Introduction 

So, you’re putting in the effort to create high-quality content, but your pages are still stuck on the second page of Google, leaving you frustrated and confused? Indeed, this is a common scenario for many marketers. Often, the problem isn’t the quality of your ideas, but a series of common, yet critical, onpage search engine optimization mistakes. These seemingly small errors, from improper heading use to unoptimized images, can collectively prevent your website from reaching its full potential in search results. Consequently, understanding how to identify and resolve these issues is a fundamental marketing skill. Therefore, this guide will walk you through the most common onpage search engine optimization mistakes and provide clear, actionable steps on how to fix them. 

Part 1 of 3: Fixing Core Content and Tagging Mistakes 

Fixing Title Tags and Meta Descriptions 

Mistake: Pages often have missing title tags, the same title tag as other pages, or uninspired meta descriptions. This confuses search engines and fails to entice users to click from the search results page. 

The Fix: Therefore, conduct an audit to ensure every important page has a unique, compelling, and keyword-optimized title tag (under 60 characters). Furthermore, write a unique meta description for each page (under 160 characters) that acts as a mini-advertisement for your content, encouraging clicks. 

Fixing Heading Structure and Keyword Stuffing 

Mistake: A common error is having no H1 tag, multiple H1 tags on a single page, or using headings (H1, H2, H3) simply for styling. Another major mistake is “keyword stuffing” – unnaturally forcing your main keyword into the text over and over again. 

The Fix: For every page, for instance, use one, and only one, clear H1 tag that includes your primary keyword. Then, structure the rest of your content with a logical hierarchy of H2s and H3s. Use your keyword naturally and support it with synonyms and related phrases (LSI keywords). 

Part 2 of 3: Correcting Technical and User Experience On-Page Mistakes 

Fixing Broken Internal Links and Poor URLs 

Mistake: Over time, sites often accumulate broken internal links (leading to 404 “Page Not Found” errors), which creates a dead end for both users and search engine crawlers. Additionally, many sites use long, unclear, or parameter-filled URLs. 

The Fix: Use a tool like Screaming Frog or an SEO platform’s site audit feature to find and fix broken internal links regularly. Make your URL structure clean and descriptive, short, and keyword-friendly (e.g., yourwebsite.com/services/on-page-optimization). 

Fixing Page Speed and Mobile Optimization 

Mistake: Two critical mistakes are slow page loading and a non-mobile-friendly design. These cause high bounce rates and ranking issues. 

The Fix: 

• Speed: Compress images, leverage browser caching, use a CDN, and minify CSS/JavaScript. 

• Mobile: Ensure responsive design. Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and PageSpeed Insights. 

Part 3 of 3: Fixing Content and Image Optimization Errors 

Fixing Thin or Duplicate Content 

Mistake: Pages with “thin content” or copied text offer little value. Search engines penalize such pages. 

The Fix: Ensure every page has rich, original, and valuable content that satisfies the user’s search intent. Improve, merge, or remove low-value pages. 

Fixing Unoptimized Images and Missing A/B Testing 

Mistake: Large, uncompressed images with no alt text or poor filenames hurt performance and SEO. Also, not testing content performance means missed optimization. 

The Fix: Compress all images, use descriptive filenames (e.g., onpage-seo-checklist.jpg), and add alt text. Regularly A/B test CTAs, headlines, and layouts. 

Tips 

• Use site audit tools (SEMrush, Ahrefs) to catch technical issues. 

• Make fixing SEO errors part of your publishing workflow. 

• Start with high-priority pages (e.g., homepage, product pages). 

• Focus on user experience — it’s core to on-page SEO. 

• Log your changes and monitor SEO performance via analytics. 

• Build and use a consistent SEO checklist internally. 

Warnings 

• Avoid over-optimizing or keyword stuffing. 

• Always use 301 redirects when deleting or renaming URLs. 

• Don’t rely solely on on-page fixes — you still need strong off-page SEO. 

• Start small. Fix one issue type at a time and scale improvements. 

Things You’ll Need 

• Access to your CMS or website code 

• Google Search Console and Analytics 

• An SEO audit tool (e.g., Ahrefs, Screaming Frog) 

• A keyword and audience strategy 

• A methodical mindset and consistency