In SEO, it takes only one error to negate all the other good work that’s gone into boosting your search engine rankings.
While the basics are mostly covered in readily available guides out there, we decided to dig deeper and check in with our community of leaders and SEO experts for common SEO errors they may have witnessed (or even made) during their careers.
From neglecting mobile optimization to misusing header tags, the responses we received added up to quite a list!
In this post, we share some of these SEO mistakes, so you can avoid repeating them!
Read on!
Ronan Walsh
One common SEO mistake I often see beginners make is neglecting proper internal linking.
Many assume that focusing solely on external backlinks will do the heavy lifting for rankings, but poor internal linking can leave even the best content underperforming.
For example, I’ve audited websites where high-value pages were buried several clicks deep, making them almost invisible to both users and search engines.
The fix? Create a clear internal linking structure that prioritizes user experience and spreads link equity effectively. Tools like Screaming Frog can help map out your site’s architecture and identify orphaned pages. Then, strategically link to these from high-authority pages on your site.
In one case, improving internal links for a client boosted their organic traffic by 30% in just two months, as it allowed search engines to crawl and index their priority pages more efficiently while also enhancing navigation for users.
Ronan Walsh
Managing Director, Digital Trawler
Kevin Shahnazari
I’ve observed a critical SEO blunder that systematically undermines website performance: neglecting semantic search optimization and keyword intent.
Beginners frequently stuff content with exact-match keywords without understanding user search intent, creating content that sounds robotic and fails to genuinely answer searchers’ underlying questions.
This approach not only damages readability but signals to search algorithms that the content lacks substantive value.
My recommendation is to craft content that comprehensively addresses user queries, integrating natural language variations, answering related questions, and providing genuine value beyond surface-level keyword matching.
Search engines now prioritize contextual relevance and user experience over mechanical keyword placement.
“SEO success isn’t about speaking to algorithms—it’s about connecting authentically with human curiosity and solving real problems through intelligent, nuanced content.”
Kevin Shahnazari
Founder, FinlyWealth
Hassan Boutabaa
One common mistake beginners often make is neglecting proper keyword research.
Many assume they know what their audience is searching for, leading them to target overly competitive or irrelevant keywords. This results in low visibility, as their content fails to align with user intent or gets buried by competitors.
To avoid this, conduct thorough keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner, ahrefs or SEMrush. Focus on long-tail keywords with moderate search volume and low competition to attract niche audiences. Strategically place these keywords in your titles, headings, meta descriptions, and content—but avoid keyword stuffing.
Hassan Boutabaa
Editor-in-Chief, Traditional Moroccan
Roland Jakob
A common SEO mistake I’ve seen, especially for beginners, is skipping over title tags and meta descriptions.
They might seem like small details, but they act as both a handshake with search engines and a first impression for potential visitors. Without them, pages often end up with irrelevant or fragmented text pulled from the content. This impacts how search engines index the page and can make it harder for users to click confidently.
At BlazeKin, we approach this by ensuring every page has a clean, precise title and an engaging description.
I’ve personally worked with clients who saw tangible improvements in visibility by tweaking these elements. Think of it like packaging: when a title and description clearly outline the benefit of clicking, people are far more likely to do it.
It’s not about perfection—it’s about ensuring searchers know why your content matters.
Roland Jakob
Managing Partner, BlazeKin.Media
Simon Litt
There are two prominent mistakes that come to mind—both committed by yours truly.
Stopping short of comprehensive: When first creating SEO content plans, I didn’t do comprehensive SEO research. This resulted in lots of small clusters that only touched a bit beyond the surface. As a result: no results. The lack of topical authority meant none of this content had a hope of ranking, and I didn’t know where to start when returning to it. In short: build one cluster comprehensively, then move onto the next. Takes longer, but performs better.
Building SEO plans without stepping into the ICP’s shoes: I was handed an SEO content plan—what some would call “a list of keywords without context”—then told to go create it. It was coming from my SEO person, so I didn’t think to refine it further from an audience perspective. That resulted in a ton of useless content. Our ICP didn’t care, so we shouldn’t have either. Lesson learned.
Simon Litt
Brand Operations Manager, Digital Entrepreneur
Erika Mac Donald
One common beginner’s mistake that can significantly hinder a website’s SEO performance is neglecting keyword research.
Many new website owners create content based on what they think is relevant, without verifying if there’s actual search demand for those topics. This often results in low traffic because the content isn’t aligned with what users are searching for.
To correct this, it’s essential to conduct thorough keyword research using tools like Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner. These tools help identify keywords with high search volume and low competition, ensuring that the content you create is both relevant and discoverable.
By targeting the right keywords, you can improve your website’s visibility and attract more organic traffic.
Erika Mac Donald
CEO & Founder, Engaging New Media
Samuel Huang
The most common beginner mistake? Overloading a site with keywords in an attempt to game search rankings.
This practice, known as “keyword stuffing,” doesn’t just fail—it actively hurts your rankings, making your site look spammy to search engines and users. The fix? Focus on creating meaningful, user-first content where keywords flow naturally.
Google rewards relevance, not repetition.
Controversially, I’d say this: stop obsessing over “beating the algorithm” and start thinking like your audience. After all, algorithms are designed to mimic human preferences. Overthinking SEO mechanics is the fastest way to get left behind.
Keep it simple, authentic, and valuable—everything else will follow.
George Silagadze
A common SEO mistake I’ve seen beginners make is neglecting mobile optimization.
With mobile traffic now dominating, not having a mobile-friendly site can easily lower your rankings. At Photo2Painting, we realized early on that if our website doesn’t look good or function well on mobile devices, visitors will leave quickly, and that negatively impacts our SEO.
To avoid this, we made sure our site is responsive and loads quickly on all devices. We regularly use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure we’re delivering a smooth experience for mobile users.
By focusing on mobile optimization, we’ve seen improved user engagement and higher search rankings, helping us grow and connect with more customers.
George Silagadze
Co-founder & CEO, Photo2Painting
Tobias Steinemann
The most common SEO mistake I see is that lawyers and law firms just hand over their premium content to third-party sites.
They let these websites copy their content without checking for risks (e.g. duplicate content) or benefits (e.g. backlinks, size and nature of audience) of this activity. We then take a closer look at these platforms to evaluate the effect on SEO and the benefits attached to it.
Tobias Steinemann
Owner, HeadStarterz
The BoostMyDomain team thanks these experts and leaders for taking the time to share their valuable insights on common SEO errors beginners make.
BoostMyDomain invites you to share your insights and contribute to our authoritative publication. Reach a wider audience, build your credibility, and establish yourself as a thought leader in an industry that caters to every business with an online presence!
