SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a challenge. There’s no sugarcoating it. It takes a lot of strategy and intention, and sometimes there is as much room for mistakes as there is for potential. Having said that, being aware of what NOT to do goes a long way in getting it right; so here are 5 SEO mistakes you should be aware of:
1. Non Mobile Friendly Website
58% of searches are performed from mobile devices. What does this mean for you? This means that your digital marketing strategy should be extremely accommodating of mobile device users.
Generally, this is not too difficult. It is, after all, modern marketing. However, it may surprise you how many websites are not mobile friendly. We’ve all seen them, and probably gotten frustrated with them. Just make sure it is not your website.
Google gives preference to sites that are mobile friendly, meaning that if yours is not, it will get penalized in ranking.
If it is not mobile friendly, it is probably time for a website makeover. When you do this, make sure you hire a website developer that does quality work with SEO and digital strategy in mind. A website that looks good is great. A website that looks good and converts is much better.
For some good information on what all should be included on your website, read this article we wrote on it.
2. Keyword Misuse
Trying to improve your SEO without understanding the value of keywords is essentially ineffective and one of the worst SEO mistakes you could make. The use of keywords is vitally important to your strategy, and it directly affects your ranking.
So what are keywords? In short, keywords are those words or phrases incorporated in your copy and content that you want to rank for in search engines.
For example, if one is searching for a roofing company to replace the roof on your home, they would likely search something like “roofing contractor near me.” A company that has “roofing contractor” somewhere in their website copy is far more likely to come up under the search results than one that doesn’t.
Being strategic with your keyword usage is a necessity for SEO improvement. Pay attention to the keywords currently ranking for your industry and the related searches section. Do some basic research to find out what keywords are currently ranking in your industry. It’s not as complicated as it may seem.
Consider keywords especially when writing website copy, which we address more thoroughly in this article.
One thing you especially want to avoid is something we call “keyword stuffing”; or, shoving a bunch of random keywords throughout your website and content in the hopes that Google will get excited and rank you at the top. It doesn’t work. The Google algorithm has learned to detect this lazy strategy and will penalize your pages for it.
3. Lack of Internal Linking
Internal linking is linking between pages on your website, especially when there is related content; and it is one of the simplest ways to improve your ranking on search engines.
Internal links and linking between pages actually helps the Google algorithm detect your website more readily because the linking provides a seamless connection and transition between one page and another.
It also serves to show Google the consistency of your site and that there is an abundance of relevant information that is easily accessible and navigable for any visitors.
Internal linking does not have to be difficult, necessarily, it just takes some strategic action. The good news is that it is implementable even without creating a whole new website. You can go through page by page and look for places where it would be relevant and beneficial to link to another page.
Blogging is one of the best and most effective means of utilizing an internal linking strategy. If you don’t already have a blog on your website where you upload useful content, we would recommend beginning one. Writing a blog does not have to be daunting.
4. Impatience
There is not much to say here, except that SEO takes time!
Many business owners go into a new SEO strategy, whether on their own or through SEO experts, with the idea that they should see immediate results; and often getting frustrated when they don’t.
The hard truth is, you won’t see results right away. In fact, it may be months before you note measurable results, but that does not mean the strategy is not working. It just means it is warming up––revving its engine (pun intended).
You have to manage your expectations, especially concerning time. Allow SEO best practices time to take effect. The end results, measurable ROI and an increase in leads, will be worth the wait. Have patience. The numbers will speak for themselves.
5. Blind attempt
Saving money and the “I could just do it myself” thought process are the culprits behind many blind attempts in SEO strategy and many SEO mistakes.
We understand the financial strain as a small business and the frustration of bringing on a team to do something you could probably do yourself; but SEO really is an artform and in order to be effective, it must be done by someone who knows the ins and outs.
If you are looking for results, your best option is to find someone who knows what they’re doing. Watch out for those who claim to be SEO strategists, and may know a thing or two, but can’t answer all your questions or explain their strategy process. Digital marketing is a growing field, and unfortunately, not every “expert” is quite as experienced as they claim to be.
We suggest avoiding the blind attempt and bringing on someone who cares about getting results for your company and actually knows how to get them.
Now you are aware of some SEO mistakes you might be making. If you are not making these mistakes, kudos to you. If you are making some or all of them (or if you are asking “Wait, what is SEO?!”), we can help you. To learn more about SEO improvement and effective digital marketing strategy, contact us at Brown Creative Group and schedule a free consultation. We would love to speak with you about the best options for your business.
