Right after you hear all the reasons you need a website, the average business owner starts hearing about developing a digital marketing strategy and marketing businesses online. In the heart of all of that, you hear the term search engine optimization or SEO.
In case you’re wondering how SEO works, it’s a whole set of advice from search engines about what will make them rank your pages higher. Since most customers never leave first-page search results, the benefits of SEO become obvious. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of small business SEO mistakes that can sink you.
Keep reading for six common SEO mistakes you should avoid.
1. Neglecting Technical SEO
Technical SEO generally means things about your site or that your site does that you can change to rank better. A few standard examples of technical SEO include:
- Page load speed
- Image optimization
- On-site security, like using HTTPS
You ignore technical SEO at your own peril.
2. Poor Content Quality
Search engines put a premium on quality content on your website. So, what does that mean in practice?
It means you need content that has high relevance to your business and visitors. It’s readable by human beings. It offers value to visitors beyond simply advertising your product or service.
3. Not Mobile-Ready
There’s a good chance that more than half of your site visitors will use a mobile device. Mobile-ready sites adjust the display features of your site to work on small, mobile screens. If you don’t make your site mobile-ready, don’t expect first-page rankings.
4. Ignoring Video
Making videos doesn’t appeal to every business owner, but it’s a factor in SEO. Like it not, people respond to video content. It accounts for a huge portion of all online traffic.
Keep in mind that you can make videos that repurpose existing content, such as a blog post.
5. Not Watching the Numbers
Real SEO results take time, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect the numbers. You must track important metrics like bounce rates, time on site, and even organic revenue. Tracking those numbers helps you see what works and where on your site.
6. Not Watching SEO Trends
SEO isn’t a static subject. Search engines update their algorithms on a regular basis. Your strategy and tactics must evolve over time with the evolving recommendations from search engines. If they don’t evolve, you’ll see less and less benefit from your SEO campaigns.
Avoiding Small Business SEO Mistakes
Avoiding small business SEO mistakes is more about following the advice that search engines provide freely than anything else. Make sure your site is good on technical SEO and make it friendly for mobile display.
Generate quality content that offers your visitors some actual value. Put together video content from time to time because people respond to video. Keep an eye on changing SEO trends and watch your metrics.
If you do those things and you should see some positive results from SEO
Looking for more Business and SEO tips. Check out the content in our Tech and Business sections.
I am Jones Smith and I am here to share my experience and expertise in writing. I’ve been writing articles for different publications for more than 6 years. I have a varied range of interests and that’s why I love blogging about different topics. In my opinion, blogging is a lot like acting, and I consider writing blog posts as an acting job. I am an entrepreneur by heart and there is nothing big or small when it comes to starting a business.