Last Updated on June 6, 2024 by Troika Gellido

We’ve all heard the mantra: ‘If you build it, they will come.’

But let’s be real, in the digital marketing world, it’s more like: ‘If you build it and optimize it well, then they will come.’ SEO, or search engine optimization, isn’t just a fancy acronym tossed around in boardrooms; it’s the secret sauce that boosts your online presence.

Yet, we all know that sometimes, despite our best efforts, that sizzle can fizzle out. Your website isn’t climbing the ranks, and you’re left wondering why your brand’s visibility isn’t soaring as it should. The culprit? Those pesky SEO mistakes that are all too easy to make but can have your brand lost in the vast digital wilderness.

In this article, we’re going to work on identifying and tackling the most common missteps that could be keeping your brand from reaching the top of the search engine food chain. Let’s help you illuminate the path to SEO success and help turn those rankings around. Buckle up, folks – it’s time to get your brand out of the SEO shadows and into the spotlight!

How Important Is Your SEO?

Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of SEO mistakes, let’s get on the same page about what SEO is and why it’s such a big deal. SEO (or Search Engine Optimization), is basically the digital marketing wizardry that gets your brand found online. It’s all about fine-tuning your website so search engines.

But don’t be fooled by its simplicity—SEO is more than just a sprinkling of keywords or a catchy meta description. It’s a combination of art and science, merging technical aspects, like site architecture and coding, with the creative side, like content creation and user experience.

Why all the fuss about SEO, you ask? Well, think about it. When was the last time you went past the second page of Google results? Exactly! SEO is crucial because the higher your brand ranks in search engine results, the more visibility and traffic you get. And let’s not forget that traffic equates to potential customers.

But here’s the rub. SEO isn’t just a ‘set it and forget it’ game. It’s not about getting to the top and then lounging around. It’s about getting to the top and staying there, and that requires consistent work and vigilance against common SEO mistakes.

7 SEO Mistakes Most Businesses Don’t Know They’re Doing

1 – Ignoring Local SEO

Many brands focus so heavily on broader SEO strategies that they overlook the power of local SEO, missing out on an incredibly valuable opportunity to connect with local customers.

Local SEO refers to the process of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from local searches on Google and other search engines. When people search for businesses “near me” or specify a location, the search engine uses local SEO to decide which businesses to show. It means that when your local SEO is on point, you’re more likely to appear in these results, connecting you with an audience that’s not only relevant but also actively looking for your services or products.

Here are some key aspects of local SEO that brands often overlook:

• Not creating or properly optimizing your Google My Business profile is a common mistake. This profile is like your business’s online calling card. It can display important information, like your address, hours, and reviews, right in the search results.
• Incorporating keywords that reflect your location into your website and content is crucial for local SEO. Overlooking this can make it harder for local customers to find you.
• Ensuring your business is listed in local directories and that the information is consistent across platforms is an essential part of local SEO.
• Customer reviews play a key role in local SEO. They not only influence reputation and trust but also can affect how search engines perceive your relevance to local audiences.

2 – Improper Use of H1 Tags

These tags are crucial for helping search engines understand the content of your pages. While they may not be as flashy as keywords or as talked about as backlinks, their impact on your website’s SEO performance is substantial. 

Brands should stop overdoing it with H1 Tags. Using more than one can confuse search engines and dilute the effectiveness of your keyword targeting in the H1 tag.

On the flip side, neglecting keywords in H1 tags is another common mistake. H1 tags are a prime spot for placing important keywords. They help search engines understand what your page is about and how it relates to users’ queries. It also needs to be clear and concise. Vague H1 tags can make it harder for search engines to understand the page’s purpose and relevance to search queries.

3 – Not using Alt text in images

Images play a pivotal role in enhancing your website’s appeal, breaking up text, and providing context. However, while humans can quickly understand the content and context of an image, search engines aren’t as intuitive. 

Alt text, short for alternative text, is an HTML attribute applied to image tags to provide a text description of an image. It provides a description of an image for those with visual impairments using screen readers, proving an essential aspect of web accessibility and is required under certain legal standards like the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Alt text also helps search engines understand the content of an image and its context within the page’s content. This can enhance your SEO, as it gives search engines more information to understand your page, which could help it rank in image searches.

A study by ViSenze shows that 62% of younger consumers, particularly Millennials and GenZ, prefer visual search capabilities so they can quickly discover and identify products through their mobile devices. This specifically inspires them to purchase from these businesses.

4 – Neglecting SEO for Voice Search

Voice search, made possible by virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa, has become increasingly popular in recent years. According to estimates, more than half of all smartphone users are engaging with voice search technology in 2023. Yet, despite its growing usage, voice search optimization is an aspect of SEO often overlooked by many businesses.

Voice search SEO is the practice of optimizing your website and content to rank better in voice search results. It’s important because voice search queries are typically different from typed queries. They tend to be longer, more conversational, and often posed as questions since users are speaking them rather than typing them.

5 – Poor Internal Linking Structure

A well-thought-out internal linking structure can make it easy for visitors to navigate your website and find relevant content. If it’s poorly designed, users might struggle to find the information they’re looking for, leading to a poor user experience.

Search engines use internal links to discover new content on your website. A poor internal linking structure can make it harder for search engines to crawl all your pages, meaning some of your content could be overlooked and not indexed.

Internal links help distribute link equity around your website, improving the ranking potential of your pages. Without a good internal linking structure, you might not be fully leveraging the link equity your site gains from other sites linking to you.

6 – Not Updating Old Content

Google consistently updates its algorithms, and user behavior and preferences change over time. In this dynamic environment, content can quickly become outdated or irrelevant. 

When old content remains untouched on your website, it can result in several negative consequences. Content that was once timely and relevant can become outdated, reducing its value to readers and potentially diminishing your site’s authority on the subject matter.

Search engines prioritize delivering the most relevant and up-to-date information to users. If your content is outdated, it may drop in the rankings. It can also lead to lost conversion opportunities. If visitors land on an old blog post with outdated information or broken links, they’re less likely to see your site as a reliable source and might be less likely to explore further or convert.

7 – Forgetting to Optimize for Featured Snippets

Also known as “position zero” on Google’s search results page, feature snippets are selected search results that are highlighted at the top of Google’s organic results. They aim to answer a user’s question immediately, saving the user the extra click. Despite the prime real estate these snippets occupy, many brands overlook their importance in SEO strategy.

Since featured snippets appear at the very top of search results, they attract a significant amount of clicks. Ignoring them could mean missing out on potential traffic to your website. These snippets stand out from other search results due to their prominent placement and often larger size. If your competitors are optimizing for featured snippets and you’re not, they could be gaining more visibility and overshadowing your own results.

If you’re creating high-quality content that answers common questions in your industry, but not optimizing it for featured snippets, you’re missing a chance to showcase your expertise to a wide audience.

Avoid SEO Mistakes With An Expert SEO Team

After traversing the common pitfalls in the realm of SEO, it might seem like a daunting task to avoid them all. But remember, you’re not alone in this journey. At Nimbletoad, we understand the nuances of SEO, and we’re ready to help you navigate the complex labyrinth.

At Nimbletoad, you’re sure to get the most out of your SEO needs. We take pride in:

Expertise in SEO Best Practices

We keep up-to-date with the latest algorithms and ranking factors. Whether it’s optimizing for voice search, designing an effective internal linking structure, or targeting featured snippets, we ensure your SEO strategy aligns with current best practices and avoids the common mistakes that can hamper your brand’s online visibility.

Content Revamp and Maintenance

Our content team doesn’t just create fresh, engaging content, they also specialize in refreshing outdated content. We review, update, and optimize your existing content to maintain its relevance, keeping in mind the evolving search engine algorithms and market trends.

Tailored SEO Strategies

Recognizing that every business is unique, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we create customized SEO strategies that cater specifically to your brand’s needs and goals. We focus on what matters most to you – be it local SEO, international SEO, or anything in between.

In this rapidly changing digital landscape, a meticulous, up-to-date SEO strategy is key. Avoid the pitfalls and set your brand up for sustained online success – let’s talk about it.