In the competitive Australian digital landscape, a website riddled with technical errors is like a shopfront with a 'closed' sign hanging in the window. Even the best content won't rank if Google’s crawlers can't navigate your site or if the user experience is poor. Fixing these common SEO errors is the fastest way to improve your visibility and ensure you aren't leaving money on the table.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:- Access to your website’s CMS (e.g., WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace).
- A verified Google Search Console account.
- A free SEO auditing tool (like the free version of Screaming Frog or Ubersuggest).
- Your ABN handy (if you need to update local schema or business details).
---
Step 1: Audit Your Site with Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is your direct line of communication with the search engine. It tells you exactly what Google sees—and what it doesn't like.- Log in to Google Search Console.
- Navigate to the 'Indexing' report on the left-hand sidebar.
- Look for the 'Why pages aren’t indexed' section. This will highlight errors like 404s, 'Blocked by robots.txt', or 'Crawl anomaly'.
Screenshot Description: You should see a bar chart with green (indexed) and grey (not indexed) bars. Below this is a list of 'Reasons' with a count of affected URLs.
Step 2: Fix Broken Links (404 Errors)
A 404 error occurs when a page is deleted but other sites (or your own internal pages) are still linking to it. This frustrates users and wastes your 'crawl budget'.- Identify 404 errors in GSC or via an SEO spider tool.
- For each broken URL, set up a 301 Redirect to the most relevant live page.
- If you use WordPress, plugins like 'Redirection' make this easy. If you're on Shopify, use the 'URL Redirects' section under Navigation.
Step 3: Optimise Missing or Duplicate Meta Titles
Meta titles are the blue links people see in search results. If they are missing, Google will guess what your page is about—and it usually gets it wrong.- Ensure every page has a unique title tag.
- Keep titles between 50–60 characters to avoid being cut off.
- Pro Tip: Include your primary keyword and your location (e.g., 'Plumber in Brisbane | ABC Plumbing') to capture local search intent.
Step 4: Resolve Duplicate Content Issues
Google gets confused when it finds identical content on multiple URLs. This often happens with 'www' vs 'non-www' versions of your site, or 'http' vs 'https'.- Choose your preferred version (usually
https://www.yourdomain.com.au). - Set up a site-wide 301 redirect so all versions point to the primary one.
- Use 'Canonical Tags' on pages that are naturally similar (like product variations) to tell Google which one is the 'master' version.
Step 5: Address Slow Page Load Speeds
Australians have high expectations for mobile speed. A slow site will lead to a high 'bounce rate', which signals to Google that your site isn't helpful.- Run your URL through Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Common Fix: Compress your images. Large image files are the #1 cause of slow sites. Use tools like TinyPNG or a plugin like Smush.
- Common Fix: Implement 'Lazy Loading' so images only load as the user scrolls down.
Step 6: Fix 'Missing Alt Text' on Images
Google cannot 'see' images; it reads the Alt Text to understand the context. This is also vital for accessibility for vision-impaired users.- Go through your media library or use an SEO audit tool to find images missing alt text.
- Write descriptive text for each. Instead of
IMG_1234.jpg, useModern-kitchen-renovation-Brisbane-Northside.
Step 7: Repair Internal Linking Structures
Internal links help Google discover new pages and understand the hierarchy of your site. If a page has no links pointing to it, it’s an 'Orphan Page' and will rarely rank.- Ensure your most important pages (services/products) are linked from your homepage or main navigation.
- Within blog posts, link to related service pages using descriptive anchor text.
Step 8: Ensure Your Site is Mobile-Friendly
Since Google moved to 'Mobile-First Indexing', the mobile version of your site is actually the one Google uses to determine your rankings.- Use the 'Settings' > 'Mobile Usability' report in GSC.
- Look for errors like 'Content wider than screen' or 'Clickable elements too close together'.
- Test your site on your own phone. If you have to 'pinch and zoom' to read text, your site needs a responsive design update.
Step 9: Secure Your Site with HTTPS
Security is a lightweight ranking factor. If your site says 'Not Secure' in the browser bar, users will leave immediately.- Ensure you have an SSL certificate installed (most Australian hosts like VentraIP or SiteGround provide these for free via Let's Encrypt).
- Update all internal links to use
httpsinstead ofhttp.
Step 10: Optimise for Local Search (The 'Australian' Factor)
For local businesses, your SEO isn't complete without local signals.- Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) are consistent across your website and your Google Business Profile.
- Add your ABN to your footer or 'About' page to build trust with both users and Google's quality raters.
---
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Keyword Stuffing: Don't force keywords into your meta tags or content. If it doesn't sound natural to a human, Google will likely penalise it.
- Ignoring the Sitemap: Ensure your
sitemap.xmlis submitted in Google Search Console so Google knows where all your pages are. - Over-optimising Anchor Text: Don't make every internal link 'Best Electrician Brisbane'. Mix it up with 'click here', 'our services', or 'view our work'.
Troubleshooting
- "I fixed the error but GSC still shows it": Google doesn't crawl your site instantly. After fixing an error, click 'Validate Fix' in Search Console. It may take 7–14 days for the status to update.
- "My site is fast on desktop but slow on mobile": This is usually due to heavy JavaScript or uncompressed images. Focus on the mobile-specific recommendations in PageSpeed Insights.
- "I'm seeing 'Excluded by noindex tag'": This means a setting in your CMS is telling Google not to show the page. In WordPress, check 'Settings > Reading' and ensure 'Discourage search engines from indexing this site' is UNCHECKED.
Next Steps
Fixing technical errors is the foundation of a great SEO strategy. Once your site is 'healthy', you can move on to:- Content Strategy: Writing high-quality blogs that answer customer questions.
- Backlink Building: Getting other reputable Australian sites to link to you.
- Local SEO: Optimising your Google Business Profile for the 'Map Pack'.
If you're feeling overwhelmed or don't have the time to dig into the code yourself, we’re here to help. Contact the team at Local Marketing Group to book a technical SEO audit: https://lmgroup.au/contact