Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid
Search engine optimization (SEO) can be tricky at times, which leads businesses to make SEO-related mistakes. Sometimes, these mistakes can be very costly and lead to Google penalties or other problems. Some of the most commonly seen SEO errors that should be fixed immediately include:
Never changing content or keywords
SEO shouldn’t be left alone. It should be discussed regularly, as it’s an ever-evolving marketing technique. If you’re never changing your content or updating your keywords or key phrases, you’re missing opportunities.
Stuffing your content with keywords
This is a no-no, and Google can take you out of the page rankings with a penalty if you stuff your content. Keywords need to flow effortlessly in your writing, not stand out. In addition to keyword stuffing, it’s a big problem if you have hidden keywords or use “black hat” SEO tactics.
Not sure if your site was originally programmed on the up-and-up? Get it checked out because a Google penalty is serious business.
Forgetting about off-page SEO
SEO isn’t just about what happens in the content of your website. It also has a place off-page, such as on your social media sites and in your website’s backend code. If you’re not sure how to maximize your off-page SEO, it’s time to make a call to an SEO specialist.
Having a clumsy, cluttered website
Search engines aren’t humans. When they come to a website that’s hard to crawl, they move on to the next one. Your SEO will only work if bots aren’t turned off by what they come across when they review your site. This includes the time it takes for your site to load, as well as antiquated coding. Web design affects SEO, so consider SEO when updating your site’s design.
Having an unresponsive site
Does your site look good on any device, including desktop and mobile? This is known as responsive design. Without it, you’re losing search engine rank.
Not using long-tail keywords
Are you trying to optimize your website for single keywords? Individual keywords, such as “car,” “house,” or “loans” are nearly impossible to optimize. Instead, you need to incorporate long-tail keywords.
Just change your short keywords to longer ones by adding other commonly searched terms, like changing “car” to “buy cheap used cars Lexington KY”. The latter keyword phrase will be much easier to optimize and should get you moving in the ranks.
Not researching your competitors’ keywords
Have you been checking the keyword optimization of your competitors? It’s not hard. Go to any of your competitors’ webpages and hit the CTRL and “U” keys simultaneously. This should bring up the code for the webpage. There, you’ll find a wealth of info, including a list of their preferred keywords, if they’ve included it. See what they’re choosing and determine if it would be wise for you to do likewise.
Not using meta tags and descriptions
Speaking of the code, are you using your meta tags and meta descriptions to their fullest? Web crawlers use the metas to help them find out what a webpage is going to be about.
Not having a consistently updated blog
Has it been a while since you added a new blog post to your website? You really need to schedule regular articles. Updating your blog not only allows you to further keyword-optimize your website, but it also encourages the search engines to crawl your site more often.
Not getting professional advice
SEO is always evolving, so it’s wise to get professional advice about the SEO you’re currently doing, as well as future goals. Although you’ll pay for an expert opinion, you’ll also be able to avoid actions that could be harmful to your site.
Bonus Reading: Check out 10 of the most common SEO challenges here!
*Last updated: 1/21/22
Google Maps SEO: 10 Tips to Rank Higher on Google Maps
What is Google Maps SEO? Google Maps SEO (search engine optimization) is the process of making your business visible on Google Maps when users search for related keywords to your business. As an internet user, you have likely done a Google search to find a local store selling the product you’re looking for near you. […]
Read moreHow to Check Google Ranking
Learning how to check Google ranking lets you know how much exposure your website receives for specific keywords. Checking your website’s Google ranking may help you identify areas of strengths and weaknesses you can improve on to rank higher on the SERPs and boost your return on investment (ROI). Read on for more information about […]
Read moreWhat is Google EEAT and How to Optimize Your Site
Over the years, digital marketers have determined the key elements that produce a high-ranking webpage. But little is known about the Google algorithm that puts webpages at the top of the SERP. However, Google has provided helpful guidelines to ensure quality pages match user intent. Explore what Google EEAT is and what you can do […]
Read moreHow to Add Google Analytics to WordPress
Google Analytics is one of the most efficient web analytics tools offered by Google for businesses and individuals who want statistics on a specific website’s performance. Further to this, it provides you as the site owner with data on visitor insights such as how they access the site, the channels they use, top keywords used […]
Read more