SEO refers to Search Engine Optimization, also known as Search Engine Optimization. It is a process that aims to improve web visibility by optimizing organic results in search engines. It is essential to be clear that this mechanics focuses its efforts on organic results, that is to say, not paid. In the case of investing economic efforts, it is known as SEM, which in English is known as Search Engine Marketing. They are two different concepts that are perfectly compatible and combined, can generate very good results. SEO is widely known, and all companies want to apply it to increase organic web traffic, but it is common to make mistakes in this matter. Here are the 5 most common SEO mistakes and how to avoid them.
5 SEO mistakes to avoid at all costs
Companies are eager to obtain the services of SEO-boosting content writers. These specialist writers insert keywords in their texts so that the positioning improves along with other resources, such as inbound links and a hierarchical structure by quality subheadings. This, along with other factors, generates quality articles in company blogs. A well-positioned blog will end up reaping positive results for the company that has built it.
However, all these factors need to be carried out with the highest possible quality, and often, mistakes are made in SEO that end up seriously damaging the positioning. Pay attention to the following tips to prevent this from happening and make your company stand out from the rest.
Failure to optimize adequately
SEO is a more complicated process than it seems. Some copywriters focus so much on optimization that they end up committing what is known as “over-optimization”; an excess of keywords that ruins positioning and is punished by Google. On the other hand, being extremely careful can result in not optimizing the text enough. That is why it is recommended to write naturally and then perform a text curation on keywords.
In the same way, it is also common for keyword research to fail. It is important to find the most appropriate ones for the topic you are dealing with.
Having a website with the slow loading speed
It is essential that the website that will host the SEO-optimized content has a loading speed. Users are looking for excellence and do not want to wait more than three seconds for the content to load. The website must have a responsive design, clean source code, functional links and correct redirects. All these components ensure a brilliant performance to get top positions in search engines.
Errors in SEO, non-optimized URLs
This is another of the most common and deadly SEO mistakes. The content has to be of quality; that is, it has to provide a positive experience to the user and increase their reading time. This is a factor that Google takes into account. In addition, it is not enough to write content that encourages reading: it must be unique.
Google penalizes duplicate content, content without value, and misleading content. In order to avoid these mistakes, it is important to have a good database with the topics already covered and new ones selected.
Links are of poor quality
Links go unnoticed, but they are an essential pillar for SEO to have an effect. Placing poor-quality links ends up eroding the positioning and damages the reputation of a website. To avoid adding poor links to your content, follow these tips:
- Don’t buy links. Search engines are getting smarter and can detect a purchased link. Don’t take risks with these practices.
- Avoid spam links. Under no circumstances use automatically generated links or links from websites with poor reputations. The only thing you will achieve with this is that your users will feel distrustful of the content.
- Avoid uninteresting links. You should always place links that contribute relevant information to your content; otherwise, you will end up communicating to your readers that you have nothing of note to contribute.
- Include quality links, even if they are few. If the quality of the links is unbeatable, it doesn’t matter if they are few. Quality, not quantity, should always be a priority.
SEO mistakes, ignoring the user
All of the above points are fundamental, but they are all based on this last one. The user experience drives everything else to be of the best possible quality. Google is a company that has its own search engine to offer the highest quality to its users. This means that it needs to offer websites that are the most reliable, have the best quality content, and are made on a technical level with excellence.
User experience is paramount because it will make the difference in search engine rankings. Offer users spectacular services and Google will know how to reward you. It’s all a matter of looking at search engines as just another company looking to present the best of the best to its customers.
Now that you know what 5 SEO mistakes to avoid, start working to offer users a quality website. SEO is not very difficult, but it requires a lot of perseverance, practice and analysis, so the sooner you start, the better.