SE … NO! Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid
SEO is constantly changing due to search engine developments and evolving user needs. Strategies that might have been your bread-and-butter last year may no longer be relevant in today’s market (don’t worry, we’ve all been there). But one thing that hasn’t changed is the power and importance of SEO: as many as 75 percent of users never scroll past the first page of search results, meaning that getting your website to rank on SERPs is … well, everything.
Are you doing all you can for your SEO? If your SEO strategy still contains any of the following mistakes, it’s a sign you need to rethink your plan and regroup with your team.
1. Binging on Keywords
Keyword stuffing is the worst. Filling your website with loads of keywords and jargon creates a horrible user experience and can come off as “spammy”. Most brands have recognized this SEO shift and now use keywords in moderation, choosing to focus more on content that is relevant and user-friendly. If you missed the boat, or are fearful that your website might use too many keywords, you’ll want to check your keyword density. Essentially, this tool will provide you with a percentage breakdown of how many times you use certain words or phrases. One to three percent density per keyword is the sweet spot. Anything more and Google will throw a red flag.
2. Providing Irrelevant Content
Just because you can’t stuff your website with keywords does not mean that you can’t provide your users with a healthy serving of quality content. All content on your website should be related to your keywords and your business. If you sell ice cream, there’s really no need to have content on your website that talks about the pet store down the street (sorry, pups). Not providing users with a relevant experience is often a result of trying to fit too many topics within a single piece of content or web page. In order to fill your website with quality, relevant content, you must first think about what search terms your audience will be using to visit your site, as well as the questions they are hoping to have answered once visiting each page.
3. Being The Tortoise
Slow and steady may win the race, but not when it comes to your smartphone. With 80 percent of Internet users owning a smartphone, and 48 percent of users beginning their product hunt with a mobile search, your business has every reason to have a fast, mobile-responsive website. Not only is it great for your customers, but having a mobile-friendly website is a must for SEO. Google and other search engines can recognize when your website is not mobile responsive and may penalize your site with a lower ranking.
4. Focusing On Quantity, Not Quality
We all know that backlinks are a huge factor in Google’s ranking algorithm — in fact, it’s the number ONE factor. But what some businesses still don’t understand is that it’s better to have three high-quality backlinks than 50 low-quality ones. Getting backlinks from irrelevant sites is counterproductive and will actually hurt your rankings. Instead, your backlink strategy should focus on connecting with well-respected and quality websites that are relevant to your business and goals, as well as removing any backlinks that aren’t clean.
5. Being Anti-Social
While we may never truly know if Google views social shares as backlinks, or if social signals can actually boost your rankings, we do know there is some type correlation between social signals and ranking position. Although social media is not a direct ranking factor (or so they say), social media still has the power to get your content in front of more people, help you build an interested audience and stay highly visible in your market.
And, don’t forget that your social profiles can actually influence the content of your search results. Meaning that your profiles have the ability to rank in Google, only further increasing your exposure and improving your social SEO. Bottom line, having a strong social presence is one of the best ways to promote content and be found online, which is what SEO is all about.
6. Not Optimizing for Local Search
Local search is key for businesses that focus on customers within a certain city or region and rely heavily on foot traffic, like a local ice-cream parlor or restaurant. More than 25 percent of all searches have local intent and over 85 percent of brand engagement by consumers is local; in order for these searchers to find your business, your website must be properly optimized. Some quick ways to improve your local SEO is to claim and optimize all local profiles (Google Maps, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, Yelp, etc.), include local keywords in your copy and meta tags and continuously monitor your online reputation on all platforms, such a customer reviews.
