You could argue that Google is a fussy beast when it comes to SEO but the reality is, they only want what is best for their users and by extension of that, for you. In this article we’re going to highlight 5 common mistakes that Google absolutely hates to see and how you can avoid making them on your website in the future. Here’s what you should keep an eye out for…
1. Pages with incredibly poor quality content
Did you know that over 90% of all web pages get zero organic traffic from Google? Given that there are billions of websites online, that’s an awful lot of content going to waste…or is it?
The fact is, if a page is worth ranking, Google will find it. This is why the more effort you put into the content that you produce and share, the more likely you will be to rank accordingly and attract a much larger audience.
If you want to make it into the top 9-10% then you’re going to have to go about things a little differently:
- Semantic wealth (keyword-rich content with synonyms, related terms, and sub-topics, etc.).
- Great depth (cover a subject in as little or as much as is necessary to provide exceptional value).
- Interactive on-page elements (tables of contents, transcribed audio, video, etc.).
2. A less-than-satisfying on-page experience
Google has recently introduced a page experience update which is focused on ranking websites that have fast page load speed, optimized images, fewer redirects, and content that is visually appealing and easy to consume.
It’s not enough to fill a page with information; you need to invest in making the overall user experience as pleasurable and intuitive as possible.
3. Lack of internal linking
Not only does poor internal linking make it harder for Google to crawl and index your website, but it also takes away from the overall user experience.
When you create a clever internal linking structure it helps your website visitors to better navigate your website and find the information they need – or indeed the information that they never knew they needed.
It’s all about understanding and anticipating consumer behaviour and intent and then exceeding expectations.
4. High internal competition
Internal competition refers to multiple pages within a website that focus on the same keywords (more or less). It’s also known as “keyword cannibalisation”. As a result, Google struggles to identify which pages are more relevant and which to rank accordingly with greater importance.
To reduce this:
- Throw in some long-tail keywords.
- Identify subtopics and related key-phrases.
- Prune outdated content and repurpose articles that are underperforming.
In some cases, you may be able to combine pages or at least make sure that if you are focusing on similar keywords, that you distinguish one page from another with different offerings.
5. A non-responsive design
Another absolute no-no is having a non-responsive design. In other words, if your website isn’t mobile first optimized then you are losing customers and suffering in the rankings as a result.
Over 50% of all web users are searching on a mobile device and if they find your website and it isn’t responsive, they’ll likely abandon your website altogether.
Nobody wants to “pinch and grab” their way to a positive conclusion. Make life easier for your website visitors – and yourself.
Conclusion: Hire the pros
These are just a handful of the onsite optimization mistakes that are likely holding you back. If you have neither the time, desire, or expertise to set them right it’s almost certainly worth hiring the professionals.
This reputable SEO company in Los Angeles has over 100 real-life case studies from recognisable brands so they could be worth a look!
In any case, we hope this article has been insightful and wish you well with your future online marketing efforts.
