In case you haven’t heard, Google has been changing their algorithms like mad and many businesses are sadly falling in ranks and by the wayside. Don’t fret, all is not lost. In this article, I have put together a slew of deadly SEO mistakes you don’t want to make. Read until the end for a pro tip that will increase your ranks and traffic.
Mistake #1: Search Intent
It is no longer enough to write good content. 2020 is experiencing a major shift from query to intent. In other words, why is a person searching as opposed to what they are looking for. This will mean changing your content and search queries to focus on intention.
If a person writes “photos” can you guess what their intent is? Do they want to learn how to take photos, where to develop them, or perhaps they want to create gifts from their recent photos? If you provide any one of these services your keywords can no longer be “photos”. Instead, consider long-tail keywords that show intent. Intent can be broken down into 4 categories:
- Information
- Navigation
- Transaction
- Investigation
To understand the intent that is drawing in your customers you can speak with an SEO company London. You can also use a helpful tool such as Ahref’s Keywords Explorer. This handy tool will help you identify your users intent and craft your content accordingly.
Mistake #2: Keyword Stuffing
If you haven’t learned your lesson already, keyword stuffing is a big no-no. This refers to loading a webpage with keywords instead of using keywords naturally and offering helpful content. Too avoid this rank-killer, make sure your content meets the following criteria:
- Unique
- Includes long-tailed keywords used naturally
- Each page offers new information that is helpful and well written
- Interactive content such a video and infographics
- FAQ pages
Pro Tip: For the best content consider including relevant information such as product reviews, how-to pieces, events, and contact information.
Mistake #3: Branded Anchor Text
Often overlooked anchor texts should be a part of any well-implemented SEO strategy. Your SEO company London can and should provide you with anchor texts so you can take full advantage of all of your backlinks. Branded anchor texts will help with brand awareness and authority.
This can be a bit complicated, to say the least so reach out to SEO experts to ensure your SEO strategy includes this important piece.
Pro Tip: As promised, here is a pro tip you mustn’t miss! SEO is focusing more on more on branding. Branding allows your company to take on a persona that connects and communicates with your customers’ needs and wants. This establishes you as an authority and not just another site.
Wrap Up
If you want to stay ahead of the curve and maintain your rankings on SERP’s avoid these deadly mistakes. Set a great SEO strategy that focuses on branding and brand awareness as well as search intent. The more you understand what your customer is looking for and why the better you will be able to provide it and engage your leads for longer. Using an SEO company London can help you optimize your site and bring it into 2020 without keyword stuffing and other SEO faux pas’. Get started right away so your site doesn’t lose its edge.