Illuminarc Media

Common SEO Issues Found in Audits and How to Fix Them

Common SEO Issues Found in Audits and How to Fix Them

You didn’t build your website to hide on page 5 of Google.

And yet… here you are. You’ve added keywords, maybe even paid for a few backlinks, but your traffic still looks like a ghost town. What gives?

Chances are, your site has technical and content-related SEO issues quietly killing your visibility—and you don’t even know it. The good news? These issues are common. The better news? They’re fixable.

That’s where a proper website SEO analysis comes in. Whether you’re doing it for your own business or auditing a client site, this isn’t about fluff metrics or chasing trendy tools. It’s about finding what’s broken, outdated, or invisible to Google—and fixing it with purpose.

Let’s break down the common SEO problems, one by one, with practical solutions backed by modern technical SEO methods and smart strategies that actually work.

Your Website Is Too Slow—And It’s Costing You Rankings

When someone lands on your site, they give it just a few seconds to prove it’s worth staying. If it takes forever to load? They bounce. So does your ranking.

A good analyze site SEO audit will almost always flag speed issues—especially on mobile.

Fix it fast:

  • Compress images before uploading (use WebP format)
  • Enable caching and lazy loading
  • Minimize JavaScript and CSS
  • Switch to a lightweight, SEO-optimized theme

Fast websites rank better. It’s not just theory—it’s baked into Google’s Core Web Vitals.

 

2. Your Metadata Is Weak, Missing, or Cloned

You’d be surprised how many sites have the same meta titles and descriptions across dozens of pages. Or worse—none at all.

When you analyze a website’s SEO, one of the first red flags is weak metadata. Google uses this to understand what each page is about. Your audience uses it to decide whether to click.

How to fix:

  • Write unique titles and meta descriptions for every page
  • Include a keyword naturally (never force it)
  • Make it clear, clickable, and under Google’s character limits

This is low-hanging SEO fruit. Don’t let it rot.

 

3. Broken Links = Broken Trust

There’s nothing more frustrating than clicking a link that goes nowhere. Google agrees. When you run a full website SEO analysis, broken internal or external links show up like red warning signs.

🛠️ How to fix:

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to crawl your site
  • Redirect dead URLs to updated pages (301 redirects)
  • Routinely update old posts and fix outbound links

Broken links don’t just hurt SEO—they destroy user experience. Be a website fixer, not a website forgetter.

 

4. Your Content Is Thin or Duplicated

Let’s talk straight: Google doesn’t want fluff, filler, or recycled copy. If your content is saying the same thing ten different ways across multiple pages, it’s a problem.

Spot it during your audit:

  • Pages with less than 300 words
  • Multiple blog posts targeting the same topic
  • Copy-paste product descriptions from manufacturers

Fix it right:

  • Combine similar pages into stronger, long-form content
  • Use canonical tags if duplicate content is unavoidable
  • Make every page purposeful, original, and valuable

This is one of the biggest search engine optimization issues still plaguing businesses in 2025.

 

5. Your Mobile Site Is Hurting Your Desktop Rankings

Yes, you read that right. Google uses the mobile version of your site as the primary version for ranking. So if your mobile site is clunky, outdated, or unreadable—your rankings take a hit across the board.

Fix this common SEO mistake:

  • Use responsive design (ditch mobile-only subdomains)
  • Run Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test
  • Improve layout, font sizes, and tap targets

Neglecting mobile is one of the common SEO mistakes to avoid—especially when over half of traffic now comes from smartphones.

 

6. Your Headings Are a Hot Mess

No H1 tag? Multiple H1s? Headings out of order? If you’re doing that, Google’s bots have no idea how your content is structured.

Headings aren’t just visual. They’re signals.

Fix it using unique technical SEO concepts:

  • Use one H1 per page (typically your page title)
  • Organize content with H2s and H3s—like chapters in a book
  • Include natural keyword variations in headings

Fixing headings is a small tweak with a big SEO impact.

 

7. You’re Not Using Structured Data (Schema)

If you want Google to display star ratings, FAQs, or product info directly in the search results, you need structured data.

Yet, during audits, this is one of the most underutilized technical SEO tactics.

How to implement:

  • Add schema using plugins (WordPress) or manually with JSON-LD
  • Focus on FAQ, product, article, or local business schema
  • Test it using Google’s Rich Results Test

This is one of those innovative technical SEO insights that elevates you beyond basic optimization.

 

8. Your Images Are Holding You Back

Massive file sizes, missing ALT text, and filenames like “IMG001.jpg” do nothing for your SEO.

What to do:

  • Name images descriptively (e.g., “ocala-lawn-care-before-after.jpg”)
  • Add meaningful ALT attributes
  • Use next-gen formats like WebP or AVIF

If you’re ignoring image optimization, you’re skipping out on visibility in Google Images, page speed improvements, and accessibility gains—all at once.

 

9. You’re Not Using HTTPS (Or You’re Using It Wrong)

If your site is still on HTTP, you’re sending the wrong message—to users and search engines. HTTPS is a trust signal, and trust = rankings.

Secure your site:

  • Install an SSL certificate through your hosting provider
  • Redirect all HTTP URLs to HTTPS with 301s
  • Update internal links, sitemaps, and canonical tags

It’s 2025. This isn’t optional anymore.

10. Your Internal Linking Strategy Is… Nonexistent

Internal links tell Google what pages matter most—and help users find relevant content. Yet many audits reveal orphaned pages and chaotic navigation.

Build a smart internal link structure:

  • Link blog posts to high-priority landing pages
  • Use varied, natural anchor text
  • Make sure every important page has multiple internal links pointing to it

This is one of the most modern technical SEO methods that separates optimized websites from average ones.

 

11. Your Sitemap and Robots.txt Files Are MIA

Let’s keep it simple: Google needs a roadmap. That’s your sitemap. It also needs to know what NOT to crawl. That’s your robots.txt file.

Yet during audits, we often see:

  • Sitemaps that are outdated or incomplete
  • Robots.txt files blocking important sections

Fix these immediately:

  • Generate and submit your XML sitemap to Google Search Console
  • Double-check that robots.txt isn’t blocking key folders or URLs
  • Keep them both up to date

If Google can’t find your content, it won’t rank

 

Final Word: Know What to Look For—And What to Fix First

SEO isn’t a guessing game. It’s about identifying real problems, understanding their impact, and applying the right fix with confidence.

When you analyze your site SEO consistently, you stop flying blind. You uncover missed opportunities, clean up messy technical debt, and put your site in the best position to rank and convert.

So whether you’re an agency offering website SEO analysis service, a business owner trying to figure out why rankings have plateaued, or a marketer tackling common problems one page at a time—make audits a regular part of your strategy.

 

FAQs:

Q1: How often should I audit my website?

 A: Every 3–6 months, or more frequently if you publish content or make changes regularly.

Q2: Can I perform an SEO audit myself?

 A: Yes! Free tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and Ubersuggest make DIY audits totally doable.

Q3: What’s the most important part of SEO to focus on first?

 A: Start with technical SEO and site speed—if Google can’t crawl your site, content won’t matter.

Q4: Is duplicate content always a penalty?

 A: Not always a manual penalty, but it confuses Google and weakens your site authority.

Q5: Should I hire someone to fix SEO issues?

 A: It depends on your time and technical skill. Many issues can be DIY’d, but complex fixes are best handled by professionals.

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