Over the past few weeks, I used my SEO audit tool at seo.devndespro.com to analyse 50 Norwegian business websites across energy, IT, consulting, education and professional services.
The results were eye-opening. Most of these businesses had decent-looking websites — but underneath, they were losing Google rankings every single day without knowing it.
Here is exactly what I found.
Finding 1 — Render-Blocking Resources (78% of sites)
This was the most common issue by far. Nearly 4 out of 5 websites had render-blocking JavaScript or CSS files loading in the critical path — meaning Google and users had to wait before the page even started displaying.
One IT services company had 39 render-blocking resources. An energy sector firm had 22. These are not small issues — they directly hurt your Core Web Vitals score, which Google uses as a ranking signal since 2021.
Fix: Defer non-critical JavaScript and load CSS asynchronously where possible. Tools like PageSpeed Insights will show you exactly which files are blocking your render.
Finding 2 — Missing or Weak H1 Headings (61% of sites)
Over half the sites had either no H1 heading or an H1 that contained zero relevant keywords. The H1 is the single most important on-page SEO element — it tells Google what your page is about.
A consulting firm's homepage H1 simply said "Welcome."
A professional services company had no H1 at all.
Fix: Every page needs one clear H1 that includes your primary keyword. For a Stavanger-based accounting firm, that might be "Accounting Services in Stavanger" — not "Welcome to Our Website."
Finding 3 — Low Word Count (54% of sites)
More than half the sites had fewer than 300 words on their homepage. Google needs content to understand what a page is about and who it serves.
Thin content pages rank poorly because they give search engines nothing to work with. A homepage with 150 words is essentially invisible.
Fix: Aim for at least 500 words on your homepage and 800+ on service pages. Describe what you do, who you serve, where you are, and what makes you different.
Finding 4 — No Local SEO Signals (67% of sites)
Two thirds of the websites I audited had no local SEO signals whatsoever:
- No city name in the meta title
- No address on the page
- No Google Business Profile link
- No LocalBusiness schema markup
If you serve clients in Stavanger, Bergen or Oslo, your website needs to say so — clearly and repeatedly.
Fix: Add your city to your page title, meta description, H1 and body content. Set up and verify your Google Business Profile. Add LocalBusiness schema markup to your homepage.
Finding 5 — SSL and Security Issues (23% of sites)
Almost one in four sites had SSL problems — either running on HTTP or serving mixed content (some elements loading over HTTP on an HTTPS page). Google flags these as insecure and ranks them lower.
Fix: Make sure your entire site runs on HTTPS. Check for mixed content warnings in your browser developer tools or use a free tool like SSL Labs.
What This Means for Norwegian Businesses
The good news is that most of these issues are fixable. None require a full website rebuild. They require attention, technical knowledge, and the right tools.
Here is a quick summary of what I found:
| Issue | % of Sites Affected |
|---|
| Render-blocking resources | 78% |
| Missing or weak H1 | 61% |
| Low word count | 54% |
| No local SEO signals | 67% |
| SSL / security issues | 23% |
The businesses that fix these issues first will pull ahead of competitors who are still sitting on slow, thin, poorly structured websites.
Check Your Own Website
If you want to know how your website scores, run a free audit at seo.devndespro.com — it takes under a minute and gives you a full health score across six dimensions: On-Page SEO, Technical SEO, Content Quality, Page Speed, Server & Security, and Advanced SEO.
No signup required for the quick check.
I am Mahadevan, founder of devndespro.com — a web design and SEO studio based in Stavanger, Norway. I help businesses across Norway, Europe and APAC build websites that rank, convert and grow.
Try the free SEO audit tool at seo.devndespro.com