Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) remains one of the most effective digital marketing strategies for driving organic traffic and increasing visibility. However, many businesses invest time and resources into SEO only to find that the results are underwhelming or inconsistent. If your company’s SEO strategy isn’t delivering the outcomes you expect, you’re not alone. But what are the potential reasons why your company’s SEO strategy might not be working? And why should you hire a professional SEO company?

So what are the common reasons why your company’s SEO strategy might not be working?

Getting an SEO strategy to pay off is not always straight forward and there are a number of reasons why yours may not be working, including:

Unclear goals and misaligned strategy

One of the most common reasons why SEO efforts fail is a lack of clear, measurable objectives. Many businesses start with a broad ambition such as “rank higher on Google” or “get more traffic,” without identifying specific targets aligned with business goals.

But SEO is about more than just increasing visibility, it’s about attracting the right audience. For example, ranking for a high-volume keyword might look good on paper, but if those visitors aren’t converting into leads or customers, the strategy is not effective.

So what can you do? Well, defining SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) is a good place to start. For instance, instead of “get more traffic,” set a goal like “increase organic traffic from local searches by 20% within six months.”

Targeting the wrong keywords

Keywords are at the heart of SEO, but targeting the wrong ones can derail your entire strategy. Common mistakes include:

Focusing on overly competitive keywords: Competing with major brands for broad terms like “insurance” or “shoes” is often unrealistic for smaller businesses.
Ignoring search intent: Ranking for a keyword that doesn’t match what your audience is looking for will lead to poor engagement and high bounce rates.
Neglecting long-tail keywords: These are more specific phrases (e.g., “affordable life insurance for freelancers UK”) that often convert better because they reflect clearer user intent.

So what should you do instead? Well, conducting thorough keyword research, considering both search volume and intent, is much more effective. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush can help identify relevant opportunities, but then interpreting the data correctly is key.

Poor technical SEO

Technical SEO refers to the behind the scenes elements that make your site accessible and indexable by search engines. Even great content won’t rank well if your website has technical issues. These most commonly include:

Slow page load speeds
Broken links and 404 errors
Poor mobile responsiveness
Incorrect use of meta tags and structured data
Crawl errors preventing pages from being indexed

Google’s algorithms prioritise user experience, and this means that if your website has technical issues, these can negatively impact both rankings and usability.

To resolve or avoid this, you can regularly audit your website using tools such as Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Sitebulb. You should be sure to address technical issues promptly to maintain a healthy site structure.

Low-quality or insufficient content

“Content is king” has been a mantra in SEO for years, but not all content is created equal. Publishing generic, keyword-stuffed articles without real value can harm your rankings rather than help them. Signs of ineffective content include:

Thin content that doesn’t cover the topic in depth
Duplicate or recycled material
Lack of originality and thought leadership

This can be detrimental to your efforts because Google’s algorithms reward high quality, relevant content that meets user intent. As such, if your content doesn’t engage readers or answer their questions comprehensively, your site may struggle to rank.

To resolve this you should create in-depth, well-researched content that addresses your audience’s needs. You can also incorporate multimedia elements, optimise for readability, and update content regularly to keep it relevant.

Ignoring local SEO

For businesses that operate in specific geographic areas, local SEO is critical. Yet many companies overlook it, focusing solely on general search terms. Unfortunately, when you ignore local SEO:

You can miss out on “near me” searches
Your Google Business Profile may not appear in local results
Competitors with stronger local optimisation will dominate

As such, you should optimise for local keywords, maintain an accurate and complete Google Business Profile, and encourage reviews. Local SEO is particularly important for businesses that rely on foot traffic or serve defined regions.

Failure to build high-quality backlinks

Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to yours, and these remain one of the strongest ranking factors in Google’s algorithm. However, not all backlinks are beneficial. Common mistakes include:

Buying links from low-quality sites
Relying on spammy link-building tactics
Neglecting link-building entirely

You should be sure to focus on ethical, sustainable link-building strategies such as guest posting, digital PR, and creating shareable content.

What are the benefits of hiring a professional SEO team?

While DIY SEO is possible, the complexities of search engine algorithms, technical optimisation, and content strategy mean that many businesses struggle to achieve meaningful results on their own. This is where a professional team, like us here at Pumpkin Web Design, can make a real difference:

Expertise and experience- Professional SEO specialists stay up to date with algorithm changes, industry trends, and best practices. Their experience allows them to identify issues quickly and implement effective solutions.
Time and resource efficiency- SEO requires consistent effort across multiple areas, including technical, content, and off-page optimisation. Outsourcing to a dedicated team frees your internal resources to focus on core business activities.
Access to advanced tools- SEO agencies invest in premium tools for keyword research, competitor analysis, and performance tracking. Leveraging these tools without the associated costs can provide a significant advantage.
Tailored strategies for businesses- Local knowledge matters. An SEO team will understand the nuances of the local market, regulations, and consumer behaviour, ensuring strategies are relevant and effective.
Measurable results and accountability- Professional teams provide regular reports and transparent metrics, so you can see exactly how your investment is performing.

Here at Pumpkin Web Design, we are Preston’s leading web design and web marketing experts. From SEO to content, we are the team you can count on for your businesses online success. We provide high quality web design in Lytham St Annes, Ormskirk, Salford, and across the region. Why not get in touch today to find out more?

Why your company’s SEO strategy might not be working