When you run a small business, it’s natural to wear a lot of hats. You’re the manager, the marketer, the accountant, and sometimes the web designer too. And somewhere in that mix, you’ve probably heard that you “need SEO” to get found on Google.
So, you do your research, maybe watch a few YouTube tutorials, sprinkle some keywords across your website, and hope for the best. But here’s the thing, while DIY SEO can feel like a smart cost-saving move, it often leads to bigger problems that can quietly tank your visibility online.
In this post, we’ll walk through the most common mistakes small business owners make when using SEO, and why hiring a professional could actually save you money (and frustration) in the long run.
1. Not Adding a Proper Website Title (and Relying on Default Settings)
Your website title is one of the first things Google reads when deciding what your site is about. Yet, so many small business owners skip over it, leaving the default “Home” or “My Website” in place.
This mistake might seem harmless, but it’s a massive missed opportunity. Search engines use your title tag to understand your content and show it to the right audience. Without a proper title, your site looks generic and irrelevant.
Fix it:
Include your business name and a clear keyword that reflects what you do. For example:
“Willow & Co Florist | Wedding Flowers in Portland”
This tells both Google and your potential customers exactly what you offer and where you’re located.
2. Ignoring Local Keyword Research
If you’re a local business, using broad terms like “florist” or “interior designer” won’t cut it. You’ll be competing against national brands and massive websites like 1800flowers.com- which, have high domain authority and will be really tough to beat.
Local keywords, like “florist in Portland” or “Showit web designer in Atlanta”, help your business appear in local search results, where people are actually looking for services near them.
Fix it:
Use a tool like Ubersuggest to find keywords that include your location. Add them naturally into your:
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
H1 and H2 headings - Alt text on images
This helps Google connect your website with local customers ready to buy. But, be careful. If you use the same keyword on multiple pages, you will most likely confused Google and end up competing with yourself to rank. It is best to keep one keyword per important page. Don’t worry about finding a keyword for pages like Contact, Blog or a heavy photo portfolio section as those are typically pages that don’t rank (and you don’t want them to!). That leads me to…
3. Using the Same Page Title and Meta Description Everywhere
Another common SEO mistake small business owners make is copying and pasting the same title and meta description across every page.
Each page on your website serves a different purpose. Your homepage, about page, and services page should each have unique, keyword-rich metadata that describes what’s on that page.
Fix it:
Treat every page as its own opportunity to rank. Customize your:
Title tag: Keep it under 60 characters.
Meta description: Around 150–160 characters, with your keyword near the start.
For example:
Page Title: “Website Design for Photographers | Wren & Co Design”
Meta Description: “Beautiful, SEO-friendly Showit websites that help photographers book weddings and portrait sessions.”
To help figure out what to include for a meta title and description that fits within the character limit, I love using this free SERP simulator tool by Mangools. It will not only help with figuring out the character length but it will also display your working title and description so you can see how it shows up visually in SERP (Search Engine Results Page) results.
4. Misusing Heading Styles (H1, H2, H3…)
Headings aren’t just about design, they help Google understand the structure of your content.
Many DIY websites either skip heading hierarchy or use headings purely for aesthetic purposes, making H1s huge and bold just because they look nice. But your H1 tag should only appear once per page and describe the main topic of that page.
Fix it:
- Use H1 for your main topic.
- Use H2s for key sections.
- Use H3s for supporting points.
For example, on this post:
“H1: Mistakes Small Business Owners Make When Using SEO”
“H2: Not Adding a Proper Website Title”
“H3: How to Fix It” (Although I’m listing “How to fix it” as an H3 in this post, one could also not do that as it is a header that is mentioned many times in this post.)
This structure tells Google exactly how your content is organized, and makes it easier for readers too. If you’d like to take a step back, I have written a post to review a basic understanding of SEO with the analogy with old school reports to help explain the header concept.
5. Using Poor Image File Names and Missing Alt Text
Images can massively boost your SEO if used correctly, but they can also hurt it if ignored.
When your website has images labelled “IMG_49825.jpg” or “blue-graphic4.jpg,” Google has no idea what those files are about.
Fix it:
Rename your images with descriptive keywords before uploading them. For example:
“omaha-auto-repair-shop-office.jpg” instead of “IMG_4720.jpg”
Then, add alt text that describes the image in plain English. This not only helps with SEO but also improves accessibility for screen readers.
Alt text example: “Auto repair shop office in Omaha.”
6. Launching with a “Coming Soon” Page (and Taking Your Site Offline)
We’ve all seen it, that minimalist page saying “Something exciting is coming soon.” But if you already have a domain and old links pointing to your website, replacing everything with a “coming soon” page wipes your SEO clean. Not good!
When Google crawls your site and finds nothing but a placeholder, it starts to de-index your pages. By the time your new site launches, you’ve lost valuable search ranking history. (Yikes!)
Fix it:
Instead of a “coming soon” page, create a temporary landing page that introduces your brand, includes your key keywords, and links to your social media. That way, your domain continues to build authority even while you’re working behind the scenes. Or, simply leave up your current website as-is until you have everything ready to launch your new website.
7. Putting Important Content on a Subdomain
Here’s a big one that many people don’t realize: Google treats subdomains (like blog.yourwebsite.com) as separate websites.
That means if your blog or shop is on a subdomain, any SEO benefits (like backlinks, engagement, and keyword ranking) don’t carry over to your main site. You’re basically operating two (or however many subdomains) websites.
Fix it:
Whenever possible, host your blog or shop as a subfolder instead:
- yourwebsite.com/blog
- yourwebsite.com/shop
This keeps all your SEO value under one roof and helps your main domain grow stronger over time. Having a higher domain authority is important as it tells Google how valuable and credible your website is and helps to outrank other websites. Or, if you really want to have a sub-domain, you should consider it as a separate website and include extra content, work on backlinks, etc. for the sub-domain just as you would for your main (non sub-domain) website.
8. Forgetting to Check for Broken Links and Mobile Functionality
Imagine clicking on a link and getting a 404 error. Frustrating, right? Now imagine Google trying to crawl that same link. Google also doesn’t like getting a 404 errors. Broken links tell search engines that your site is poorly maintained, which can lower your ranking.
Likewise, a website that looks great on desktop but falls apart on mobile will drive visitors away fast. Google now uses mobile-first indexing, which means if your site doesn’t perform well on mobile, your desktop version won’t save you. Additionally, a majority are reviewing website information on their phone so reviewing your website’s functionality is more important than ever.
Fix it:
- Use tools like Semrush to audit your website or use this free tool Broken Link Checker.
- Check your site’s mobile performance with Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Keep your navigation simple and buttons easy to tap on smaller screens.
- Test! Test! Test! You or enlist a friend to review your website on mobile and make sure things are working properly.
9. Not Including Enough Written Text
Visual websites are beautiful, but search engines can’t read images or videos the way humans do.
If your homepage or service pages only contain graphics and headings, you’re missing out on ranking opportunities. Google loves context, and that comes from well-written, keyword-rich paragraphs.
Fix it:
Every page should have at least 300–500 words of meaningful copy that includes your target keywords naturally. You can still keep it clean and readable, think of it as storytelling that helps both your audience and your rankings.
10. Skipping Local Listings (Especially Google Business Profile)
If you want to appear on Google Maps or in the local “3-pack” search results, you need a Google Business Profile.
Yet many small business owners either skip it entirely or forget to update it with accurate hours, images, and categories. This simple step can dramatically boost your visibility to local customers.
Fix it:
- Claim and verify your Google Business Profile.
- Add your address, opening hours, and services.
- Encourage happy clients to leave reviews.
- Routinely check on your profile and add some sort of update – post, more photos, product or service, etc. to show Google you are an active business.
Bonus tip: List your business on Yelp, Bing Places, and local directories to strengthen your off-page SEO.
11. Forgetting About Redirects After a Redesign
This one’s a silent killer. When you launch a new website, your old URLs might change, but if you don’t redirect them, visitors (and Google) will hit 404 errors.
Without redirects, all the authority your old pages built over time disappears. It’s like moving houses and forgetting to forward your mail.
Fix it:
Before launching your new site, make a list of all your old URLs and redirect them (using 301 redirects) to their new equivalents. Most SEO plugins make this easy, but it isn’t always a slam dunk. If you have a keyword rich website that brings in organic leads, I would highly encourage you to work with an SEO professional to make sure your launch goes smoothly.
12. Focusing on Keywords Instead of Intent
SEO isn’t just about adding words to a page, it’s about understanding why people are searching.
If your content doesn’t actually answer their question or solve their problem, no amount of keyword stuffing will help. Google’s algorithm is smart enough to prioritise helpful, relevant content.
Fix it:
Before writing, ask:
- What is my audience really looking for?
- Does this page clearly deliver that answer?
- Is my content written in a natural, human way?
You’ll rank higher and convert more visitors by focusing on intent rather than just words.
13. Neglecting Analytics and Performance Tracking
Many small business owners never actually check how their SEO is performing. They assume if they’re not getting calls, SEO “isn’t working”, but without data, you can’t know what to improve.
Fix it:
- Install Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
- Track which keywords bring traffic.
- Create a Keyword Plan so you can identify what pages have been optimized and which new pages should be created to target other keywords.
- Watch your click-through rate (CTR) and bounce rate to see how people interact with your site.
These free tools give you powerful insights to make smarter marketing decisions.
14. Forgetting That SEO Is an Ongoing Effort
SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” project. It’s an ongoing process that involves monitoring, updating, and refining your content regularly.
Search algorithms change. Competitors update their websites. Your services evolve. If you’re not adjusting your SEO strategy over time, your rankings will slip.
Fix it:
Plan to review your SEO every few months. Update outdated posts, refresh your keyword research, and check your analytics for shifts in traffic.
Final Thoughts: DIY SEO Can Cost More Than You Think
It’s completely understandable that small business owners try to save money by handling SEO themselves. But the truth is, it’s much more involved than just adding a few keywords.
From technical setup and meta structure to mobile responsiveness and redirects, SEO is a complex web of moving parts that all need to work together.
Even if you’ve hired a website designer, many designers aren’t trained in SEO best practices. They may create something visually stunning but unintentionally damage your rankings through overlooked details, like missing redirects or poor heading hierarchy.
If your goal is to have future clients and customers organically find you on Google, investing in professional SEO is one of the smartest decisions you can make for long-term growth.
When done right, SEO doesn’t just drive traffic, it brings in the right traffic. The kind that converts into sales, bookings, and loyal customers.
Ready to improve your SEO (and actually see results)?
If you’re tired of guessing what Google wants, it’s time to bring in an expert. Get in touch to chat about a done-for-you SEO strategy tailored for small businesses that want to grow, sustainably and smartly.
