Common SEO Mistakes

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is not always easily defined. On a basic level, it is how to create and modify copy (written content) for both search engines and real people. Below are some of the most common SEO mistakes. 

Keyword Stuffing

Keyword stuffing is when you throw a bunch of keywords or phrases into your writing to attract search engines. Take some advice from John Mayer and just say what you need to say. If you’re writing good content, keywords will fall into place naturally.

Poor Content

Poor content comes in many forms. Is what you’re sharing useful? Is it accurate? Does it have some personality? Other factors to consider are length (typically longer is better), good grammar, and attractive layout. Good use of headers, bold/italics, and images can make an okay blog post or website really shine.

Writing Primarily for Search Engines

Thanks to Google’s new Penguin and Panda updates, good SEO is now simpler, but it’s not necessarily easier. Writing for search engines instead of providing good content for real people is likely to get you dropped in search ranks. Keep your copy conversational and personal.  Good rank results will follow.

Buying Backlinks

Another change with the new Panda update is the blacklisting of sites with purchased links. So before you think about buying some backlinks to boost your rankings consider those rankings getting mauled by a furry, adorable panda.

Not Doing Internal Linking

Internal linking is an important part of a balanced SEO diet. It helps your site’s visitors find more relevant content on your site, improving your bounce rate and ranking higher in searches. As with most SEO, doing this slowly and naturally is best practice. Search engines become suspicious of fast link building.

This, of course, is not an exhaustive list of SEO mistakes, and trends and algorithms change. If you ever have trouble keeping up with the current updates and need some SEO help, please don’t hesitate to contact The Belford Group. We’d love to hear from you.