If you have a website, chances are you have definitely heard of the term SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) before. This Digital Marketing strategy essentially improves the rankings of websites on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), making them far easier to find when doing online searches. Although SEO forms part of online marketing, it is relevant to every aspect of a website, as it also has an impact on the User Experience. This is where on-site and off-site SEO will come into play. In one of our previous blogs, we touched on the difference between the two.

In the ever changing and complex world of SEO, it is of vital importance that one stays on top of one’s game when it comes to the work completed. Overtime, certain practices become obsolete or unacceptable. It is up to you to do your research and learn about the new trends, as well as read up on any potential algorithm updates. To assist you, we are going to touch on the Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts of SEO.

1. DO use long-tail keywords

It is no secret that keywords are essential for effective SEO. When these keywords are included in your web content, as well as your page titles and meta descriptions, the chances of your content, and your website ranking higher for those keywords (or search terms) is increased. When targeting keywords, you need to ensure they meet two specific criteria, namely high relevance, and low competition, which can be achieved by targeting long-tail keywords.

2. DO use related keywords

While long-tail keywords are highly effective, you should also make a point of using more keywords that are all related. For example, when targeting ‘seo in Cape Town’, one should also target other related keywords such as ‘seo companies in Cape Town’, ‘seo agency in Cape Town’, as well as SEO services in Cape Town’.

3. DO create representative title tags and meta descriptions

While title tags and meta descriptions are valuable elements of your web content, they can also have a major impact on your SEO. This element will essentially determine whether a user clicks on your content in the search results, and by placing keywords in these tags and descriptions, you are informing search engines on the context of the respective page.

4. DON’T keyword stuff your content

Although you should include keywords in your web content to increase your chances of rankings, do not go too far with it. If you stuff every paragraph with keyword after keyword, Google may end up penalising you for it. Since it goes against Google’s guidelines, rather integrate keywords into your content organically.

5. DON’T place all keywords on one page

When working on your online strategy, ensure you place specific, relevant keywords on each individual page. That way, you make it noticeably clear to search engines, as well as visitors, what your page is about. The general rule of thumb is to target 2-3 keywords per page.

6. DON’T underestimate the power of a company profile

You would be surprised by how few websites have a company profile or ‘About Us’ content. This is not only vital for effective SEO, but also gives visitors more information about your company, which could improve your credibility and trustworthiness.