Automate And Boost Sales Marketing Tips For Busy Entrepreneurs

Avoid These 10 Common SEO Blunders

02 Apr, 2024
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1. Introduction
2. Neglecting Analytics to Assess Conversion
3. Overlooking Local Search Optimization
4. Failing to Optimize for Appropriate Keywords
5. Not Having Unique Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
6. Not Using Anchor Text for Internal Links
7. Using the Same Anchor Text for Every Link
8. Focusing on Link Quantity Over Link Quality
9. Using Poorly Written Content
10. Not Creating Link Worthy Content
11. Not Taking Advantage of Great Design for Links
12. Conclusion

Introduction

Does this scenario sound familiar?

You make a strategic decision to focus on SEO as your primary traffic generation strategy, putting effort into optimizing everything to attract thousands of visitors from Google, Bing, and Yahoo without incurring costs. Excited about the potential, you delve into keyword research and identify phrases with substantial traffic potential. Eager to capitalize on this opportunity, you optimize your website, build numerous links, anticipating a rapid climb up the search results.

However, progress is slow.

Despite weeks or even months of dedicated efforts, your website has moved up, but it's still lingering on page two or three. Despite all your optimizations, breaking onto the coveted first page seems elusive, leaving you perplexed and questioning, "What's happening?

The reassuring news is that we've all encountered such challenges. SEO is a strategy that can be initiated in a short span, but mastering it takes time, especially to compete for high-traffic keywords and phrases. It's a learning process, and with some fine-tuning, achieving that coveted first-page ranking is certainly within reach.

In numerous instances, rectifying a few straightforward mistakes can yield tangible results. Below, I'll outline the 10 most prevalent SEO errors I've come across, along with guidance on how to address them:

Neglecting Analytics to Assess Conversion

SEO extends beyond acquiring substantial free traffic; it encompasses conversion as well.

While it's tempting to concentrate solely on phrases generating the most traffic, disappointment may set in when striving to rank for fiercely competitive, high-traffic keywords. However, the quantity of traffic is not the sole determinant of success. In many instances, less traffic from more specific phrases can yield better conversion rates, potentially driving significant sales when achieving first-page rankings for multiple such phrases.

The key is to track this data. Implement conversion tracking for your keyword phrases using an analytics package and then conduct a comparative analysis. Identifying which phrases deliver the best results empowers you to optimize your entire site more effectively, discerning which endeavors warrant focus and which ones should be reconsidered.

Overlooking Local Search Optimization

For businesses catering to a specific city or region, understanding the nuances of local search is crucial. Local search operates differently from more globally-oriented keywords, especially on major search engines like Google.

Initiate the optimization process by incorporating region-specific keywords into your page titles and meta descriptions. Additionally, ensure that your pages feature an address and a local phone number, strategically placed in the header or footer, to enhance visibility in local search results. Lastly, actively list your business on platforms such as Yelp, Merchant Circle, Google Places, FourSquare, and other locally-focused sites and review networks.

Failing to Optimize for Appropriate Keywords

This is a significant oversight. It's common to fall into the pitfall of optimizing for:

Global keywords, when your services are localized
Generic keywords that attract visitors without a genuine interest in your offerings
Keywords that draw in visitors seeking free information rather than potential customers ready to make a purchase
Broad keywords with intense competition, often defended by multiple SEO experts working to maintain their first-page ranking

The key is specificity. While targeting generic keywords might generate considerable traffic if successful, the time investment and feasibility should be considered. In many cases, it's more advantageous to focus on more specific phrases that can lead to quicker rankings and attract more qualified traffic.

For instance, a web designer wouldn't solely target the generic keyword "web design" initially. It's more effective to aim for keywords like "web design services for Los Angeles realtors," which are likely to yield immediate results. As your website gains authority, you can gradually optimize for more competitive keywords.

Identifying the appropriate long-tail keywords has become more accessible. Utilize tools like Ubersuggest by entering your seed keyword, such as "web design."

Now, click on “keyword ideas” for a list of more than 500 long-tail keywords.

While scrolling through the search results to identify target keywords, be attentive to the additional four columns:

Volume: signifies the average monthly search volume for the keyword.
CPC: indicates the cost per click if opting for a Google Ad.
PD: represents paid difficulty, rated from 1 (low) to 100 (high).
SD: denotes search difficulty, with a scale from 1 (low) to 100 (high).

As a general approach, my preference is to focus on keywords with the highest volume and an SD of 40 or below.

After reviewing the initial list, click on "related" above the results to access an additional 65,000+ keywords. This comprehensive approach should provide you with plenty of keywords to work on for an extended period!

Not Having Unique Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

It never ceases to amaze me when I come across websites that use their company or website name as the title for every page across their site. This is a detrimental mistake.

Each page should boast a unique title, and this isn't just for SEO purposes. The titles of your pages are often shared in tweets and serve as the text when someone bookmarks your site. Therefore, having descriptive and distinct titles is crucial.

For instance, a web designer's portfolio might feature "web design services" as the main homepage keyword. Consequently, the homepage title could be something like "ABC Web Design Studio – Web Design Services." Meanwhile, other pages in their portfolio could spotlight more specific services catering to popular queries:

WordPress Customization – ABC Web Design Studio
Custom Template Design – ABC Web Design Studio
eCommerce Website Design – ABC Web Design Studio

In this approach, the company name is consistently present across the pages, with a focus on specific keywords unique to each page. The company name is strategically placed at the end.

Equally important are meta descriptions. These serve as a 160-character sales pitch for your page within search results. Craft each meta description to be unique and compelling, making users want to click on your listing. Ensure that relevant keywords are incorporated. For example:

Homepage description: "ABC Web Design Studio offers web design services for small businesses, including WordPress customization, custom template design, eCommerce websites, and more."
WordPress customization page: "ABC Web Design Studio provides WordPress customizations, including custom WordPress template design, Thesis theme customization, and more."

To address concerns about the uniqueness of title tags and meta descriptions, Ubersuggest can be a helpful tool. Enter your URL and click "search" to get insights.

Next, navigate to the left sidebar and click on "site audit." Once you're on the results page, scroll down to find the section labeled "top SEO issues." This is what you will encounter:

This indicates that my website has 13 pages with duplicate meta descriptions and 8 pages with duplicate title tags. Even if this is intentional, it's crucial to investigate and confirm.

For example, clicking on "8 pages" will reveal the following:

Click the drop-down associated with each title. There’s no problem here, as the duplicate title is associated with different pages of my blog

Not Using Anchor Text for Internal Links

If you've ever come across links in the body of a web page with generic text like "click here," or "this post," it's essentially an SEO opportunity going to waste. While using a call to action as your link might boost click-through rates, it also means missing out on optimizing your anchor text—a critical element of SEO.

For instance, when writing a blog post and wanting to link to your e-commerce services page, it's far more beneficial to use anchor text like "ecommerce website design services" or something similar. Even if you feel compelled to include a call to action, try incorporating relevant keywords into the link. For instance, "click here to learn more about our ecommerce services."

Using the Same Anchor Text for Every Link

While optimizing your anchor text is crucial, it's equally important not to use the exact same anchor text for every link leading to a page. This practice can appear odd to visitors, and some argue that it may even have negative consequences with search engines, as it might be perceived as an attempt to manipulate them.

To maintain a more natural appearance for both visitors and search engines, it's advisable to mix things up. Use variations on the phrase, incorporate the name of your company, and occasionally use a URL as anchor text. Avoid using the same keyword more than 50% of the time.

Focusing on Link Quantity Over Link Quality

While it might be tempting to prioritize link quantity, it's generally more beneficial to prioritize link quality. Obtaining a single link from a reputable blog, for instance, can potentially have a more significant impact on your search engine rankings than acquiring hundreds or even thousands of links from low-quality directories. Despite being more challenging to obtain, these high-quality links are regarded more favorably by search engines, offering a more reliable indicator of your website's overall quality.

When seeking links, prioritize those that:

Are relevant to your website and industry.
Do not have an excessive number of outgoing links.
Do not include links to adult, pharmacy, or gambling sites.

Utilizing free tools like SEOquake can help you assess the strength of the domain and incoming links to a particular page.

Using Poorly Written Content

Creating a large volume of content through methods like hiring low-paid article writers or using article spinners (software that rephrases content to appear unique) may seem like a quick strategy. However, it can have detrimental effects on your website.

While such content may be optimized for search engines, it often lacks uniqueness and value, making it evident to visitors. People can discern whether content is original and valuable, and if it's not, it can erode trust and hinder your ability to prompt desired actions.

If you choose to outsource content creation, consider hiring writers capable of producing original, high-quality articles that you are proud to showcase on your site. While this may involve higher costs, the investment is likely to yield better results in terms of user engagement and conversions.

Not Creating Link Worthy Content

To enhance your link-building efforts, it's essential to recognize that even well-written content may not naturally attract links. To increase the likelihood of people linking to your content, you must make it exceptionally valuable. Consider publishing content that stands out, such as top lists, video or text tutorials, and infographics.

For instance, if you run a web design company, your blog posts could include topics like:

Top 100 Best Designed eCommerce Websites
How to Set Up Widgets in WordPress
A History of Web Design [Infographic]

By creating content that is informative, unique, and valuable, you increase the chances of others sharing and linking to it, ultimately contributing to your link-building strategy.

Not Taking Advantage of Great Design for Links

Ensure that you take advantage of the design of your website to acquire valuable links. If your site has a custom design or is based on a popular template, you can leverage this for link-building opportunities. Numerous CSS and design galleries showcase outstanding designs and may link to your website based on its aesthetics. Additionally, explore blogs that review designs in specific industries and inquire whether they can feature your website in their list.

While the visitors from these sites may not necessarily convert into customers, the acquired links contribute to building the overall authority of your domain. This approach is relatively straightforward – if you have a unique design, submit it to relevant sites to secure easy, high-quality links.

Conclusion

Have you committed any of the mentioned mistakes in your SEO strategy? Are there other common errors you've observed on other websites, and do you have suggestions for addressing them?