Quick question. Where do you turn for answers to any question or need you might have? If you answered Google, or any popular search engine, then you probably look for quality information and sources you can trust, right?
So, when your potential clients are searching for topics related to their specific needs - whether it’s to find a solution to their problems or answer a question - your business blog needs to show up at the top of searches.
It’s easier said than done. Many marketers or business owners don’t get the results they want from their blog, either because their SEO tactics no longer work or are just plain bad!
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Today, we’ll talk about 5 common SEO mistakes to avoid in 2019
1. Keyword overkill
We know that keywords help your target audience find the most relevant content on your website via search engines. But be careful with keyword stuffing. It’ll cost you both your readers and Google rankings.
Here’s how Google describes keyword stuffing:
“Keyword stuffing refers to the practice of loading a webpage with keywords or numbers in an attempt to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search results. Often these keywords appear in a list or group, or out of context (not as natural prose). Filling pages with keywords or numbers results in a negative user experience, and can harm your site's ranking. Focus on creating useful, information-rich content that uses keywords appropriately and in context.”
2. Broken links
If your links aren’t working, they can hurt your Google rankings and your site’s user experience.
To avoid these pitfalls, check for broken links from time to time. There are a number of reasons why broken links occur. Sometimes the outbound website has gone offline or the author removed their published content, which causes a dead-end 404 error.
You can use a free tool, like Broken Link Checker, to help you find and fix them.
3. Too many links
Avoid these two common mistakes when it comes to building links to outbound sources or to various pages on your site:
- Don’t go overboard. More backlinks doesn't mean a higher ranking on search engines.
- If you’re using links that have nothing to do with your blog topic, you won’t get any search traffic.
Photo credit: QuickSprout
The quality of your links is much more important than quantity. Use only a few relevant authoritative and valid links that target a topic people are searching for.
4. Don’t take title tags and meta descriptions for granted
No, really! These simple tactics are important in helping search engines understand what your page is about. And they also give people a positive first impression.
Your title tags and meta descriptions should represent the content on the page and have from 120 to 158 characters. Here’s an example of ours.
5. Bad image choices
Blog posts with images benefit your SEO. They help break up the text and make it easier to read. That’s why it’s important to use quality images with an ideal size.
If you’re using a marketing automation software, like HubSpot, it will automatically condense your image sizes to ensure the best quality possible. If you want to optimize your images before posting them, there are several free tools to choose from. Check them out here.
Key Elements to a Successful Blog
Business blogging is an essential marketing tool to build a loyal customer base, drive traffic to your site and support your growth. Here’s a checklist for writing a fully optimized blog post:
Write consistently: Inbound marketing success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to gain real traction on a blog post. Keep churning out quality content and you’ll grow your audience.
Choose the right topics: Your blog post should answer your customer’s pain points and common questions, while providing a thought-provoking and engaging conversation.
Target relevant keywords: Once you’ve got a topic, you need to find the right keywords that will help your blog post rank for high search volume queries.
Boost your blog traffic: Take advantage of social platforms and email marketing to promote your blog posts.
