SEO is a tricky business. There’s a lot of information out there about what you should do to get your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), but not so much about what you shouldn’t do. This can leave business owners feeling lost and unsure of how to proceed with their SEO campaigns.
To help you avoid making common mistakes, we’ve put together a list of things NOT to do in SEO.
1. Don’t try to game the system
There’s no easy way to achieve high rankings in SERPs. Anyone who tells you otherwise is likely trying to sell you something.
Don’t waste your time and money on so-called “black hat” SEO tactics like keyword stuffing, link buying, and Cloaking. Not only do these practices violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, but they can also get your site penalized or even banned from the search engine altogether.
2. Don’t neglect your website’s design
A well-designed website is essential for a successful SEO campaign. If your site is difficult to navigate or doesn’t look trustworthy, users will be less likely to stick around, which will hurt your rankings.
Make sure your website is designed with user experience in mind. Use clear and concise text, easy-to-navigate menus, and visually-appealing images and videos.
3. Don’t forget about mobile
With over half of all web traffic now coming from mobile devices, it’s more important than ever to have a mobile-friendly website. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re likely to see a drop in your rankings.
Make sure your website is responsive and can be easily viewed on all devices, from smartphones to tablets to desktop computers.
4. Don’t forget about your website’s content
Your website’s content is one of the most important factors in your SEO success. Your content needs to be well-written, keyword-rich, and informative if you want it to rank well in SERPs.
Don’t neglect your website’s content. Make sure to regularly update your site with fresh, high-quality content to help improve your rankings.
5. Don’t forget about link building
Link building is an important part of any SEO campaign. Links help search engines crawl your website and can also provide a boost to your rankings.
However, don’t engage in link buying or link schemes, which are against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. These practices can get your site penalized.
Instead, focus on building high-quality, natural links through guest blogging, directory listings, and social media.
6. Don’t forget about social media
Social media is a powerful tool that can help you boost your SEO efforts. Posting links to your website’s content on social media sites can help you attract more visitors to your site, which can in turn help improve your rankings.
Make sure to post links to your website’s content on a variety of social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
7. Don’t forget about local SEO
If you have a brick-and-mortar business, you need to make sure you’re doing everything you can to optimize your site for local SEO. This includes claiming your business listing on Google My Business and other local directories, as well as adding your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) to your website.
8. Don’t forget about your website’s speed
Your website’s speed is another important factor in your SEO success. A slow website can hurt your rankings and turn users away.
Make sure your website is fast and responsive by optimizing your images, using a content delivery network (CDN), and reducing your use of plugins.
9. Don’t forget about your website’s security
In addition to being fast and responsive, your website also needs to be secure. Google now gives preference to websites that are secured with an SSL certificate.
Make sure your website is secured with an SSL certificate and that your pages are served over HTTPS. You can also use a security plugin like Wordfence to help secure your website.
10. Don’t forget about your website’s analytics
Tracking your website’s analytics is an important part of any SEO campaign. Analytics can help you track your progress and identify areas that need improvement.
Make sure to install Google Analytics on your website and check your analytics regularly. You can also use other tools, like Google Search Console, to track your website’s progress.
SEO is a complex and ever-changing field. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can help ensure your SEO campaign is successful.
If you need help with your SEO campaign, contact an experienced digital marketing agency.
