Optimizing a website is pivotal to its success in search engines and, consequently, its visibility to users. When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), however, the methods used even a few years ago may not necessarily hold up today – and making certain SEO mistakes can end up subverting a business’ Internet marketing efforts, possibly costing them in search engine rankings, online traffic and potential new leads and business.
Below, we’ll reveal some of the most common and damaging SEO mistakes to avoid making when you want to position your website – and your business – for online success.
Don’t Make these SEO Mistakes
1 – Publishing poor-quality and/or duplicate content
Websites deliver information via content, and search engine algorithms evaluate the quality of that content as part of their ranking process. So, when the content on a site is poor quality (because, for instance, it isn’t substantial enough, it’s duplicative of already published content or it is simply poorly written), a site’s rankings will likely suffer.
2 – Forgetting about keywords, title tags and other metadata
Keywords are still a fundamental component of SEO because this is how users are looking for – and finding – content relevant to their queries.
So, when people make the mistake of writing and publishing content without using the right keywords (or keyword phrases), they are essentially sabotaging their own efforts because they aren’t making it easy for algorithms to assess and rank their content (and, consequently, for users to find it).
With keyword use, it’s critical to point out that:
- Keywords shouldn’t be overused or “stuffed” into pieces – this is another common SEO pitfall.
- Keyword use should be incorporated into the metadata for pages to properly optimize them.
3 – Not developing a mobile counterpart for a site
Having a mobile-friendly site is essential for online success these days, as more people are using mobile devices (rather than desktop units) to get online.
What’s more is that, if a site is not mobile-friendly, it is far more likely that users will immediately click off of it, look to competitors’ sites and never return to that site again.
4 – Making decisions solely based on data and forgetting about the user experience
Analytic data can provide very powerful insights about the successful features of a site and where more work may need to be done. However, solely focusing on the metrics and not considering the user experience is another SEO mistake that is commonly made and that can end up hurting a site’s rankings.
This is because:
- The user experience is one of the primary things that Google is focused on enhancing; and
- Metrics do not always consider the user experience and, therefore, don’t tell the whole story.
So, avoid this SEO mistake by balancing analytic data with considerations about what will improve the user experience when evaluating how to update or alter a site.
5 – Not investing in ongoing optimization efforts
Like the Internet, search engine algorithms and people’s interests, SEO is not a static thing. So, don’t assume that, once a site has been initially optimized and published, the optimization efforts are done.
Instead, plan to invest in ongoing SEO if you really want to see the best results from your website. Ongoing SEO efforts can include link building, content marketing and social media marketing, and an ongoing investment in these efforts can be pivotal to climbing to the top of SERPs and seeing the most traffic, conversions and new leads from your Internet marketing investment.
Contact Epic Web Results for Effective Internet Marketing Solutions
When you are ready to realize the best results from your website, contact the SEO and Internet marketing professionals at Epic Web Results. We are highly adept at designing and maintaining optimized websites that deliver impressive results to our clients.
Our goal is to provide your business or firm with aggressive, effective Internet marketing solutions that will help attract potential new clients while continuing to engage existing clients.
To learn more about our customized, innovative Internet marketing solutions, contact the professionals at Epic Web Results by calling (800) 501-9724 or by emailing us using the contact form on this page.
