Do you make these 3 SEO Mistakes?

As an SEO consultant, a significant part of my work involves cleaning up mistakes on existing websites. These errors often originate from do-it-yourself tech enthusiasts, web developers, designers, and sometimes even other SEO consultants.

When speaking or training on SEO, a recurring question I hear is, “What is the most common SEO mistake?” It’s such a frequent inquiry that I decided to address the top three SEO mistakes I encounter, along with practical solutions.

Mistake 1: Building a Website Without a Content and Keyword Strategy

Many businesses launch websites without considering how potential customers search for their products or services. These websites are often developed with a focus on listing services rather than aligning with consumer search behaviors. This approach is akin to putting the cart before the horse.

The Fix:

1. Develop Visitor Personas: Identify the types of visitors your site attracts and align your goals with their needs.
   • Define actions you want visitors to take.
   • Plan user journeys and funnels that guide each persona to the desired outcomes.
2. Conduct Keyword Research: Understand the terms and phrases your audience uses to find your offerings online.
3. Create a Content Strategy:
   • Develop pages tailored to each major keyword.
   • Ensure content speaks to the intent behind each search query.

By integrating a well-thought-out strategy, your website will resonate better with both users and search engines.

Mistake 2: Neglecting Title Tags

The title tag remains a cornerstone of SEO. It should clearly align with the page’s primary keyword or topic. However, I frequently encounter title tags like “Brand XYZ | About Us,” which waste a critical SEO opportunity.

The Fix:

• Create Unique Title Tags: Each page should have a distinct, descriptive title tag that reflects its content.
• Use Keywords Strategically: Place the most important keywords at the beginning of the title tag.
• Minimize Branding: Avoid leading with your brand name unless it holds significant search value.

For example, instead of “Brand XYZ | Products,” opt for “Chicago Architectural Engineer | Design & Consultation Services.”

Mistake 3: Over-Optimized or Poorly Written Content

Gone are the days of stuffing content with keywords to game the system. Today, successful SEO copy prioritizes the user. Writing copy for humans first and search engines second results in better engagement and long-term SEO success.

The Fix:

1. Write for Your Audience:
   • Create compelling, natural content that informs and inspires action.
   • Avoid forcing keywords into your copy.
2. Optimize Post-Writing:
   • After drafting user-focused content, revisit it to seamlessly incorporate keywords 2-4 times.
   • Ensure keywords fit naturally; they don’t need to appear verbatim every time.

Switching to this approach has consistently proven effective. When I implemented this strategy for hundreds of websites in 2006-2009, our traffic grew 32% year over year without compromising content quality.

Your Turn

What SEO mistakes have you encountered on your website? Have you worked with an SEO consultant to improve performance? Share your experiences and insights—let’s keep the conversation going!