Avoid these 15 lesser known SEO mistakes

Search engine optimisation can make or break a website, just one tag in the wrong place can wipe out your search rankings! Learn 15 SEO mistakes thats could save your site!

Launching a website is like setting a ship to sail; without careful navigation and meticulous planning, unexpected setbacks are almost guaranteed. In this article featuring 15 insights from SEO industry experts, discover why using keywords in your URL is crucial and understand the importance of prioritising mobile optimisation among a total of 15 insightful strategies shared.

• Keyword placement
• Optimise Images Properly
• Implement Proper Heading Hierarchy
• Avoid Overusing JavaScript
• Plan Internal Linking Strategy
• Remove 'Noindex' Tags Timely
• Audit Robots.txt and Noindex Tags
• Optimize Images for SEO
• Resize Images and Use WebP Format
• Focus on Local SEO
• Set Up Proper 301 Redirects
• Prioritize Mobile Optimization
• Simplify Navigation Menus
• Set Up Image Alt Texts
• Create Clear URL Structure

SEO mistakes to avoid

1. Keyword placement

Its important to use your main keywords in the correct places, this shows Google what the page is about. Including keywords in meta descriptions can make search snippets more appealing to users, which can boost click-through rate (CTR). For example you should have them here:
URL
H1
H2
Meta title & description
Early within the first paragraph
Within the content (naturally!)

Dean Founder Smart SEO Cornwall

2. Optimise images properly

One lesser-known SEO mistake web designers often make is not optimising images properly. While visuals are crucial for user experience, unoptimised images can significantly slow down a website’s load time, which negatively impacts SEO. Designers might overlook compressing image files, neglect to include descriptive alt text, or fail to use appropriate file formats, all of which are essential for both performance and accessibility.

Proper image optimisation involves compressing files to reduce load time, using descriptive and keyword-rich alt text for better indexing, and selecting the right file types (like WebP) for faster performance. This small but important step can improve page speed, user experience, and search engine rankings.

Mei Ping Mak, Director of SEO and Web, Weave Asia

3. Implement proper heading hierarchy

One lesser-known SEO mistake that happens a lot in web design—especially for new websites—is skipping over the proper use of heading hierarchy. When designers don't structure their content with H1, H2, and H3 tags, it can confuse search engines, making it harder for them to figure out what the page is about.
This mix-up can lead to poor indexing, which then hurts both the site's ranking and user experience.
Without a clear structure, visitors might find it tricky to navigate, which can affect how long they stay and increase bounce rates. It's essential to use headings properly to guide both users and search engines.
A well-organised hierarchy boosts readability, improves accessibility, and helps overall SEO performance.
Roy Michael Yungco, SEO Specialist, Fidelitas

4. Avoid overusing javascript

In my opinion, the overuse of JavaScript for adding flair to websites is a common problem. Although JavaScript enhances user interaction, depending on it too much for content can obstruct proper indexing by search engines. Static HTML is usually better for SEO. I advise web designers to steer clear of overly complex JavaScript implementations when SEO is a priority, but many still make this mistake for the sake of aesthetics.

Ali Ashraf, CMO, Shopify Force

5. Plan internal linking strategy

One lesser-known SEO mistake that web designers often make when building new websites is neglecting internal linking from the start. While designers usually focus on aesthetics and functionality, they sometimes overlook the importance of a well-structured internal linking strategy. This mistake can significantly impact the site's SEO performance and user experience.

Internal links play a crucial role in helping search engines understand the structure of your site and the relationship between your pages. If internal linking isn't thoughtfully integrated from the beginning, it can lead to poor crawlability, making it harder for search engines to index your site effectively. This oversight can also result in lower rankings and missed opportunities to guide users through your content in a way that enhances engagement and conversions.

My advice: As you design a new website, plan your internal linking strategy alongside your visual and functional design elements. Use tools to optimise and automate internal linking, ensuring that every new page you create is seamlessly connected within the overall site structure. This proactive approach not only boosts your SEO but also improves the overall user journey, leading to better results from the outset.

Robert Downey, Co-Founder, Simply Be Found

6. Remove 'Noindex' tags timely

For web designers, sometimes they put a “noindex” tag on pages that they are still working on to prevent indexing. However, putting a “noindex” can be dangerous because you tell Google to stay away from those pages. When the pages are live later and the “noindex” tag removed, Google can still be reluctant to re-crawl the page. Although eventually Google may re-crawl them, it may take more time than expected.

Aubrey Yung, SEO Consultant, Aubrey Yung

7. Audit robots.txt and Noindex tags

One lesser-known SEO mistake that web designers often make is not optimizing for crawlability and indexability through the proper use of robots.txt files and noindex tags. While designers typically focus on aesthetics and user experience, they sometimes inadvertently block search engines from crawling or indexing important pages by misconfiguring these files or tags. 

For instance, during the development process, a site might have certain pages or sections temporarily blocked from search engines to avoid incomplete content being indexed. However, if these blocks aren't removed before the site goes live, critical pages might remain hidden from search engines, preventing them from being ranked.

This mistake can severely limit a site's SEO potential, as search engines won't be able to properly discover and rank key pages, resulting in a loss of organic traffic.

The solution is to audit the robots.txt file and ensure that no key pages are blocked from crawling, and check that noindex tags are only applied where necessary, such as on thank-you pages or other non-essential content. By ensuring that your site is fully crawlable and indexable by search engines, you set the foundation for better visibility and performance in search rankings.

John Reinesch, Founder, John Reinesch Consulting

8. Optimise images for SEO 

As an SEO consultant, one mistake I often see web designers make is not optimising images. They choose images based solely on aesthetics rather than SEO. Images should have file names, alt text, and title tags that include the target keyword. Image optimisation has a significant impact on rankings. One client saw traffic increase simply by optimising image alt text and file names. The alt text should be a concise but descriptive summary of the image, including the keyword.

Magee Clegg, CEO, Cleartail Marketing

9. Resize images and use WebP format

Using large images and uploading them as a .JPG or .PNG file can significantly slow down page loading speed, which negatively impacts SEO. Instead, it's worth taking the time to resize each image to the maximum size they'll be displayed in, and export them as a .WebP file format, which is very light and best for SEO.

Maggie McTavish, Founder & SEO Expert, Mango Media

10. Focus on local SEO 

One lesser-known SEO mistake web designers often make is neglecting local SEO when building new websites. A key issue is the inconsistency between the Google Business Profile's About page and the website's About page. Both should target the same keywords to ensure cohesive local SEO, yet this is frequently overlooked.

Another common oversight is forgetting to embed Google Maps on the website, which is critical for local businesses to appear in map searches. For service-based businesses, designers also tend to miss the opportunity to create landing pages targeting specific service areas and services offered. These pages are crucial for helping the business rank higher in local search results and improving visibility.

Ramzy Humsi, Founder & CEO, Vortex Ranker

11. Set up proper 301 redirects

One lesser-known SEO mistake that web designers often make is neglecting to set up proper 301 redirects when moving content or launching a new website. This can happen when old URLs change during a site redesign or rebranding, leading to broken links or 404 errors. Without 301 redirects in place, search engines lose the connection between the old and new URLs, resulting in lost SEO value and decreased rankings. Setting up redirects ensures that traffic and SEO authority from the old URLs are passed on to the new ones, maintaining search engine visibility and user experience.

Allison Fraser, Owner, Allison Design Co.

12. Prioritise mobile optimisation 

One lesser-known SEO mistake that web designers often make is neglecting mobile optimisation during the website development process. With an increasing number of users accessing websites via mobile devices, having a site that isn't optimised for mobile can significantly hinder its performance in search rankings. Many designers focus solely on desktop layouts without considering how elements will appear on smaller screens, leading to poor user experiences that can increase bounce rates.

To avoid this pitfall, it's essential for web designers to adopt a mobile-first approach when creating new websites. This means designing the site with mobile users in mind from the outset—ensuring that navigation is intuitive, images load quickly, and text is easily readable on smaller screens. By prioritising mobile optimisation alongside traditional desktop design, web designers can create sites that provide excellent user experiences across all devices while improving their chances of ranking higher in search engine results.

Greg Walters, Co-Founder, SEO Modify

13. Simplify navigation menus

A common SEO mistake that web designers make without even realizing it is creating navigation menus that look great but are difficult for search engines to crawl. Things like fancy JavaScript menus or image-based links might look sleek, but if search engines can't easily read and follow them, key pages might not get indexed.

It’s like having a beautiful storefront with no clear door for customers to walk through. By keeping navigation simple and crawlable (using regular text HTML links), you make it easier for search engines to find and rank your pages.

Chris Burdick, Senior SEO Consultant & Strategist, Chris Burdick SEO

14. Set up image Alt texts

One lesser-known SEO mistake I see web designers make all the time is not properly setting up image alt texts. I know it sounds like such a small detail, but trust me, it can be a game-changer. I had a client who had this beautiful, image-heavy website, but they didn’t bother with alt texts. Their SEO tanked, and it was frustrating because the fix was so simple! 

Alt texts aren’t just for accessibility (though that’s super-important); they give Google clues about what the page is about. I once spent hours fixing this on a site. What a tedious win, but the organic traffic boost afterward was totally worth it. 

Damilola Ademuyiwa, SEO Specialist, Dammy Ade

15. Create clear URL structure

A lesser-known SEO mistake web designers often make when building new websites is overlooking URL structure and hierarchy. In the pursuit of creating visually appealing and functional sites, designers sometimes neglect the impact that a well-organized URL system has on search engine optimization and user experience.

When URLs follow a clear, logical hierarchy, search engines can better understand the content and structure of the site, which directly influences how effectively pages are indexed and ranked. However, designers occasionally create URLs that are overly complex, filled with random characters, numbers, or long strings of text that do not convey meaningful information about the page's content. This lack of clarity can confuse both search engines and users, making it harder for pages to be discovered and remembered.

Clean URLs that incorporate relevant keywords signal the page's topic, improving both search visibility and user navigation. A straightforward URL structure enhances the user's experience by making it easier to navigate and understand the site's content, which can also increase click-through rates. On the other hand, a cluttered or unclear URL structure can deter users and negatively impact a site's search ranking.

To avoid this pitfall, designers should develop a well-thought-out URL structure from the outset, one that reflects the overall content hierarchy. The organization should be logical, often aligning with the website's main navigation. Additionally, it's important to format URLs consistently by using separators and avoiding special characters, as certain formats are more SEO-friendly than others.

Maintaining consistency in URL formatting is another crucial factor. Designers should establish rules around case usage and punctuation to keep URLs clean and easy to understand. Adopting these practices during the design phase helps search engines crawl and index pages more efficiently while enhancing the user experience—both essential components of strong SEO.

By focusing on URL structure early in the design process, web designers can build a solid foundation for SEO, steering clear of this commonly overlooked mistake.

David Springer, Creative Director, Springer Studios



Thank you to all of our SEO experts for their great tips and helpful advice, check out our latest article on if Pagespeed Insights matter in most competitive industries