Common Technical SEO Issues Costing Your Website Traffic And How to Fix Them

For medium-sized businesses in London, a strong online presence can make or break your success. However, even with great content and design, your website could be losing valuable traffic due to technical SEO issues. These hidden barriers can prevent search engines from properly indexing and ranking your site. The good news? Most of these issues are easy to identify and fix.

This guide outlines seven common technical SEO problems and offers practical solutions to help your website achieve its full potential.

1. Slow Page Load Speed

The Issue: Slow-loading pages frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates. Google also prioritizes fast websites in its rankings.

How to Fix:

Compress Images: Use tools like TinyPNG to reduce image sizes without sacrificing quality.
Enable Browser Caching: Ensure static files are stored locally on users’ devices to speed up repeat visits.
Minimize Code: Remove unnecessary JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights can identify specific issues.
Upgrade Hosting: Invest in a reliable hosting service with optimized server configurations.

2. Mobile-Friendliness Issues

The Issue: With mobile devices generating more than half of global web traffic, a site that’s not mobile-friendly risks losing a significant audience.

How to Fix:

Use Responsive Design: Ensure your site automatically adjusts to different screen sizes.
Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Tool: This free tool highlights mobile usability issues.
Optimize Touch Elements: Buttons and links should be large enough to tap easily.

3. Broken Links (404 Errors)

The Issue: Broken links create a poor user experience and can negatively impact your SEO rankings.

How to Fix:

Audit Your Site Regularly: Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to find broken links.
Redirect Broken URLs: Set up 301 redirects to guide users to the correct page.
Fix Internal Links: Update any outdated internal links.

4. Duplicate Content

The Issue: Search engines penalize sites for duplicate content, which can dilute your rankings.

How to Fix:

Use Canonical Tags: Indicate the primary version of a page to search engines.
Check for Duplicate Pages: Use tools like Copyscape or SEMrush to identify duplicates.
Avoid Repeating Content: Ensure every page has unique, high-quality content.

5. Poor URL Structure

The Issue: Complex or unclear URLs make it harder for search engines to understand your site’s content.

How to Fix:

Keep URLs Short and Descriptive: Include primary keywords and avoid unnecessary parameters.
Use Hyphens for Word Separation: Hyphens improve readability for both users and search engines.
Organize Your Site Hierarchically: Group related pages into logical categories.

6. Missing or Improperly Configured XML Sitemap

The Issue: Without a sitemap, search engines may struggle to crawl your site effectively.

How to Fix:

Generate an XML Sitemap: Use tools like Yoast SEO or Screaming Frog.
Submit to Search Engines: Upload your sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Keep It Updated: Ensure new pages are automatically added to your sitemap.

7. Insufficient Website Security (HTTPS)

The Issue: Websites without HTTPS are flagged as “not secure,” which deters users and affects rankings.

How to Fix:

Install an SSL Certificate: Obtain an SSL certificate from a trusted provider or hosting service.
Redirect HTTP to HTTPS: Set up 301 redirects to ensure all traffic is encrypted.
Regularly Monitor Security: Use tools like Sucuri to check for vulnerabilities.

Technical SEO might sound intimidating, but addressing these seven common issues can significantly improve your website’s traffic and performance. Whether it’s fixing broken links, speeding up your site, or optimizing for mobile, small changes can lead to big results.

For businesses in London, ensuring your website is technically sound is a crucial step towards standing out in a competitive digital landscape. Need help? Partner with an experienced SEO professional to take the guesswork out of the process.