In a Nutshell: Google now scores every site on speed, mobile friendliness, and real‑world user experience. If your pages feel slow or outdated, you’re losing leads. Below are the seven issues I see most in local Tucson websites and some easy, owner‑level steps to fix them fast.

1. Slow‑Loading Pages

Back in 2021–22 Google rolled out the Page Experience update. In plain English: if your site web pages create a bad/slow experience for users, Google moves you down the list.

Why it matters: People tend to bail after 3 seconds. Fewer visitors = less customers.

Owner‑level fix:

• Shrink images before you upload (under 250 KB each).
• Ask your web person to turn on “lazy‑load” so photos load as visitors scroll and don't slow down your initial page load time.
• Run a free test at https://pagespeed.web.dev; shoot for a score > 80 in each metric and you're generally looking good.

If you need an example of what search engines like Google are looking for when it comes to page speed, feel free to take a look at our guide to how we optimized page speed for Valence Intelligence Systems' landing page.

2. Clunky on Phones

More than 70 % of local searches in Tucson happen on a mobile device.

Why it matters: If buttons are tiny, menus overlap, or the experience isn't optimal on a mobile device, customers leave (and Google notices).

Owner‑level fix:

• Check your site on your own phone. How's the experience? Can you tap buttons easily? Can you read everything on the page? Does anything (images, paragraphs, titles, etc.) get cut off?
• Try to keep page headlines, phone numbers, and call-to-action buttons such as “Get a Quote” visible without scrolling.
• Ask your developer for a quick “mobile‑friendly audit.”

If you're looking for more information on optimizing your website for all screen sizes, feel free to check out our responsive design page to see how we handle mobile device experience optimization.

3. No Local/Specific Keywords

Trying to rank for generic keywords is hard because your competition is broad. Keep the keywords you want to rank for specific and local in scope if possible.

Why it matters: More specific phrases have less competition and higher intent. Trying to rank for more specific/local keywords and/or phrases can lead to more local leads.

Owner‑level fix:

• Work “Tucson,” “Oro Valley,” or your neighborhood naturally into headings and paragraph text.
• List your business name, address, and phone in the footer so Google can match you to local searches.

4. Thin or Out‑of‑Date Content

Updating your blog once a quarter with 300 words no longer cuts it.

Why it matters: Google favors fresh, detailed answers over quick blurbs. When your content is more detailed search engines see your site as more authoritative.

Owner‑level fix:

• If your website doesn't have a blog, consider it. It can really help with SEO.
• Aim for 1,000–2,000 words when you write. Think guides, not tweets.
• Update each article every 6 months with new numbers or examples.
• Link between related posts so readers (and Google) stay on your site. This is called "internal linking" and can give you a nice SEO boost.

5. Missing “Behind‑the‑Scenes” Markup (Structured Data)

Ever notice how some search results show expandable FAQs or star ratings directly beneath the listing? That’s because those results are powered by something called structured data, or schema.

Why it matters: Listings with rich results often get higher click-through rates because they answer common questions right on the results page and show you’re a trusted source.

Owner‑level fix:
Ask your web developer to add FAQ schema to your blog posts (especially if you already include a Q&A section). It’s a simple block of JSON (a type of code) that tells Google, “This is a list of questions and answers."

Here’s a generic example your developer can copy-paste and fill in with whatever they need:

{ 
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage", 
  "mainEntity": [ 
     { 
       "@type": "Question", 
       "name": "How much does a Tucson web design project cost?",  
       "acceptedAnswer": { 
         "@type": "Answer",
         "text": "$3,000 to $10,000." 
       }
     },
     { 
       "@type": "Question", 
       "name": "How long until SEO improvements show results?",   
       "acceptedAnswer": { 
         "@type": "Answer", 
         "text": "Quick, easy fixes can show in weeks; competitive terms take 3–6 months."
      } 
    } 
  ]
}

Where it goes:
This code doesn’t appear on the page itself, it lives in the background inside a special <script> tag in the <head> of the page. If your site uses a CMS like WordPress or Sanity, your developer can wire it in with a component or plugin.

Why add this?
By adding this your listing could stand out from competitors by answering real questions before users even click.

6. Dead‑End Pages (Weak Internal Links)

If your blog posts don’t link to each other or back to your services Google sees them as lonely islands.

Owner‑level fix:

• Wherever you mention something like “custom web design,” (or whatever the specific service you offer is) link to your main service page.
• Add a simple breadcrumb trail (Home › Blog › Post) at the top of each page or article.

7. Not Adapting to 2024–25 Google Updates

Google’s March 2024 core update cracked down on mass‑produced content and shady guest blog posts.

Why it matters: Low‑quality articles can drag your entire site down.

Owner‑level fix:

• Merge or delete thin posts; keep only unique, helpful content.
• Put your name, photo, and credentials on every post. Google likes real authors.
• Earn genuine local backlinks (Tucson Chamber of commerce, news articles, podcasts) instead of buying spammy links.

Want to check your website's SEO?

Book a free website audit with White Mountain Codeworks. We’ll pinpoint some quick fixes and chart a full SEO roadmap tailored to your business.

Book Your Audit →

*Local search stat source: Google Consumer Insights, January 2025.