5 SEO Mistakes That Are Silently Killing Your Google Rankings

By Juan Diaz

Google’s latest core algorithm update just reshuffled the deck — and for many websites, that meant one thing: a steep drop in rankings. If your traffic took a hit, it’s not just bad luck. The SEO game has changed, and clinging to outdated tactics won’t cut it.

Writing good content isn’t enough anymore. If your website isn’t ranking, there’s a reason, and chances are, it’s one of these five mistakes.

What is SEO and Why Is It Important?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of optimising your website and content to improve rankings on search engines like Google. That includes everything from on-page tweaks to technical fine-tuning behind the scenes. It’s how you show up — and stay visible — when your audience is searching.

At its core, SEO helps you:

• Boost online visibility
• Drive qualified organic traffic
• Build brand authority
• Improve overall user experience

And here’s the kicker: even though SEO best practices are constantly evolving, most businesses don’t keep up. That’s how simple mistakes turn into major ranking losses.

At Outsource Digital Marketing (OSDM), we’ve audited hundreds of websites and noticed the same culprits again and again. These aren’t “minor issues.” They’re ranking killers. Let’s fix them.

1. You’re Guessing Instead of Doing Keyword Research

Creating content without keyword research is like launching a product without knowing if anyone wants it. If you’re not using real search data, you’re just shouting into the void.

“The biggest SEO mistake you can make is assuming you know what your audience is searching for without doing the research.”  
Rand Fishkin, Co-founder of Moz

How to Fix It:

• Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs
• Prioritise long-tail keywords with low competition and clear intent
• Build content around what people actually search for

Try this: Instead of targeting “digital marketing,” focus on “digital marketing strategy for small businesses”—more specific, less competition, better traffic.

1. Your Site Isn’t Mobile-Ready

Google uses mobile-first indexing. If your mobile experience is poor, you’re handing rankings to your competitors.

Over 60% of all Google searches come from mobile devices. If your site is slow, broken, or hard to use on a phone, users bounce — and Google notices.

Fix it fast:

• Use responsive design
• Test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test
• Optimise image sizes and reduce load times
• Check your mobile UX: forms, buttons, and menus must work smoothly

2. Your User Experience (UX) is Driving People Away

Google doesn’t just reward relevance. It rewards experience. If your content is hard to read or your site is confusing, visitors won’t stay — and your rankings will tank.

Warning signs:

• High bounce rate
• Short session durations
• Minimal interaction (no clicks, no scrolls, no shares)

Quick wins:

• Break content into scannable chunks
• Use headers (H1, H2, H3) to guide the reader
• Keep navigation intuitive
• Avoid intrusive pop-ups

“Google’s goal is to provide users with the best possible experience — and UX is a direct ranking factor.” 
Cyrus Shepard, SEO Strategist

3. You’ve Neglected Technical SEO

This is the part most businesses skip because it sounds too technical. But if Google can’t crawl or understand your site, it won’t rank it. Period.

Common issues:

• Broken links and 404 errors
• Missing or outdated sitemap.xml
• Slow page speed
• Poor URL structure
• Indexing issues from robots.txt or noindex tags

Fix it smart:

• Set up Google Search Console (your best friend for this)
• Run technical audits with SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog
• Fix redirects, errors, and broken internal links
• Optimise for speed using PageSpeed Insights

4. You’re Inconsistent (or Just Posting Without Strategy)

Posting a great blog once a quarter won’t move the needle. Neither will copying what’s already out there. SEO is a game of momentum, and consistency builds authority.

What not to do:

• Sporadic posting with no plan
• Random, unrelated topics
• Outdated, unrefreshed content

Do this instead:

• Build a content calendar and stick to it
• Use topic clusters to build topical authority
• Regularly update older posts
• Focus on helpful, original content that answers real questions

“The key to SEO success is consistency. Publish content regularly, optimise it well, and your traffic will grow.”
Aleyda Solis, International SEO Consultant

The Growth Mindset

Fixing these SEO mistakes doesn’t just improve rankings — it improves the entire user experience of your site. Think of it as building digital trust with Google and your audience. The more effort you put in now, the less you’ll need to spend on short-term fixes later. 

This isn’t theory — it’s what we apply every day at OSDM to help businesses move from invisible to unmissable.

Want to find out what’s hurting your rankings?

Request an SEO audit today — and we’ll show you exactly what to fix.