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Search Engine Optimisation Mistakes

Search Engine Optimisation Perth: Common Mistakes That Keep Businesses Stuck

If you’re stuck on page two, it’s rarely one big problem. It’s the small leaks that compound. This Perth-focused guide gives you a self-test, a fix order, and tracking. You’ll stop guessing and start fixing what blocks enquiries.
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What “Stuck” Really Looks Like (And The Quick Self-Test)

Five Signs You’re Stuck

  • Impressions rise, clicks stay flat. That’s often a snippet issue.
  • Clicks rise, enquiries stay flat. That’s often weak proof.
  • Only the home page ranks. Service pages are too thin.
  • You show in Maps, but not in organic results. Relevance is weak.
  • Rankings jump, then drop. Quality or tech is unstable.

The 10-Minute SEO Triage

  1. Open the Search Console Performance report. Sort by impressions, scan CTR.
  2. Open Indexing and note pages marked “not indexed” and why.
  3. Open the Core Web Vitals report, and note URL groups marked Poor.

Mistake #1: Chasing Rankings Instead Of Buyer Intent

What Happens

You target broad terms like “SEO Perth” and ignore service, suburb, and “problem” searches. You may get clicks, but not buyers. Google’s guidance pushes helpful, people-first content that serves real needs.

Fix: Build Three Keyword Buckets

  • Need-it-now: “near me”, “quote”, “book”, “same day.”
  • Compare: “best”, “cost”, “agency”, “vs”, “review.s.”
  • Proof: “case study”, “results”, “process.”

What Most SEO “Mistakes” Posts Miss

The Common Gaps

Across many ranking articles, the advice stays generic. You’ll hear “do on-page SEO” and “get backlinks”, but not the order. Many also skip Perth examples and lead tracking.

The Better Standard

A better plan includes a self-test, a fix order, and a monthly review loop tied to enquiries. Use that standard to judge any agency or checklist.

Mistake #2: Weak Service Pages (The #1 Lead Blocker)

What Competitors Miss

Many “SEO mistakes” posts list tactics, but skip what a winning service page must include. They rarely show the stack: offer, proof, local relevance, and next step.

Fix: The Service Page Stack

  • Above the fold: problem → promise → CTA
  • Trust: reviews, photos, credentials, guarantees
  • Relevance: suburbs served, examples, clear process
  • Action: mobile sticky call or booking button

Mistake #3: Treating Google Business Profile As Set-And-Forget

Why It Hurts

Local buyers decide quickly. BrightLocal reports 42% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Fix: A 30-Minute GBP Upgrade

  • Confirm your primary category and add relevant secondary ones.
  • Fill services with plain wording that customers use.
  • Add fresh photos: team, premises, work, outcomes.
  • Post weekly updates or offers.
  • Build a review request flow and reply to every review.

BrightLocal reports 63% expect businesses to respond to reviews within 2–3 days to a week.

Mistake #4: NAP And Citations Don’t Match

The Real Problem

“St” versus “Street”, old numbers, and duplicate listings split your trust signals.

Fix

Pick one “gold” business name, address format, and phone number. Update top directories. Remove duplicates. Then add the LocalBusiness schema once details are consistent.

Mistake #5: Thin Or Duplicated Content That Doesn’t Deserve To Rank

The Perth Clone Issue

Copy-paste suburb pages and generic rewrites are common. Google emphasizes helpful, people-first content created for users.

Fix: People-First Content Rules

  • Add proof: photos, outcomes, and clear steps
  • Answer objections: pricing signals, timelines, FAQs
  • Remove pages that exist only to “cover a keyword.”

Mistake #6: Internal Linking Is Random

Fix: A Simple Hub-And-Spoke Map

  • One services hub links to each core service page
  • Each service page links to relevant FAQs and one case study
  • Each blog post links to one primary service CTA

Mistake #7: Slow Site And Poor UX

What To Measure

Core Web Vitals in Search Console use real-world field data and group URLs by status and metric.

Fix Priorities (Highest ROI First)

  • Compress and resize images.
  • Remove unused apps, plugins, and third-party scripts.
  • Stabilise layouts to reduce CLS.
  • Re-test and watch URL groups trend over time.

Mistake #8: No Tracking For Enquiries

Minimum Tracking Stack

If you don’t track calls, forms, and bookings, SEO feels random. Set conversions in GA4, then use Search Console to connect queries to pages and CTR.

Google’s Insights report summarizes clicks, impressions, top pages, and top queries.

A 30-Minute Monthly Review Loop

  • High impressions + low CTR: improve titles and snippets.
  • High clicks + low enquiries: strengthen the offer and proof.

Mistake #9: Quitting Too Early

Set Realistic Timelines

SEO is compounding. Many guides suggest early movement often takes 3–6 months, with longer in tougher niches.

A Simple 90-Day Plan

  • Weeks 1–2: tracking, indexing fixes, GBP refresh
  • Weeks 3–6: rebuild top service pages and internal links
  • Weeks 7–12: citations cleanup, proof content, steady reviews

The Perth SEO Fix Order (The “Stop Being Stuck” Checklist)

  1. Tracking + Search Console basics
  2. Google Business Profile cleanup + review system
  3. Service page stack (offer + proof + FAQs)
  4. Internal linking map
  5. Speed + Core Web Vitals fixes
  6. NAP and citation consistency

The Fastest Path to More Enquiries

Pretty reports don’t pay bills. Leads do. Fix tracking first, then trust and service pages, then speed. Review monthly and improve one page at a time. If you want a Perth action list, Planted Web Design can audit your site and map the quickest wins.

FAQs

Costs depend on scope, competition, and the work included. Australian guides describe fees that range from smaller retainers to higher monthly budgets for competitive markets. Compare providers by deliverables, reporting, and clear timelines.
Early wins can appear after technical fixes, but strong growth takes time. A common benchmark is 3–6 months for meaningful movement, with larger gains taking longer when competition is high.
Start with your Google Business Profile and your top service page. Add fresh photos, tighter categories, and a review request flow. BrightLocal reports that many people trust reviews like personal recommendations.
Only if you can make them real, if the page includes unique proof, local examples, and specific FAQs, it can be helpful. If you only swap suburb names, it becomes thin and risky. Build one strong service page with an “areas served” section first.
Track actions, not vanity. Set GA4 conversions for forms, calls, and bookings. Use Search Console for impressions, clicks, CTR, and the pages earning traffic. Use the Insights report for quick trend checks, then drill into Performance for details.

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