The 7 Most Common SEO Mistakes US Businesses Make (and How to Fix Them)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most powerful tools available to US businesses looking to grow online. When done right, SEO helps your website appear higher in Google, attract qualified leads, and build long-term authority. But here’s the catch: many businesses unknowingly sabotage their SEO efforts with common mistakes.

At Duncross Media, we see these issues time and time again when auditing websites. The good news? Most SEO mistakes are fixable—and once corrected, they can lead to significant improvements in traffic and rankings.

Here are the 7 most common SEO mistakes US businesses make—and how to fix them.

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1. Ignoring Local SEO

Many small and medium-sized businesses rely on local customers, but they fail to optimize for local searches. Without a properly set up Google Business Profile or local keywords, you’re invisible to nearby customers searching “near me.”

Fix: Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile, encourage customer reviews, and use location-based keywords in your site’s content.

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2. Targeting the Wrong Keywords

Some businesses go after broad, highly competitive keywords like “plumber” or “accountant.” While these have high search volumes, ranking for them is extremely difficult. Others choose irrelevant keywords that don’t match what their customers are searching for.

Fix: Focus on long-tail, specific phrases like “emergency plumber in Atlanta” or “small business accountant New York.” These are easier to rank for and bring in more qualified traffic.

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3. Poor Website Speed and Mobile Experience

Google prioritizes user experience, and if your website is slow or poorly optimized on mobile, your rankings will suffer. In fact, mobile-first indexing means Google primarily looks at the mobile version of your site.

Fix: Compress images, use a reliable hosting provider, and make sure your site is fully mobile-responsive.

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4. Thin or Duplicate Content

Copying content from competitors or filling pages with just a few sentences won’t help your SEO. Google values original, in-depth, and helpful content.

Fix: Create blog posts, guides, and service pages that answer real customer questions. Prioritize quality over quantity.

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5. Neglecting On-Page SEO

Meta titles, descriptions, headers, and internal links are often overlooked—but they’re essential. Without them, Google struggles to understand your pages.

Fix: Optimize every page with clear titles, keyword-rich descriptions, and logical header tags. Add internal links to guide users (and Google) through your site.

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6. Forgetting About Backlinks

Backlinks—links from other reputable websites to yours—remain one of the strongest ranking factors. Many businesses don’t have a link-building strategy, which keeps them from competing in search results.

Fix: Reach out to local directories, industry publications, or partner businesses for link opportunities. Publish shareable content (like case studies or infographics) that naturally attracts backlinks.

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7. Not Tracking Results

Without tracking, you’ll never know if your SEO is working. Many businesses rely on “gut feeling” rather than data.

Fix: Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor traffic, keywords, and conversions. Regularly review performance and adjust your strategy.

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How Duncross Media Can Help

SEO mistakes can hold your business back, but with the right approach, they’re easily avoided. By fixing these seven issues—local SEO, keyword strategy, site speed, content quality, on-page optimization, backlinks, and tracking—you’ll set your business up for long-term success.

At Duncross Media, we help US businesses correct these mistakes and build SEO strategies that actually deliver results. If you’re ready to climb the rankings and attract more customers, our team is here to help.