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Top 10 SEO Mistakes New Bloggers Make (And How to Fix Them)

Introduction

If you’re starting a blog in 2025, mastering SEO is not optional—it’s essential. While blogging tools and platforms are now smarter than ever, many new bloggers still fall into common SEO traps that prevent them from ranking on Google and earning through AdSense.

In this detailed guide, we’ll uncover the top 10 SEO mistakes most new bloggers make—and most importantly, how to fix each one. This article follows Google AdSense policies, emphasizes E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), and is fully optimized for SEO and mobile responsiveness.

1. Ignoring Keyword Research

The Mistake:

Writing content without targeting specific keywords or user intent.

Why It Hurts:

Your content may never reach the right audience because Google can’t understand its purpose.

Fix:

  • Use tools like Ubersuggest, Google Keyword Planner, or Ahrefs.
  • Focus on long-tail keywords and questions users actually ask.
  • Ensure your keyword is included in the title, meta description, URL, and first 100 words.

2. Writing for Search Engines, Not Humans

The Mistake:

Stuffing keywords unnaturally or writing robotic content.

Why It Hurts:

Google’s AI prioritizes user experience and natural readability.

Fix:

  • Write as if you’re helping a real person.
  • Use natural variations of your keyword.
  • Focus on providing genuine value in every paragraph.

3. Skipping On-Page SEO Elements

The Mistake:

Leaving out title tags, meta descriptions, and structured headings.

Why It Hurts:

Search engines can’t fully understand your content without these elements.

Fix:

  • Add an SEO title under 60 characters.
  • Write a compelling meta description (under 160 characters).
  • Use headings (H1, H2, H3) to organize your content.
  • Add image alt text with keywords.

4. Not Optimizing for Mobile

The Mistake:

Using themes or plugins that aren’t responsive on mobile.

Why It Hurts:

Over 65% of web traffic in 2025 is mobile. Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing.

Fix:

  • Choose mobile-optimized WordPress themes.
  • Use AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) or responsive layouts.
  • Test your blog using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

5. Ignoring Page Speed

The Mistake:

Large images, slow servers, or too many scripts slow your site.

Why It Hurts:

Google lowers the ranking of slow-loading sites.

Fix:

  • Use optimized image formats (WebP, compressed JPEGs).
  • Enable caching and CDN (Cloudflare, BunnyCDN).
  • Choose fast hosting like Cloudways, SiteGround, or Kinsta.

6. Weak Internal Linking

The Mistake:

Publishing new posts without linking to related old ones.

Why It Hurts:

Your content feels isolated and hard to crawl by search engines.

Fix:

  • Link to 2–3 older posts in each new article.
  • Use descriptive anchor text.
  • Create pillar posts and cluster content around them.

7. No Backlink Strategy

The Mistake:

Never building links to your site from others.

Why It Hurts:

Backlinks are a major ranking factor. Without them, Google may see your content as untrusted.

Fix:

  • Write guest posts.
  • Join blogger communities.
  • Share valuable content on forums like Reddit, Quora.
  • Use tools like HARO (Help A Reporter Out).

8. Publishing Thin or Duplicate Content

The Mistake:

Posting short posts or copying content from others.

Why It Hurts:

Google penalizes duplicate or low-value content, which also harms AdSense approval.

Fix:

  • Always write 100% original content.
  • Aim for 1500+ words of in-depth value.
  • Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to polish your writing.

9. Not Submitting to Google Search Console

The Mistake:

Publishing content but not submitting your site for indexing.

Why It Hurts:

Google may take weeks to crawl your new pages.

Fix:

  • Connect your blog to Google Search Console.
  • Submit XML sitemap and inspect URLs manually.
  • Monitor performance and fix coverage issues.

10. No Author Profile or Trust Signals

The Mistake:

Publishing posts without showing who wrote them.

Why It Hurts:

Violates Google’s E-A-T guidelines. AdSense reviewers may consider your blog low-authority.

Fix:

  • Add an author bio at the end of each post.
  • Create About, Contact, and Privacy Policy pages.
  • Use HTTPS and display trust badges (SSL, malware-free, etc.).

Conclusion

Learning SEO isn’t about hacks—it’s about consistency and creating helpful, optimized content. By avoiding these 10 common SEO mistakes, new bloggers can build a solid foundation for long-term traffic, higher rankings, and successful AdSense monetization.

Start applying these fixes today, and you’ll see real results—not just in rankings, but in credibility and reader trust.