5 Website Mistakes That Kill Your Google Rankings

Your website is your digital storefront—and if it’s not optimized correctly, you could be driving visitors (and Google) away. As search engine algorithms continue to evolve, simple website mistakes can cost you big when it comes to organic traffic, visibility, and leads. At Steel Blue Media, we’ve seen it all, and we’re here to help you avoid the most common SEO killers.

Here are the top 5 website mistakes that can ruin your Google rankings—and what you can do to fix them.

1. Slow Website Speed

Google prioritizes user experience, and site speed is a ranking factor. A slow website frustrates users, increases bounce rates, and tells search engines your site may not be reliable.

What to do:

• Compress images

• Use browser caching

• Invest in reliable hosting

• Minimize code and eliminate unnecessary plugins

Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to audit and improve your site speed.

2. Poor Mobile Experience

Over 60% of Google searches happen on mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-responsive, you’re not just losing rankings—you’re losing potential customers.

What to do:

• Use responsive web design

• Ensure content scales correctly on all screen sizes

• Test usability on multiple devices

• Prioritize thumb-friendly navigation

Mobile-first indexing means Google primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking. Don’t let a clunky mobile layout hold you back.

3. Missing or Misused SEO Elements

SEO isn’t just about keywords—it’s also about structure. Many businesses fail to optimize meta titles, meta descriptions, header tags (H1, H2, etc.), image alt text, and URLs.

What to do:

• Use clear, keyword-rich titles and descriptions

• Structure content with relevant headings

• Optimize images with descriptive alt tags

• Create clean, readable URLs that reflect the page topic

These on-page SEO basics help search engines understand and index your site properly.

4. Thin or Duplicate Content

Google rewards valuable, original content. If your site contains duplicate pages or offers little helpful information, your rankings will suffer.

What to do:

• Write high-quality, unique content for each page

• Avoid duplicate product descriptions or placeholder text

• Add helpful FAQs, blogs, and guides that answer real user questions

• Use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner to identify duplicate content

Content should be crafted with both users and search engines in mind—aim to inform, solve problems, and establish authority.

5. Broken Links and 404 Errors

Nothing kills trust faster than clicking a link and landing on a “404 Page Not Found.” Google also penalizes sites with a poor internal linking structure or dead links.

What to do:

• Run regular site audits with tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs

• Fix or redirect broken internal and external links

• Create a custom 404 page to guide lost visitors back to your main content

• Update outdated URLs when making changes

Keeping your website’s structure clean and user-friendly will help keep both visitors and search engines happy.

Final Thoughts

Fixing these five website mistakes can significantly boost your Google rankings, improve user experience, and increase conversions. SEO isn’t a one-time effort—it’s a strategy that evolves with your business and the digital landscape.

At Steel Blue Media, we specialize in SEO-focused website design, technical optimization, and content strategies that get results. If you’re ready to take your website to the next level, contact us today for a free website audit and consultation.

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Need help fixing your site’s SEO? Let Steel Blue Media handle the details while you focus on growing your business. Call us at (715) 821-9486 or visit www.steelbluemedia.com to get started.