Why you might be losing traffic or wasting ad budget
When organic visits drop or paid campaigns don’t convert, the cause is often simple to find and fix. Below are the recurring problems I see, with clear actions you can take.
Technical SEO problems and fixes
1. Slow page speed
Slow pages hurt rankings and ad quality scores. They also kill conversions.
- Check speed with PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse.
- Compress images and serve modern formats (WebP/AVIF).
- Use lazy loading for below-the-fold images and videos.
- Enable browser caching and minify css/js. Consider a CDN.
2. Crawlability and indexing issues
If Google can’t crawl or index important pages, they won’t show up in search results.
- inspect affected urls in search console to see crawl errors and indexing status.
- Check robots.txt and meta robots tags , remove accidental “noindex” or “disallow”.
- Fix server errors (5xx) and ensure the site returns proper 200/301 status codes.
- Submit an updated sitemap and request indexing for fixed pages.
3. Broken or improper redirects
Redirect chains and loops reduce link equity and cause crawl waste.
- Replace redirect chains with direct 301s to the final url.
- Avoid redirect loops; fix misconfigured rules on the server or cdn.
- Use 302 only for temporary moves, not permanent ones.
4. Duplicate content and canonical errors
Multiple URLs with the same content dilute ranking signals.
- Set rel=”canonical” to the preferred page.
- Use 301 redirects for removed or merged resources.
- Standardize URL parameters and configure parameter handling in Search Console.
On-page and content issues
5. Thin or poorly targeted content
Content that doesn’t answer user intent won’t rank or convert.
- Start with user intent: informational, commercial, or transactional.
- Improve thin pages by adding unique value: examples, data, visuals, FAQs.
- Group similar content and avoid keyword cannibalization by consolidating pages.
6. Bad title tags and meta descriptions
Poorly written titles reduce click-through rate and relevance signals.
- Write concise, descriptive titles with the main keyword near the front.
- Use meta descriptions to clarify value and include a call to action where appropriate.
- Keep tags within length limits to avoid truncation in SERPs.
7. Missing structured data
Structured data helps search engines understand your content and can improve rich results.
- Add schema for products, recipes, FAQs, reviews, events, etc., where relevant.
- Validate markup with Rich Results Test and fix errors.
Link and authority problems
8. Lost or toxic backlinks
Backlinks still matter. Losing high-value links or accumulating spammy links can hurt performance.
- Use tools to track backlink changes and find lost links you can try to recover.
- Monitor toxic links and disavow only after manual review and outreach attempts.
- Focus on earning relevant links through helpful content and partnerships.
SEM (paid search) issues that affect SEO
9. Landing pages built only for ads
If landing pages are hidden from organic search (noindex, blocked by robots), you miss long-term SEO value.
- Make ad landing pages indexable when it makes sense and give them strong content.
- Use conversion-focused sections for paid traffic and fuller content below for organic value.
10. Poor campaign structure and keyword overlap
Paid and organic channels fighting for the same keywords can inflate costs and cause mixed signals.
- Use negative keywords to prevent paid ads from cannibalizing high-performing organic terms you prefer to own organically.
- Coordinate keyword strategies between paid and SEO teams to avoid wasteful bidding.
11. Tracking and attribution errors
Bad tracking makes it impossible to tell which efforts actually work.
- Ensure analytics and conversion tracking (GA4, server-side if possible) are installed correctly.
- Verify UTM parameters and avoid overwriting organic source data.
- Test tracking after site changes and before launching major campaigns.
ux and conversion problems that impact both channels
12. Mobile usability issues
Mobile problems reduce organic rankings (mobile-first indexing) and ad landing page quality.
- Test pages in Mobile-Friendly Test and fix layout issues, clickable elements, and font sizes.
- Prioritize responsive design and faster mobile load times.
13. Poor page experience and intrusive interstitials
Annoying pop-ups and full-screen interstitials harm rankings and ad quality scores.
- Limit intrusive interstitials, especially on mobile; use subtle banners or inline CTAs instead.
- Focus on clear navigation, readable layout, and easy conversions.
How to prioritize fixes
Not everything needs to be fixed at once. Use this quick triage:
- Fix anything blocking crawl/indexing and major tracking issues immediately.
- Address site speed and mobile usability next , they influence both SEO and SEM ROI.
- Triage content and backlink work based on traffic and conversion impact.
What to monitor afterward
- Search Console for coverage, errors, and performance changes.
- Analytics for traffic, conversion rates, and channel attribution.
- Ad platforms for Quality Score, CPC trends, and impression share.
- Site speed and uptime monitoring tools for ongoing health checks.
Summary
Most drops in SEO or poor SEM performance trace back to a few repeatable issues: crawl/indexing problems, slow pages, tracking mistakes, thin content, and bad landing page experience. Start by fixing blockers, then improve speed, mobile usability, and content. Coordinate paid and organic strategies to avoid wasted spend and lost long-term value.
FAQs
Q: Will running paid ads hurt my organic rankings?
A: No,paid ads and organic rankings are separate. However, poorly configured ad pages (noindex) or bidding battles with your own organic terms can create inefficiencies. Coordinate strategies instead of assuming one replaces the other.
Q: How quickly will fixes show in search results?
A: Some fixes like redirect corrections and robots.txt changes can be reflected within days once crawled. Content improvements and authority gains usually take weeks to months. Use Search Console to request reindexing for critical updates.
Q: Should I disavow spammy backlinks immediately?
A: Disavow only after manual review. First try outreach and link removal. Use the disavow tool as a last resort for links that clearly harm your profile and that you cannot remove otherwise.
Q: What’s the single most impactful fix for both SEO and SEM?
A: Improving page speed and mobile experience. Faster, mobile-friendly pages boost organic rankings and ad quality scores, and they typically increase conversions for both channels.
Q: Can analytics errors make my SEO/SEM efforts look worse than they are?
A: Yes. Missing or broken tracking can underreport conversions or misattribute traffic. Verify analytics and conversion tags after site changes and before major campaign launches.
