Top 10 On-Page SEO Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for visibility, traffic, and conversions. But even with the best intentions, it's easy to make mistakes that hurt your rankings. In this guide, we’ll uncover the most common on-page SEO pitfalls that businesses and developers make—and how you can avoid them.

1. Missing or Duplicate Title Tags

Title tags are among the most important on-page ranking factors. A missing or duplicate title can confuse search engines and reduce click-through rates.

  • Each page should have a unique, descriptive title.
  • Include the primary keyword near the beginning.

2. Poor or Missing Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions don't directly affect rankings, but they influence click-through rates. Leaving them empty or using duplicates can hurt your traffic.

  • Keep it under 160 characters.
  • Make it compelling and relevant to the page content.

3. Using H1 Tags Incorrectly

Some pages use multiple H1s or skip them entirely. H1 tags tell search engines and users what the page is about.

  • Use only one H1 tag per page.
  • Make it descriptive and keyword-rich.

4. Not Optimizing for Keywords

Overusing or ignoring keywords can both be harmful.

  • Avoid keyword stuffing—it leads to penalties.
  • Use primary and semantic keywords naturally in titles, headings, and body text.

5. Thin or Duplicate Content

Pages with little valuable content or duplicate copy from other sources rarely rank well.

  • Aim for a minimum of 300–500 words of unique content per page.
  • Ensure content offers real value to users.

6. Ignoring Image Optimization

Large, uncompressed images slow down your site. And missing alt tags reduce accessibility and SEO value.

  • Compress images and use modern formats like WebP.
  • Add descriptive alt text with relevant keywords.

7. Broken Internal or External Links

Links that lead to 404 pages harm user experience and signal poor site maintenance to Google.

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to audit broken links.
  • Update or remove outdated URLs regularly.

8. Slow Page Speed

Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. A slow site also drives users away.

  • Minimize CSS/JS, enable compression, and use lazy loading for images.
  • Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to diagnose speed issues.

9. Not Being Mobile-Friendly

More than half of global web traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t responsive, it will lose rankings and users.

  • Use responsive design frameworks like Bootstrap or Tailwind.
  • Test using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.

10. Missing Structured Data (Schema Markup)

Structured data helps search engines understand your content better and display rich snippets.

  • Use JSON-LD to implement schema.org markup.
  • Add relevant schemas like Article, Product, FAQ, or Breadcrumb.

Conclusion

On-page SEO mistakes are common but fixable. Audit your website regularly to catch issues before they cost you rankings and traffic.

By avoiding these 10 common errors, you'll improve your visibility, user experience, and conversions.

Need help optimizing your website’s SEO?
Contact TaskBucket and let our experts handle it for you.