Why SEO fails in 2024 (and what you can do about it)

You’re not alone if you’ve invested time and money into your website only to see minimal improvement in your search engine rankings and organic traffic. Many businesses experience these challenges due to a blend of outdated practices, poor-quality content and technical SEO issues that have gone undetected.

The good news is that you can do plenty to turn things around for your business – and it all starts with understanding why SEO fails in 2024.

How to tell if your SEO isn’t working

Keeping an eye on specific metrics can help you gauge the effectiveness of your SEO strategy and assess why SEO fails on your projects. If these metrics aren’t performing well, it’s a sign your strategy needs work. Here’s what you should look out for:

A decline in organic traffic

When organic traffic declines, visitors who find your website through unpaid search results drop consistently. Possible reasons for this decline include:

Poor keyword performance
Technical issues
Algorithm updates
Content quality (and a lack of)

Poor Google rankings

A core goal of SEO is to increase your website’s position on SERPs. If your site doesn’t appear high in the results for your chosen keywords, outdated SEO techniques or poor keyword selection could be to blame.

High bounce rates and low engagement metrics

High bounce rates (the percentage of visitors who leave after visiting just one page) can suggest that your content doesn’t resonate with your audience. Lower engagement metrics, such as limited page views, short dwell times and low click-through rates, can also indicate an ineffective SEO strategy.

Why SEO fails – how to check your SEO performance

Several tools and platforms can help you monitor your SEO performance – and the good news is two of the most essential are free:

Google Analytics – This tool provides a wealth of information about your website’s performance, including user behaviour, traffic sources, and engagement metrics like bounce rate and average session duration. The ‘Acquisition’ report in Google Analytics is particularly useful for understanding your organic traffic.
Google Search Console – This free tool from Google gives insights into your website’s visibility on Google SERPs. It helps you understand which queries lead users to your site, your website’s click-through rate (CTR) for each query, and how your site ranks for specific keywords.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Track

Monitoring the right KPIs is essential for understanding the effectiveness of your SEO. While specific KPIs may vary based on your goals, here are some common ones to consider:

Organic traffic – A reduction in organic traffic often signals a problem with your SEO strategy.
Bounce rate – A high bounce rate could suggest that visitors aren’t finding what they’re looking for or that your site’s usability is poor.
Page load time – The speed at which your website loads directly impacts user experience and SEO. Faster sites have better chances of ranking higher in search results.
SERP position – Monitor your website’s ranking for your target keywords. A low ranking may suggest a need for better keyword targeting or updated SEO practices.

Regularly reassessing your SEO performance using these tools and metrics can help you catch issues early and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Remember, the goal isn’t just fixing what isn’t working but continuously improving and optimising for better results.

Read our ultimate guide to digital marketing analytics.

Common reasons why SEO fails

If your SEO performance isn’t meeting your expectations, it’s important to understand the potential causes.

Here are some common reasons why SEO fails and why your SEO strategy might not be working:

Outdated SEO strategies – SEO is a continuous process. Tactics that were effective a few years ago may not be effective now, especially with recent Google updates and trends.
Poor quality content – High-quality, relevant content is fundamental to SEO. If your content is poorly researched and written, or doesn’t provide value to your audience, it will struggle to rank well.
Bad website design – Don’t overlook good design. It leads to good user experience (UX) and drives engagement and conversions.
Technical SEO issues – Elements such as URL structure, site speed, XML sitemaps and canonical tags play crucial roles in SEO. Overlooking these can affect visibility and ranking.
Lack of mobile optimisation – Search engines prioritise mobile-friendly websites. If your site doesn’t provide an excellent mobile experience, it’s likely to perform poorly in search.

Understanding these common pitfalls can help you reassess and redirect your SEO strategy. Read on to find out how to avoid these issues and improve your performance.

What to look for in SEO analysis

Conducting a thorough SEO analysis is critical for understanding your website’s performance and identifying areas for improvement.

Your analysis should cover:

Content and keyword gaps – Ensure your content aligns with your target audience’s interests and search behaviour. Use SEO tools to discover trending topics and keywords in your industry that you haven’t yet covered.
Technical issues – Technical problems can significantly lower your website’s search engine performance. Look for broken links, slow site speed, and other issues that disrupt the user experience or prevent search engine bots from crawling and indexing your site effectively.
Backlink quality and quantity – Backlinks from reputable, high-authority websites are much more valuable than a large number of links from low-quality ones.

Other factors to consider why SEO fails

If your SEO efforts are falling short, consider external factors affecting your site.

These could include:

Google algorithm updates – Google continually adjusts and updates its search algorithms, often leading to changes in search rankings. Staying updated with these changes and adjusting your strategy accordingly is crucial. You can find a list of all Google updates here.
Increased competition – The digital marketplace is becoming more competitive. If other businesses in your industry are refining their SEO strategies, it can be harder to maintain your search ranking.
Changes in user behaviour – Online user behaviours and search patterns change over time. Topics of interest can rapidly fall out of trend, and search terms used by users can change constantly.

Boost a failing SEO strategy

Given the challenges that can impact your SEO performance, here are some strategic measures to improve it:

Update and improve your content strategy

Regularly updating your content ensures it remains relevant and valuable to your audience. At Submerge, for example, we aim to publish a new guide such as this one each week.

Google loves fresh content, which can help boost your rankings.

Read about what makes a good SEO article.

Updating your website design

Improve UX and make your website a pleasant and valuable experience for visitors. A sleek, user-friendly design can make a huge difference in keeping your audience engaged and encourage them to make repeat visits.

Find out more about why you should redesign your website for SEO.

Optimise for technical SEO

Address site speed, mobile friendliness, and other technical factors to ensure your website performs optimally. If your site runs faster and smoother, it’s a win for both users and search engines.

Focus on high-quality backlinks

Backlinks from reputable, authoritative websites can significantly enhance your SEO – they boost your credibility from a search engine point of view and bring more people to your site. Avoid using large volumes of low-quality links.

Use keyword research

Keyword research tools provide insights into search volume, competition, and relevance of potential keywords. Look into long-tail keywords that offer a clear idea of search intent.

Adapt to new SEO trends and algorithm updates

Staying informed about the latest SEO trends and algorithm updates helps maintain your website’s ranking and performance. Keeping up to date will help you quickly adapt your strategy to stay ahead of the competition.

By applying these measures, you can enhance your SEO performance and ensure your website remains visible and competitive in the digital marketplace.

We recommend a comprehensive SEO audit – this will provide a full overview of your current SEO status, highlighting areas for improvement and potential opportunities. With the right approach, navigating the complexities of SEO becomes not just manageable, but a valuable part of your digital strategy.

Submerge can help improve your website’s SEO. We’re friendly, on your side, jargon-free and 100% focused on your success. Contact us today.