On-page issues are some of the most common yet impactful problems that can quietly hurt your site’s performance.
Whether it’s missing tags, invalid HTML, or duplicate elements, these issues create confusion for search engines and frustration for users.
Let’s take a closer look…
Whether it’s missing tags, invalid HTML, or duplicate elements, these issues create confusion for search engines and frustration for users.
Let’s take a closer look…
Why Do On-Page Issues Matter?
On-page issues are like cracks in your site’s foundation.
If search engines can’t properly read or interpret your content, your rankings—and traffic—can suffer.
Common problems include:
- Missed Ranking Opportunities: Issues like missing or poorly optimised tags mean search engines can’t understand or rank your pages effectively.
- Poor User Experience: Incomplete or invalid elements can confuse users and reduce engagement.
- Wasted Crawl Budget: Search engines may spend time parsing broken or unnecessary elements instead of indexing your most important pages.
By fixing these issues, you create a more streamlined, search-friendly site that’s easier to rank and navigate.
Common On-Page Issues
Below are some of the most common on-page problems flagged in audits.
Click through to learn more about each issue and how to fix it:
HTML Issues
- HTML is Missing or Empty: Pages with no HTML or an empty structure prevent search engines from crawling or understanding the content.
- Broken or Invalid HTML: Errors in your HTML can disrupt page rendering and confuse crawlers.
Title Tag Issues
- Title Tag is Empty: Pages with no title tag miss out on one of the most important on-page SEO elements.
- Title Tag is Missing: Without a title tag, search engines have no signal for what the page is about.
- Title Tag Outside of
<head>: Placing the title tag outside of the<head>element can cause issues with proper parsing. - Multiple Title Tags: Having more than one title tag can confuse search engines.
- Title Tag Length Too Short: Titles that are too brief don’t provide enough context for search engines or users.
- Title Tag Length Too Long: Overly long titles may be truncated in search results, reducing clarity.
Meta Description Issues
- Meta Description is Empty: A missing description leaves search engines and users guessing about the page’s content.
- Meta Description is Missing: Pages without descriptions fail to capitalise on opportunities for better click-through rates.
- Meta Description Outside of
<head>: Similar to title tags, descriptions outside of the<head>element can create parsing issues. - Multiple Meta Descriptions: Having multiple descriptions can confuse search engines.
- Meta Description Length Too Short: Descriptions that are too brief miss the chance to entice users.
- Meta Description Length Too Long: Overly long descriptions can be cut off in search results, reducing their impact.
- Title and Meta Description Are the Same: Using identical content for both reduces clarity and signals poor optimization.
H1 Tag Issues
- H1 Tag is Empty: An empty H1 fails to communicate the page’s main topic to search engines.
- H1 Tag is Missing: Without an H1, search engines and users lack a clear signal about the page’s focus.
- Multiple H1 Tags: Having more than one H1 can dilute the page’s relevance and confuse crawlers.
- H1 Length Too Short: Too-short H1 tags don’t provide enough detail.
- H1 Length Too Long: Overly long H1 tags may be less effective and harder to read.
Content and Media Issues
- Images With Missing Alt Text: Images without descriptive alt text miss out on accessibility and SEO opportunities.
- Contains Lorem Ipsum Dummy Text: Placeholder text left on live pages signals poor quality to users and search engines.
Closing
On-page issues are foundational to a strong SEO strategy.
Fixing these problems ensures search engines can read, understand, and rank your content effectively while improving the user experience.
If your audit flagged any of these issues, use the links above to dive into specific fixes so you can start leveling up your sites SEO.