Common SEO Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Duplicate content, keyword stuffing, broken links, weak mobile UX, missing alt text, and no sitemap, what they are, why they hurt, and how to fix them fast.
Overview
Many rankings slip-ups come from avoidable issues. This video shows how to identify and remedy the most common problems fast, so your content can be crawled, understood, and ranked.
- Eliminate duplicate content; ensure unique titles & meta descriptions
- Avoid keyword stuffing; write naturally with intent in mind
- Find & fix broken links on a schedule (internal + external)
- Ship a responsive, mobile-friendly experience that’s actually usable
- Add descriptive image alt text for accessibility & relevance
- Create/submit an XML sitemap in Google Search Console
Explore AI Strategy & Planning Book a consultation Read transcript / key moments Search engine optimization (SEO) increases a site’s visibility and reach—but common mistakes can derail results.Duplicate ContentMultiple pages with the same/similar content appear low-quality. Keep content unique and use unique titles/meta descriptions. Check for duplicates with tools like Copyscape.Keyword StuffingOverusing keywords in copy, meta tags, or other elements is spammy and risky. Write for people first; incorporate terms naturally based on intent.Broken LinksDead links signal poor maintenance and frustrate users. Crawl regularly and fix promptly with a link checker.Not Optimizing for MobileMobile usage dominates. Ensure a responsive, mobile-friendly layout and test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.Not Using Alt TextSearch engines can’t “see” images. Add descriptive alt text so they understand context.Not Submitting a SitemapCreate an XML sitemap and submit it in Search Console so crawlers discover your pages reliably.ConclusionAvoiding these pitfalls raises rankings and traffic. Keep monitoring, iterate, and align to best practices. Contact Halyard Consulting to accelerate your SEO roadmap.
Who it’s for
- Site owners cleaning up technical/on-page issues
- Teams standardizing SEO QA checklists
- Editors improving content hygiene & discoverability
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