The #1 SEO Mistake Female Entrepreneurs Make (and How to Fix It)
The #1 SEO Mistake Female Entrepreneurs Make (and How to Fix It)
If you're a female entrepreneur building a business online, you've likely heard that SEO is essential. You might even be trying to DIY your website and marketing strategy because, hey, you’re resourceful and scrappy like that.
As a professional marketer and founder of Founding Females®, I’ve helped countless women-owned businesses earn organic traffic and convert that traffic into paying customers.
I want to let you in on the biggest SEO mistake I see smart, capable business owners make all the time—and how to fix it fast.
Why Female Entrepreneurs Love the DIY Route (and the Catch-22)
Let’s be real. We love that entrepreneurship is more accessible than ever. You can whip up a gorgeous website on a Saturday afternoon with drag-and-drop builders and launch your brand with little more than a Canva subscription and a lot of heart.
But here's where the DIY entrepreneur trap happens:
You focus on how your site looks, but not how it functions.
You drive traffic to your website but don’t have a strategy for what to do with that traffic.
This one mistake? It's costing women business owners thousands of dollars in lost revenue every single year.
Before we dive in, quick question:
Did you know we host a live training just for female entrepreneurs to help you upskill your SEO and conversion strategy?
It’s called the ✨ SEO Glow Up ✨ — two power-packed hours plus two weeks of Q&A and hand-holding so you actually implement what you learn.
Click here to see the next date!
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What Is SEO (and Why Should Female Founders Care)?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is how your website gets discovered on Google by people actively searching for what you offer. It’s one of the best ways to bring in organic traffic, aka dream customers who are already warmed up and looking for what you do.
Knowing just a handful of best practices, like submitting your sitemap, using optimized keywords, curating an intentional flow of traffic through your site, and internal linking strategies can mean the difference between few or no sales and a website that sells for you.
But SEO alone isn’t enough. That’s the mistake I see all the time.
Here’s the truth: SEO drives traffic, but it won’t convert unless your site is built with conversion strategy—also known as CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization).
And this leads us to...
The #1 SEO Mistake Female Entrepreneurs Make
Most early and mid-stage women entrepreneurs build websites that look beautiful... but don’t guide visitors toward a clear next step.
That’s the conversion strategy gap—and it’s the biggest SEO mistake you can make.
Think about it:
No clear calls to action (CTAs)
No logical journey guiding visitors from blog post to offer
Short, vague product descriptions
No proof or testimonials to build trust
No internal linking strategy to help Google (and your audience) navigate
You could be driving tons of traffic to your site and still not making sales. That’s a red flag that you’re missing the second half of the SEO equation.
Join the SEO Glow Up Training Waitlist
Starting an Online Business
Picture this: I had officially quit my job and was gleefully unemployed. I left a toxic corporate culture that shook me to my core. So, I took the leap to start a small business.
I was determined to make my new business become my full-time job replacement.
Sitting in my small little apartment, I dove straight into creating a website as the first step in starting my business. Ugh – no judgement, please. I thought that’s what you were supposed to do first.
(Since then, I learned that’s totally not the case and detailed the exact process in How to Start a Business: A Step-by-Step Guide for Female Entrepreneurs.)
As I scoured the Internet poring over competitors’ sites, I noticed blogs were all the rage.
So, I added a blog to my new website and thought I was doing it right. But I was doing it wrong…
I linked haphazardly every time I mentioned another organization.
I kept product descriptions and service pages short and sweet.
I used big words that would make readers know for sure that I knew what I was talking about.
I saw they had links and big paragraphs with advice, so I followed suit.
As a new entrepreneur, I was oblivious to website strategy and, needless to say, I wasted a whole lot of time creating content with sporadic results.
Ten years since my early days as an entrepreneur, SEO is my jam and I don’t make any of those mistakes anymore.
How did I go from blog newbie to creating hundreds of thousands of dollars in added revenue for clients through SEO strategy?
I’m going to teach you the #1 SEO mistake I see entrepreneurs make and how to fix it to grow your website traffic and turn more leads into paying customers.
Best On-Page SEO Tips
And voila! Snag the free download to continue your SEO maven journey. Enter your best email below for instant download access.
Real Talk: The SEO Audit That Changed Everything
Take Kandace, an event planner out of Washington, DC, who I had a consult call with once.
She had a gorgeous site and was putting in the work.
When we hopped on a Discovery Call, she told me she had an SEO plan.
But when I reviewed her site, I saw a major gap: No clear path from homepage to conversion.
No keyword strategy.
No intentional funnel.
No conversion-focused journey for the visitor.
This is where so many ambitious women entrepreneurs fall short.
How to Conduct SEO Research
It’s important to understand how I found this gap because it’s the same mistake most entrepreneurs make. Before I jump on a call with a potential client, I want to know every nitty gritty detail about their website.
I check to see:
What website platform they use,
How much written copy is included on their website,
Whether they have appropriately placed calls to action,
What conversion goals they’re trying to meet, and
How they use visual elements to encourage visitors to engage with the content.
That’s what I did with Kandace. I evaluated her website to see how she funnels her visitors through the buying process. I looked to see how she leverages keywords (or if she’s done any keyword research at all). I checked out her blog strategy for the same things too.
Here’s the takeaway: a site that’s set up well to convert will lead the visitor through a journey into a sale.
That’s the “conversion” part of a marketing strategy. Kandace’s website didn’t do this, and it’s also the mistake I see so many other entrepreneurs make.
So, What Is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Exactly?
CRO is all about getting more of your visitors to take a desired action—whether that’s joining your email list, scheduling a call, watching a video, downloading a guide, signing up for a webinar, clicking through your event calendar, or buying your product.
CRO is the glue between SEO traffic and revenue. You can think of SEO and CRO as your power duo—because one without the other leaves money on the table.
How Long Does SEO Take to Work?
Great question. In most cases, you’ll start seeing SEO results within 30 to 90 days if you’re consistent and strategic. I’ve had clients start seeing conversions before the final invoice was even paid.
Pro Tip: SEO is a long-game strategy that compounds over time. Unlike social media, which disappears in 24 hours, great SEO content continues to work for you months (and years!) after it's published.
What Does a Website Without CRO Strategy Look Like?
A site without conversion strategy looks like:
Few or no calls to action leading to the next phase in The Buying Cycle from entering the site to the converting end point,
The lack of internal links to give Google context about how website pages are related,
No strategy moving customers forward into a sale and never backward into a non-converting space,
Product or service descriptions that are too short and lack adequate details to help a customer decide to buy, and
No proof of concept positioned where the customer needs it to help mitigate the risk of trying something new
…to name a few.
Without an intentional conversion strategy, you might drive lots of qualified leads to your website, but they won’t successfully journey into an intended conversion, like opting into your email list, completing a form, or actually making a transaction.
How are SEO and conversion related?
For SEO to get results, a website has to be primed to convert visitors intentionally. Otherwise, paying for SEO is pretty useless.
Companies whose digital presence isn't set up to funnel customers through the buying process aren't going to see a big return on investment (ROI) from SEO.
Here's why: If your digital presence doesn't meet potential customers where they are in the buying process and present value along the journey into a conversion, conversion is going to be low or nonexistent.
If you’re interested in learning more about the buying cycle I keep mentioning, read 5 Essential Steps to Create a Marketing Plan that Turns Leads into Paying Customers.
If you're asking yourself how much you're losing because your digital presence is not set up to convert leads into followers, you’re in the right spot.
By the way, did you know at Founding Females® we host an entire training dedicated to helping female entrepreneurs upskill around organic search and conversion strategy called the ✨ SEO Glow Up ✨?
The ✨ SEO Glow Up ✨ is a two-hour training followed by two full weeks of “walk alongside you” “hold your hand” support so you can ask every question your entrepreneur heart desires to get your website and online presence bangin’.
Click to find out when we’re hosting this SEO training designed especially for female entrepreneurs next!
SEO Tips for Female Entrepreneurs in Early and Mid-Stage Growth
Let’s talk about some of my favorite SEO tips for female entrepreneurs in early and mid-stage businesses:
1. Start With Your Ideal Client’s Search Terms
Don’t write about what you want to write—write about what your audience is already Googling. Use tools like Google Search Console, KeySearch, or even the "People Also Ask" section on Google to find content gaps and popular queries.
2. Add Clear, Clickable Calls to Action
Whether you want someone to join your list, schedule a call, or browse your products—tell them exactly what to do next. Be bossy (in a good way).
3. Repurpose Like a Pro
Turn one blog post into multiple pieces of content, like:
A 3-part email series
A video tutorial
A carousel for Instagram
A Google Business Profile update
One idea = multiple content pieces across your entire marketing funnel.
4. Build Relationships With Visitors Who Aren’t Ready to Buy
Most visitors aren’t ready to purchase right away. 95%, in fact! That’s why an email list is your best friend.
Growing your email list allows you to deliver multiple repeat touch points as your new lead builds trust with you. Use your email list to nurture, educate, and stay top of mind.
This increases your customer lifetime value (CLV) and drives repeat sales.
5. Focus on Content That Educates, Entertains, and Converts
Don’t just create fluff content. Share what you know generously. Position yourself as a guide who leads your audience to real transformation.
Bonus: What a High-Converting Website Looks Like
Internal links between blog posts and service pages
Clear CTAs on every page
Longer product/service descriptions that answer all FAQs
Testimonials and case studies
A lead magnet or email opt-in for visitors not ready to buy
Strategic use of keywords and headlines
This is how you create a website that sells—not just one that sits pretty.
Let’s Get You Glowing Online
At Founding Females®, our mission is to help women entrepreneurs like you build profitable online businesses that attract, convert, and nurture dream clients.
If you're tired of wondering why your traffic isn’t converting—or if you're ready to learn the SEO + CRO strategies that actually work—join us for the ✨ SEO Glow Up ✨.
You’ll walk away with a strategy that works and support to implement it.
Final Thoughts: SEO Isn’t Magic, It’s Momentum
You don’t need to master all 200+ Google ranking factors to win with SEO. You need a solid foundation, a clear conversion path, and a consistent plan to show up online.
When you blend search engine optimization with conversion strategy, your business doesn’t just grow—it compounds.
Related Articles about SEO and Marketing for Female Entrepreneurs
About Founding Females®
The mission of Founding Females® is to help women build thriving businesses. We create safe spaces for women to share business challenges and receive peer support.
In addition, Founding Females® offers an online female business mastermind, a how-to guidebook for female entrepreneurs called Dream, Build, Grow: A Female’s Step-by-Step Guide for How to Start a Business, and in-person events, like an annual women’s business conference and local Founding Females® Meet Ups.
Founding Females® was founded by small business educator, Francie Hinrichsen. She believes anyone with a dream on their heart can pull up a seat to change the world through entrepreneurship. Click to learn more about working with Francie.
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