It’s no secret that a website’s search ranking directly affects the amount of traffic it receives. According to a study conducted by Chitika, 94 percent of search engine users click first-page listings. If your website fails to rank on the first page for its target keywords, it won’t receive much organic traffic.
By search engine optimization (SEO), you can climb the search rankings for your site’s target keywords. SEO involves a combination of on-page and off-page strategies to encourage higher search rankings. Search engine experts discuss a few SEO mistakes you should avoid making in 2018.
1. Not Diversifying Anchor Text
As most seasoned digital marketers know, backlinks are a critical ranking signal used by all major search engines. If other authoritative websites link to your site, it tells search engines that your site is popular; therefore, they are more likely to rank your site high in their respective index. You shouldn’t use the same anchor text over and over when building backlinks for your site.
Anchor text is the visible text that’s displayed over a clickable link. Some webmasters assume that using the keyword for which they are trying to rank as anchor text will help them achieve a higher ranking. However, this strategy can fail by making your backlinks look unnatural and artificial.
2. Overlooking Mobile SEO
Another common SEO mistake to avoid is catering strictly to desktop users. In 2017, comScore revealed that more Internet traffic goes through mobile devices than desktop computers. If your website isn’t compatible with mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, you’ll lose these visitors as a source of traffic.
So, how do you make your site compatible with mobile devices? Google recommends using a responsive design, as this automatically adjusts viewport sizes and orientation according to the visitor’s device.
3. Neglecting Technical Aspects
A third SEO mistake that can hurt your efforts to achieve a top search ranking is neglecting technical aspects. Speed, for instance, is one such element that can affect your site’s search rankings. Long load times will deter visitors from accessing your site while potentially hurting your search rankings in the process.
Furthermore, you should consider using HTTPS instead of HTTP which is a secure web protocol encrypting data to protect users’ information. However, HTTPS is also a ranking signal used by Google, meaning it can help you achieve a higher ranking.
These are just a few SEO mistakes to avoid in 2018. Keep in mind that search rankings don’t change overnight. It requires ongoing work to monitor rankings, building backlinks, and optimizing your site’s pages appropriately on a regular basis. Many digital marketing companies create unique SEO plans to enhance their website ranking on Google and reach their target audience.
