7 Common SEO Mistakes Costing Your Business Money
The Hidden Cost of Bad SEO
You're investing time and money into your website, but you're not seeing the results. You're not alone. Many Ohio businesses unknowingly make critical SEO mistakes that tank their rankings and waste their marketing budget.
1. Ignoring Mobile Optimization
Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning they look at your mobile version before desktop. If your site isn't mobile-friendly, you're losing rankings. 60% of searches happen on mobile devices. If your visitors have to pinch and zoom, Google will push you down in favor of sites that work better on mobile.
2. Keyword Stuffing
It's 2026, yet we still see businesses cramming keywords into every sentence. This doesn't help you rank—it actually hurts you. Google's algorithms are smart enough to understand context. Write naturally for humans, not search engines. Focus on creating valuable content that answers your customers' questions.
3. Neglecting Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is free and one of the most powerful local SEO tools available. Yet many businesses claim their profile once and never touch it again. Post updates, respond to reviews, add photos, and ensure all your information is accurate. An active GBP can significantly boost your local visibility.
4. Slow Page Speed
Speed matters. Studies show that 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load. Google considers page speed a ranking factor. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify performance issues. Compress images, minimize JavaScript, and consider a content delivery network (CDN).
5. Duplicate Content
Whether it's copied from another site, product descriptions used across multiple pages, or printer-friendly versions of pages, duplicate content confuses search engines. When Google sees identical content on multiple pages, it doesn't know which to rank, so it may rank none of them. Use canonical tags or rewrite content to make it unique.
6. Not Optimizing Meta Titles and Descriptions
Meta titles and descriptions are your first impression in search results. Many businesses either leave them default or stuff them with keywords. Write compelling titles and descriptions that include your target keywords and encourage clicks. Keep titles under 60 characters and descriptions under 160.
7. No Internal Linking Strategy
Internal links help search engines understand your site structure and distribute link equity. They also keep visitors on your site longer. Every new piece of content should link to relevant existing pages. Create a logical structure that guides users through your site and helps Google crawl it efficiently.
How to Fix These Mistakes
The first step is awareness. If you're making any of these mistakes, don't panic. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Prioritize quick wins like mobile optimization and page speed, then work on building a solid content strategy and improving your Google Business Profile.
Need Help?
Sometimes you need an expert partner to diagnose and fix SEO issues. At May Marketing SEO, we specialize in helping Ohio businesses avoid these pitfalls and achieve sustainable growth. Contact us for a free SEO audit—we'll show you exactly what's holding your website back.
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