Based on 100+ Real Audits Across Industries

On-page SEO is the backbone of organic visibility, and in 2025, Google has become even more selective about how it ranks pages. Based on over 100 real audits across industries—including E-commerce, SaaS, Real Estate, Healthcare, and Education—we’ve compiled a definitive list of the top 50 on-page SEO errors and how to fix them effectively.

#	On-Page SEO Issue	Description	Recommended Fix
1	Missing or Duplicate Title Tags	Title tags are missing or used more than once.	Write unique, keyword-rich titles under 60 characters for each page.
2	Poor Meta Descriptions or None at All	Low-CTR or missing descriptions.	Write unique meta descriptions under 160 characters including target keywords.
3	Improper Use of Header Tags (H1–H6)	Multiple H1s or missing H1 tags.	Use one H1 tag per page with main keyword; use H2s/H3s for structure.
4	Thin Content (Under 300 Words)	Inadequate content to rank.	Expand to 500–1000+ words, ensuring valuable and relevant info.
5	Keyword Stuffing	Excessive keyword repetition.	Maintain 1–2% keyword density; use LSI keywords.
6	Missing Alt Attributes on Images	Images lack descriptive alt text.	Add relevant keyword-based alt attributes for all images.
7	Broken Internal Links	Links point to 404 or dead pages.	Identify and fix using Screaming Frog or Ahrefs.
8	Orphan Pages	Pages have no internal links pointing to them.	Add links from relevant content.
9	Duplicate Content Across Pages	Copying same content across URLs.	Rewrite or consolidate unique pages.
10	Lack of Structured Data / Schema Markup	No schema markup for rich results.	Add schema (Article, Product, LocalBusiness) using Google’s SDMH tool.
11	Slow Page Speed (LCP > 2.5s)	Poor loading experience.	Optimize images, scripts, use CDN, and lazy loading.
12	Non-Mobile-Friendly Pages	Not responsive on mobile devices.	Use mobile-first design; test via Google Mobile-Friendly tool.
13	Non-Descriptive URLs	URLs are unclear or not keyword-rich.	Use clean, lowercase URLs with hyphens and target keywords.
14	Too Many Hreflang Errors	Multilingual tags incorrectly applied.	Use proper country/language codes; verify in Google Search Console.
15	Overuse of Canonical Tags	Incorrect canonical pointing (e.g., all to homepage).	Assign correct or self-referencing canonical tags per page.
16	Not Using HTTPS Protocol	Still using HTTP instead of HTTPS.	Switch to HTTPS and update all internal links.
17	No Breadcrumbs or Poor Navigation	Hard to navigate for users and bots.	Add breadcrumbs with schema markup for clarity and structure.
18	Unoptimized Image File Sizes	Large images increase load time.	Compress and use WebP formats.
19	Missing Robots.txt or Poor Configuration	Disallowing key pages or misguiding crawlers.	Configure robots.txt correctly and test in GSC.
20	No XML Sitemap or Outdated Sitemap	Sitemap missing or not updated.	Generate and submit updated sitemap to Google Search Console.
21	Low-Quality or Spammy Outbound Links	Linking to irrelevant or low-authority sites.	Link to trusted, relevant sources only.
22	Unoptimized Anchor Text	Generic text like “click here.”	Use keyword-rich, relevant anchor text.
23	No Social Sharing Integration	No way to share content.	Add sharing buttons for major platforms.
24	No Internal Linking Strategy	Missed SEO value and navigation flow.	Link to relevant pages using contextual anchor text.
25	Misuse of Noindex Tags	Pages accidentally blocked from index.	Remove unnecessary or incorrect noindex tags.
26	No Page-Level Keyword Targeting	Multiple pages targeting the same keyword.	Assign unique keywords to each page and avoid cannibalization.
27	Slow Time to Interactive (TTI)	Delay before users can interact.	Minify JS, defer non-critical scripts, reduce long tasks.
28	Excessive Use of Popups and Interstitials	Annoying or intrusive overlays, especially on mobile.	Use fewer, compliant popups; make them user-friendly.
29	Lack of E-A-T Signals	Weak authority, trust, or credibility.	Add author bios, credentials, privacy policy, and SSL.
30	Inconsistent URL Structures	Mixed use of cases, symbols, and formats.	Use lowercase, hyphenated, clean, consistent URLs.
31	No 404 Page Customization	Generic error pages.	Create branded 404 pages with navigation links.
32	Content Not Aligned with Search Intent	Content doesn’t meet user expectations.	Match keyword intent (informational, transactional, etc.).
33	Hidden Text or Links	Attempting to manipulate SEO via invisible elements.	Remove hidden elements; follow ethical SEO practices.
34	Duplicate Title and H1	Same text used for both elements.	Differentiate while using primary keyword in both.
35	Excessive Flash/Animation	Poor crawlability and UX.	Replace with HTML5 and reduce animation usage.
36	Improper Pagination Tags	rel=”next” and rel=”prev” missing or incorrect.	Implement correct pagination markup.
37	Lack of Local SEO Optimization	No NAP info or location keywords.	Add address, Google Maps embed, and use local schema.
38	No CTAs on Important Pages	Visitors don’t know what to do next.	Add clear, engaging CTAs (e.g., “Request a Quote”, “Book a Demo”).
39	Unindexed Key Pages	Pages not in Google’s index.	Use GSC to request indexing or fix crawl issues.
40	Duplicate Meta Descriptions	Same descriptions across pages.	Write custom meta descriptions for each page.
41	Poor Use of Content Hierarchy	Lack of subheadings or structured formatting.	Use H2s, bullets, and clear formatting for scanability.
42	Low Word Count on Service/Product Pages	Not enough content to support SEO.	Expand to 700–1000+ words with details, benefits, and FAQs.
43	Missing Language Attributes (HTML lang=”en”)	Causes screen reader or multilingual confusion.	Add appropriate language attribute to HTML tag.
44	JavaScript-Rendered Content Issues	Bots can’t read content loaded via JS.	Use server-side or dynamic rendering solutions.
45	Using iFrames for Main Content	Search engines may not index content inside iFrames.	Embed content directly into the HTML.
46	High CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)	Layout moves unexpectedly while loading.	Set media size attributes, minimize layout shifts.
47	No Use of Content Delivery Network (CDN)	Slow delivery to international users.	Implement CDN like Cloudflare.
48	Not Using Content Hubs or Pillar Pages	Poor content structure and topic coverage.	Organize content into topic clusters with pillar pages.
49	Ineffective Use of FAQs and Rich Snippets	Missing FAQ schema.	Add FAQ blocks and implement FAQPage schema.
50	No Ongoing On-Page SEO Monitoring	SEO is not maintained over time.	Regularly audit and monitor with tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and SurferSEO.

Conclusion: On-Page SEO is Constantly Evolving

With Google’s algorithms becoming more nuanced and user-focused, even small errors can lead to significant visibility loss. Fixing these 50 common on-page SEO issues based on real-world audits will put your website on the right path to ranking success in 2025.

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