Search engine optimization is still one of the most important disciplines in online marketing. Anyone who deals with this knows how complex this area is and how easy it is to make mistakes (especially for SEO newbies). For an SEO agency betting is definitely an advantage. But the following 6 mistakes can be easily avoided right from the start and on your own so that the website increases in ranking.
6 avoidable SEO mistakes that many beginners make
1. Not enough good content
You create your website and fill it with content. But not just any content: When creating content, make sure that you focus on your target group and their needs. Formulate and structure your texts in such a way that users can understand them well and want to deal with them.
So avoid long sentences and (if possible) the frequent use of technical terms. Valuable content ensures good and goal-oriented user behaviour on your website, which Google in turn sees as a positive factor and your site can benefit from an improved ranking.
2. Duplicate Content
Speaking of content, search engines always aim to present users with the best content. Therefore, always rely on the originality of the content and avoid getting too much inspiration from competing sites.
If your text matches the content on other pages, search engines will penalize you with a lower ranking position. Avoid so-called duplicate content within your own website. Make sure that each of your subpages has unique content and is not similar or even identical to other text on your page. Always keep in mind that your content should have added value for your users.
3. Bad internal links
Make sure that you link to your own subpages within your own website. This also improves the user experience and the rating of the search engines. However, it is important that the anchor text used and the link are correct. The anchor text must already tell the user what to expect on the page when they click on the link and be equipped with a relevant keyword. And even if it sounds superfluous: Check whether the correct link has been saved. Non-targeted links frustrate users and have a negative impact on user behaviour.
4. Missing image descriptions
In addition to text, image material is of course also crucial for good content. Images not only loosen up the look but also offer users important added value. However, search engines cannot fully recognize images, which is why they need a short and meaningful alt description – also pay attention to keywords here.
5. No title tags and meta descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions present users with a short, content-related preview of the website on the hit list from Google and Co. Make sure that this meta information is filled out completely and provided with relevant keywords. Also, make sure that each of your subpages has its own metadata and then use call-to-actions such as “Buy online now!” or “Find out more now!” to encourage users to click.
6. Keyword stuffing
Including keywords in the textual content of the website is an absolute must. On the other hand, stuffing the text with keywords is an absolute no-go. Use valuable keywords wisely and sprinkle them into your content like a good spice. Although users want to “buy shoes online”, they don’t want to have to read that in every second sentence. Using keywords too often has a negative effect on the quality of your content and will be penalized by search engines.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about SEO errors
In short, SEO copy is content that you can write yourself and that can rank high on Google. They are designed to be understood and rated well by search engines like Google. In order for a text to rank well organically on Google, however, many different factors must come together.
In our article, above we present typical SEO errors such as duplicate content and the like.
There are various ways to achieve a better ranking. However, it is not enough to implement just one measure. A successful interaction of several SEO measures ensures a good ranking.
