6 Critical SEO Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make In 2017

The verdict is in: Search engine optimization will be more important than ever in 2017, playing a huge role in comprehensive digital marketing. And with Google expected to shake up search algorithms even more this year, keeping up is going to be challenging.

6 Critical SEO Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make In 2017

#1: Ignoring long-tail keywords

It’s time to look at search from your target customer’s perspective. Failing to recognize search engine and user preference for long-tail keywords can cause you to miss out on enormous opportunities. What terms do people use to refer to your website’s products or services? Perhaps the keywords you consider to be correct mean something else for them. Maybe the keywords you are targeting are too generic.

To make sure that you don’t make this SEO mistake, be sure to carefully conduct background research prior to optimization. Consider using tools such as SEMrush, Google Trends, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Google AdWords Keyword Planner to get started. Shift your attention to long tail keywords—those highly specific, four- or five-keyword phrases that customers type into the search bar in efforts to find exactly what they want to buy.

#2: Keyword stuffing

Do you still cram a lot of keywords into your content? Stop doing that this year. ‘Keyword stuffing’ is tantamount to spamming in the eyes of search engines (especially Google). It will hurt your SEO campaign and make your content look unnatural to human readers, causing them to turn away from your website.

Instead of obsessing about keyword density in 2017, focus on LSI (latent semantic indexing) instead. This semantic search technology is used by Google to recognize the topic and intent of your content. You do not have to spam your content with a lot of target keywords to make it relevant in a search engine’s eyes.

#3: Too many redirects and broken pages

You lose page authority when you redirect pages incorrectly, especially if your action creates problems for Googlebot. Hence, when moving content, be sure to use 301 redirects rather than the temporary 302 redirect, which is considered to pass no link authority. By verifying your redirects, you can be confident that Google will recognize and index your content even after you move it.

Another thing: Avoid decommissioning the content’s URL even if you think it has become outdated. This especially important if that page is ranking and driving a lot of traffic to your site. Instead, redirect readers to another page with fresh content on your website.

#4: Plagiarizing and copying content

It is hard to believe, but many SEO professionals continue to make this mistake. They still think they can get away with using content ‘spinning’—only to be penalized for spamming later on. History has shown that duplicate content doesn’t work, and it never will. So instead of ripping off content from other sources, it’s time to invest in creating meaningful and original texts that add value to the site and provide users with actionable information.

#6: Doing it all by yourself

If you have too many clients on your plate or simply want to have more time to devote to other aspects of your business, it’s time to get outside help. Consider working with a leading SEO service provider like SEOValley™.

We regularly partner with social media marketing, web design, online marketing, and smaller SEO companies from around the globe. From the US all the way to the Middle East, we work with SEO resellers and optimization professionals, providing full-service SEO services that deliver real, measurable results. Contact us for more information.