Most Common Technical SEO Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

If your website isn’t ranking as well as you’d like, technical SEO issues could be the culprit. In fact, a study by SEMrush found that over 80% of websites have critical technical SEO errors, such as broken links and slow page speed. These issues don’t just frustrate users—they also prevent search engines from properly crawling and indexing your site, leading to lost traffic and lower rankings.

The good news? Most of these issues are fixable.

Here are five most common technical SEO mistakes and how to address them:

1. Slow Page Speed

Google has made it clear that page speed is a ranking factor. Slow-loading pages increase bounce rates, reduce conversions, and harm your overall SEO performance.

How to Fix It:

• Optimize Images: Use tools like TinyPNG or WebP formats to reduce file sizes.

• Enable Browser Caching: Store static resources locally on a user’s browser to speed up load times.

• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): Services like Cloudflare distribute your content across multiple servers to improve speed.

• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML: Tools like UglifyJS and CSSNano can help reduce file sizes and improve performance.

2. Broken Links and 404 Errors

Broken links create a poor user experience and signal to search engines that your site isn’t properly maintained. If search engines find too many broken links, they may crawl your site less frequently.

How to Fix It:

• Use Broken Link Checkers: Tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs can identify broken links on your site.

• Redirect Dead Pages: Set up 301 redirects for important pages that have been moved or deleted.

• Regularly Audit Your Links: Make checking for broken links part of your SEO routine.

3. Poor Mobile Optimization

More than 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, and Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites with its mobile-first indexing. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing rankings and visitors.

How to Fix It:

• Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test: Identify specific issues and get recommendations.

• Implement Responsive Design: Ensure your site adjusts seamlessly across different screen sizes.

• Optimize for Touch: Buttons and links should be easy to tap without zooming.

• Improve Mobile Load Speed: Follow the page speed tips mentioned earlier to ensure quick loading on mobile devices.

4. Poor XML Sitemap and Robots.txt Issues

A disorganized sitemap or incorrectly configured robots.txt file can prevent search engines from properly crawling and indexing your site, leading to reduced visibility in search results.

How to Fix It:

• Generate an XML Sitemap: Use plugins like Yoast SEO (for WordPress) or online sitemap generators.

• Submit to Google Search Console: This helps Google discover and index your pages more efficiently.

• Check Your Robots.txt File: Ensure you’re not blocking important pages from being crawled. Use Google Search Console’s Robots.txt Tester to verify settings.

5. Duplicate Content Issues

Duplicate content confuses search engines, dilutes ranking signals, and can result in lower rankings. It can happen due to improper URL structures, www vs. non-www versions, or missing canonical tags.

How to Fix It:

• Use Canonical Tags: Tell search engines which version of a page is the preferred one.

• Set Up 301 Redirects: If duplicate pages exist, redirect them to the main version.

• Ensure a Consistent URL Structure: Pick a preferred domain version (www vs. non-www) and stick with it.

• Use Rel=Canonical for E-Commerce and Blogs: This is especially useful for category pages and similar product descriptions.

Take Your Technical SEO to the Next Level

Technical SEO might seem overwhelming, but tackling these five common mistakes can significantly improve your site's rankings, user experience, and overall performance. Regular audits and proactive maintenance are key to keeping your site in top shape.

Need help fixing technical SEO issues? Reach out for a consultation and start improving your rankings today!