The #1 Website Mistake Hurting Your SEO

You’ve worked hard to build your business. You’ve got the logo, the website, and maybe even some social media going. But when you Google your business, or when someone asks an AI tool like ChatGPT about services in your area, you don’t show up.

Frustrating, right?

After talking to dozens of business owners, I’ve seen the same mistake over and over again. And it’s costing small businesses visibility, leads, and sales.

Why This Hurts Your Business

Imagine walking into a restaurant with no menu. Just a sign that says “We serve food.”

Would you stay? Probably not. You’d leave and find a place that clearly tells you what they serve.

That’s exactly how customers (and Google) feel about one-page service websites.

The Fix: Create a Page for Each Service

The solution is simple and powerful. Instead of one generic page, give each of your services its own dedicated page.

Real Examples:

A roofer should have one page for “Roof Repair in [City],” another for “Emergency Roof Replacement,” and another for “Gutter Installation.”

A bakery should have pages like “Custom Wedding Cakes,” “Birthday Cakes in [City],” and “Gluten-Free Desserts.”

A dentist should build pages for “Teeth Whitening,” “Family Dentistry,” and “Emergency Dental Care.”

When you do this, Google and AI know exactly what you do and customers can find exactly what they’re looking for.

Bonus Tip: Add FAQs

Once you’ve built out your service pages, add a short FAQ section to each one. Write it in the same language your customers use.

Example for a roofer:

Q: How much does roof repair cost in [City]?

A: Most roof repairs here range from $500–$1,500 depending on the damage.

Example for a bakery:

Q: Do you make gluten-free cakes?

A: Yes, we offer gluten-free and dairy-free options.

FAQs work because:

• Google highlights them in search results.
• AI tools love question/answer formatting. They can pull your answers directly when people ask.

Why this works

Google’s goal is to give users the best, most relevant results. AI tools have the same mission: to answer questions quickly and accurately.

When you create separate, clear service pages with FAQs, you’re not just making your website prettier, you’re making it easier for search engines and AI to connect you with the customers already searching.

Final Thoughts

Google’s entire mission is to give users the best answers as quickly as possible. When your business provides those answers, Google rewards you by putting your website higher in the search results.

And here’s the best part: most of your competitors aren’t doing this. Many small businesses still ignore SEO completely, which means if you follow these three steps, you’ll already be ahead of the majority of businesses in your area.



Bonus: Track What’s Workin

Once you’ve done the three steps above, the final piece is tracking your progress. Google offers a free tool called Search Console, which shows you:

• Which keywords people typed to find your site.
• How many times your pages showed up in search results.
• Which pages are getting the most clicks.

This data is amazing! It tells you what’s working and what you should focus on next.



Final Thoughts

If you only have one “Services” page, you’re leaving money on the table.

The fix is simple:

• Break your services into individual pages.
• Add clear titles and FAQs.
• Use plain language that answers customer questions.

By doing this, you’ll rank higher on Google, show up in AI results, and get found by the customers who need you.

At Custer Marketing, we help small business owners create websites that actually get found.