The Most Common SEO Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Avoid These Top SEO Mistakes Before They Tank Your Rankings

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) isn’t just about stuffing keywords and hoping for the best. Done right, SEO can drive steady traffic, boost leads, and help businesses grow. But the wrong approach? That can leave a website buried on page 10 of Google.

At TMS Web Design + Development, we’ve seen the same top SEO mistakes over and over again. The good news? Every single one of them is fixable. Let’s break them down and explain how to fix them.
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1. Ignoring Keyword Research

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is skipping keyword research altogether or guessing what people search for. Without the right keywords, your website isn’t showing up in front of the right audience.

How to Fix It:

• Use tools like Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool to find search terms your customers are actually using.
• Focus on search intent. Are users looking for information, services, or a product? Match your content to their needs.
  • [I] Informational – Users seek knowledge (e.g., "How does HVAC work?").
  • [N] Navigational – Users search for a specific brand or website (e.g., "Drake Plumbing website").
  • [T] Transactional – Users intend to complete an action, like making a purchase (e.g., "Buy AC filters online").
  • [C] Commercial – Users research before purchasing (e.g., "Best HVAC system for humid climates").
• Avoid choosing broad, competitive keywords that big brands dominate. Target specific, location-based, or long-tail keywords instead.

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2. Keyword Stuffing – Don’t Overdo It

‍You need keywords, but if every sentence sounds unnatural because you’ve crammed in too many, Google will penalize your site. Worse, your visitors will bounce quickly because your content is unreadable.

‍How to Fix It:

• Write for people first, search engines second.
  • We find the best results with SEO content that is clear, concise, and engaging, with short paragraphs, active voice, at least 20% transition words, under 10% passive voice, and a readability level suited for a high school audience.
• Naturally place keywords in headings, meta descriptions, and throughout the text—but don’t force them.
• Use synonyms and variations to keep the content natural while maintaining relevance.

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3. Skipping Meta Titles & Descriptions

‍Your meta title and description are what people see in Google search results. If you don’t have them—or if they’re generic—your site isn’t standing out.

‍How to Fix It:

• Write unique, keyword-rich meta titles (50-60 characters) and descriptions (150-160 characters).
• Make them compelling enough to encourage clicks.
• Check all your pages for missing or duplicate meta information using an SEO website audit.

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4. Slow Website Speed

‍Nobody likes a slow website. If your pages take too long to load, visitors leave, and Google takes notice.

‍How to Fix It:

• Compress images without sacrificing quality.
• Use browser caching and minimize excessive code.
• Upgrade to a reliable hosting provider for better performance.
• Test your site speed using Google PageSpeed Insights.
  • Know that it's okay to not have a perfect score. Even industry leading websites struggle to maintain an absolutely perfect score. The key here is to achieve consistency and to increase the performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO scores within reason.

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5. Not Having a Mobile-Friendly Website

‍Google ranks mobile-friendly websites higher because more people browse on their phones. If your site isn’t mobile-responsive, you’re losing out.

‍How to Fix It:

• Use a responsive design that adapts to all screen sizes.
• Test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
• Optimize buttons, fonts, and layouts for easy mobile navigation.

Need a website redesign that works across all devices? Check out our Website Design + Development services.

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6. Weak Internal Linking Strategy

‍Internal links help users navigate your website while telling Google which pages are important. Without them, search engines struggle to crawl your content.

‍How to Fix It:

• Link to relevant pages within your content naturally.
• Use keyword-rich anchor text that makes sense (not just “click here”).
• Check for broken links that could hurt your rankings.

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7. Ignoring Local SEO

‍If you run a local business, you need to show up in Google’s Local Pack. That’s where map listings appear in search results.

‍How to Fix It:

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile with accurate contact details, service areas, and photos.
• Get listed in local directories and make sure your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) are consistent.
• Encourage customer reviews to boost credibility.

See the areas we serve and how we optimize businesses for local SEO.

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8. Publishing Low-Quality or Thin Content

‍Content that’s too short, lacks useful information, or is copied from other sites won’t rank well.

‍How to Fix It:

• Write content that answers common questions and provides value to readers.
• Aim for at least 1,000 words on important pages.
• Format content with headers, bullet points, and short paragraphs for readability.

Need help creating better content? Use our SEO Checklist to get some good guidelines.9. Poor Backlink StrategyBacklinks (links from other websites to yours) tell Google your site is trustworthy. But spammy, low-quality links can do more harm than good.

‍How to Fix It:

• Focus on earning links from reputable websites in your industry.
• Avoid buying backlinks or using shady link-building tactics.
  • If someone's offering you 100+ links for $0-500, chances are they're Private Blog Networks (PBNs) or Link Farms- both considered part of Black Hat SEO and extremely bad for long-term growth.
• Create shareable content like blog posts, infographics, or research to attract organic links.

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FAQs About SEO Mistakes

Q: How do I know if my website has SEO issues?
‍A: A site audit can identify technical errors, keyword gaps, and performance issues. We offer a Website Audit to pinpoint exactly what’s wrong.

‍Q: How long does it take to fix SEO mistakes?
‍A: Some changes, like updating meta tags, can take minutes. Others, like improving content or earning backlinks, take weeks or months.

‍Q: Can I fix SEO mistakes myself?
‍A: Some basic fixes are easy, but technical SEO requires experience. Hiring a professional team ensures you don’t waste time on ineffective strategies.

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Stop Making These Top SEO Mistakes – Let’s Fix Them Today

If your website isn’t ranking where you want it to, fixing these top SEO mistakes is the first step. Whether it’s slow loading times, missing keywords, or poor mobile usability, our team at TMS Web Design + Development has the tools to help.

Want to see where your website stands? Give us a call at (504) 399-3633 or contact us today for a free consultation!