Nowadays, there are several common SEO mistakes that many people do not know. Generally, Google and other search engines work very hard to provide relevant search results and quality to their users. Understand and apply the principles below will help you to increase the impact of your SEO campaigns on search engines.
Take note that what is written here is not the absolute truth, because nobody really knows the workings of search engines. However, these approaches are given on the basis of trial and error, good results, and are, therefore, good practice in the areas of SEO.
1. Duplicate Content
Since the update of the engine Google, called Google Panda, in February 2011, web sites with low quality content or copied / duplicated content are severely punished. The era of copied and pasted websites is now over! So you need to create content with originality to be not put down by Google. Note that one of the most common errors on the duplicate content is shared multiple domains on the same website, like http://www.ludismedia.com and http://ludismedia.com. You need to redirect to one OR the other!
2. Use several times the same page title
If you were not already aware, you must be as unique as possible. You need to give a different title to each of your pages! No page should have the same title as the search engines do not know what page provide, and offer neither one nor the other to their users! Also make sure to include your most targeted keywords.
Do not get me wrong! The title is not the title on your page, is the title in the header, or the tab, of your browser!
3. Lack of credibility
There are tons of sites that make a list of the most common SEO mistakes: Talk about anything without being an expert in anything. If you are not an expert in the topic you are talking about, why search engines would suggest you to researchers?
Remember, search engines are looking for the most relevant document for a given search. Become an expert in an area that is significant to you, and share your knowledge: This is the key to success!
4. Low content pages
We often see websites with pages talking about the different services they offer. But what about the content of the pages? Because search engines look for the most relevant page for a given topic, a page that contains only a title and two lines of appropriate content will not be favored over the page of a competitor offering an 800 words article and 30 pictures of the same subject.
A good SEO practice in 2013 is to maintain a blog with a particular theme and containing relevant, unique and quality content with more than 500 words per article. Insert a related video if you can, you improve content for the user and the search engines will reward you!
5. URL structure
If you are one of many people using a Content Management System, pay attention to default URL provided by them: Their cryptic nature distort users and even more search engines.
Choose descriptive URLs of your pages and take the opportunity to add some keywords! You will enjoy greater credibility and also bold keywords in the Google search results!
6. ALT tags and image
Search engines are, for the moment, blind. The ALT tag takes its name from “alternate” in English or “alternatif” in French. Attribute to your images an ALT tag that clearly defining the image. So you show the search engines that you include consistent and informative content to your images.
In addition, make sure to identify your images appropriately: Give a descriptive name, by separating words with hyphens only. It is also important if not more than the ALT tag itself!
7. Targeting the wrong keywords
This is one of the mistakes that many people make unfortunately. The worst is that they usually do not know! Define why you write and publish a text, define your audience and targeted keywords. You will come out as winners, because you will probably get measurable results in the short, medium and long term.
8. A website without flash alternative site
The flash is fortunately a thing that is slowly disappearing. However, too many websites do not offer a flash without flash version for those who do not have the technology. And of course, you understand that the search engines don’t have it! For them, a flash web site is nothing more than a blank page!
9. Use only images in the header
One of the good old practices integrators is to put the company logo in an H1 tag to give importance to brand and logo. Unfortunately, nothing equals a good H1 like well styled text. And with CSS3 and HTML5, you do not have valid reasons to ignore it!
10. Display asynchronous content
One of the wonders of the web,today,is asynchronous calls to the server, also known as AJAX. These actions allow faster loading time. However, they cause a problem when it comes to their dynamic content. The search engines do not use javascript. However, your valuable content will never be read and appreciated by the search engines. Use AJAX and javascript calls to irrelevant places like forms and avoid sensitive areas!
Hurray!
You are now armed to avoid the 10 most common mistakes in SEO. If you want, see the web as the search engines see it yourself with this SEO browser site! With that, I wish you good luck!
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