5 SEO Mistake Everyone Makes (and you should avoid)
In this lesson we'll share few typical SEO fails and fumbles, and let you in on why they're SEO no-nos! You live, you learn, and then you get Surfer!
Last updated
In this lesson we'll share few typical SEO fails and fumbles, and let you in on why they're SEO no-nos! You live, you learn, and then you get Surfer!
Last updated
Oh hello! Welcome back! Danni, from Surfer here, and today we're going to talk about some rookie mistakes.
This lesson was one of my favorites to write. Why? Because I've made a lot of these mistakes, and it's so great to be able to pay it forward so that people don't make the same mistakes that we've made. So, sit back, relax and enjoy this lesson. No shame. No guilt. The most important thing is that you learn from your mistakes. Check out these rookie mistakes, and let's get started!
Rookie Mistake Number 1: Keyword stuffing.
Not only is it annoying to the readers and your potential customers, it’s a Google no-no. I get it, though, for new copywriters and SEOs it seems like this is the only way to start getting noticed. Just know that it’s not a great tactic to include in your content strategy.
Rookie Mistake Number 2: Using shady links, or simply being too link happy.
Having a handful of high-quality links is much better than peppering your article with spammy directories or untrustworthy sites. Also, always make sure your links are relevant. This goes for both internal and external links.
Rookie Mistake Number 3: Not optimizing your pages after publishing them.
Y’all, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Check in on your older content and make sure it’s still clean, ranking the way it should and current.
Rookie Mistake Number 4: Giving up too soon.
SEO takes time to see results. There’s no magic cure. Some people will publish a handful of articles and then never come near the content again. This is a huge mistake. Just because you don’t see results overnight doesn't mean you’re not making progress. Search engines won’t notice you if you don’t show up consistently, so don’t give up!
Rookie Mistake Number 5: Not paying attention to the user experience.
It’s almost a lack of SEO empathy. Is your website easy to navigate? Have you cleaned up your broken links? Is it safe? Is it attractive? It’s not just about having the right keywords. When people land on your website, you’d like them to stay for a while, and hopefully come back!
I know it’s super easy to look at a team of techies and think: wow, they’ve got it all figured out! Well, I want to pull the "SEO curtain" back. I want to share one of our fumbles. This is coming from our super amazing and talented Marketing Executive.
His name is Tom. I'm sure you've met him, or at least seen him around. Here's what he's learned:
“I accidentally added “no follow” to my internal links.”
What did he learn? It's like telling Google to not trust your own links. A no follow link is a link that does not count as a point in the page's favor, does not boost PageRank, and doesn't help a page's placement in the SERPs. No follow links get no love.
If you are linking your own site you shouldn't use no follow links at all!
I suppose I should include myself on this list too.
What I’ve learned is that user intent is super important. I mean, I use Google for everything. I use it all day, every day, but before getting into SEO, it never occurred to me that each search really does have a different intention. It’s not enough to have keywords, you have to really get into the mind of your audience and understand their wants beyond the letters they type! SEO is projected to reach 1.6 billion dollars as an industry by 2027, so make these mistakes now so that you can continue learning this craft!
I really really hope that you realize after watching this that the point is not to not fail, but to fail fast, and learn quickly! Happy Surfing!