Published on: Jul 18, 2025

Author: Klear Studio

5 Common Website Mistakes That Are Hurting Your Google Ranking

5 Common Website Mistakes That Are Hurting Your Google Ranking

You’ve got a professional website. Great visuals. A clean layout. But you're still not showing up in Google search results.

The truth is: many well-designed websites struggle with visibility because of small — but critical — SEO mistakes.

Here are the 5 most common issues that hurt your ranking, and what you can do to fix them.

❌ 1. Slow Page Speed

Google cares deeply about user experience — and speed is a major part of that.

Common causes:

• Oversized or uncompressed images
• Too many third-party scripts
• Bloated CSS or JavaScript files

Fix it:

• Use modern formats like WebP
• Minimize and defer scripts
• Compress assets and clean up unused code

Even a 1-second delay can increase bounce rates and reduce conversions.

❌ 2. Missing or Duplicate Meta Tags

Your title tags and meta descriptions are what appear in search results.
If they’re missing, duplicated, or irrelevant — Google may ignore them, and users might too.

Fix it:

• Write unique title and meta description tags for every page
• Include target keywords naturally
• Keep them within recommended length (50–60 chars for title, 150–160 for description)

❌ 3. Poor Mobile Optimization

With mobile-first indexing, Google ranks your site based on how it performs on phones.

Common issues:

• Text too small to read
• Buttons too close together
• Layouts that break on small screens

Fix it:

• Test your site on multiple devices
• Use a mobile-first layout
• Prioritize simplicity and legibility

❌ 4. Lack of Structured Content

If your content is unorganized or lacks proper headings, Google and your users can’t understand what your page is about.

Fix it:

• Use semantic HTML (<h1>, <h2>, <p>, etc.)
• Break up content with clear subheadings
• Add internal links to other relevant pages or blog posts

Google rewards clear structure — and so do your visitors.

❌ 5. No Alt Text on Images

Image SEO is often overlooked.
Without alt text, you’re missing an opportunity to describe your content to search engines (and screen readers).

Fix it:

• Add meaningful alt attributes to all images
• Be descriptive but concise
• Don’t stuff keywords

Bonus: it improves accessibility, which is also a Google ranking signal.

Final Thoughts

Great design is important — but visibility is everything.
Fixing these small mistakes can significantly improve your rankings and help more people find your business online.

Not sure if your website is helping or hurting your SEO? Let’s talk.