Some bad SEO techniques can get your website banished from Google and top search engines. Unfortunately, in our industry there are many bad actors, preying upon clients who are unaware. They are sometimes referred to as “Black Hat.” Since these people have ripped off unsuspecting clients in the past, it makes sense for them to continue the same bad practices. They simply convince the client that they can achieve great results in rank quickly. They get the client’s money and then go about attempting to game the system by using SEO methods not allowed. This may bring a temporary jump in rank results but in the long run will be caught by the search engines and cause the site to be banned from search results completely.
Identifying a legitimate company versus a “black hat” entity:
A legitimate company will tell you right away that with the changing algorithms of Google and top search engines, there are no guarantees. Great rank results happens over a period ot time as the client adds more and more content worth reading. Beware of those companies who promise the moon because you may quickly find you have been duped. Check out the company’s references carefully and contact other site owners who have used their services. If they cannot provide these references, this is a big red flag that you should not use them.
Four of the top methods to avoid are duplicate content, plagiarism, keyword stuffing and bad linking strategies. Read the additional information below as we get more detailed:
Defining duplicate content:
The top method to avoid is adding any duplicate content to your website pages or to your published articles. We define duplicate content as sentences or blocks of text within the website which match other content. Most website owners do not understand this and feel there is no harm in posting the same content on multiple pages. Don’t do this. Use your creative juices to create new content for all pages. Keep your site pages, search-engine friendly, original and compelling. Not following this rule, could result in your site being removed from all search results.
Plagiarism is not allowed by Google:
Copying and pasting content from outside sources is also the kiss of death for search engine rank. Search engines assign a search string number to all content and can easily identify incidents of plagiarism. The best rule of thumb is to write only original thought or hire an outside professional writer to populate your website and to blog for you on a regular basis.
Keyword stuffing is a no-no:
Using keywords over and over in an attempt to game the system is not going to work. When you research the use of keywords, you should consider how each keyword will enhance the sentence structure. Write normally and use language which is easily understood. Include keywords, but in a natural way as they are needed throughout the text. Research and use different keywords as you develop new articles to publish.
SEO Linking strategies which work:
Great factors which determine good user experience always include linking strategy. Search engines can quickly rank the value of any site by looking at the number of relevant back links. Care must be taken when considering the addition of any new back link. The quality is more important than the quantity. Posting back links for the sake of having a huge amount will not improve rank. All links should come from a trusted source and researched heavily before being added.
Page titles can increase post value and is a good SEO method:
The value of any post content is driven by a well-balanced and well-thought out page headline (title). We suggest no more than 72 characters and each title considered should be checked to see how well it will attract users. Spend time necessary to optimize and tweak the title before posting to search engines. Be creative but keep the title simple and easy to understand. The first impression is carried by the title. If you nail the title in a creative way that encourages the reader to read further, you have done your job well.
Our Conclusion:
All content developed must be original thought. It is that simple. Whether you are creating a new website page or developing a great article to be published, make appropriate changes and identify any problems.
We hope you and yours enjoy a happy holiday.
Staff Writer for Inside Design Orlando
