Four common SEO mistakes and five good ideas

This week Google released an article stating the 5 most common SEO mistakes websites make and how to get back on track with your SEO.

With Google changing their algorithm all the time, it is crucial to focus on the fundamentals of SEO to ensure good rankings.

Avoid these common mistakes

 

1. Not thinking about SEO

Many Estate Agents just guess what keywords they want to optimise for and then expect it to rank number 1 immediately. Try not to assume anything with SEO, research what is useful to the searchers as well as how your competitors websites compare to yours.

2. Not setting up goals

User experience is very important to Google. Set up goals of what you want the user to do once they are on your website, this could be to search your property portfolio or browse your services. Make sure the user can find what they are looking for quickly.

3. Using outdated technology

It’s not just the design of a website that becomes out of date. Ensure your website is as fast as possible with the latest practices.

4. Caught up in SEO trends

The amount of time people spend obsessing over the latest ‘tricks’ would be better being spent focusing on the fundamental SEO strategies that have worked for years such as writing a blog.

Five fundamental SEO tips

 

1. Do something cool

Make your website stand out from the crowd. You are trying to steal potential customers away from your competition. Boring design and irrelevant content won’t impress anyone.

2. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes

What search term would you query to find yourself? Your business name, location, services? What is important to identify what you do?

For estate agency websites you really should optimise for both business name and the term “Estate Agents in (your area)”.  This way local searchers will be able to find you easily. �

3. Be smart about your tags and site architecture

Create unique title tags and Meta descriptions; include Rich Snippets where appropriate. Have intuitive navigation and good internal links.

4. Attract buzz

In every industry there is something compelling, interesting, entertaining or surprising that your customers will be interested in. Provide a helpful service by writing an industry based blog. This will encourage users to like, follow and even link to your website.

5. Stay fresh and relevant

Keep content up-to-date and consider options such as building a social media presence or creating an ideal mobile experience if your users are often on-the-go.

By Luke Stanley
SEO Consultant