It would be lovely if you could arrange your website’s SEO strategy, set it in place and then simply leave it to do its job, but sadly life isn’t quite that simple.
Search engines are constantly shifting the goalposts, so what places you high in the rankings one week may topple you down the pile the next. That’s why you need to have a strategy that evolves over time. But even if you can’t commit to that, there are certain things that you actively need to avoid, or you risk harming your hard-won position.
With that in mind, here are four SEO content practices that you must make sure you avoid.
1. Incorrect keywords
According to an article in Search Engine Journal, selecting the wrong keywords is one of the most common problems that online business faces. So take time to research the words and phrases that prospective customers are actually typing into the search engines, and make sure that you include all the relevant ones for your industry. When you’re in need of expert web design Swindon, Southampton and Sheffield can all offer great options, so don’t be afraid to seek out professional help.
2. Keyword stuffing
It’s all too easy to go from one extreme to the other with keywords, but including too many in your content will only serve to alienate your website visitors. You should aim to produce content that’s relevant, engaging and informative, with natural inclusion of the most important keywords and phrases.
3. Intrusive pop-ups
Pop-up advertisements, CTAs and banners are all particularly irritating when viewing content on a mobile device, as the pop-ups tend to be so large that they prevent access to the rest of your content.
Of course, pop-ups have their place, but they need to be appropriately sized and relevant, so don’t use them without seeking expert advice. Wherever you source your Web Design Swindon or Southbourne, a good design team will ensure that pop-ups are appropriately sized for every device.
4. Buying links
It may not seem such a big deal, but if you’re tempted to buy links to improve your rankings you’re likely to get your fingers badly burnt. Google takes a very dim view of this practice and will blacklist any website caught paying for links, so be warned!