Common pitfalls such as keyword stuffing and duplicated content are widely discussed in SEO discourse. However, other important SEO mistakes are easy to make and are talked about less frequently than others. Here are four overlooked SEO mistakes and how to fix them.
1. Lacking a Comprehensive SEO Strategy
For SEO success, it is integral to have a comprehensive SEO strategy. An effective one takes the building blocks of SEO such as keyword research and on-page optimisation and implements them in a way that will ensure the best chance of success. Without a thorough strategy, it is harder to streamline SEO efforts and capitalise on opportunities for growth and improvement in search rankings.
Therefore, an SEO strategy should outline the specific tasks you want to perform and why. When deciding on these tasks, keep in mind the site’s business goals and what tasks are going to push the site towards achieving them. Subsequently, put them into a clear and achievable roadmap. This strategy should also adapt with any changes to search engine algorithms and the industry.
2. Forgetting to keep up with updates in the industry
The SEO industry is forever adapting to Google algorithm updates and changes to the SERP. They can often have radical effects on site performance and SERP volatility. Therefore, missing these updates can leave you blindsided by huge changes to the SERP landscape, which can lead to rushed decisions and mistakes, when trying to keep up.
Instead, stay ahead of these changes by signing up to blogs and newsletters about SEO and pay attention to any modifications to the SERP itself. Staying informed will allow you to react appropriately to any changes that can have an impact on your search ranking and even take advantage of these updates.
3. Not focusing on the E-E-A-T Principles
E-E-A-T, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness, is part of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines. They are part of how a page’s quality is determined. Therefore, not focusing on these principles may lead to missed opportunities for Google to rank your content higher on the SERP.
To solve this, focus on how your site can display evidence that it is meeting each of these principles. For example, ensure that you site is providing accurate information that users can rely on to meet the trustworthiness principle.
4. Believing that your website is a finished product
Due to the ever-evolving nature of the industry, SEO is an ongoing strategy. Therefore, viewing a site as a finished product can hinder you from taking advantage of additional opportunities to improve a site and it can lead to complacency with issues that can negatively impact your site’s performance, such as for example, not updating outdated content and not fixing technical issues.
To solve this, consider SEO as a constant strategy because this will allow your site to adapt to the ever-changing nature of the SERP.
Overall, these four SEO mistakes are not discussed as frequently as others but are nevertheless vital to avoid. Taking them into consideration is likely to lead to reliable and successful SEO.
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