7 biggest SEO mistakes in 2025 (SEO for small business)

We love SEO for small businesses like yours.

Search engine optimisation is a cost-effective way to boost website visibility in unpaid listings, but only if done correctly.

Are you disappointed with the results so far? Many businesses waste money on SEO because they neglect crucial elements needed to climb the ranks in search engines like Google. This article talks about the 7 biggest SEO mistakes in 2025. Empower yourself to make simple changes that bring eager consumers to your website! 

First, what makes SEO for small businesses work so well?

SEO for small businesses is ONLY effective when you provide accurate, engaging and helpful information that directly addresses Google searches from your target market. 

You must also incorporate techniques that signal to search engines that your user-friendly content is one of the BEST sources of information for that query.

Forget about ranking on the first page if you don’t appeal to humans AND search engines! Downplaying this connection leads to the biggest SEO mistakes we’ll address now.

Biggest SEO mistakes in 2025 (overview)

1. Neglecting website speed
2. Misusing keywords
3. Poor content quality
4. Ignoring mobile optimisation
5. Skipping local SEO
6. Overlooking on-page SEO
7. Duplicate or outdated content

1. Neglecting Website Speed

People expect pages to load quickly and won’t tolerate slow websites when another brand is one click away.

Small businesses often face challenges like:

• Shared hosting
• Unoptimised images (file size is too big)
• Lack of caching
• Limited technical knowledge

Aim for these benchmarks:

• Keep page load times under 3 seconds
• Ensure server response times are below 200 ms
• Optimise images to reduce their size without sacrificing quality

Thankfully, practical fixes don’t have to drain your bank account!

• Tools like TinyPNG and ShortPixel compress images for free
• Faster global content delivery with caching plugins like WP Rocket
• Set up a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for faster webpage loading
• Regularly check your website performance with Google PageSpeed
• Monthly speed audits help you catch and resolve issues early

2. Misusing Keywords

One of the biggest SEO mistakes is going after broad, generic keywords. Competing for terms like “books” or “coffee shop” often puts small businesses against big players and well-established brands – a tough battle to win with limited resources.

The smarter move? 

Focus on long-tail keywords: SPECIFIC phrases that align with your unique offerings and location. For example, instead of “bookshop,” a small business might target “vintage mystery bookshop Sydney.”

The best long-tail keywords contain a low-volume and high-volume keyword in a single phrase. 

Example: 

“What is Google SGE” 

Low-volume keyword: “what is Google SGE” (30 searches a month)

Higher volume keyword: “Google SGE” (320 searches a month)

Here’s a quick breakdown to guide your SEO for small business keyword strategy:

Keyword Type	Example	Why It Works
Generic (Avoid)	“bookstore”	Too much competition, low ROI
Long-tail (Use)	“vintage mystery bookstore Sydney”	Less competition, high intent
Local Intent (Use)	“best bookstores in Sydney”	Brings in local customers
Service-specific (Use)	“rare book appraisal services”	Matches niche user needs

Consistency is key. Your chosen keywords should naturally appear across your digital presence, including:

• Website content and meta descriptions
• Image alt tags and file names
• Your Google Business Profile

But don’t overdo it – keyword stuffing can hurt rankings and turn off visitors by blocking the natural flow of content!

Remember, the best keyword strategies send a relevancy signal to search engines AND give people a good reading experience.

Curious about keyword performance? Tools like Google Analytics help you track rankings and fine-tune your strategy. But remember, even a brilliant keyword strategy won’t work without excellent content to support it.

3. Low-quality content 

Your target audience will spend less time on your website if you publish poorly written, outdated, inaccurate or unhelpful content for their query. Low engagement levels indicate to search engines that your content lacks credibility, which can harm your chances of achieving page one visibility.

Content Type	SEO Impact	User Engagement
Thin Content (<300 words)	Hurts rankings	Leads to high bounce rates
Duplicate/Copied	Risk of penalties	Reduces trust
Well-researched (1000+ words)	Boosts rankings	Encourages engagement
Updated Content	Improves rankings	Brings visitors back

How to create content that people want to read

• Provide value: Answer user questions fully with reliable data and original insights. Don’t just scratch the surface – dig deep into topics.
• Improve readability: Clear headings, short paragraphs and relevant visuals make your content easy to read and appealing.
• Keep it fresh: Regularly update your content to reflect current trends and user needs. This can nearly double your traffic, according to SEO expert Neil Patel. Updating old content also requires less effort than producing new content from scratch.

Read more tips on how to do SEO writing for beginners.

Measure user engagement 

To understand how your content performs, track key metrics such as time on page, bounce rate, social shares, backlinks, and conversions. This will give you a clear picture of what’s working or needs improvement.

Remember, an 800-word article packed with value will consistently outperform a 2,000 word piece that says very little. Search engines prioritise content that’s both detailed and relevant to users’ needs.

Lastly, even the best-written content won’t perform well if your site isn’t mobile-friendly.

4. Ignoring mobile optimisation

Did you know that 50 per cent of global web traffic comes from mobile devices? 

When determining your ranking, Google considers the user-friendliness of your site on mobile devices. We also know that most consumers won’t return to a site that’s difficult to navigate on mobile, so fix any problems like slow loading time or cluttered layout.

Mobile Issue	Business Impact	SEO Effect
Slow Loading Speed	20% drop in conversions	Lower rankings
Poor Navigation/Design	52% user abandonment, competitor visits	Higher bounce rate, less visibility
Small Text/Buttons	More user errors	Decreased engagement

 

Key mobile optimisation steps

1. Tools like Mobile Friendly Test or Chrome Lighthouse identify performance issues and suggest improvements.
2. Responsive design ensures your site works well on any screen size with features like:

• • • • • Readable text without zooming
        • Properly spaced tap targets
        • No horizontal scrolling
        • Optimised image sizes
        • Simplifying navigation menus
        • Adding touch-friendly buttons and forms
        • Structuring content for easy mobile reading

Boosting Local Search with Mobile Optimisation

Mobile-friendly sites perform better in “near me” searches, which are critical for local businesses. SEO for small businesses isn’t just about rankings – it’s about staying competitive and keeping local customers. Google tells us that a one-second mobile loading delay can hurt retail conversion rates by up to 20 per cent.

Once your site is mobile-ready, the next step is to build a strong local SEO strategy that effectively connects with your audience.

5. Skipping Local SEO

Nearly half of all Google searches relate to local offerings.

If you’re a small business ignoring local SEO, you’re leaving money on the table. 

Local SEO isn’t just about appearing in search results. You’re connecting with people in your area who are READY to make a purchase. Ignoring this strategy is like giving potential customers to your competitors who already optimised their local presence. 

Focus on targeting the locations you service. This is a smart way to attract nearby customers and stand out – even against bigger competitors.

Local SEO Element	Why It Matters	What To Do
Google Business Profile	Boosts local visibility	Fill out your profile with accurate details
Local Keywords	Attracts nearby customers	Add city/state names to your content
Customer Reviews	Builds trust and rankings	Request and respond to reviews

Effective local SEO strategies:

1. Accurate and consistent information on Google My Business and other profiles.
   • • Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate on every online platform.
     • Update your hours, services and other details regularly.
     • Share updates and photos to keep your profile active.
     • Maintain consistent information across all listings to avoid confusing customers and search engines.
2. Localised Content
   • • Create content that speaks to your community. Use local events, topics and keywords naturally in your blog posts, social media, or website copy to connect with your audience.
3. Managing reviews
   • Ask your customers to leave reviews and respond to them promptly.
   • Address negative feedback professionally and take the time to acknowledge positive reviews.

    

We’ve created a local SEO checklist with more guidance if you want to take stronger actions. Once you’ve nailed the basics of local SEO, you can focus on fine-tuning your website.

6. Overlooking on-page SEO

On-page SEO improves the content and formatting of your website. Businesses harm their ranking chances with common SEO mistakes like missing meta tags, poorly structured headers and unoptimised images.

Practical on-page SEO tips for small businesses

• Content length: Some research suggests that pages with around 1,400 words perform better on Google’s first page. But remember, quality is more important than quantity. Shorter lengths also perform well, depending on the context.
• Keyword optimisation: Naturally weave relevant keywords into titles, headers, meta descriptions, and the opening paragraph. Use clear headings (H1, H2, etc.) that reflect the content and include keywords. Internal links enhance navigation and keep users on your site for longer.
• Focus on technical details: Fine-tune every page’s meta descriptions and title tags. Add descriptive alt text to images and compress them for faster loading times. A well-organised internal linking structure is another simple but effective way to improve SEO.

How to measure on-page SEO success

Keep an eye on metrics that reflect both user behaviour and search performance. 

These include:

• Page load speed
• Bounce rates
• Time users spend on your site
• Organic traffic growth
• Keyword rankings

7. Duplicate Content Problems

Eliminate duplicate content, which can weaken your SEO efforts. 

When the same content exists on multiple URLs, search engines struggle to determine which version to prioritise, often leading to lower rankings and reduced visibility.

Duplicate content often arises from:

• Reusing product descriptions
• Copying content across location-specific pages
• Variations in URL formats (e.g., WWW vs. non-WWW)
• Printer-friendly pages lacking canonical tags

You’ll need a mix of technical fixes and content solutions:

Technical fixes:

• Use canonical tags to signal the preferred version of content
• Apply 301 redirects to consolidate duplicate pages
• Ensure consistent URL structures
• Adjust CMS settings to avoid duplicate content generation.

Content tactics:

• Write unique descriptions for each product.
• Develop tailored content for different locations.
• Regularly create fresh, original material.
• Use tools like SEMrush to perform content audits.

Monitor these metrics to ensure your content stays unique:

• Crawl stats to spot duplicate pages
• Organic traffic data at the page level
• Keyword rankings for affected pages

E-Web Marketing can help you with SEO for small businesses

Our Sydney-based team of experts knows how to avoid the biggest SEO mistakes! We create quality content that your dream audience notices and appreciates on a website that’s easy to navigate. We’re a full-service agency with 25 years of experience helping local and global clients to grow online.

Call 1800 785 122 or fill out this form to find out more.