Have You Made These Mistakes with Search Engine Optimization?
The definition of insanity is ‘doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result’. Well the definition as it applies to search engine optimization can simple be stated as taking the time to build an incredible website and not heeding the advice of those who have gone before you. Violating one of these rules can and will send your website to the back of the bus. Find and grasp the wisdom in this article and quickly review your website to see if you can be ‘convicted of a search engine crime’.
The More Links the Better!
Links are very important, but only links that are relevant to your site. Meaning, the sites that you are linked to should have the same keywords or relevant content that would appeal to your target customer. Using automated software to find relevant links and send link invites is cool, but in the end you must look at the site and determine its relevance. Rule #1 then is; do not link your site to a site that is not relevant to your content or content that that your potential customer is searching for. You should know this if you have done a thorough keyword study. Here is the bottom-line irrelevant links will get you irrelevant search ranking.
Most people do not realize the intelligence of the search engine bots. Through highly sophisticated mathematical algorithms they can scan your site and who you are to in milliseconds analyzing hundreds of variables. If the bot determines that your site is nothing but a ‘link pharm’, all the work you have put into the development of your site is for naught. Unless you think you are smarter that a room full of M.I.T math whizzes you should not try to fool the search engine.
Hundreds of Keywords are bound to Get Me Noticed!
Loading your pages with keywords is big no-no #2. One of the easiest equations for the search engine to figure out is total word count of your page and the ratio o keywords. If you have more that 2% of your total text as your keywords your site will get penalized. Your reader will see that you are more interested in SEO and not in what they want. The search engines call this tactic keyword spamming and you don’t want any part of it.
The best advice is to have one keyword in the domain, the title, one in each paragraph and one in the resource box if it is an article. Your content should flow for your reader and not look like something that was written to con the search engine.
Do Not Make Your Site A Flea Market
In truth customers operate in three’s, so do not give them more than three choices when they come to your websites. Now if you have fifteen products then break your main site into five micro sites and drill down in relevance. Organize your products into really specific categories and build your SEO relevance around each mini-site and be sure to link all of them together. By doing this you might discover niche keywords that will get you traffic that converts at a much higher rate. Simply put, you would rather have a 30% conversion on 30,000 unique visitors than a 3% conversion on 100,000 uniques. Limit your product or service selection to less three products and once your potential customer buys from you then you can offer them the whole buffet. So Rule #3 is built around the principle that if you give your customer too many choices they will leave your website ‘dazed and confused’ and unless you are selling Led Zeppelin albums this is not good.
I Know! I’ll Grab Their Attention with Lots of Cool Graphics and Animation!
People visit websites because they are looking for quality information or a solution to a problem. Displaying a lot of graphics and animation only distracts them from the purpose of your site and the search engine bots will give you a zero on search engine optimization as well. If you use graphics, make sure they are small, used in moderation, and labeled with alternative text for the search engines.
Four important rules for proper search engine optimization: Relevant links, appropriate use of keywords, limit product selection and keep your site simple. These four rules can determine whether you will succeed or fail in the business of internet marketing, ignore them and you will prove that you are in fact insane.
