5 Common SEO Mistakes

What makes search engine optimization (SEO) so great is that each individual can take a different approach to boosting their search engine results as there is no one-size-fits all solution. There are, however, certain approaches that are inefficient and potentially damaging to a brand. Here are 5 common mistakes that digital marketers make.

Keywords Stuffing
Keywords, which are the main phrases in your online text that make it possible for consumers to find your company in a search engine, is a controversial concept. Some believe that in today’s digital climate that they are no longer applicable, while others say they serve as a useful tool to reach a target audience. Whether or not you agree for it to be effective, stuffing keywords within your web content hoping to lure consumers into your website is a very bad idea. In fact, you will only do your brand harm. Since Google’s Hummingbird update, they have punished those who stuff keywords by diminishing their search engine rank because of their overall quality. In addition, consumers won’t view your brand favorably if they have to constantly skim through irrelevant keywords.

Link Scheming
Link embedding is an important quality of a SEO plan, but if you engage in link scheming to manipulate search engine results it will hurt you in the long run. In fact, the Google corporation warns online content writers about this tactic as any misguiding link on a website will be viewed as spam and drag down your search rankings for your company.

Fluff Content
All digital marketers know that is it always good to publish content to your company’s website as each new published content adds an additional page to Google’s index. This means that consumers will have a larger opportunity to come across your content through rankings as well as acquire new links to your site. However, many digital marketers have ignored the quality, and instead have aimed for quantity. Low quality content, also known as ‘fluff content’ will it cause a drop in traffic, conversation rate, and then ultimately your search ranking. So, when developing your online presence, focus on ensuring what you publish is of high value. Make sure your content is relevant to your brand.

Focusing Primarily on Rankings
Paying attention to keyword rankings is a vital park of monitoring your SEO campaigns, however, it should be noted that there are several additional metrics you also need to watch. While it is nice to see yourself on top of a keyword ranking, there are several questions you should ask yourself when assessing the overall campaign. What kind of search volume is the keyword getting? What is the acquisition rate to your site through the keyword? Are the keywords attracting the individuals that would become customers? These in-depth questions will help you determine the overall value of a keyword ranking and ensure you are looking at the broad picture.

Hiring The Wrong Agency
With SEO, you get what you pay for. You pay more for one shop over the other for a reason. They often times have more experience, additional tools, and spend the time to ensure that your company is satisfied with their service. A cheap agency may cut corners and outsource work that could prove to be harmful to your brand. You may be saving your money short-term, but if your SEO campaign is handled poorly your company online ranking could be permanently damaged. While this step can be easily avoidable, it is important you hire the right agency for your particular brand. At Foresite Group, we pride ourselves in offering individualized care to each of our clients while still remaining cost-effective. Contact us with any questions you may have, as we would love to discuss how we could better improve your company’s search engine optimization.