Let’s cut through the noise: If your site isn’t ranking, you’re probably shooting yourself in the foot somewhere. SEO isn’t a dark art, but it is brutal to those who get it wrong. Google doesn’t care about your intentions, only the results. So, if you’re guilty of any of the following, it’s time for a course correction before your site flatlines in the search results.

1. Keyword stuffing – Stop force-feeding Google

If you’re still cramming your content full of keywords like it’s 2008, congratulations, you’re sabotaging your rankings. Google’s algorithms are smarter than that. Keyword stuffing reads like spam, ruins user experience, and triggers penalties.

You should write for humans first, algorithms second. Naturally include relevant keywords where they make sense, not where they scream desperation. Google’s looking for content that flows, informs, and serves a purpose. Not a paragraph that sounds like:

“Looking for cheap running shoes in London? Our London running shoes shop offers cheap London running shoes for London runners.”

That’s not SEO.

2. Neglecting mobile optimisation – You’re toast without it

Google has switched to mobile-first indexing, which means your mobile site is the primary version it uses to assess your content. If your site’s clunky, slow, or looks like a broken Rubik’s Cube on mobile, you’re in for a rough time.

More than 60% of searches are mobile. So if your mobile experience is poor, you’re bleeding traffic and trust. Test your site on multiple devices, fix dodgy layouts, and make sure it loads fast. Slow, unresponsive sites are a surefire way to hand your rankings to the competition.

3. Ignoring quality content – No, Google doesn’t care about your word count

Still pumping out 300-word fluff pieces hoping to climb the ranks? Stop. Google isn’t impressed by volume without value. Thin, generic, or Ai-slop content that offers no real insight will get buried. Fast.

Quality content means:

• Fulfilling search intent by answering the specific questions that users are actually asking
• Using clear, well-structured formatting (headings, bullet points, etc.)
• Providing depth by including real data, case studies, insights, or actionable advice.
• Keeping it engaging. If your bounce rate is high, you’re not helping anyone.

4. Forgetting Technical SEO

If your site is a technical mess, no amount of content will matter. Poor crawlability, missing meta tags, broken links, or a sluggish server will cripple your visibility.

Here’s what you must sort:

• Proper title tags and meta descriptions (not just for Google, but for clicks)
• XML sitemap and robots.txt are correctly set up.
• Canonical tags prevent duplicate content issues.
• Improve site speed by compressing images, reducing scripts, and using caching.

Ignore this stuff, and you’re basically telling Google: “Don’t bother ranking me.”

5. Chasing Trends Instead of Strategy

Yes, trends matter. But if your SEO approach is to blindly chase what’s hot without a long-term strategy, your results will be just as fleeting. You need a solid content plan based on keyword research, competitor insights, and user intent, not just hopping on the latest buzzword bandwagon.

Google rewards authority, consistency, and trustworthiness, not gimmicks.

6. Not monitoring or adapting – SEO isn’t set-and-forget

If you’re not tracking what’s working (and what’s not), you’re flying blind. Use tools like Google Search Console, GA4, and rank trackers to understand how your content is performing. SEO is dynamic. Algorithms change, competitors adapt, and user behaviour shifts.

If your strategy isn’t evolving, it’s dying.

Final word: SEO is ruthless, but so is Google

You can’t cheat, shortcut, or fake your way to the top, not anymore. The sites that win are the ones that provide genuine value, put users first, and respect the rules of the game.

So audit your site, own your mistakes, and fix them before Google does it for you by burying your content where no one will ever find it.