It’s the season of ghosts and ghouls, but there’s one recurring nightmare that sends shivers down the spine of every business owner: Search Engine Optimization! There’s no denying that the spectre of SEO can be intimidating, but this essential element of a successful digital marketing strategy doesn’t have to be your biggest fear. The TrustWorkz team is here to help you tame the SEO beast by avoiding these 5 common mistakes.
5 Common SEO Mistakes That Kill Rankings
1. Links that lead to nowhere
If you’ve ever searched a website for information and stumbled across a blank page that reads “404 Error,” you know that broken links make site visitors wary of your reputability. Whether they’re internal links to your own content pages or outbound links to external sites, there’s nothing that frustrates potential customers more than broken links on your website. When customers can’t find what they’re looking for, they’re more likely to leave your site which can negatively impact how Google ranks you. Don’t let your virtual storefront fall into disrepair! You can easily dust off those virtual cobwebs to remove or update broken links. Our monthly SEO services include regularly checking that all your links are working so that your customers can have the best online experience possible.
2. A site that isn’t mobile-friendly
Studies show that the average American spends up to 10 hours a day on their phones, and the majority of that time is spent online, accessing web pages and social media. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you may be missing out on a major marketing opportunity! Don’t turn out the porch lights and wonder why no one’s visiting your house on Halloween. Check to see if your site is mobile friendly. If it’s not, it’s time to consider a new website that will make your business look its best and attract more customers.
3. Targeting the wrong keywords
Keywords can seem complicated, but it all boils down to one important concept: make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for. If Netflix promoted Halloween’s scariest horror movie and linked to Hocus Pocus, viewers would feel tricked. Keyword research helps you decide which keywords and phrases are most relevant to your customers’ online searches (and most likely to make them stick around). The TrustWorkz team can help you narrow down this list and figure out which keywords are the most important ones for your website to focus on.
4. Copycat content
Writer’s block isn’t uncommon, but anyone who ever had to write a high school research paper knows that plagiarism does more harm than good. While it can seem simpler to look at your competitor’s website, blogs, and social content and then mirror what works well for them, doing so will make Google flag your website with invisible warnings. Duplicate content has adverse effects on your Google ranking, not to mention your credibility with customers. There’s nothing wrong with looking for inspiration, but your business will see better results if you steer clear of content theft and highlight what sets you apart from the competition instead!
5. Ignoring it altogether
Sometimes it seems easier to ignore the monster under the bed rather than facing it head-on, but when you ignore SEO it can make things even worse. A monthly plan of attack can do wonders to help your Google rankings, user experience, and conversion rates. You don’t have to face your SEO fears alone! Talk to your TrustWorkz Digital Marketing Strategist about adding an SEO package to your monthly services and keep the ghosts of SEO past from sneaking up on you.
SEO might be the spookiest aspect of your digital marketing plan, but we’re here to help shed some light on all those things that go bump in the night. Consider TrustWorkz your own personal team of SEO Ghostbusters. Happy Halloween!
