SEO used to be the way that websites gained traffic and customers. However, it has evolved a lot since it became popular so the old methods just aren’t going to cut it anymore. So what can you do to stay on top of the SEO game? Here are eight strategies no one is using anymore when it comes to employing SEO to their websites.
- Focusing Too Much on Keywords
Keywords used to be the way that your website would climb to the top of the search engine ranks. The more targeted keywords you had sprinkled throughout the body of your content and in your title, the higher your website will appear in results.
However, this overuse of keywords is now the best way to ensure that no one visits your website ever. Sure, you’ve got keywords sprinkled liberally in the content of the page, but if you have no real content to speak of, no one is going to stick around for long. Visitors to your site will see that there’s no content to speak of and that your sight is really only “clickbait” for more views.
Instead, focus on creating content that conveys a message to your viewers. Give readers a reason to visit and stay on your site for longer. Make them want to see what you have and click through to the other links on your page. You’ll definitely have a better approach with maintaining your traffic. If you need help with creating this kind of content, you may want to employ the talents of a white label SEO agency.
- Too Much Use of Anchor Text on Internal Links
This practice would once generate a high volume of traffic that site users could appreciate. However, Google has taken note of this and are actually punishing websites that continue to engage in this practice. It’s considered manipulative and overdone, since such content really leads nowhere except to send people around the same site over and over again.
Create links that have high visibility and functionality within your website, and don’t hide useless links in the footers of your website. You’ll reduce the chances of getting punished by Google and having your website removed from search results.
- Pages Associated with Keyword Variants
Mixing up the variations of keywords used to attract even more followers, as your website would meet the criteria of the keywords that could possibly be entered. This sacrificed the usability of the site itself so that traffic would be high.
However, this method no longer works. Search engines have upgraded to take note of sites that match the intent of the topic rather than having a high percentage of matching keywords. Instead of splitting them up between different links on your site, it’s better to have one page of content that’s well-written that targets the variations of these keywords instead.
- Paying for Directories and Links
Being linked to big name websites used to be something that website owners strove towards. It was the best way to get traffic and for people to see that your website was legit. However, these methods have been penalized by search engines as well, making it harder and harder for websites to get noticed.
At one time, it was easy for website owners to buy traffic packages that would advertise their pages on other sites. Or placing links links that led to other traffic paying sites to increase their revenue. It’s not only search engines that are catching onto this, however; visitors start to interpret these sites as not being run by people, but by bots instead. They tend to steer away from sites like this altogether, so it’s not that useful of a tactic anymore.
- Having Multiple Microsites
Buying up web domains in order to expand your market seems like a very smart move. It increases your chances of having a lot of traffic by creating a monopoly of domains on the Internet. Then the same content is copy-pasted on all these domains and your earning different advertising links for each of them.
But this actually ends up being less efficient than you think. Splitting up your efforts between these sites actually gives you less return, as the content from one site isn’t benefiting from the links on another. Your earnings end up being divided amongst the different microsites you have instead of getting one lump sum for the content you have on one site alone.
Consolidate all of your content onto one page, and you’ll have the best shot of earning a lot more rankings than you would with plenty of tiny sites you have to manage.
- Domain Names with Keyword Matches
Website domains that tend to match generic keywords are seen by visitors as not being real brands. They’ve had experience being on the Internet and being able to tell which sites are unique from which ones are just domain-parked websites. Websites like this also don’t stick out and aren’t going to be recommended to other Internet users.
Focus on creating a brand with your site with well-written content that makes your site stand out from the rest. If you want to compete against other sites, you’re going to have to put in the effort.
- Using Cost-Per-Click
Cost-per-click scores don’t actually mean anything at the end of the road. It won’t determine how many organic non-paid results you receive. Visitors are now looking at the actual content; you want repeated visitors, not one-time clickers who just happen to stumble on your site and then move on to the next one. Retention is key, and you can only do that by generating great content, having decent links to other sources, and caring about the visitors’ needs.
- Non-strategic Linkbait
Adding links to your content is a great way to show that you’re interested in helping out people who come to your site. But if these links have nothing to do with the topic at hand and are only included to increase SEO views, then you’re going about it the wrong way.
Focus on on-topic links to sites that provide high-quality content that will create a positive brand association. It will make your visitors want to learn more and more about the topic your site is focused on.
Be smart when you’re building your website from the ground up. If visitors see that you’re putting in the effort to create quality content, then they’re more likely to recommend you on their social media sites or to their friends.
