If there is one thing that all businesses need to master today, it is search engine optimisation. However, while most company owners recognise the importance of SEO, there are many that are failing to go about it in the correct manner. With that being said, read on to discover more about the seven deadly SEO sins.

  1. Keyword stuffing – There is only one place to begin, and this is with keyword stuffing. This may have worked ten years ago, but it is extremely ineffective now. In fact, not only is it ineffective, but also it is damaging. When you use keywords, you need to make sure they are included naturally. 
  2. A website that is not optimised for mobile use – There is no excuse for not having a responsive website in 2018. SEO is not only about links, content, and keywords. It is also about user experience. If your website cannot be viewed optimally on a smaller device such as a mobile phone, your ranking is going to suffer. 
  3. Ignoring schema mark-ups – Schema mark-ups are important because they ensure that Google and other search engines have background details on the data that you are presenting. It basically means that the search engines will have context regarding what your website is talking about, which will give you a better organic ranking. 
  4. Choosing a company without looking at case studies – The best businesses will have a case studies section on their website. Take Creed Marketing as a prime example. This enables you to discover more about the SEO strategies they have put together for other businesses. You can then see how they delivered real results. A lot of SEO companies today are guilty of making empty promises. 
  5. Having multiple versions of your website – A lot of business owners have bought a number of different domain names so that they own everything that is similar to their main domain. This can do your website a big disadvantage and you can confuse Google. It is better to have redirects to the website you are using. 
  6. Ignoring website speed – As mentioned earlier, the user experience is critical when it comes to your search engine ranking today. A slow website can kill your business quickly. The Internet is meant to be about convenience, and so users will leave your website just as quickly as they entered it if it is not loading quickly. This consequently causes Google to lower your ranking. 
  7. Black hat techniques – Last but not least, black hat techniques involve manipulating the search engine to get to the top. While this can produce quick results, in the end, your website will get punished. Common techniques involve cloaking and using white text to include keywords on the page in a hidden manner. Instead, it is all about natural, organic SEO.

So there you have it: the seven deadly SEO sins that you need to avoid. If you are currently committing any of the mistakes mentioned above, there is no need to panic. You simply need to implement the necessary changes sooner rather than later.

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