Search engine optimisation (SEO) can deliver a better return on investment (ROI) than other marketing activities, such as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, email marketing, or social media marketing. However, few companies invest in this area. In fact, according to a Nominalia study, only 1 in 3 Spanish companies focuses on SEO. Some of the 35% of companies that do invest in it make mistakes that can compromise its effectiveness and profitability.
To help you avoid them, we've outlined the most common blunders when implementing an SEO strategy. Take note!
1) Not Choosing the Right Keywords
One of the most common mistakes when selecting keywords is overlooking long-tail keywords — that is, longer and more specific keywords — that users enter into search engines.
To avoid this, conduct thorough research before optimising any webpage. Fortunately, numerous keyword analysis tools are available, allowing you to understand how users search.
2) Over-optimising Webpages
With the advent of the first search engines in the mid-1990s, a page's position in search results was closely tied to how often the user's typed keyword appeared on it. Google's arrival in 1998 and the adoption of a new, revolutionary algorithm changed the rules of the game, establishing new variables to measure each page's relevance.
Google didn't just modify the criteria; it also decided to penalise websites that continued to overuse keywords in their structure. Including them too frequently — known as over-optimisation — could worsen a website's ranking in the search results page.
Therefore, use keywords in a balanced way to ensure the text sounds natural.
3) Creating Content Without Using Keywords
While blogging and generating content for social media are fundamental actions in digital marketing, many companies create it without considering keywords relevant to their target audience. This is a mistake, as SEO is the indispensable tool for users to find and access this content through organic traffic.
Therefore, the keywords included should address the problems and needs of your target audience, including the use of appropriate search terms.
4) Using Non-Original Content
Beyond violating intellectual property law, copy-pasting takes its toll in terms of SEO ranking. Although using duplicate text was a common practice in the 1990s, major search engines have penalised this practice for many years.
To achieve good SEO ranking, invest in original, high-quality content that includes keywords relevant to the company's buyer persona — or ideal customer — and that adapts to the tone and format of the medium used for its dissemination.
5) Forgetting to Include the Title or Meta Description
Website optimisation goes far beyond including keywords in the body copy. Title tags and meta descriptions are essential SEO elements that should not be neglected, as search engine robots or bots pay close attention to them.
The same applies to adding tags to images. The HTML Alt attribute — alternative text — is also analysed by search engines to interpret and index website content. Therefore, it should be included.
6) Not Adding Quality External Links
Regarding the inclusion of external links, quality should take precedence over quantity. Therefore, we must ensure we link our website to relevant and reputable sites.
Another counterproductive practice occurs when the anchor text — that is, the words visible in hyperlinks — is not appropriate. This error squanders valuable SEO opportunities, as anchor texts are considered by bots. Therefore, avoid phrases like "click here" and opt for ones that refer to the content of the webpage the link points to.
7) Incorporating Irrelevant Internal Links
While including internal links facilitates navigation within the website itself, it is essential that these align with the topic and focus of the piece. Otherwise, the company risks a penalty in search results from Google. Moreover, if the content and links don't appear natural, users may not like the result, reducing the chances of them becoming customers. Search engines might consider this a fraudulent practice, known in marketing as black hat.
8) Not Considering Mobile Marketing
SEO optimisation goes beyond content and keyword usage. When carrying out these actions, focus on website quality and, in particular, its performance on mobile devices, which are now the primary traffic channel, overshadowing desktops. Google and other search engines recognise when a site is not compatible with smartphones or tablets, which since April 2015 has meant a penalty in search results.
The same applies to loading speed; an overly slow website has almost no visibility on the Google search results page (SERP). Currently, online tools such as Pingdom or GT Metrix exist to help detect speed issues and analyse their source for remediation.
9) Ignoring Influencers
Optimisation also has a social dimension. When content is shared on social media, one of its main goals is to attract the attention of users with significant online influence: influencers. Therefore, content must be directed not only at the target audience and search engines but also at major opinion leaders. It's advisable to establish relationships with these influential internet users in the company's sector and leverage them to promote content.
10) Not Measuring Results
This point is common in many articles we publish on this blog. The only way to know if SEO optimisation actions have yielded the expected results is to track their progress. Although many marketers don't dedicate enough time to this, it's a serious mistake, as web analytics is essential for achieving good web positioning.
Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools are just two of the main tools you can use to measure and gain an overview of your site's performance. With their help, you can monitor how optimisation works for the different types of content and strategies the company is testing.
Need Help with Your SEO Strategy?
SEO is an essential part of any content marketing strategy. However, simply dedicating time and resources to web positioning isn't enough; these actions must be carried out while avoiding mistakes that could hinder the company's objectives.
To avoid this, contact us without obligation or call us on 93 532 93 78. At B2 Performance, your digital marketing agency in Barcelona, we have been helping companies worldwide improve their web visibility and increase their organic traffic for over 10 years, enabling them to achieve their conversion goals. Tell us your case, and we'll show you how to improve your numbers. We look forward to hearing from you!
