8 COMMON SEO MISTAKES YOU MUST AVOID IN 2023

SEO, or search engine optimization, is an important part of digital marketing that aims to increase a website's visibility and drive more organic traffic. However, it's easy to make mistakes that can harm a website's ranking. Here are 8 common SEO mistakes you must avoid going forward:?

1. Keyword stuffing?

This occurs when too many keywords are used in the content, meta tags, and URLs in an attempt to trick search engines into ranking a website higher. Instead of ranking higher, a website that engages in keyword stuffing may actually be penalized and lose ranking. The key is to use keywords naturally and strategically throughout your content, meta tags and URLs, with the ultimate goal of providing value to the user.

2. Duplicate content

Duplicate content refers to the practice of publishing identical or near-identical content across multiple pages or websites. This can negatively impact a website's search engine optimization as search engines may struggle to determine the original source of the content, which can lead to dilution of link equity and a decrease in rankings. To avoid duplicate content, it is recommended to use 301 redirects and rel=canonical tags to indicate the original source of the content.

3. Broken links?

Broken links are links on a website that no longer lead to a valid web page or resource. They can be frustrating for users and harm a website's search engine optimization as search engines use links to navigate and index websites. To avoid broken links, regularly monitor and identify them through tools such as Google Search Console and fix them promptly.

4. Ignoring mobile optimization

According to Statistica data, over 60% of all internet traffic comes from mobile devices. This trend is recognized by search engines, such as Google, and has led to mobile-friendliness being a ranking factor in their search algorithms. A website that is not optimized for mobile devices can lead to poor user experience, increased bounce rate and lower website rankings. This is one of the most common terrible SEO mistakes that should be avoided.

Additionally, a website that is not optimized for mobile devices may not be properly indexed by search engines, which can negatively impact your website's rankings. Search engines may not be able to properly crawl and understand the content and structure of your website, leading to a decrease in visibility and traffic. It's important to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly by using responsive design, which allows your website to adapt to different screen sizes. You can also use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool to see if your website is optimized for mobile devices and check for any issues that need to be addressed.

5. Ignoring meta tags?

Meta tags provide information about a website to search engines and users, including the title and description that appear in search engine results. Ignoring or not properly optimizing these tags can harm a website's search engine optimization. Make sure to include relevant keywords in the title and description and ensure that they accurately reflect the content on the website.

6. Not tracking and analyzing data?

It's important to track and analyze data to understand a website's performance and identify areas for improvement. Tools such as Google Analytics can provide valuable insights into a website's traffic, user behaviour, and conversions. By regularly monitoring and analyzing this data, you can make informed decisions about how to improve your website's search engine optimization.

7. Not using alt tags and descriptive names for images

Not using alternative text (alt tags) for images can be a significant SEO mistake and should be avoided. Alt tags provide a text description of an image for search engines and users who may be unable to view the image. They help search engines understand the context and relevance of the images on a page, which can improve the website's visibility in image search results.

Moreover, alt tags provide accessibility for users who may be visually impaired and use screen readers to navigate the web. Without alt tags, these users may not be able to understand the content of the images on a page. Therefore, it's essential to use descriptive, keyword-rich alt tags that accurately describe the content of the image. The alt text should be concise, usually no more than a few words, and should include relevant keywords when possible in a natural way.

8. Not having a sitemap

A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on a website, along with information about each page, such as when it was last updated. It helps search engines understand the structure of a website and find new and updated pages more easily.

Having a sitemap can improve SEO efforts by making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your website. Without a sitemap, search engines may struggle to find and understand all the pages on your website, which can lead to a decrease in visibility and traffic. With a sitemap, search engines can quickly find and understand all the pages on your website, which can help your website rank better and drive more traffic.