5 Reasons Why Your SEO Isn't Working

Search engines allow users to navigate the internet by pulling up relevant results after they type in a search query. But have you ever wondered how search engines manage such a feat? Key information about your website is provided to search engines, namely through SEO which stands for search engine optimisation.

But as with any marketing effort, SEO doesn’t happen by magic. If your visitor count isn’t as healthy as you’d like, then your SEO could be at fault. All the while, your competitors are gaining what would have been your web traffic instead. 

That’s why now is the time to address why your SEO strategy isn’t working so that your website can get ahead. Here are just 5 of some of the most common reasons that could be harming your search engine visibility to tell you more. 

You’ve never bothered to look into SEO

It sounds simple enough, but when it comes to SEO - you either know about it or you don’t. While SEO has become a lot more mainstream over the last decade or so, those new to building a website or even technology, in general, could be lagging behind. That’s not necessarily a problem, so long as you take action now to ensure your website is aligned with the masses, otherwise it will continue to struggle to be heard against the noise of your competitors. 

The first port of call should be identifying keywords that relate to your business and implementing them into your content. Each business is unique but think of your industry, products, services and location as a starting point. All of which needs to be translated into how users may search for your business, such as ‘dentists in Cairns’, or ‘restaurants near me’ etc. 

Also, pop your URL into Google Search Console and see if any additional errors are preventing your website from getting noticed. SEO includes technical, on-page and off-page aspects, so all 3 of these areas need to be addressed. 

You’re missing chances to fully implement SEO

Most content management systems such as WordPress will have plugins and features that make SEO implementation easier. This can include the likes of Yoast SEO, or the ability to fill in more information about your posts such as with alt tags or metadata. Even still, there’s no guarantee you are adding everything correctly. Even if everything is above board, you may require more powerful tools especially for competitive industries or search terms. 

Then there’s the way you are formatting your content. Let’s take the page header as an example, which is the H1 tag. Ideally, the H1 tag should contain the keyword of the webpage or blog post. So, if you were a mechanic in Sydney, a blog post could be ‘The top 7 reasons why your car won’t start.' But if you wrote ‘Oh no, it happened again!’ this won’t be picking up traffic, because this sentence doesn’t align with what people are searching for to find help with their faulty vehicle. 

So basically, think of SEO as getting into the mindset of search engine users, leaving no stone unturned to make your website visible to the masses. 

Your website is full of errors

There’s no point in sending people to a website that won’t load, doesn’t fit their screen properly, has broken links or generally is of poor quality. Few people realise that SEO goes far beyond keywords and that your actual website needs to be up to scratch too.

Known as technical SEO, aspects such as page load time, security certificates, responsiveness and much more need to be optimised. That way, users won’t just find your website, they’ll stay on it long enough to complete any desired actions, such as buying a product or giving your business a call. 

Your website content isn’t up to scratch

If you’re not a content writer and you don’t have SEO knowledge, it can be incredibly difficult to write for a website. Yes, even if it’s your own! While the content needs to sound authentic, it also needs to read well and be of optimum length for your users. 

Remember, waffles belong on the breakfast table and not on your website. Oh, and copied and pasted content from a competitor or anywhere else for that matter is a complete no-no. Though, you’d be surprised just how often these two problems appear on websites. 

Also, take a look at any images or videos. If the content is dated, tired, pixelated or even too large in size meaning it’s slowing down your website load time, then it isn’t correctly optimised for SEO. You may want to consult a web designer for further advice if this is ringing any bells. 

You haven’t received professional advice

Nobody can do it all alone, especially if you’re trying to run a business at the same time. The simple fact is that SEO is one of the best ways to attract visitors to your website. It’s also incredibly cost-effective, since, unlike a paid advertisement, SEO will continue to work hard on your behalf for potentially years to come.

Therefore, the best solution is to contact an SEO specialist. They’ll start by conducting an audit of your website to identify where it currently ranks compared to your competitors. The reasons behind your poor search engine rankings will be uncovered and fixed. 

A new strategy will be drawn up to make your website as visible not to mention as valuable to search engine users as possible. If you lack the knowledge, time or willpower to figure out your own SEO, it’s well worth paying someone to do it for you since it’s such a powerful marketing tool. 

SEO consultants near me

The above is a snapshot of why your SEO isn’t working. Given the complexity of SEO and the ever-changing algorithms, any number of reasons could be to blame. 

Is your SEO more like SOS? Not to worry as you can find SEO consultants near you wherever you’re based in Australia with Bark. 

Simply head over to our SEO specialists page. Tell us your location, and all about your SEO woes. Don’t worry if you’re unsure either, as your chosen professional can also advise what is required. Whether your SEO strategy needs a complete overhaul or just a few minor tweaks, it pays to get the experts on your side if you want to improve your online visibility.