If you are using Semrush for your SEO strategy, you know that the “Site Audit” tool is a goldmine for identifying what’s holding your website back. However, seeing a long list of errors can be overwhelming.
In this guide, we will break down the most frequent Semrush SEO errors and provide you with actionable steps to fix them.
1. The “HTTPS Certificate” Error
This occurs when your site has issues with its SSL/TLS certificate. Since Google considers HTTPS a ranking factor, this is a priority.
- How to Fix:
- Check Expiry: Ensure your SSL certificate has not expired.
- Mixed Content: If you see “Mixed Content” warnings, it means some resources (images, scripts) are still loading via
http://instead ofhttps://. Use a plugin like “Really Simple SSL” (if on WordPress) or find and replace these links in your database.
2. “H1 Tag Missing” or “Multiple H1 Tags”
The H1 tag is the most important heading on your page. Search engines use it to understand what the content is about.
- How to Fix:
- Missing H1: Add a single, relevant H1 tag to the page containing your primary keyword.
- Multiple H1s: Consolidate your headings. Keep only one H1 per page and use H2s, H3s, and H4s to structure the rest of the content.
3. “Low Text-to-HTML Ratio”
This error suggests your page has more code (scripts, CSS, bloated structure) than actual readable content, which can slow down page loading and confuse crawlers.
- How to Fix:
- Remove Unnecessary Code: Minify your CSS and JavaScript files.
- Clean Up the Layout: If you are using a page builder, look for ways to reduce the number of nested containers and redundant code.
- Add More Content: Sometimes, the simplest fix is to provide more comprehensive, helpful content on the page.
4. “Missing Alt Attributes” (Images)
Google cannot “see” images; it relies on alt text to understand the context. Missing alt attributes is a common SEO oversight.
- How to Fix:
- Go through your images and add descriptive alt text.
- Tip: Don’t just stuff keywords. Write naturally (e.g., “Person typing on a laptop to fix SEO errors” instead of just “SEO-fix-1”).
5. “Orphaned Pages”
An orphaned page is a page on your website that has no internal links pointing to it. Because it isn’t linked, Googlebots often struggle to find it.
- How to Fix:
- Identify these pages in your Semrush audit report.
- Internal Linking: Link to these pages from your high-traffic blog posts, your homepage, or your navigation menu to pass “link juice” and improve indexability.
6. “Redirect Chains” (301 Redirects)
A redirect chain occurs when Page A redirects to Page B, which then redirects to Page C. This wastes crawl budget and slows down page speed.
- How to Fix:
- Audit your redirects and change them so that Page A points directly to Page C. This makes the path shorter and faster for users and bots.
7. “Broken External Links”
Linking to high-quality external sites is good for SEO, but if those links are dead, it hurts your site’s credibility.
- How to Fix:
- Use the Semrush report to find the specific URLs.
- If the link is outdated, find a new, relevant source to link to, or simply remove the link if it no longer adds value.
Pro-Level Tips for Faster Cleanup
- The 80/20 Rule: You don’t have to fix every “Notice” immediately. Focus 80% of your energy on the “Errors” (Red) and “Warnings” (Yellow) first.
- Re-crawl Regularly: After implementing fixes, manually trigger a “Re-run Audit” in Semrush to see your Health Score improve in real-time.
- Don’t Ignore the “Notices”: While they are lower priority, they often contain “low-hanging fruit” that can give your SEO a quick boost when you have extra time.
Conclusion
A clean technical site is the foundation of every high-ranking website. By methodically fixing these common Semrush audit errors, you aren’t just pleasing the search engines—you are providing a faster, more reliable, and more professional experience for your users.
Ready to start? Log into your Semrush account, pull your latest audit report, and tackle the top 5 errors today!
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