Most small business owners understand the importance of search engine optimization (SEO), but too often companies are making important SEO mistakes that could be costing them thousands of dollars and their ranking.
Businesses often try to offer small business owners the world when it comes to SEO rankings, but the truth is there is no way to guarantee your search rank and especially not in such a short time frame. Getting increased traffic to your website doesn’t happen overnight.
Here are a few common SEO mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Hire an SEO Company with Outrageous Promises
There are many ‘legitimate’ companies that deal specifically with improving ranking. These companies however do not send you spam emails or feel the need to email you from around the world.
A good SEO company will be very quick to tell you that results won’t be seen for at least 6-12 months and that search engine optimization is just a small part of a larger, more holistic marketing approach.
2. Buying Backlinks
One of the ways that Google ranks your website is by how many other relevant sites link back to your site. If, for example, if you sell bikes, how many other bike related websites link back to your website?
Google recognizes links that are useful and relevant and reward you for links that are moving information forward. However, if they see your website linking for the sake of linking, you will be blocked from their search results.
3. Keyword Stuffing
Similar to buying backlinks, if you have your keyword placed in every corner of your website, Google is going to dock you. They recognize your transparent efforts to try and rank higher in search engines and will not rank you.
Remember, the most important part of optimizing your website for search engines to to provide quality content that is read and shared. Don’t fall victim to these SEO mistakes!