Whether you are trying to rank higher in the search results or drive traffic to your website, SEO is the most critical factor. However, this is easier said than done. While SEO isn’t exactly a science, there is a lot of misinformation and myths surrounding the subject.
The wrong SEO tactics can be harmful for anyone’s online business, particularly new brands and small business.
Let’s take a look at some common SEO mistake you should avoid.
Not conducting keyword research
One of the most common SEO mistakes is focussing on non-strategic keywords. Many brands waste their time and resources creating content around keywords with extremely low search volume or are too competitive to rank for. Sometimes they even target keywords that they think people are searching for.
Check out our blog on Keyword Research for Beginners here.
Using Black Hat methods
SEO practices are divided into White Hat and Black Hat methods. White Hat practices refer to those accepted by search engines. White Hat SEO methods take time to research, but offer excellent longterm results, significantly boost your rankings and improve your user experience.
Black Hat practices, on the other hand, violate search engine guidelines to influence results. Keyword stuffing, hiding texts and links, spamming the comments section for blogs and so on. While Black Hat methods can give you quick results, they are extremely risky as they can cause your site to be penalised or even blocked.
Keyword stuffing
As mentioned earlier, keyword stuffing is a Black Hat SEO method. Keywords help with your position in the SERPs. A good practice is to include targetted keywords wherever possible in your website and as many times as possible in your blogs. However, a common SEO mistake that many companies commit is keyword stuffing. Not only is it ineffective, but it can also hurt your position in the SERPs, as it is a Black Hat method. Instead, opt for creating blogs periodically. This way, you can target specific keywords depending on your blog topic.
Not adapting to SERP changes
Another common SEO mistake is assuming that SEO practices are static. In actuality, search engines are continually changing their algorithms to improve the quality of results and to counter malicious or underhand tactics. Concerning Google alone, there have been three major updates in the last five years and some minor changes. You need to keep on top of every new update as they are critical to positively influencing your SERP’s position.
You can read more in our Beginner’s Guide to SEO here.
Producing low quality or duplicate content
The main goal of any search engine is to provide people with relevant, high-quality content and information. One common SEO mistake that many brands commit is either purchasing or creating low-quality content or duplicating content. This severely affects your ranking, particularly if your competitor hosts superior content.
As a rule of thumb, ensure you have authentic, high-quality content relevant to your audience and optimised for search engines. This is something you need to invest resources in as it can significantly boost your rankings.
Ignoring UI/UX
While quality, SEO optimised content gets your far, another priority for search engines is the User Experience. Many bands ignore UI/UX and focus only on content. But imagine this – if your website takes too long to load or is difficult to navigate, a user might bounce off to another website. This indicates to search engines that your website or content does not meet the UI/UX criteria and thus pushes its ranking to a lower position.
Here’s a quick breakdown of factors that affect UI/UX:
Speed – No one wants to wait for a website to load. Google measures your website’s loading speed, and if it is too slow, it might affect your ranking.
Mobile-optimised – The number of mobile users is on the rise, and Google prioritises mobile-friendly websites over those that aren’t optimised.
Safety – If Google detects malware, viruses, or harmful content on your website, there are high chances of your site getting blocked.
Flash – Adobe Flash is considered bad news for SEO as search engines can’t view text or links attached to Flash. It is better to opt for technologies like HTML5 or CSS3.
Not hiring an expert
SEO is not a one-time requirement. It’s a continual process that requires you to stay updated with the latest changes in a search engine’s algorithms, strategies and trends. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners just starting think they can do their own SEO instead of hiring a professional. This does more harm than good for your digital presence. Experienced SEO professionals are up-to-date with the latest algorithm changes have a knack for understanding what works and what won’t.
When you partner with a digital marketing agency or an SEO professional, they help you find the appropriate keywords for your target audience – with low competition and high search volume, as well as related keywords for your field, blog topic, or what your customers are looking for.
At Bunjy Digital, we are aware of SEO’s importance and how one wrong move can hamper your website’s ranking. So don’t take a chance! Get in touch with us today and let us help you kickstart your digital marketing journey.