Last Updated on June 5, 2023 by SWHA Team
Are you one of the many businesses failing at SEO? It’s a common problem, and one that can be fixed with the right knowledge and approach. Here are 19 reasons why business is failing at SEO, and how to fix it:
1. Lack of keyword research
If you’re not doing keyword research, you’re missing out on a critical part of SEO. Without keywords, you can’t know what people are searching for, and you can’t optimize your content to rank in the search engines.
There are a few ways to do keyword research, but the best way is to use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner. This tool will show you how many people are searching for specific keywords, and how difficult it will be to rank for those keywords.
Once you have a list of keywords, you can start optimizing your content for those keywords. That means using the keywords in your titles, in your meta tags, and in your content. You should also create keyword-rich anchor text to link to your content.
If you’re not doing keyword research, you’re missing out on a critical part of SEO. Without keywords, you can’t know what people are searching for, and you can’t optimize your content to rank in the search engines.
There are a few ways to do keyword research, but the best way is to use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner. This tool will show you how many people are searching for specific keywords, and how difficult it will be to rank for those keywords.
Once you have a list of keywords, you can start optimizing your content for those keywords. That means using the keywords in your titles, in your meta tags, and in your content. You should also create keyword-rich anchor text to link to your content.
If you’re not doing keyword research, you’re missing out on a critical part of SEO. Without keywords, you can’t know what people are searching for, and you can’t optimize your content to rank in the search engines.
There are a few ways to do keyword research, but the best way is to use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner. This tool will show you how many people are searching for specific keywords, and how difficult it will be to rank for those keywords.
Once you have a list of keywords, you can start optimizing your content for those keywords. That means using the keywords in your titles, in your meta tags, and in your content. You should also create keyword-rich anchor text to link to your content.
2. Using the wrong keywords
It’s no secret that SEO is important to the success of any online business. After all, if potential customers can’t find your site, they can’t buy from you. Unfortunately, far too many businesses fail at SEO, usually because they’re using the wrong keywords.
If you’re not sure what keywords you should be targeting, there are a number of tools available that can help, such as Google’s Keyword Planner. Simply enter a few relevant terms and it will give you a list of related keywords, along with their average monthly search volume.
Once you have a list of keywords, you need to start using them on your site. That means using them in your titles, in your meta descriptions, in your H1 and H2 tags, and throughout the body of your content. If you’re not sure where to start, try using them in your blog posts first.
If you’re still not seeing the results you want, there are a few other things you can try. First, make sure you’re using long-tail keywords, which are more specific and tend to have less competition. Second, try to get more backlinks to your site. The more high-quality websites that link to yours, the higher you’ll rank in search results.
If you’re doing all of the above and you’re still not seeing the results you want, it might be time to hire us as your SEO expert. We can help you fine-tune your keyword strategy and make other changes that will improve your search engine ranking.
3. Not tracking keyword rankings
If you’re not tracking your keyword rankings, you’re failing at SEO. Here’s how to fix it.
If you want to succeed at SEO, you need to track your keyword rankings. It’s as simple as that.
There are a number of ways to track your keyword rankings, but the most important thing is to make sure you’re doing it regularly. Once a month is a good starting point.
There are a number of tools you can use to track your keyword rankings, but our favourite is Google Sheets. It’s free, easy to use, and you can access it from anywhere.
To track your keyword rankings in Google Sheets, simply create a new sheet and then add a column for each keyword you want to track. In the first row of each column, add the URL of the page you’re tracking.
Then, in the second row of each column, add the keyword you’re tracking.
Now, every time you want to update your keyword rankings, simply go to Google and search for your keyword. Then, in the search results, find your URL and copy the ranking next to it.
Paste the ranking into the appropriate cell in your Google Sheet and you’re done!
If you’re not tracking your keyword rankings, you’re failing at SEO. But don’t worry, it’s easy to fix. Just start tracking your rankings regularly and you’ll be on your way to SEO success.
4. Not creating enough content
If you’re not creating enough content, you’re failing at SEO. Here’s how to fix it.
If you’re not creating enough content, you’re failing at SEO. That’s because search engines like Google love fresh, original content. They’re constantly crawling the web, looking for new and relevant information to index and rank.
If you’re not regularly adding new content to your website, you’re not giving the search engines anything to index and rank. As a result, your website will slowly start to slip down the search engine rankings.
The solution is simple: start creating more content. Publish blog posts, articles, infographics, videos, etc. on a regular basis. The more high-quality content you create, the better your chances of ranking well in the search engines.

5. Poorly written content
If your website’s content is poorly written, it’s likely that you’re also failing at SEO. While good content is essential for both SEO and user experience, it’s often overlooked in favour of more ‘technical’ aspects of SEO. However, without strong and compelling content, your website will never rank well in search engines or convert visitors into customers.
There are a few key things to keep in mind when writing content for your website:
a) Write for your audience first, not for search engines
Your content should be written in a way that appeals to your target audience. It should be interesting and informative, and answer any questions they may have. If you try to stuff keywords into your content just for the sake of ranking higher in search results, it will be obvious to both your visitors and search engines, and you’ll be penalized for it.
b) Make sure your content is well-written and error-free
Nothing will turn off your visitors more than poorly written, error-ridden content. If you’re not a strong writer, hire someone who is. It’s worth the investment to have quality content on your website.
c) Structure your content in an easy-to-read format
Break up your text with headlines, subheadings, and bullet points. Use short paragraphs and sentences. And don’t forget to proofread!
d) Use relevant keywords throughout your content
Use keywords throughout your content, but don’t overdo it. A few strategically placed keywords will do the trick.
e) Promote your content
Once you’ve written some great content, make sure it gets seen by sharing it on social media, submitting it to directories and aggregators, and promoting it through other channels.
If your website’s content is currently failing to deliver results, don’t despair. By following the tips above, you can turn things around and start seeing the results you want.
6. Not promoting your content
If you’re not promoting your content, you’re missing out on a lot of potential traffic and engagement. Here’s how to fix it.
When it comes to SEO, content promotion is just as important as the content itself. In fact, without promotion, your content will likely never be seen by anyone except for you and maybe a few close friends or family members.
Content promotion is the process of getting your content in front of as many people as possible. The more people that see your content, the more likely it is that someone will read it, engage with it, and share it with others.
There are a number of ways to promote your content, but the most effective method is to use a combination of strategies. Some of the most common and effective content promotion strategies include:
1. Social media
2. Email marketing
3. Guest blogging
4. Paid advertising
5. Content syndication
6. Influencer outreach
7. PR and media relations
8. Community engagement
9. Offline promotion
10. Creating great content
7. Not building links
If you’re not building links, you’re failing at SEO. Here’s how to fix it.
Building links is one of the most important aspects of SEO. Without links, it’s nearly impossible to rank well in search engines.
There are many ways to build links, and you should be using as many of them as possible. Here are a few of the most effective link building strategies:
1. Guest blogging
2. Creating informative infographics
3. Creating helpful how-to guides
4. Doing interviews or podcast appearances
5. Writing testimonials for other businesses
6. Creating and submitting press releases
7. Participating in online forums and Q&A sites
8. Doing local business listings and citations
9. Creating and submitting industry directories
10. Creating and submitting link roundups
These are just a few of the many link building strategies you should be using. If you’re not doing any of them, you’re missing out on a crucial part of SEO.
Fixing your link building failures is simple: start building links! Use the strategies above to get started, and you’ll see your search engine rankings improve in no time.
8. Over-optimizing your website
If you’re failing at SEO, it’s probably because you’re over-optimizing your website. Here’s how to fix it.
When it comes to SEO, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you’re stuffing your pages with keywords, filling your Alt tags with nothing but keywords, and generally just trying to cram as many keywords as possible into your content, then you’re over-optimizing, and it’s going to hurt your chances of ranking well in search engines.
What’s the problem with over-optimization? It’s basically a form of cheating, and search engines are getting wise to it. They’re penalizing sites that engage in keyword stuffing and other black-hat SEO tactics, so if you’re doing it, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.
The solution is to focus on quality, not quantity. Write natural, informative content that uses keywords sparingly and appropriately. Don’t try to trick the search engines; just give them what they’re looking for, and you’ll be rewarded with higher rankings and more traffic.

9. Not mobile-friendly
Mobile devices are rapidly becoming the preferred method for accessing the internet, with over 60% of web traffic now coming from mobile devices. This trend is only going to continue, making it essential for businesses to have a mobile-friendly website. Unfortunately, many businesses are failing at SEO for mobile, and as a result, they’re missing out on valuable traffic and customers.
There are a number of reasons why businesses are failing at SEO for mobile, but the most common reason is that they’re not optimizing their website for mobile devices. Mobile devices have different screen sizes, resolutions, and browsers than desktop computers, so it’s essential to optimize your website for these devices. Here are a few tips for optimizing your website for mobile devices:
1. Use a responsive design
A responsive design is essential for optimizing your website for mobile devices. This type of design automatically adjusts to the screen size of the device, making it easy to read and navigate.
2. Optimize your images
Images are often the biggest culprit when it comes to slow loading times on mobile devices. Make sure to optimize your images for mobile devices by using the correct file format and size.
3. Use shorter paragraphs
Mobile users have shorter attention spans than desktop users, so it’s important to keep your paragraphs short and to the point.
4. Use bulleted lists
Bulleted lists are easier to read on mobile devices than long paragraphs of text.
5. Use clear and concise headlines
Headlines that are clear and concise are more likely to be read on mobile devices than headlines that are long and convoluted.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices and that you’re not missing out on valuable traffic and customers.
10. Not using Google Analytics
If you’re not using Google Analytics, you’re failing at SEO. Here’s how to fix it.
Google Analytics is essential for any website that wants to rank high in search engine results. Without it, you’re essentially flying blind when it comes to understanding your website’s traffic and performance.
There are a number of ways to set up Google Analytics, but the easiest is to use the Google Analytics tracking code. This code needs to be added to every page on your website, and it’s best to do it in the header or footer so that it’s loaded on every page.
Once the code is added, you’ll be able to see detailed reports on your website’s traffic, including where it’s coming from, what pages are being viewed, and how long visitors are staying on your site. This data is essential for understanding what’s working well on your website and what needs to be improved.
If you’re not using Google Analytics, you’re missing out on valuable data that could be used to improve your website’s SEO. Fortunately, it’s easy to add the tracking code to your website and start reaping the benefits.
11. Not monitoring your backlink profile
If you’re not monitoring your backlink profile, you’re failing at SEO. Here’s how to fix it.
Backlinks are one of the most important ranking factors for SEO. That’s why it’s so important to monitor your backlink profile and ensure that you’re getting high-quality links from authoritative websites.
If you’re not monitoring your backlink profile, you could be missing out on valuable link opportunities. You might also be unknowingly linking to spammy or low-quality websites, which could hurt your SEO.
To fix this, you need to start monitoring your backlink profile. Use a tool like Ahrefs or Majestic to track your links and see where they’re coming from.
Once you know where your links are coming from, you can take steps to improve your link profile. Reach out to webmasters and ask them to remove any low-quality links. And, start building relationships with other websites in your niche so that you can get high-quality backlinks.
If you’re not monitoring your backlink profile, you’re failing at SEO. But, by taking the time to monitor your links and improve your link profile, you can improve your SEO and start ranking higher in search engines.
12. Not using social media
If you’re not using social media to promote your business, you’re missing out on a valuable marketing tool. And if you’re not using SEO to improve your website’s visibility in search engines, you’re also missing out on a valuable opportunity to attract more visitors. Here’s how to fix both of these problems:
First, create social media accounts for your business on the major platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then, start sharing your content on these platforms regularly. Be sure to include links back to your website in your posts, so that people who click through to your site can learn more about your business.
In addition to sharing your content on social media, you should also be sure to optimize your website for search engines. This means including relevant keywords in your website’s title, meta tags, and content. You can also improve your website’s visibility by creating backlinks from other websites.
If you’re not using social media or SEO to promote your business, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities to reach more customers. By taking these steps, you can start to fix that problem.

13. Not using video
It’s no secret that video is one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s toolkit. Not only is video an engaging and entertaining format, but it’s also a great way to boost your SEO.
Unfortunately, too many businesses are still failing to take advantage of video’s SEO potential. As a result, they’re missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with their target audience and boost their search engine ranking.
If your business is guilty of neglecting video, don’t worry. It’s not too late to start using this powerful tool. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Optimize your videos for SEO
Just like your website and blog content, your videos need to be optimized for SEO. This means including relevant keywords in your video titles and descriptions.
It also means creating transcripts of your videos and making sure your videos are hosted on a platform that is easily crawled by search engines.
2. Make sure your videos are shareable
If you want your videos to be found by your target audience, you need to make sure they’re shareable. This means embedding them on your website and blog and sharing them on social media.
3. Use video sitemaps
A video sitemap is an XML file that tells search engines where your videos are located and how they’re related to the rest of your website.
Creating a video sitemap is a great way to ensure that your videos are indexed by search engines and appear in search results.
4. Promote your videos
Just like any other piece of content, you need to promote your videos if you want them to be seen. This means including a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of each video and using paid advertising to promote your videos to your target audience.
5. Measure your results
Finally, it’s important to measure the results of your video SEO efforts. This means tracking your video views, engagement, and conversions.
By tracking your results, you’ll be able to see what’s working and what’s not. This will help you adjust your strategy and ensure that your video SEO efforts are as effective as possible.
If your business is failing to take advantage of video, don’t worry. It’s not too late to start using this powerful tool. By following the tips above, you can start using video to boost your SEO and connect with your target audience.

14. Not using Google My Business
If you’re not using Google My Business, you’re failing at SEO. Here’s how to fix it.
Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google search and maps. This includes managing your business listing, responding to reviews, adding photos and posts, and more.
Not having a Google My Business listing is like shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to local SEO. Your business will be much harder to find in search results, and you’ll be missing out on a valuable opportunity to engage with potential customers.
If you’re not using Google My Business, now is the time to fix that. Setting up your listing is easy and only takes a few minutes. Just head to Google.com/business and follow the instructions.
Once you’ve claimed your listing, be sure to fill out as much information as possible and add high-quality photos. Google My Business is an important tool for any business that wants to be successful in SEO. Don’t miss out on the benefits.
15. Not using local keywords
If you want to rank in Google, you need to use local keywords. It’s that simple.
If you’re not using local keywords, you’re failing at SEO. Here’s how to fix it.
1. Identify your target market
Who are you trying to reach with your website? If you don’t know, you can’t target your keywords correctly.
2. Research your target market’s needs
What are they searching for online? What problems do they need to solve?
3. Identify your local keywords
These are the keywords that your target market is searching for that are related to your business.
4. Optimize your website for your local keywords
Make sure your website is optimized for the local keywords you’ve identified. This includes your website’s title, meta descriptions, header tags, and content.
5. Promote your website
Once your website is optimized for local keywords, you need to promote it. This can be done through social media, blogging, press releases, and more.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your website is optimized for local keywords and that you’re reaching your target market.
16. Not optimizing for voice search
Voice search is one of the most important tools for optimizing your website for search engines, yet many companies are not optimizing their website for voice search. Here are some of the most common problems with voice search optimization, and how to fix them.
1. Not Optimizing for Long-Tail Keywords
One of the most common problems with voice search optimization is failing to optimize for long-tail keywords. When people use voice search, they are more likely to use longer, more specific phrases than when they type into a search engine. For example, someone might search for “What is the best Italian restaurant in New York City?” instead of just “Italian restaurant.”
To optimize your website for voice search, you need to make sure you are including long-tail keywords in your content. You can use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner and Moz Keyword Explorer to find long-tail keywords that are relevant to your business.
2. Not Optimizing for Local Searches
Another common problem with voice search optimization is failing to optimize for local searches. When people use voice search, they are often looking for something nearby. For example, someone might search for “coffee shops near me” or “restaurants in New York City.”
To optimize your website for voice search, you need to make sure you are including local keywords in your content. You can use local keyword research tools like Moz Local and Bright Local to find local keywords that are relevant to your business.
3. Not Optimizing for Question Types
Another common problem with voice search optimization is failing to optimize for question types. When people use voice search, they are often asking questions instead of just making general searches. For example, someone might search for “How do I make a website?” or “What is the best way to lose weight?”
To optimize your website for voice search, you need to make sure you are including question keywords in your content. You can use question keyword research tools like Answer the Public and Google Trends to find question keywords that are relevant to your business.
4. Not Optimizing for Mobile Devices
Another common problem with voice search optimization is failing to optimize for mobile devices. When people use voice search, they are often using a mobile device instead of a desktop computer. This means that your website needs to be optimized for mobile devices in order to be visible in voice search results.
To optimize your website for voice search, you need to make sure your website is responsive and that your content is mobile-friendly. You can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to test if your website is mobile-friendly.
5. Not Optimizing Your Site for Voice Search Engines
Another common problem with voice search optimization is failing to optimize your website for voice search engines. There are a few different voice search engines, but the most popular one is Google Assistant.
To optimize your website for voice search, you need to make sure you are optimizing your website for Google Assistant. You can do this by including voice keywords in your content and by using structured data to mark up your content.
If you are not optimizing your website for voice search, you are missing out on a lot of traffic and potential customers. By fixing these common problems, you can make sure your website is visible in voice search results and that you are getting the most out of voice search.
17. Not using Schema markup
Not using schema markup is failing at SEO, and here’s how to fix it
If you’re not using schema markup, you’re missing out on a key opportunity to improve your SEO. Schema markup is code that you can add to your website to help search engines understand your content better.
Adding schema markup to your website can help you get more traffic from Google and other search engines. It can also help you get richer results for your website in Google search results.
Rich results are special search results that include more information than a standard result. They can include things like images, ratings, and other information that can help your website stand out in search results.
Schema markup is a form of structured data. Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and its content.
Schema.org is a collaborative, community activity with a mission to create, maintain, and promote schemas for structured data on the Internet, on web pages, in email messages, and beyond.
If you’re not using schema markup, you’re missing out on an opportunity to improve your SEO and get more traffic from Google. Adding schema markup to your website can help you get richer results in Google search results.
Rich results are special search results that include more information than a standard result. They can include things like images, ratings, and other information that can help your website stand out in search results.
Schema markup is a form of structured data. Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and its content.
Schema.org is a collaborative, community activity with a mission to create, maintain, and promote schemas for structured data on the Internet, on web pages, in email messages, and beyond.
If you want to learn more about schema markup, you can find more information on the Schema.org website. You can also find more information about how to add schema markup to your website in Google’s developer documentation.
18. Not monitoring your competitors
It’s no secret that SEO is important for businesses. After all, organic traffic accounts for a significant portion of most website’s traffic.
But what happens when you’re not monitoring your SEO? What happens when you’re not keeping up with the competition?
Unfortunately, the answer is that you’ll likely fail at SEO.
There are a number of reasons why this can happen. First, if you’re not monitoring your SEO, you’re not aware of changes in the algorithm that could affect your rankings. Second, you’re not aware of what your competitors are doing. And third, you’re not keeping up with the latest trends.
All of these factors can lead to a decline in your rankings. And, in some cases, it can be difficult to recover from a decline.
So, how can you fix this?
First, you need to be proactive about your SEO. This means monitoring your rankings on a regular basis and making changes when necessary.
Second, you need to be aware of your competition. What are they doing that you’re not? What keywords are they targeting? How are they driving traffic to their site?
Third, you need to keep up with the latest trends. What’s new in SEO? What’s working for other businesses?
By being proactive, aware of your competition, and keeping up with the latest trends, you can ensure that you’re not failing at SEO.
19. Not seeking help from an SEO expert
It’s no secret that SEO is important for businesses. After all, organic traffic can make up a significant portion of a website’s overall traffic, and it can be a key driver of leads and sales. However, many businesses choose to go it alone when it comes to SEO, which can often lead to failure.
There are a number of reasons why businesses fail at SEO, but the most common ones are failing to do keyword research, not having a mobile-friendly website, and not creating enough content. Fortunately, these are all relatively easy problems to fix.
If you’re not doing any keyword research, you’re likely not targeting the right keywords. As a result, your website won’t rank for the keywords that matter most to your business. Fortunately, there are a number of free and paid keyword research tools that can help you identify the right keywords to target.
If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Google has stated that mobile-friendliness is a ranking factor, so if your website isn’t optimized for mobile, it’s likely that you’re not ranking as well as you could be. Fortunately, there are a number of free and paid tools that can help you make your website mobile-friendly.
If you’re not creating enough content, you’re also likely not ranking as well as you could be. Google loves fresh, relevant content, so if you’re not regularly adding new content to your website, you’re missing out on an opportunity to rank higher. Fortunately, creating new content is relatively easy, and there are a number of free and paid tools that can help you get started.
If you’re failing at SEO, don’t despair. These are all relatively easy problems to fix, and there are a number of free and paid tools that can help you get on the right track.
Contact us today if you required further assistant.
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