Many business owners unknowingly make Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) mistakes that harm their online visibility. At Click Maverick, our digital advertising agency team has seen firsthand how these errors can derail some of the most promising businesses’ growth prospects.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, here are the four most common SEO mistakes you might be making, plus practical ways to fix them.
1. Ignoring Keyword Research
Many business owners assume they know what their customers are searching for without conducting proper keyword research. This often leads to targeting keywords that are too competitive, irrelevant, or rarely searched.
To fix this blindspot, use tools like Google Keyword Planner or even Answer The Public to research relevant keywords with high search volume and manageable competition. We also recommend that you focus on long-tail keywords (e.g., “affordable accounting services in Johannesburg”) to capture niche audiences.
Alternatively, trust a digital advertising agency like us to conduct comprehensive keyword research for your SEO strategy.
2. Not Optimising for Mobile Users
In South Africa, 91.21% of web traffic came from mobile devices in December 2024, thus proving that failing to have a mobile-friendly website is a major oversight. A poorly optimised site leads to high bounce rates and lower rankings.
To fix this problem, try to implement responsive web design to ensure your site looks and functions well on all devices, and then test your site’s mobile-friendliness using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
Our team can also help you optimise your platform for mobile-specific features, such as faster load times and intuitive navigation.
3. Publishing Low-Quality Content
You may have heard that content is king, but not all content is created equal. Thin, duplicate, or poorly written content can hurt your rankings and fail to engage your audience.
If you have fallen into the trap of focusing on quantity over quality when it comes to blog posts or web copy, its about time you invest in high-quality, original content that provides actual value to your audience. This content should address common questions and pain points your customers have, speaking to their search intent first and foremost.
4. Overlooking On-Page SEO
Many business owners focus solely on building backlinks or creating content but neglect critical on-page SEO elements.
To fix this mistake, pay attention to your site’s meta titles and descriptions and include your target keywords in these tags. You should also use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content and improve readability, and add descriptive alt text to images for better accessibility and SEO.
If you’re unsure where to start or need expert guidance, our digital advertising agency team is here to help. With a proven track record helping local businesses improve their SEO strategies, we specialise in helping businesses like yours grow through smart, results-driven organic and paid SEO campaigns.
Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can optimise your website and help you reach more customers.
