SEO

Website marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Social Media marketing are a fact of life and a source of frustration to small business owners. Without enough knowledge or time to spend on these areas it is sometimes easier to take the easy route or hire the first person you come in contact with. Do so at your peril as these three areas are the keys to your online success!

So what are the top 10 Website, SEO and Social Media Mistakes To Avoid?

1. Letting an amateur optimize your website 
   Would you let the next door neighbor’s teenage son taking an auto mechanic course in high school fix the brakes on your family car? Then why would you let an amateur optimize your website? You only get one chance to add the most descriptive, keyword Page Titles and Descriptions that Google will use in part to rank your website so turn to an expert. They will research  the keywords people use to find your business and service and use them correctly to optimize your website. (…read more)
2. Buying links
   While this was popular a few years ago, recent Google algorithm changes actually punish websites that have unnatural links coming in to your website. If the link is not from a legitimate, known source such as a supplier or customer then turn it away. Better yet go through all  your link and make sure they are legitimate.
3. Letting the intern handle your Social Media
   Who knows more about your business and clients than someone who has never worked in your business? Everybody, but the intern! Your Social Media is is critical to your brand that it should be handled by an experienced marketing person or company. You need to plan your social media strategy and implement it professionally. An intern is a great resource and can manage the posts etc, but let the propfessionals do what they do best. (…read more)
4. Buying content
   See Buying links above. The only content that should go on your website is content related to you, your product or your service. If it is not related to your business and helpful to the visitor it will not contribute to your search engine success. If the content you buy shows up on dozens of other websites it will actually penalize your rankings from what we have read.
5. Emailing the same thing to everyone rather than segmenting
   It is rare for every customer of yours to be at the same stage of their relationship with your company or have the same interests. Look at your database and at least differentiate between prospects and clients and email appropriate information. If you are a Realtor segment between buyers and sellers.
6. Buying Likes
   When you were 5 years old having someone like you was important. You would invite them over for dinner or share a treat with them so they would like you, but buying likes for a Facebook page is akin to leaving your phone number on a bathroom wall. If the people “liking” your page are not interested in your product or service then you will never know how many people are really interested in what you have to say. Post good information and people will like you for who you are and you will always know how many prospects you are reaching.
7. Falling for SEO Claims to get your website on page 1
   Do you really believe someone when they make a claim they can get your website on page 1? Do you really think the Google algorithm with a reported 185 elements that no one knows about can be tricked by the guy who emails you or calls you randomly? Would Google jeopardize the multi-billion dollar search business by letting inferior websites on page 1 of a Google search? The short answer is not in a million years. We do make claims that with our knowledge of “white hat” tactics and lots of hard work your website can get on page 1 for specific search terms over time, but no one can “guarantee” page 1. The flip side is if you do nothing we can guarantee you won’t be on page 1. (…read more)
8. Getting Likes using animal photos
   See Buying Links and Buying Content above. Visitors who “like” your Facebook page because you add cute kitten photos are there for the photos and not your brand, product or service. It does not hurt to mix up your content, but you want people to “like” your page because it is informative, entertaining and interesting.
9. Submitting links and articles to bogus directories
   This went out with bell bottoms, but people still flog the idea that they can post a new release on 200 “legitimate” new release sites which will create 200 links back to you and is as harmful to your website rankings as Buying Links and Buying Content above. Do not let anyone do this on your behalf.
10. Setting up E-Commerce on a global platform like Amazon instead of a more targeted platform
    If you have a local or regional product and you want to make it easy for people to buy it find an E-Commerce platform that makes it easy for people to buy online. Adding a single sku to Amazon and expecting people to navigate through all of the ancillary crap on the website is a recipe for abandoned shopping carts.

I did not start this list to slag every SEO technique or vilify legitimate companies or individuals starting in the business, but like I said in the opening paragraph your website, optimization techniques and Social Media strategy are the key to your future so avoid these mistakes.

For more information please call us at 800-568-8338.