Your website is your digital storefront. But what if visitors keep facing errors? Worse, what if search engines notice these issues too? Website errors can hurt your SEO, reducing your visibility on search engines like Google. This is especially concerning for those seeking Affordable SEO Services For Small Businesses, where every visitor counts. But don’t worry—I’ve got you covered. This guide will help you identify the top 10 website errors that harm your SEO and how to fix them easily.
1. 404 Errors (Page Not Found)
Problem:
A 404 error occurs when a user tries to access a page that doesn’t exist.
How It Hurts SEO:
Search engines see too many 404 errors as a sign of poor site maintenance, affecting your ranking.
How to Fix:
- For 404 error detection, use a tool such as Google Search Console.
- Redirect broken URLs to a relevant page using 301 redirects.
- Regularly audit your site for broken links.
2. Broken Internal Links
Problem:
These are links on your website that lead to pages that no longer exist.
How It Hurts SEO:
In addition to degrading user experience, broken links hinder search engines' ability to effectively index your website.
How to Fix:
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a tool that may be used to identify broken links.
- Update or remove broken links immediately.
- Regularly review and maintain your internal link structure.
3. Slow Page Load Speed
Problem:
Your website takes too long to load, frustrating users.
How It Hurts SEO:
Google considers page speed a ranking factor. Slow sites rank lower.
How to Fix:
- Optimize images (use WebP format).
- Use a content delivery network (CDN) like Cloudflare.
- Minimize CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files.
- Use browser caching.
4. Missing Meta Tags
Problem:
Your pages lack meta titles or descriptions.
How It Hurts SEO:
Search engines struggle to understand your content, reducing your ranking potential.
How to Fix:
- Create distinct meta titles and descriptions for every page that are packed with keywords.
- Use an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO (for WordPress) for easy management.
5. Duplicate Content
Problem:
Multiple pages have the same or very similar content.
How It Hurts SEO:
Search engines can’t decide which page to rank, causing both pages to rank lower.
How to Fix:
- You can use canonical tags to access the original page.
- Rewrite duplicate content to make it unique.
- Regularly audit your content for duplication.
6. Missing Alt Text for Images
Problem:
Images on your site don’t have descriptive alt text.
How It Hurts SEO:
Search engines can’t understand image content, hurting your image search rankings.
How to Fix:
- Add clear, descriptive alt text to all images.
- Make sure the text fits your material and the image.
7. Incorrect Redirects (302 Instead of 301)
Problem:
Temporary redirects (302) are used in place of permanent redirects (301).
How It Hurts SEO:
The authority of your website may suffer if search engines disregard the redirected page.
How to Fix:
- Use 301 redirects for permanent page changes.
- Use SEO tools such as Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to check redirection.
8. No HTTPS (Secure Connection)
Problem:
Your site lacks an SSL certificate (showing HTTP instead of HTTPS).
How It Hurts SEO:
Google favors secure websites. An unsecured site can lower your ranking.
How to Fix:
- Get an SSL certificate from your hosting provider.
- Redirect all HTTP URLs to HTTPS.
- Regularly renew your SSL certificate.
9. Crawl Errors
Problem:
Search engines cannot access some of your site pages.
How It Hurts SEO:
Pages that cannot be crawled won’t be indexed or shown in search results.
How to Fix:
- Use Google Search Console to identify crawl errors.
- Check your robots.txt file for restrictions.
- Ensure your sitemap is correctly submitted.
10. Orphan Pages (No Internal Links)
Problem:
Pages exist on your site without any internal links pointing to them.
How It Hurts SEO:
Search engines struggle to find these pages, leading to poor indexing.
How to Fix:
- Regularly audit your site for orphan pages.
- Add relevant internal links to these pages.
- Ensure all important pages are part of your internal linking strategy.
Final Thoughts: Keep Your Website Error-Free for Better SEO
Website errors can be a nightmare for your SEO, but they don’t have to be. By regularly auditing your site and following these best practices, you can maintain a healthy, high-ranking website.
Need help fixing website errors and improving your SEO? Check out our Affordable SEO Services For Small Businesses and watch your website grow.
#AffordableSEOServicesForSmallBusinesses
