At the end of April, we wrote a post explaining how limited SEO knowledge can lead to disaster by making a website overly optimized. Today, we will discuss why people with substantial knowledge on search engine optimization processes are sometimes guilty of SEO overkill. In addition, we will give tips on how to prevent this from happening to you.
For starters, focus only on the things that matter. Search engine optimization takes time, so it is important to pace yourself rather than trying to do everything at once. Remember that even the best SEO practices can fail if rushed.
On Domain Names. When choosing domain names, avoid using hyphens or forced capitalization because this can make a website look like spam.
On Folders and Keywords. In SEO, keywords are important. Prioritize by picking the most important keywords and avoid dealing with multiple keywords simultaneously. It is easy for SEO practitioners to have folder and page name “excess”. Using too many keywords in your domain name, folder name, page name and file name spells disaster. While having keywords in the URL can help rankings, do not overdo it. Limit keyword repetition and make sure all your SEO content matches your site’s domain name, folder name and page name.
On Tags. Title tags play a special role in search engine optimization. Again, don’t overdo the keywords. Simply pick one or two keywords when writing title tags. Meta description tags also help in SEO, but never have a meta description overload. Avoid long descriptions and limit the number of meta keyword tags used.
On Body Text. Again, avoid massive repetition of keywords because it looks unprofessional and annoys readers. Heading tags can also have too many keywords. Do not forgo site design for SEO purposes.
Furthermore, search engine optimization overkill happens when good content goes bad. Keep in mind that search engine results are the best opportunity for conversion. Title tags should be short and compelling. Each tag should be clickable and reflect the SEO content on the site. Overstuffed title tags look spammy and prevent click-throughs. Think of your customers first. If your title is undesirable, people will not want to visit your site.
When customers enter your website, tell them what to do. When the SEO content is good and talks about the products and services, it can still inhibit click-throughs when a conversion step is not present. If you want to make a sale, give your visitors a chance to engage with you and your site. Remember, the “contact us” button will never bring conversions.