Five Common SEO Mistakes You Might be Making

The world of Google has altered the way business marketing is done, and it will continue to affect marketing strategies for the foreseeable future. It’s how most people search for companies like yours on the internet. Essentially, this means that business owners who want to have some sort of online presence have to keep Google and other search engines in mind. So, SEO, or search engine optimization, helps to keep on track with search engine expectations for websites. But, there may be a few SEO mistakes you’re making which could be avoided for better internet presence and higher search result conversions!

Mistake #1: Choosing the Wrong Keywords

Undoubtedly, one of the most common SEO mistakes people make is choosing the wrong keywords. Keywords are words and phrases that people have been searching locally and globally on search engines. It’s easy to choose a keyword you may think potential internet users may be searching for, but how are you sure? To choose effective keywords, there are a number of software tools (Google Analytics, Longtail, Spyfoo, etc.) to utilize which can offer statistics on words and phrases key audiences are searching for. And, an effective internet marketing campaign will utilize them all.

Mistake #2: Placing Keywords Incorrectly

Yes, it’s true that choosing keywords your prospective audience is searching for is important for organic SEO efforts. But, the way these keywords are placed is crucial. Too many keywords placed throughout the text may be identified as spam when your website is being scanned for optimization by search engines. Additionally, placing keywords where they don’t fit well can also be flagged as spam by search engines. So, rather than being concerned with plugging your keyword phrases into content as much as you can, focus more on placement that makes sense and a healthy number of keywords throughout the text.

Mistake #3: Duplicate and Plagiarized Website Content

It may be tempting to use the information you’ve gathered through research as copy for your website. But, search engines scan your content and compare it to others it has previously scanned. When duplicate or plagiarized content is recognized, these pages get lower rankings. Hence, fewer people see these pages on search engine results. Rather than copying someone else’s ideas or work, it’s important to establish your own website presence which differs from the words already used by others.

Mistake #4: Misusing Internal and External Link Placement

Placing both internal and external links throughout the text of your website is a great way to boost SEO optimization. But, only if it’s done effectively. When it comes to external links, only reputable sites should be utilized as a reference throughout your text. When search engines scan your site for relevance, recognizing reputable links will give your site credibility. So, work on starting to place links to sites with guaranteed credibility like URLs with endings like .org, .gov, and .edu. Or, download software, like MOZ, which can help to determine a website’s credibility with just one click. On the other hand, when it comes to internal links, you’ll want to implement links from your site which get the most traction. If you include links that don’t have anything to do with the content the reader is engaging with, they’ll be less likely to click the link and continue their stay on your website.

Mistake #5: Neglecting to Track SEO Efforts with Analytic Software

Undeniably, one of the most common and under-acknowledged SEO mistakes is neglecting to track all of these efforts with analytic software. Why would you go through all the work of optimizing each page of your website to meet search engine standards when you don’t even know if what you’ve done is working? Analytics is a great way to find out which pages need further optimization, determine mobile and site speed, figure conversion numbers, and basically, tell if your SEO methods are working! This is where an experienced marketing team comes in handy. Here at Dsquared Media, we offer analytics tracking for not only SEO measures but all aspects of a marketing campaign. That way, you can determine how far your marketing investments are really going!

Ready to Fix SEO Mistakes You May be Making?

If you have a marketing campaign or you have been managing your own marketing efforts, but you think there have been a few SEO mistakes along the way, maybe it’s time for the professionals to step in. You don’t want to miss out on what true, effective SEO marketing can do for your business! To speak more about what SEO can do to help your business, please give us a call today at 561-654-0237.