Nowadays, effective SEO of a website is crucial for success in the online world. In this article, we'll discuss a number of mistakes that can negatively affect your site's SEO, and outline effective strategies to use to acquire quality links, avoid duplicate content and optimize meta tags. You'll also learn why regularity in SEO efforts is key to achieving the desired results.
Incorrect keywords
Improper keyword selection can negatively affect a website's SEO. The right keywords are the cornerstone of an SEO strategy, as they define the site's subject matter and help Google's robots match search results with user intent. Therefore, it is important to conduct a thorough keyword analysis.
To avoid keyword selection mistakes, it is worth using tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest or Ahrefs. These tools will allow you to see what keywords are most frequently used by users in your industry, how competitive these keywords are, and what their traffic and conversion potential is. It is also important to monitor the effectiveness of your chosen keywords and regularly update your content and headlines with new articles that answer users' current questions.
Incorrect internal and external linking
Link building is a key element of SEO to gain quality links and avoid harmful practices. There are many link building methods that are worth using to increase the popularity and credibility of a site.
One of the most effective methods is to create valuable and attractive content that will be readily shared and cited by others. This allows you to gain organic and spontaneous links, which are highly valued by Google's algorithm.
Another effective method is guest posting, i.e. publishing articles on other websites in exchange for a link to your own site. However, it is important to choose sites that are of high quality and thematically related to our industry.
Another method is content marketing, which is the creation of valuable content, such as articles, infographics or videos, that will attract users' attention and encourage them to share and quote. It is also important to use influencer marketing, i.e. working with influencers in a particular industry.
It is also important to regularly monitor a site's link profile using tools such as Google Search Console, Ahrefs or Majestic. This allows you to remove or discard suspicious or harmful links that may lower your site's visibility.
In conclusion, your SEO linking strategy should be based on gaining quality links naturally and ethically. It is important to avoid cheap and dishonest link building services that promise quick high rankings for a low price.
The key to success is building valuable content and collaborating with other quality sites.
Cannibalization of content
Duplicate content on a website can have detrimental effects on SEO. Repeated content is confusing for both users and search engines. Users may have difficulty finding the most relevant content for their query, and search engines may have trouble determining which version of the content is the most important and should be displayed in search results.
In addition, duplicate content can reduce the quality and uniqueness of a site, leading to a reduction in its authority. As a result, the site loses visibility and positioning in search results. Therefore, it is important to avoid this mistake by creating original and unique content.
Improper optimization of meta tags
Meta tags are important for SEO because they affect how a page is displayed in search results. The components of meta tags, such as meta title, meta description and meta keywords, are important to both users and search engine robots.
The meta title is the title of the page that appears on the browser tab and in search results. It should be short, concise and attractive, contain the main keyword and encourage visitors to the site. Meta description is the page description that appears below the title in search results. It should be longer than the meta title, but should not exceed 160 characters. Its purpose is to summarize the content of the page and include keywords and encourage click-through (CTA). Meta keywords are a list of keywords describing the topic of the page. Although Google no longer considers them, they can be used by other search engines or analytical tools.
To optimize meta tags, make sure that they are unique and properly aligned with the content of the page. The meta title should be attractive and contain the main keyword. Meta description should encourage clicks, contain keywords and summarize the content of the page. Meta keywords should be limited to a few key phrases. It is also important to regularly monitor the effectiveness of meta tags and update them if necessary.
Incorrect URL
Friendly URLs are important for SEO because they affect a site's visibility in search results. Therefore, it is important to create URLs that are short, readable, hierarchical and consistent.
Short URLs are easier for users to remember and type in. In addition, they are more attractive and readable to search engines, which translates into better site positioning.
The readability of the URL is crucial for both users and search engine robots. The address should be understandable and reflect the content of the page. It should contain keywords separated by dashes, avoid unnecessary special characters and numbers, and not contain parameters.
URL hierarchy is another important factor for SEO. It should reflect the structure and category of the page with slashes (/). Avoid excessive nesting of subfolders and use of multiple subdomains.
Consistency of the URL with the title and content of the page and with the meta tags is also important for SEO. They should be consistent in terms of domain (www and non-www) and protocol (http or https). Avoid duplicate or cannibalized keywords.
In conclusion, friendly URLs are important for a site's SEO. Creating short, readable, hierarchical and consistent URLs will help increase your site's visibility in search results.
Incorrect formatting of content
It is important to skillfully use underlining, italics and bold in content for SEO optimization. Their moderate use can help highlight important words and phrases, which in turn draws the attention of readers and search engines. However, moderation should be exercised to avoid excessive use of these formatting, which could negatively affect the readability of the text. In addition, the length and layout of sentences are important for readers and search engine algorithms to understand the content. Sentences that are too long can make the content unclear, while properly balanced sentences improve the readability and digestibility of the text. Therefore, it is important to take care of the proper length and sentence layout, creating content that is accessible to both users and search engines, which contributes to better evaluation of the site by SEO algorithms.
Incorrect settings of H1, H2, H3 headings.
H1, H2 and H3 headers are key elements of a website's structure, and their proper use is important for SEO optimization. The H1 header should contain the most important topic of the page, while being short, concise and unique. H2 and H3 headings should hierarchically divide content into sections and subsections, creating a logical structure for readers and search engines. It is also beneficial to include key words in the headings, which helps search engines better understand the page's topic and content. Correct use of H1, H2 and H3 headings not only makes navigation easier for users, but also has a positive impact on a site's ranking in search results.
Regularity of SEO activities
Regularity in SEO efforts is crucial to achieving the desired results in website positioning. Ignoring errors and non-compliance with Google's guidelines can lead to lower visibility of the site and loss of potential customers.
In order to successfully position a site, it is necessary to regularly monitor the effectiveness of the SEO strategy and update content and headlines with new articles. Ignoring mistakes, such as improper keyword selection, lack of meta tag optimization or duplicate content, can negatively affect a site's ranking in search results.
