You Are Your Own SEO Enemy

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps people who are looking for what you have to find you. But, to make that happen, you need to be mindful of the "rules" search engines have when gathering and serving up content. You may have top-notch information to share, but if you don't do it properly, you could be hurting your SERP (search engine page results). Check out this list of simple mistakes, from Marketing Profs, you could be making that are keeping you from the coveted page one.

1. Short Content

Google likes long-form content because it gives searchers enough information to satisfy their needs. Generally, the more in-depth the content is, the more likely it solves the searcher's intent or question, and that is what Google wants.

 

A SerpIQ study found that content shown in Google search results in positions 1-3 had around 2,400 words, on average. In short, long-form content ranked better in Google.

 

 

Does this mean you should be writing long for the sake of long? No, but you do want to make sure your content is comprehensive enough to answer searchers' questions.

 

 

A good approach for each piece of content you plan to produce is to determine the main keyword phrase. Then google that phrase to see how long the content is in the top 3 search results. Make sure your own content is longer, more in-depth, more concise, and more well-thought-out. If you do, readers as well as Google will think more highly of your content.

 

 

2. No Imagery or Design Elements

 

 

No one likes stale websites that look like they were put up in 1999; new, modern-looking websites simply perform better. Content is the same: If you have pages of text with no imagery or design elements, then readers—and therefore Google—will not favor your content over your competitors'.

 

 

Design elements that break up text keeps readers on the page longer. The longer they are on the page, the more likely Google will boost the content's rank due to dwell time.

 

 

Basically, the assumption is that the longer they are on the page, the more likely it's meeting their needs, which means a better chance to be shared on social media, linked to, or be visited again.

 

 

3. Misspellings/Content Errors

 

 

Misspellings and other content errors are not, technically, SEO factors, but they hurt your credibility and your chance to be linked to. Acquiring links is one of the best ways to get content to the top of the search results.