SEO Tactics: What to Avoid and What to Apply

Reaching the top of the search engine results page (SERP) is easier said than done. Every time you think you’ve got it down, along comes an update that sends your page tumbling down the rankings. Learn to adapt to these changes, and your business can reap the benefits of a choice spot. Failing to do so increases the risk of getting left in the dust by your competition. Here’s what you need to know to roll with the punches and improve your search engine rankings.

What NOT To Do:

• Keyword Stuffing: Filling your website with keywords used to be a surefire way to reach the top. Nowadays, it pays more to focus on readability and relevance instead of over-using your targeted words and phrases. 

• Link Saturating: Links can provide context, source material, and supplemental information to visitors. But it’s important to make sure your links benefit the user experience rather than just adding as many as possible. 

• Quantity Over Quality: Back in the day, you had to create a new page to target each keyword or phrase. Fortunately, search engines are smarter than they used to be and can match a topic rather than exact words or phrases.

• Indiscriminate Authorship: In the past, fresh content could give your rankings a nice boost when websites encouraged random bloggers to publish on their site. Today, however, this is no longer practical as relevant content has taken priority. 

• Writing To Robots: Years ago, search engines looked for repeated keywords and little else. So, it was common to run across awkward, unnatural writing. Modern search engine algorithms take layout, readability, and the use of images and videos into consideration.

How To Win:

• Focus On Educational Content: “If you’re not first, you’re last” may be a winning strategy for auto racing, but it doesn’t work for search engine optimization (SEO). While you can always pay for a top spot in the rankings, most visitors know to scroll down a bit to find the well-researched, informative content they’re looking for. 

• Diversify Your Content: One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to content. Some prefer videos, while others enjoy written pieces. Some want to buy immediately, while others would rather research first. Variety is the key to reaching a wide audience. 

• Build A Strong Brand: While creating rich, quality content certainly tips the odds in your favor, a clearly recognized brand can help pay dividends in the long run as visitors become familiar with your unique identity in the marketplace. 

• Revise Old Content: Why reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to? If you’ve had a web presence for some time, chances are you probably already have some content you can dust off and rework to help with your SEO efforts.

• Analyze, Revise, Repeat: If history has taught us anything, it’s that your work is never done when it comes to SEO. That’s why it’s smart to take some time to analyze the data and make necessary changes to keep your website relevant.

Staying up to date on the ever-evolving search engine algorithms is a time-consuming process. If you need a hand, it might be a good idea to look for a marketing partner who can improve your SEO efforts and help you make the most of your online presence.