Today, most people hardly ever go past the first page of searches, up to 75% of people end their search on the first page. Due to this fact, businesses strive to have their websites on the first page. There are numerous SEO mistakes that can ruin the chances of this happening. When it comes to SEO, one mistake can be very detrimental to your company’s Ad campaign. In this article, I will look at the top 10 SEO mistakes that businesses most commonly make.
1. Disregarding Formal Link Building
The first on our top 10 SEO mistakes list is disregarding formal link building. It is possible for your content to get links without any extra effort from you. However, this is never enough to push your business far; you would probably end up with most of your content being stagnant on your website. Link building is a major strategy when it comes to online marketing and overlooking it always comes at a huge cost.
2. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is at #2 on our top 10 SEO mistakes checklist. Apart from the fact that this is a criminal offense that can attract severe consequences, Plagiarism is one SEO mistake that kills ad campaigns. Whether it is spun (using whatever applications) or it is outrightly copied, plagiarism is never an option when it comes to SEO. It is never about the volume of your content; as a matter of fact, lengthy content can get boring for readers. Instead of stealing content from your competition, go through their content and find the lapses and avoid them in yours.
3. Wrong Keyword Selection
The #3 on our top 10 SEO mistakes list is Wrong keyword selection. As easy as the process of selecting keywords might seem to you, you would not believe that it is the most common mistake that internet marketers make. It is important to understand that keywords are not about you or what you think is right. Remember that you are trying to get what people search for when they seek your services or products. Due to this fact, it is very important to conduct a proper keyword research to ensure that your chosen keyword aligns with the regional searches. It helps when you can narrow down the correct words so that you can get real results.
4. Keyword Spamming is a No-No!
The #4 on our top 10 SEO mistakes list is Keyword spamming. Finding the keywords is not enough, knowing how to use them in your content is also very important. If you sell running shoes, for example, you should ensure that you do not have the keywords in every 2 lines because if the keyword appears too often then it becomes spamming. Also, you can decide to localize your search for niche markets; for example, you can have “buy running shoes Atlanta” or “buy running shoes Manchester”. By doing this, you have gone past the general keywords and you can gain more grounds with your product or service. Keyword spamming is obvious and distasteful, avoid it.
5. Inferior Content
When you are creating content for SEO, it is important to ask yourself this question, “If I was reading this as a neutral person, would I want to read more”. Putting yourself in the shoes of the reader allows for some sort of objectivity. Remember that the objective of the content is to communicate to the reader; you can creatively incorporate images, videos, and infographics in your content too. If a reader cannot enjoy going through your content then the chances of revisiting your site are almost zero.
6. Lack of a Strategy
Online marketing, like any important field of life, requires strategic planning to be done effectively. When a website is created without the necessary parameters put in place, the chances for a successful ad campaign will be low. It is important to draw up a plan for your SEO initiative because consistency is vital. You cannot begin your blog on a high and then slow down midway through the process and still expect to see results. You need to create a strategy that will guide you through every step of the way.
7. Slow Landing Pages
Although it is important to incorporate pictures, videos and other forms of media on your webpage, there should be a limit to it. The landing page becomes slow when there are too many media files on your webpage. This is bad for business because a lot of online visitors are impatient and can lose interest if your page is taking too long to load. The simple solution to this is to ensure that only relevant media elements that will add value to the visitor are put up on your page.
8. Not Consulting an Expert
One common mistake that small businesses make is that they feel that SEO and social media are one and the same. To have a successful SEO campaign, it is important that you bring an expert on board. Although social media is a method of online marketing, it is totally different ball game when it comes to SEO. This is why you need an expert to handle it properly for you.
9. Lack of a mobile site design
In incorporating your SEO tactics, it is very important that you consider folks who are using mobile devices. Your website has to be mobile friendly to avoid losing your visitors to your competition. It will help your brand if you can build mobile versions for your webpage as there are a lot of people that use mobile devices today as opposed to traditional computer systems.
10. Expecting an Overnight Turn-around
Rome was not built in a day, therefore, it is important to realize that SEO is a process that requires a lot of effort and consistency. You will also have to consider that your competitors are also striving hard to gain attention just like you. While I cannot promise a particular time frame for success in SEO, one thing that I can assure you is that it pays when you are consistent with it.
Wrapping up
In this article, I have pointed out the top 10 SEO mistakes that people make with regards to SEO. While it is important to note that there are lots of other mistakes, these are the most prominent ones that I can lay claim to. I wish you to very best in your SEO campaign and I hope this article was helpful.