In our previous articles we have given you an outline regarding what Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is all about and have offered tips on planning a successful SEO and online marketing campaign. Our aim today is to provide you with useful pointers towards steps you should absolutely avoid to make your SEO effort as error-free and profitable as possible. SEO campaigns can be adjusted to make up for mistakes along the way, but still, each click costs money so you want to gain the highest value possible each time.
1. Choosing the wrong keywords
When selecting the keywords to describe your website you have to put yourself into the shoes of your potential clients. Keywords chosen should be the ones that will most probably be utilized in search engine searches, rather than the ones you personally would use to describe your business or website. So, proper keyword selection is key.
2. Overabundance of keywords
As with anything in life, overabundance kills a purpose. So, although keywords are extremely important in SEO, excessive use of them can get a website blacklisted by search engines. So balance keywords usage with meaningful and informative text.
3. Utilising wrong, or no, title tags
The title tag to your web pages is extremely important as it is the first item search engines encounter when visiting web pages. This tag should include the most important keywords that describe the web page content. Utilising the wrong title tag, or even ignoring it completely, can prove to be the mistake that kills your SEO campaign. Each page should have a different, exclusive title which should be as clear as possible.
4. Having inadequate content
For Search Engine Optimisation efforts, a website’s content is very important. Rewrite it to include keywords that you have already pinpointed as being essential to search engine searches, and place special emphasis on these keywords, where you deem it appropriate. Each separate web page should have different content. The importance of content lies in the fact that is it what describes your business and the products and services you sell. Without it Search Engines would not have a clue as to what your website is about. On the same lines, the content included in a website has to be relevant and should include the right, targeted keywords.
5. Having an attractive Flash website without an HTML alternative site
Admittedly, flash websites can be gorgeous, eye catching and attention grabbing – but not to search engines. A Spider cannot read a flash site and therefore, as a result, cannot index it. As such, if you would like Search Engines to take note of your site you should provide an HTML version of it that will in fact be picked up in search results.
6. Constant website maintenance
Successful SEO efforts involve regular website content maintenance and optimization. Different market situations and competitor moves will affect your optimization results. To keep at the top of your game you have to be constantly up to date with changes in your particular industry and in web user habits and behaviours. In this way you can adjust your SEO plans to make sure you garner the best results from your online marketing endeavours.
7. Targeting the wrong market
All your Search Engine Optimisation attempts will fail if you do not identify the appropriate target market for your products and services. So first, you need to identify your target market correctly, then you proceed to select the keywords that will reflect the target market you have set your sights upon. Wrong target will be followed by wrong keyword selections and a waste of precious resources on useless visits to your website.
8. Excessive use of graphics and animations
Search Engine crawlers are unable to read graphics, and therefore, even though website with great graphics is attractive and eye catching, it will prove useless for your online marketing campaign. So limit your website animations and concentrate on your content. The usability of a website is also very important. Site structure, logical navigation and descriptive link texts, among others, will prove useful to both your users and search engine spiders.
9. Incorrect Linking
Links are one of the major SEO methods, however, these will prove successful only if they are properly done. You should concentrate your efforts on getting inbound links from websites enjoying good reputations and definitely avoid links to websites that are considered “bad” by search engines, such as porn sites, spamming and scams. Be careful to avoid plastering your website link everywhere you get a chance to as this is considered spamming and not SEO.
10. Ignoring URL Importance
Carefully select your website URL, because although it might still be successful without the presence of any of your target keywords in it, it is still an important factor for initial and repeat customer visits and purchases.