Here are 13 things to avoid when developing a search optimized website:
- Keyword stuffing
- Unedited AI content
- Duplicate content
- Ignoring search intent
- Not having an SSL certificate
- Overlooking on-page SEO
- Slow loading speed
- Neglecting mobile optimization
- Misusing robots.txt and canonical tags
- Low-quality backlinks
- Activating too many plugins
- Ignoring Google Search Console and Google Analytics
- Cloaked URLs and improper redirects
These SEO (search engine optimization) mistakes will prevent your website from ranking high on Google. For instance, Google penalizes websites with keyword stuffing, cloaking, and duplicate content. This causes your website to rank lower or even be removed from the search engine altogether. Failing to meet search intent and on-page optimizations leads to poor user experience. This will increase the bounce rate and negatively affect your site's ranking potential.
Ranking a website on Google search engines is super important. According to a Tekniks survey, only 57.7% of users would scroll down page one to get more search results. An even smaller percentage (6.6%) go to the second page of Google SERPs. If your website isn't among the first to appear, few people will see it and click on it. This results in reduced visibility, traffic, and ultimately, sales or leads.
Michelle McClure, an expert digital marketer and founder of Hoojy Consultancy, says proper SEO content is a must. Her motto is, "Write for the human, but don't forget the machine." With this strategy, she helped LiberEat get 10x more organic traffic. She achieved this by including the right keywords in the website content. However, she didn't overuse them to the point sentences became awkward or repetitive. Realizing that Google is a Q&A machine, she gave immediate answers that searches were looking for. She focused on both the human and the machine to help LiberEat rank and get more restaurant partners.
SEO is so difficult because it involves on-page, off-page, and technical components. A website will struggle if you don't know how to optimize these factors. Here are other SEO challenges shared by Reddit and Quora users:
In this article, we'll go over the 13 things to avoid when optimizing a website. We’ll explain the mistake, why you should avoid it at all cost, and how to improve it. We'll also share real-life examples of how ignoring these mistakes can lead to failure.
1. Avoid Keyword Stuffing to Optimize a Website
Keyword stuffing involves overloading your content with the keywords you're targeting. For example, if you're writing about 'vegan sausage rolls', you use the term in every other sentence. The idea is that more keywords make it easier for Google to understand and rank your content higher.
However, this common SEO mistake reduces readability and user experience. Users will interact less with your page, signaling to Google that it isn't helpful. Remember, Google prioritizes relevant, valuable, and high-quality content. If yours has keyword spam, the crawlers will impose penalties on the website. This will further hurt its search engine visibility. To avoid this, you should:
- Aim for a handful of keywords per page. A WordStream study says a 2-5% keyword density is safe from penalties. So if you're writing a 1,000-word article, only use 20 to 50 keywords
- Incorporate relevant keywords naturally. Always focus on readability and user experience. This means using keywords only where they fit within the context of your content
- Use synonyms and related phrases. This avoids repetition but still signals relevance to search engines. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help find related keywords
- Focus on quality content. Make sure it's informative, engaging, and valuable to your audience. Keywords should complement the content, not dominate it
- Place keywords strategically in key areas. Add them to the titles, headings, meta descriptions, and the first 100 words of your content. This is much better than stuffing them throughout the entire text
2. Avoid Unedited AI Content to Optimize a Website
Unedited AI content lowers standards and reduces trust. AI is a powerful tool for content optimization and shouldn’t be ignored. However, human editors are needed to meet SEO requirements, ensure accuracy, add a human touch, etc... Forbes highlights that 33% of people are likely to trust AI if edited by a human.
Google doesn't have specific penalties against automated AI content. It does emphasize, though, that it doesn't rank low-quality, misleading, and manipulative copies. For the most part, the readers are the ones who affect your page ranking. A YouGov survey found that 67% of people believe AI-generated content spreads misinformation. A Forbes study saw 32% of people say they are skeptical about AI content. If they don't trust your content, they will avoid it. If no one reads your content, it will go lower in the rankings. Here is how to edit AI to ensure quality content:
- Verify all information and facts
- Make sure it provides value to the reader
- Review and refine lengthy sentences, difficult words, awkward phrasing, inconsistent tone, and anything that indicates it's AI-written
- Add your target keywords in strategic areas, but don't overstuff them
- Improve sentence flow and coherence
- Ensure content is easy to read and understand
- Correct any grammar or punctuation mistakes
- Reword repetitive phrases or sentences
- Confirm that the content is original and not plagiarized
- Add a human touch through personal insights, anecdotes, or examples
3. Avoid Duplicate Content to Optimize a Website
Duplicate content comes with several issues. Now, duplicate content is when many web pages have identical or very similar material. It can either be within the same website or across different websites. This happens if you directly copy text from other sites, use the same material for different URLs, copy and paste your own text to another web page, etc...
Search engine crawlers won't be able to determine the most relevant one. This can dilute the visibility and ranking of all the duplicate pages. What's more, Google implements a "crawl budget" for each website. It will only crawl and index a number of pages. If you waste this budget with duplicate content, important pages might be overlooked. In turn, these won't appear in search engine results. Other issues include competing against others, content not standing out, poor user experience, and even potential penalties for plagiarism.
It’s easy to accidentally create duplicate content. This is why you should implement these strategies to avoid it:
- Always write original content. The best way to avoid this common SEO mistake is to produce unique and valuable content. Never copy and paste text from your site or across other websites
- Regularly check for duplicate content. You can use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner to identify duplication on sites
- Install plugins to deal with the technical side. WordPress offers SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO and All in One SEO. These automate tasks like setting canonical tags, managing meta descriptions, and identifying duplicate content issues
- Avoid publishing articles on the same topic. Instead, combine all your similar ideas into one comprehensive piece
- Be mindful of syndication. If you share your content with other websites, make sure they link back to your original page. This shows that your site is the source
4. Avoid Ignoring Search Intent to Optimize a Website
Ignoring search intent will disappoint your visitors and reduce SEO efforts. Search intent refers to the reason behind a user's search query. For example, if someone searches for "how to change a tire," they intend to find a detailed step-by-step guide. Articles that go on and on about tires in general won't meet the user's needs.
Not fulfilling search intent only frustrates readers and causes them to click away. This gives your page a high bounce rate. Search engines will interpret this as a sign that the content doesn't satisfy the user's query. Your page will then go lower in search engine results. To make sure you fulfill search intent, you must:
- Understand the types of search intent. Informational searches seek information or answers to questions. Navigational searches look for a specific website or page. Transactional searches intend to make a purchase or complete a transaction. Commercial searches seek more information about a product or service before buying
- Tailor content to the specific type of intent. For informational queries, provide comprehensive guides. For transactional queries, ensure easy access to purchasing options, etc...
- Analyze search results for target keywords. Google's top results for a given query are often aligned with the dominant search intent. Analyze the top-ranking pages before you create content. This should include whether it's a blog or a video, as well as the length, format, and tone
- Directly address the query. If someone is looking for a quick recipe, don't start with a long personal story about the dish. Instead, structure it to provide straightforward answers
- Optimize titles and meta descriptions. These are the first things users see in search results. This is why they should accurately reflect the content and intent
- Use clear and concise language. Don't make users hunt for answers between the lines. They want quick, easy-to-understand answers to their queries. You can also help them with headings, bullet points, and clear sections
- Monitor user behavior and engagement. This helps determine whether your content is meeting user needs or not. Tools like Google Analytics are great to see bounce rate, time on page, and user flow metrics
5. Avoid Not Having an SSL Certificate to Optimize a Website
Not having an SSL certificate will make your page insecure. An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is like an online security badge for a website. It makes sure to scramble any information entered into a website. This way, hackers can't read it. SSL certificates also ensure that data, like passwords or credit card numbers, is not tampered with during transit.
When a website has an SSL certificate, the web address starts with "https://" instead of just "http://". Search engines like Google prioritize websites that use HTTPS over those that don't. Plus, visitors are becoming more cautious about their online security. Without an SSL certificate, browsers may mark your site as "Not Secure." This can drive potential visitors away. All this will negatively impact search engine rankings. Faulty SSL installations can cause issues as well. So here is how to do it the right way:
- Get a reliable hosting provider. Many hosting providers offer free SSL certificates as part of their packages. Reliable providers, like Bluehost and SiteGround, offer easy SSL setups. You only need to click a button to activate it
- Use an SSL plugin or tool. The Really Simple SSL plugin handles most of the installation process for you. It also updates your site’s URLs to use HTTPS and takes care of redirects from HTTP to HTTPS. All you need to do is install the plugin and activate it
- Choose the right SSL certificate. Single Domain SSL secures one domain. Wildcard SSL secures a domain and all its subdomains. Multi-Domain SSL secures many domains under one certificate
- Check for mixed content. You can use online tools like Why No Padlock to ensure all parts of it are secure, including images and scripts
- Test your SSL installation. Visit your website and check for an HTTPS address or a padlock icon in the browser’s bar. This indicates that your site is secure
- Keep your SSL certificate updated. If your hosting provider offers automatic renewal, you don’t need to worry about this. If not, set a reminder to renew your SSL certificate before it expires
6. Avoid Overlooking On-Page SEO to Optimize a Website
Overlooking on-page SEO is a major mistake if you want to rank high. On-page SEO involves optimizing various elements within your website. This includes the content, meta tags, headings, URLs, and internal linking. These should align with search engine algorithms and user intent.
Neglecting on-page elements can lead to poor visibility. Search engines may not fully understand the relevance of your content. If so, it won't be clear to them which keywords your page should rank for, so it doesn't place them high in search results. To help with this, imagine you have a blog post about "best gardening tips." To optimize this page, you should do this for each element:
- Content: Make sure it's comprehensive, well-written, and includes relevant keywords. Examples are "gardening tips," "how to garden," and "beginner gardening advice"
- Meta tags: Write a compelling meta description and title tag. This helps search engines understand what the page is about and encourages users to read it. One example you might use is "Top 10 Gardening Tips for Beginners | Your Guide to a Thriving Garden"
- Headings: Use clear and descriptive H1, H2, and H3 headings to break up the content and make it easier to read
- URL: Create a clean and keyword-rich URL, such as www.yourwebsite.com/gardening-tips-for-beginners. This helps both search engines and users understand the topic of the page. John Mueller, the Search Relations leader at Google, says that keywords in the URL is a small ranking factor
- Internal linking: Link to other relevant pages on your site to keep users engaged. This also helps search engines discover more of your content. For your "best gardening tips" topic, you can link to another blog post on "best plants for small gardens"
7. Avoid Slow Loading Speeds to Optimize a Website
Slow loading speeds will hinder user experience and viewer retention. People on the internet are very impatient. If your page doesn't load immediately, they will click away and look for another one. According to WP Rocket, if a page takes 1 to 3 seconds to load, the bounce rate increases by 32% to 53%. If it takes 5 seconds, the bounce rate shoots up to 90%. Plus, visitor dwell time will be very short. These can suggest to search engines that visitors aren't happy with the site. This may bring your page down the ranks. Here is what you can do to make sure your site loads at lightning speed:
- Choose a reliable hosting provider. This is the foundation of a fast-loading site. Providers with good performance and reliability include SiteGround, WP Engine, and A2 Hosting
- Identify what's slowing your site down. Google PageSpeed Insights is a great tool to use for this
- Use a lightweight website theme. A heavily designed theme may contain unnecessary elements that slow down your site. It's better to go for a minimalist, speed-focused theme
- Limit your plugins. While plugins can add functionality to your site, using too many can slow it down. Only install essential plugins. It's good to review them, too, to see if any can be replaced with more efficient alternatives
- Optimize images before uploading. Heavy images are one key factor that affects site speed. So, use tools like TinyJPG or ShortPixel to compress images. This reduces file size without sacrificing quality
- Minimize external scripts on your site. These include third-party ads, fonts, or analytics. Each script adds to your load time
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN). This distributes your site's content across several servers around the world. This way, visitors can load your site from a location closest to them, speeding up load time
- Regularly update your site. Updates often include performance improvements that can help your site load faster
8. Avoid Neglecting Mobile Optimization to Optimize a Website
Neglecting mobile optimization will hurt your site's performance and search rankings. Your website should be fully responsive and perform well on all mobile devices. It should also provide a visually pleasing experience. This is important as almost 60% of all online searches are done on mobile. Hitwise did a study to find the most popular industries searched for on mobile. Here are the results.
Visitors are unlikely to stay on a website if the layout, images, and content don't adjust to their screen. Google also uses the mobile version of a site's content for indexing and ranking. If it isn't mobile-friendly, Google could rank it lower in search results. This will make it hard for potential visitors to find you. Even if they do, they may go out right away. To make sure your website is mobile-optimized, follow these strategies:
- Make sure you have a responsive website design. The two main things to consider are fluid grid layout and flexible images and media. Fluid grid layout adjusts content and elements proportionally based on the screen size. Flexible images and media ensure correct scaling. This means it won't overflow the screen or cause slow loading times
- Simplify website navigation. For this, use accessible, collapsible menus to make navigation intuitive on small screens
- Design it for touch interaction. Buttons and links should be large enough and spaced appropriately for easy tapping. Visitors may get frustrated if they always accidentally click the wrong thing
- Test your website across devices and browsers. See how your website performs and looks on various devices. You should also do this with different browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge
- Take advantage of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). AMP creates a lightweight version of your web pages. This way, it loads faster on mobile devices
9. Avoid Misusing Robots.txt and Canonical Tags to Optimize a Website
Misusing robots.txt and canonical tags prevents search engines from correctly indexing and ranking your website's content. Robots.txt tells search engine crawlers which pages to crawl and which to ignore. Canonical tags are for if you have similar pages. These show search engines which page is the main version they should focus on.
You will confuse search engines if you don't properly use these technical SEO aspects. As a result, your site may rank low. You may also waste your crawl budget if crawlers crawl unimportant content. If you have many similar pages, crawlers won't know which version to prioritize. This dilutes your content's ranking power. Worse, it can lead to penalties for duplicate content.
You should avoid setting multiple canonical URLs when developing a search-optimized website with canonical URLs. The great news is that you don't need to deal with the technicals as you only need to:
- Install an SEO plugin. Reputable plugins, like Yoast SEO and Rank Math, manage your robots.txt and canonical tags. You don't need to worry about coding
- Use the plugin to configure robots.txt. You can easily specify which pages search engines should crawl and which ones to ignore
- Set canonical tags through the plugin. Make sure similar pages point to the main version. The plugin then adds the appropriate <link rel="canonical"> tag to the HTML code of the page
- Track your site's SEO health. Most SEO plugins offer dashboards or analytics sections where you can review this. These sections include insights on keyword rankings, crawl errors, and other key metrics. Doing this allows you to make informed adjustments as needed
- Review crawl reports. SEO plugins often integrate with Google Search Console or offer their own crawl analysis tools. Review this to see if any pages are incorrectly blocked or if important pages are overlooked
- Automate updates. Enable auto-updates for your SEO plugin to stay current with best practices
10. Avoid Low-Quality Backlinks to Optimize a Website
Low-quality backlinks invite penalties and damage your website's authority. Backlinks are when other websites link to yours. This signals to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy, and so they may rank it.
However, many low-quality backlinks can harm website optimization. Search engines flag content if backlinks come from irrelevant or suspicious websites. These websites include link farms, forum spam, or no-value directories. Search engines will penalize your website if discovered, causing it to drop in rank. Instead of spammy link building, you should focus on earning high-quality, relevant backlinks. Here are some strategies for this:
- Create high-quality content. This will naturally attract backlinks from other websites
- Build relationships with industry influencers. You can start by engaging with their content through likes, comments, and shares. You can add value by promoting their work. Once you're familiar, propose collaborations that benefit both parties
- Do guest blogging. You can write guest posts for reputable websites and include links back to your site. For example, Neil Patel writes guest blogs for Forbes, Entrepreneur, and HubSpot. He then mentions his own site for more digital marketing expertise
- Develop shareable resources. Tools, infographics, or data-driven content encourage others to reference and link to it
- Leverage social media. Share your content on more platforms to increase visibility and backlink opportunities
- Monitor competitor backlinks. Analyze where your competitors are getting backlinks and target similar sources
- Be patient and consistent. Building quality backlinks may take time. Don't let that discourage you. Kevin Getch, the CEO of Digital Strategy, says that quality backlinks make up 28% of Google's ranking factors
11. Avoid Activating Too Many Plugins to Optimize a Website
Activating too many plugins will slow down website speed and reduce security. Plugins are super useful, but each one adds extra code, scripts, or resources that take up loading time. What's more, it risks compatibility issues or bugs. Google considers fast speeds and good security important ranking factors. Here is what someone from Reddit says:
If you’re unsure how to manage your plugins, you can follow these strategies:
- Limit your plugins. Rocket.net says there is no specific number of how many plugins to use. However, the golden rule is to use only plugins that offer essential functionality
- Get plugins from reputable sources. WordPress Plugin Directory and trusted developers have well-coded, regularly updated, and secure plugins. This reduces the risk of malware or poor performance
- Choose lightweight plugins. These are the ones optimized for performance, have a small footprint, and avoid unnecessary features. You can read reviews and check the plugins' support forum to see the performance
- Audit your plugins. Over time, you may accumulate plugins that are no longer needed. This is why it's good to go through your installed plugins and deactivate or delete any that are not in use
- Update your plugins. Updates usually include security patches, performance improvements, and compatibility fixes. You can set a regular schedule to check for updates or make it automatic if your platform supports it
- Test new and updated plugins for compatibility. This allows you to identify and fix any issues before they affect your live site. You can do this on staging or development sites like WP Stagecoach or Local by Flywheel
12. Avoid Ignoring Google Search Console and Google Analytics to Optimize a Website
Ignoring Google Search Console and Google Analytics prevents you from effectively optimizing and monitoring your site's performance. Google Search Console helps websites get indexed faster. You can submit sitemaps and URLs for quick crawling. This means search engines can quickly notice new or updated content. Google Analytics shows how users behave on your site. It tracks things like page views, bounce rates, and session duration. This data helps you see which content works well and what needs improvement.
Without these tools, you miss critical data on how search engines view your site and which content works and doesn't work. In turn, it leads to lower visibility in search results. On the flip side, using these tools can increase visibility and traffic. A My Codeless Website report saw organic traffic increase by 28% for those who used Google Search Console. To take advantage of these site audit tools, you should:
- Always monitor key metrics. Plugins like MonsterInsights for WordPress can integrate Google Analytics into your dashboard. With this, you can see key metrics at a glance. However, a manual in-depth analysis is a must every once in a while. Regular monitoring helps you catch issues early and respond right away
- Submit website sitemaps. Plugins like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO can automatically generate and update sitemaps. These also make it easy to submit your own sitemap to Google Search Console. This is because it provides direct links and instructions
- Track user behavior. Dive deep into Google Analytics to see how users interact with your site. Pay attention to important metrics such as page views, times on site, and conversion rates. See which content works and which doesn't. Then, you can work to make it even better or improve it
- Optimize for search queries. Google Search Console shows you which keywords and phrases bring in site traffic. Use this information to refine and optimize your content. Make sure it aligns better with user search intent so it can improve visibility
- Fix crawl errors. Google Search Console allows you to check for crawl errors, such as broken links or server issues. Resolving these errors ensures that search engines can access and index your content
13. Avoid Cloaked URLs and Improper Redirects to Optimize a Website
Cloaked URLs and improper redirects can harm SEO efforts and lead to penalties. Cloaking URLs involves showing different content to users and search engines. For example, your link can read www.example.com/shop but sends users to www.fake-site.com. This tricks users into clicking the link. Improper redirects are similar but send users to the wrong page.
These deceptive actions can have a domino effect. First, users will feel misled and won't trust your site anymore. Then, search engines can catch on and will penalize your site. They may even remove your site from their index. All this will erase your chances of ranking high on search engine results pages (SERPs). To avoid this, you should:
- Avoid manipulating URLs. Don't try to hide the true destination or mislead users. This won't bring any good to your site
- Make sure your URL accurately represents the content. Sometimes, search engines can misinterpret your URLs and see them as cloaked. This is the more common SEO mistake. This is why it's important to keep URLs clean and descriptive
- Use proper 301 redirects. Always use 301 redirects to permanent changes. This tells search engines that the page has moved. Plugins like Redirection or Yoast SEO can help manage your redirects properly
- Keep consistent content for users and search engines. Don’t show one version to the humans and another to the machines. This will only lead to penalties and a low rank or an invisible site
- Avoid JavaScript-based redirects. Search engines may see this as deceptive. Instead, use server-side redirects like .htaccess (Apache Servers) or WordPress Redirection
- Monitor and test your redirects. Check if the redirects work as intended and don't lead to irrelevant or wrong pages. You can use tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider or Google Search Console to audit this
3 Real-Life Examples of SEO Fails
1. Building a Text-Free Website
Kerry Wilson, a web developer, shares her client's failed story on Reddit. She says a photographer with a keen eye for visuals but no experience in web design or SEO hired her to help with a client. From the start, Kerry knew the project was headed for trouble. The photographer was adamant that the website should be completely text-free. According to the photographer, SEO was a waste of time. Instead, she convinced her client that he’d be better off investing $40,000 in a print ad campaign of her design. This is why every word had to be an image rather than actual text readable by search engines.
Kerry Wilson was stunned. This was web design heresy. This is because search engines can't read images. They won’t know what the content is about or how to rank it. Yes, even in the days before webfont kits made fancy typography accessible. But the photographer wouldn’t hear of it. It’s no wonder Kerry soon quit the project. Here is how Kerry ended her story:
2. Having a Short-Sighted SEO Strategy
Neil Patel is a name you don't expect on a fails list. However, he's always honest about his mistakes to help others avoid them. In a YouTube video, he explains that one of his biggest SEO mistakes was going for quick results and quick money. For this, Neil bought expired websites to build links and get their rankings. He would turn expired domain names related to national parks into casino sites. This helped him rank almost immediately.
He was soon found out by Google and hit with many penalties. He realized that quick results and quick money usually end in a snap. So instead of short-sighted strategies, he thought about the long run. This time around, he focused on providing the user with value. He says, "Yes, it takes you a long time to get rankings if you do it right. But if you don't take shortcuts, the rankings stay there for a very long time."
3. Improper SSL Certificate Implementation
One Reddit user says improper SSL certificate implementation tanked their site's rankings. This Redditor blamed the damage on their lack of knowledge and research. If they had just made a few simple Google searches, they wouldn't have to learn how costly that mistake could be. They listed down all their mistakes:
Their advice is to bite the bullet and start with an SSL certificate with any new website venture. They say switching to HTTPS down the road can be a massive headache, especially if it’s your first time. They also advise people to not be like them - do your homework, plan ahead, and save yourself the trouble.
What Is Required for Developing a Website That Is Search Engine Optimized?
- Keyword research. You need to identify relevant keywords and phrases your target audience searches for. You can use tools like Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner. This guides your content creation and improves search rankings
- High-quality content. Create engaging, original content that provides real value to your audience. Don't forget to naturally include target keywords
- Mobile-friendly website. Test your site on various screen sizes to ensure a consistent user experience. You can use Bootstrap as a front-end framework that helps create responsive designs. WordPress Themes allows you to choose a theme that's compatible across devices
- Fast loading speed. Optimize images, code, and server response times to improve page load speed. Google PageSpeed Insights helps you analyze and improve your site's speed. You should also consider using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare. This distributes your content globally and reduces load times
- On-page SEO. Use proper title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and image alt text with keywords. One tip is to keep your title tags within 50-60 characters for optimal display in search results
- SSL certificate. Install HTTPS to secure your site and improve trust with search engines and users. A reliable hosting will provide a free SSL certificate with easy installation
- Proper URL structure. Create clean, descriptive, and keyword-rich URLs. These should be easy to understand for both users and search engines. Avoid using special characters, long strings, or unnecessary words in your URLs
- Internal linking. Strategically link pages within your site. This is to improve navigation, distribute page authority, and enhance SEO. Each page on your site should be linked to at least one other page
- External backlinks. Build backlinks from relevant and authoritative websites in your niche. This helps increase site authority and improve rankings. Ahrefs is a great tool for analyzing backlink profiles and identifying link-building opportunities
- XML sitemap. This helps search engines understand and index site structure. It's a technical side to SEO. Search engine optimization does not require coding thanks to plugins like Yoast SEO. These tools will be the ones to deal with the sitemap. However, you should check for updates whenever you add new content. This is to ensure search engines are aware of it
- Robots.txt file. Configure this to control which parts of your site search engines crawl. Again, tools like Google Search Console or Yoast SEO can deal with this technical side. All you need to do is be careful about disallowing sections of your site. You might block important pages and bring negative impact on your SEO
- Google Search Console. This allows you to monitor performance, track keyword rankings, and fix issues. You can use it to check for crawl errors, security issues, and indexing problems, too
- Analytics integration. Set up Google Analytics to track user behavior, traffic sources, and site performance. You can use the data to continue optimizing your site’s content and user experience
- Schema Markup. This helps search engines understand your content better and enhance search result displays. For example, it adds rich snippets. This is yet another technical side that tools like Yoast SEO and Schema Pro can deal with
- Social media integration. Connect your site to social media platforms to drive traffic and increase visibility. Also, encourage users to share your content by making social sharing buttons accessible
- Regular updates. Keep your content fresh and your site updated to maintain and improve rankings. Do site audits to remove outdated information, fix broken links, and add new insights or data
What Are Google Ranking Factors?
- Site authority. This is often measured by the quality and quantity of backlinks from reputable sites
- Click-through rates (CTR). This is the percentage of users who click on your link in the search results, indicating relevance and appeal
- User engagement. This is measured by actions like clicking on articles, reading content, and navigating the site without immediately returning to the search results
- Google Chrome data. Google may use anonymized data from Chrome to assess user experience and engagement, though this is more speculative
- Strong brand and EAT (expertise, authority, trustworthiness)
- Fresh content
- Sandbox effect. This refers to new sites experiencing delayed ranking or limited visibility until they establish more authority
FirstPageSage created a chart of the ranking factor percentages:
What Are the Best SEO Courses to Learn SEO in 2024?
Here are the best SEO courses to learn SEO in 2024:
- The Blueprint Training by Ryan Stewart
- Rank Daddy Elite by Brandon Olson
- SEO That Works by Brian Dean
- SEO Training by Jellyfish Training
- Semrush Academy
- Authority Hacker Pro by Gael Breton & Mark Webster
- SEO for Writers by Larry Ludwig
Conclusion: What Is the Best Strategy for Monetizing a Search Engine Optimized Website?
Local lead generation is the best strategy for monetizing a search engine optimized website. This business model involves creating a local service website. For example, you make a tree-trimming or HVAC website in Sacramento, CA. You rank it through local SEO strategies to get organic traffic. You can then rent the site to local businesses within the same industry and city. Since these businesses need leads, and leads need these businesses, the site will drive consistent revenue.
There are so many benefits to local lead generation. For one, competition is much less since you'll focus on local instead of global results. This makes it easier to rank. There's also less risk compared to other SEO or web design business models. It can cost as little as $100 for a simple website. If the business doesn't take off immediately, no worries. Your initial investment is minimal unlike spending thousands to start an agency. Finally, you're offering an already profitable "product" to your clients. They will be willing to rent your website for $500 to $3,000 a month. This generates passive income!
