SEO keyword mistakes to avoid

The basis of search engine optimization (SEO) is using keywords that are going to help your site, or various pages on that site, rank highly on a search engine results page (SERP). Whenever someone runs a search, whether they type the terms into the search box or use a voice search function, they are inputting certain keywords that help direct the search engine—Google, in the majority of cases—to present them with relevant results. As such, you need to optimize your pages with those keywords to demonstrate to Google that your site is relevant and useful to the reader, thus increasing your ranking.

Unfortunately, there are certain keyword mistakes or errors that could derail these efforts. It is important to know what they are, so here are a few examples below.

Using the wrong keywords

First and foremost, people sometimes do not do enough keyword research, and they use terms that their audience is not searching for or that do not really connect with the content on the page. They may just choose a keyword that they know is popular, but if the page does not really offer the information the reader is looking for, they are quickly going to revert back to the SERP and choose a new link. This is known as having a high bounce rate.

Forgetting about competition

Next, remember that you are not just using keywords in a vacuum. You face a lot of competition from other websites that are also optimized for those terms. As such, it can often be better to use unique terms that are going to help you stand out. For instance, generic terms like “shoes” often do not help very much, but localized keyword strings such as “running shoes in Dallas” may get more traction. There is far less competition than there is for the generic term because you are only competing against businesses in Dallas, rather than businesses all over the world.

Using keywords no one is looking for

Finally, it is often a good idea to look at keyword trends when determining what words you want to use on your pages. This can help you see what types of keywords people are actually looking for, so you know that there is an audience.

That said, there are two sides to this equation. In some cases, optimizing for keywords that are less popular can actually be beneficial. There will be far fewer overall searches, but your page may rank far higher when those searches are made, leading to more traffic.

Exploring your options

In other words, the use of keywords with SEO is very complex and it is important to get it right. Our experienced team can help here at Content Customs, so get in touch with us today to learn more.