOT (same as for some government sites as well).
Large companies with complex websites often accumulate technical debt over time—unresolved issues like slow load times, outdated code, or broken links. This can also happen when quick fixes are made to the website without addressing the root cause, which can pile up and eventually hurt SEO performance.
It’s not uncommon to have more a few CMSs running at the same time on subfolders, subdomains, etc. – often, conflicting with each other, confusing the crawlers, and preventing the site to show up in the search results.
This is when those technical audits that you’ve been hearing about come into play – a small website doesn’t need one, but a large one might need several. Most of the time, only through cutting deep can you figure out what’s going on.
Low-quality content: As an explainer video production company, I would check on their clients’ website SEO first because the video itself is only part of the equation when it comes to achieving great results. Even the most engaging, well-produced video won’t be effective if it’s buried in a website with poor SEO. So, I start by ensuring the foundation (in this case, the website) can support and boost the video’s impact.
While checking clients’ websites, I’ve seen some businesses create content just for the sake of it. They see what content their competitors are making and replicate the same content without considering their unique angles to write or explore, audiences’ preferences, needs, or even SEO goals.
This “copycat” approach leads to keyword and backlink stuffing, irrelevant content, or even duplicated ideas that don’t add real value. Basically, they just prioritize what is considered to make Google happy rather than providing value to their readers.
Mistake no. 6 – Underestimating the Importance of Content Refresh
One SEO mistake that’s often overlooked is not updating old content regularly. This isn’t just about fixing typos or refreshing some dates. It’s about keeping your content relevant and ensuring it meets the evolving needs of your audience. Over time, even the best articles can become outdated. If you’re not regularly revisiting and enhancing your content, you’re likely missing out on significant search traffic and engagement opportunities.
Search engines love fresh, relevant content, and users look for the most up-to-date information. When you update old content, you’re not just polishing it for aesthetics; you’re optimizing for keywords that are currently trending and addressing shifts in audience interests. This process can breathe new life into your pages, giving them a second chance to rank well and provide value to readers. Take a piece that was popular a few years back; with a few strategic updates, it can regain its former glory and attract both previous and new readers.
For a practical approach, establish a content calendar dedicated to updates. Review your analytics to identify pieces that once performed well but have seen a decline. Assess their relevance, refresh them with current data or perspectives, and optimize for any new keywords your audience is currently searching for. This proactive strategy ensures that your content remains a valuable asset and continues to drive results long after its original publish date.
Large companies often focus on creating new content but neglect to update old content – and as said, if they’ve been around for a while. This can lead to outdated information and reduced relevance, and overall can cause – under certain circumstances, a decline in rankings. Search engines prioritize fresh, up-to-date content, and users expect relevant information.
I’m not a big fan of content pruning – the “art” of removing (and redirecting, hopefully) the content that’s not performing – and I have my own experience – remember, as long as it’s relevant and useful, Google – at one point, will reward it.
I had articles that did not bring a single soul on the site for years, only to become the most popular ones as soon as a new algorithm triggered – or a competitor “pruned” their article.
I’m a fan of updating the content. Failing to refresh older content can result in missed opportunities. Regularly reviewing and updating existing content helps maintain its value, keeps it competitive, and improves overall site performance. Helps with the EEAT as well.
One uncommon SEO mistake that can significantly impact a website’s performance is the improper use of canonical tags. While many SEO practitioners are aware of the need to avoid duplicate content, they might not fully understand the nuances of how to implement canonical tags correctly. If a website has multiple URLs pointing to the same content (due to URL parameters, session IDs, etc.), failing to use canonical tags properly can confuse search engines about which version to index and rank. This can lead to diluted link equity and adversely affect overall SEO rankings.
Another overlooked area is content silos. Websites often fail to organize content into logical categories, which can hinder both user experience and SEO. Content silos help in structuring the site effectively, making it easier for search engines to crawl and understand the site’s hierarchy. If a website has a disorganized content structure, it can result in important pages being less visible to search engines, ultimately impacting their ranking potential.
Mistake no. 7 – Not Measuring the SEO Effort
What gets measured gets managed. That said, I’ve seen many good businesses with optimized websites that do not track anything – no Google Analytics, no pixels, and didn’t enable Google Search Console. This is where the knowledge of an SEO consultant can come into play. GA – especially GA4 requires at least junior data analyst skills, and GSC in itself can be overwhelming but you’ll be able to see if there are any issues and take action ASAP thus resulting in improving results. Monitor your SEO efforts and use data to support your actions.
One sneaky SEO mistake that I see happening all the time – and it’s rarely talked about – is the “Set It and Forget It” mindset with structured data. Businesses, both big and small will implement structured data once and assume they’re good for life. In reality, structured data needs to be maintained and updated just like content.
For example, if a business changes its services or even its contact information, that needs to be reflected in its schema markup. Outdated structured data can confuse search engines, leading to missed opportunities for visibility in rich results. Regularly auditing and updating structured data can have a huge impact, yet it’s a piece of the puzzle that many overlook.
In my experience, we’ve seen client rankings and CTRs improve drastically just by refreshing their schema markup, which the competition often leaves in the dust.
Mistake no. 8 – Neglecting Local SEO
For the majority of local businesses – the once who are geographically dependent – this is must. Many often get more leads from their Google Business Profile than from their website. In some industries, profiles like Yelp or Homestars can rank higher on Google and can bring more business as well. Of course, you need to optimize your website for local SEO but do not neglect the directories of your industry (like Psychology Today if you’re a therapist or SuperLawyers if you’re a lawyer) and any other local directories (again, not all businesses need these; most do).
One common SEO mistake businesses make is overlooking technical SEO—failing to optimize site speed, mobile-friendliness, and proper indexing. Both large and small companies often ignore metadata (titles, descriptions), which limits their visibility on search engine results pages.
Another frequent error is keyword stuffing, where excessive, irrelevant use of keywords harms rankings. Finally, poor link-building strategies, such as using low-quality or spammy backlinks, can negatively impact a site’s credibility. To succeed, businesses should focus on technical SEO, relevant content, and quality links.
Mistake no. 9 – Expecting Immediate Results
SEO done right is the gift that keeps on giving. But it can take some time. With the new Search Landscape, it’s becoming even more difficult. But having the SEO done right is the foundation of any digital strategy. People still use Google to search for stuff, including stuff for the industry you operate in, and your business. And even if they ask ChatGPT, where do you think ChatGPT learns from about your business? Do you want to make it difficult for it?
This is an image a colleague of mine created – because I kept saying this in every client meeting. I did not come up with this expression.
One uncommon SEO mistake I’ve encountered is neglecting the optimisation of image file names and alt attributes. Many companies, big and small, frequently submit pictures with generic names like “IMG1234.jpg” and fail to consider alt text’s potential SEO benefits. Although they may concentrate on keywords in their content, they fail to optimise these components, which can raise the accessibility of a website and image search rankings. Creating meaningful, keyword-rich alt text and appropriately naming files with pertinent keywords helps increase organic traffic, particularly from Google’s image search results. When done properly, it’s a straightforward solution with major SEO advantages.
SEO done right is the gift that keeps on giving. But it can take some time. With the new Search Landscape, it’s becoming even more difficult. But having the SEO done right is
the foundation of any digital strategy. People still use Google to search for stuff, including stuff for the industry you operate in, and your business. And even if they ask
ChatGPT, where do you think ChatGPT learns from about your business? Do you want to make it difficult for it?
One SEO mistake I see over and over again are my clients neglecting using schema. If we go back 5-6 years, I understand, it was difficult back then because you had to code a little bit, but today it’s super easy if you’re using WordPress for example. Just install Rank Math or another SEO plugin, and then you can apply the schemas you need.
A schema can provide so much more information to Google about your website, and by making it easier for Google to understand your website through schema, Google values you higher, it’s just a fact that’s proven over and over again.
Abandoning SEO strategies prematurely
A common mistake is giving up on SEO too soon because results don’t happen immediately. SEO takes time, often months, to show significant progress. When businesses don’t see quick results, they might stop, losing out on long-term benefits like steady traffic growth and better rankings. Instead of quitting, it’s important to stay consistent and patient. SEO is a long-term strategy that builds momentum over time, and with ongoing effort, it will pay off.
Oh and SEO is never ending; there’s always something to do, something to improve, something to add, etc.
It’s not easy and it’s not free. “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.”
Later edit: my request to other SEO experts to share with me some of the mistakes they noticed, has been successful. Here’s what other experts have to say on this topic.
One common mistake I see businesses make, and it’s one that’s still overlooked, is ignoring user intent. Too often, the focus is purely on keywords, trying to rank as high as possible. But the thing is, if you’re not considering what the person behind the search actually wants, you’re missing the mark. I’ve seen this lead to a lot of content that ranks but doesn’t convert—because it doesn’t answer the real questions or needs people have.
For example, I worked with a client in the fitness space who was all about stuffing their blog posts with keywords they thought would bring in traffic. And it did, but the engagement was awful—high bounce rates, short time on site, all the signs that people weren’t finding what they came for. We changed direction, focusing instead on what their audience actually cared about—practical fitness tips, workout routines, things they could use. Rankings improved, but more importantly, the people coming to the site started staying longer and converting into customers. It wasn’t about hitting all the “right” keywords—it was about delivering on the intent behind the search.
One of the most common SEO mistakes businesses make is underestimating the importance of content quality and relevance. While many focus on technical optimizations, it’s the content itself that ultimately draws users in. As the saying goes, “Content is king.” High-quality, relevant content attracts visitors and encourages them to engage and convert into loyal customers. Moreover, search engines prioritize content that meets users’ needs, making it crucial to achieving higher rankings.
Content is pivotal in building site authority and enhancing your link profile’s popularity. To ensure success, businesses should invest in thorough content research. Start by analyzing competitors and conducting comprehensive keyword research that aligns with your target audience. Experiment with various content formats, optimize for usability and readability, and consistently update and refresh your content to keep it relevant.
By adopting these strategies, businesses can create content that serves search engines and users. Prioritizing content quality and relevance can significantly impact a website’s SEO performance, helping to achieve lasting online success.
Emanuel Petrescu is an accomplished SEO specialist based in Toronto, Canada. He is a digital marketing wizard, offering digital marketing services for more than 10 years, consulting corporate clients, small business owners and other independent professionals enhancing their online presence.
Emanuel Petrescu is an accomplished SEO specialist based in Toronto, Canada. He is a digital marketing wizard, offering digital marketing services for more than 10 years, consulting corporate clients, small business owners and other independent professionals enhancing their online presence.
