5 SEO Content Mistakes Keeping You Stuck on Page 5 of Google

You're writing SEO content and wondering why you're stuck on page five of Google while your competitors are ranking number one.

The crazy part? You're probably doing more work than them. You're writing longer posts. You're being more detailed. And somehow you're still losing.

Most of these mistakes, you don't even know you're making them until you've already wasted months creating content that will never rank.

In the next few minutes, we'll break down the five biggest mistakes we see people making and, more importantly, how to fix them.

Mistake #1: Writing Content From Scratch Without a Strategy

This is probably the biggest mistake we see. People sit down and try to write blog posts from scratch, staring at a blank page trying to come up with perfect content.

Here's what happens: You spend 3, 4, 5 hours writing this blog post. You're trying to write how you think you're supposed to write instead of just explaining what you actually know.

The Better Approach

Take existing content you've already created—whether it's a video, a voice memo on your phone, or just talking for 10-15 minutes about a topic you know well—and use that as the foundation for your blog posts.

Why this works: When you're talking, you're naturally:

• Telling stories
• Giving real examples
• Sharing things from your actual experience
• Speaking authentically rather than trying to sound "professional"

The E-E-A-T Factor

Google rewards content that has E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust. You can't fake that with generic AI content that sounds like every other blog post on the internet.

When you write from a transcript of you actually talking about your expertise, that authenticity comes through. You're using specific examples and telling stories that only you can tell.

That's what separates content that ranks from content that disappears.

The Takeaway

Stop writing in the dark. Let your expertise flow naturally. Talk about what you know, transcribe it (using tools like Otter.ai or Descript), then organize it into a blog post.

This approach is central to our small business digital marketing course, where we teach you how to create authentic content efficiently without burning hours staring at blank pages.

Mistake #2: Ignoring Keyword Research or Chasing High-Difficulty Keywords

This one we literally see all the time. People either completely ignore keyword research or go after insanely competitive keywords they have zero chance of ranking for.

Someone will say, "Yeah, I want to rank for 'electrician Sydney.'" Good luck with that. That keyword has high difficulty, and you're competing against every electrician in the city. And you probably don't want to service clients on the other side of the city anyway.

Then they're confused 6 months later when they have zero traffic. What did you expect?

The Smarter Strategy: Keyword Gap Analysis

Use keyword gap analysis to find keywords your competitors rank for but you don't, then filter them by difficulty.

Look for:

• Keywords with 0-30 difficulty (actually rankable)
• Stable or growing search trends (not declining)
• Reasonable search volume (20-100+ per month is fine)

Tools to use:

• SEMrush (comprehensive keyword gap analysis)
• Ahrefs (excellent competitive research)
• Ubersuggest (more affordable option)
• Google Trends (check if interest is growing or declining)

The Real Mistake

People chase search volume without looking at trends. You want keywords that are stable or growing, not ones about to become irrelevant.

Work smarter by playing the long game with low-competition, high-value keywords. Stop trying to compete with massive sites that have been doing SEO for 10 years.

Find the gaps. Find the opportunities. That's how you actually win.

Mistake #3: Copying Competitor Content Without Adding Your Unique Voice

This is where people think they're being smart, but they're actually shooting themselves in the foot.

They look at their competitor's blog post, copy all the headings, copy the structure, and then just rewrite it in their own words. Or worse, they have ChatGPT rewrite it.

Then they think, "Great, I've got a blog post. It's the same as the top-ranking one. I'm good."

Wrong.

Google can tell when content is just regurgitated information. If your blog post says the exact same thing as the top five results, why would Google choose yours over theirs?

What You Should Do Instead

Yes, look at your competitors. Understand what structure Google wants to see.

But then inject:

• Your own personal stories
• Your client examples
• Your opinion
• The stuff that only you can say

Example: Writing About SEO Pricing

Don't just say "SEO costs between $X and $X."

Instead:

• Share actual numbers from your experience
• Talk about specific client situations
• Explain why certain pricing makes sense
• Discuss what you've learned from pricing mistakes

That's the secret sauce AI can't fake. That builds trust. That builds authority. And Google rewards that.

This is exactly what we teach in our online marketing course for small business—how to infuse your content with authentic expertise that can't be replicated.

Mistake #4: Overloading Content With Keywords or Relying Too Heavily on Bullet Points

Let's talk about keyword stuffing or making your entire blog post a giant list of bullet points.

We get it. Bullet points are easy. They're quick. They look organized.

But if your entire blog post is just bullet point after bullet point with no depth, no explanation, Google won't rank it because you're not actually providing value.

You're just listing information without explaining it. That's not helpful to readers.

The Keyword Stuffing Problem

We see people using their keyword 47 times in a 1,000-word article, and they actually think that'll help them rank.

It doesn't. It just makes your content unreadable.

The Right Approach

Check how many times competitors use the keyword. Use a tool like the Page Optimizer Pro Chrome extension to analyze top-ranking pages quickly.

If they're using it 4-5 times, use it 4-6 times. Don't overthink it.

Using Bullet Points Effectively

Use bullet points when they make sense:

• For lists of steps or features
• To break up dense paragraphs
• When comparing options

But also write paragraphs:

• Explain concepts in depth
• Give examples
• Tell stories
• Provide context

Quality over quantity. Explain, don't just list.

Mistake #5: Skipping Content Optimization and Promotion

We see people do all this work to create great content, then just publish it and hope for the best.

They don't:

• Optimize their title tag
• Write a meta description
• Add internal links
• Promote it on social media
• Share it with their email list

Then they wonder, "Why isn't my content ranking?"

Because a great blog post isn't magic. It's strategy plus hustle.

Post-Publishing Optimization Checklist

On-page optimization:

• Ensure your keyword is in your title tag
• Include it in your H1 heading
• Write a compelling meta description (150-160 characters)
• Use the keyword in at least one H2 tag
• Sprinkle it naturally throughout the content (4-6 times)

Meta description tip: Write something that makes people want to click. Don't just stuff keywords—write compelling copy that promises value.

Internal linking:

• Link to other relevant pages on your site
• Use descriptive anchor text (not "click here")
• Help Google understand your site structure

External linking:

• Link to authoritative sources (like Wikipedia, government sites, industry leaders)
• This shows Google your content is well-researched
• External links don't hurt you—they help establish credibility

Promotion Strategy

Don't just publish and pray:

1. Share on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
2. Send to your email list (this is your owned audience—use it)
3. Post in relevant online communities (but don't spam—add genuine value)
4. Build a few quality backlinks if it's a really important piece of content

The more initial engagement your content gets, the more signals you send to Google that it's valuable.

Australian Business Context

Local Search Patterns

Australian businesses often make these mistakes with local content:

• Writing for "Australia" broadly instead of specific cities/regions
• Ignoring local search terms like "near me" or suburb-specific keywords
• Not creating location-specific content pages

Seasonal Content Opportunities

Australian businesses should consider:

• Tax time content (June-July)
• EOFY (End of Financial Year) strategies
• Summer/winter seasonal services
• School holiday-related content
• Australian-specific events and regulations

Writing for Australian Audiences

Use Australian English:

• "Centre" not "center"
• "Colour" not "color"
• "Recognised" not "recognized"

Reference Australian:

• Regulations and standards
• Geographic locations
• Seasons and weather patterns
• Cultural references

This authenticity signals to Google that you're genuinely local, not just a US site trying to rank in Australia.

Fixing These Mistakes: Your Action Plan

Week 1: Audit Your Existing Content

Go through your published content and identify which mistakes you're making:

• Is it authentic or generic?
• Did you target achievable keywords?
• Is it just copied competitor structure?
• Too many bullets and keywords?
• Was it properly optimized and promoted?

Week 2: Implement a Content Creation System

Set up a process:

1. Record yourself talking about topics you know (10-15 minutes)
2. Transcribe using Otter.ai or Descript
3. Organize the transcript into a logical structure
4. Add examples, stories, and personality
5. Optimize for SEO before publishing
6. Promote after publishing

Week 3: Keyword Research Overhaul

Use SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest to:

• Find keyword gaps your competitors have
• Filter by difficulty (0-30)
• Check trends on Google Trends
• Create a prioritized keyword list

Week 4: Start Creating Better Content

Apply everything:

• Create from transcripts, not blank pages
• Target achievable keywords
• Add your unique voice and examples
• Use appropriate structure (not just bullets)
• Optimize and promote properly

Want the Complete Content Strategy?

These five mistakes are just the beginning. Creating content that consistently ranks requires a comprehensive system—from ideation through promotion.

At 20 Minute Marketing, our small business digital marketing training teaches you the complete content creation framework specifically designed for Australian businesses. Learn how to create authentic, rankable content efficiently without wasting months on strategies that don't work.

Our online marketing course for small business covers:

• The transcript-to-blog system for authentic content
• Advanced keyword research for Australian markets
• Content optimization that actually works
• Promotion strategies that generate backlinks
• Measuring and improving content performance

Stop guessing. Start ranking.

The Bottom Line

If you caught yourself making any of these mistakes, you're not alone. These are mistakes we used to make and see people making constantly.

Once you understand what not to do, you can start creating content that ranks:

1. Create from expertise, not from scratch
2. Target achievable keywords, not impossible ones
3. Add unique value, don't just copy competitors
4. Balance structure with depth, avoid keyword stuffing
5. Optimize and promote, don't just publish and pray

Fix these five mistakes, and you'll see your content start climbing from page five to page one—where it actually generates traffic, leads, and customers.

Ready to master content creation that ranks? Explore our small business digital marketing course designed for Australian businesses.