Your role as a digital marketer is to ensure that you use not just the right digital marketing techniques but also ensure that your marketing techniques are approved by Google. As the largest search engine, Google aim is to offer its users the best search results. For the best results, Google considers exact information, high-quality and exclusive content, as well as top writers. It also updates its algorithms from time to time improving the quality of the search results.
Unknowingly, you may get penalized for some SEO mistakes hence this article. There are two main types of penalties by Google, algorithmic penalties or manual action from the spam team at Google.
Mistakes to avoid or the reasons for penalties include:
- Mobile unfriendly site
With more than half of people looking for a condo Fort York making use of a mobile device, they should see your site on their mobile device. For this, your website must be mobile responsive, and it should be optimized for mobile viewing. It should also have fast loading speeds. Use small but high-quality pictures and have a menu option if you consider your site cluttered.
- Keyword stuffing
While keywords play a significant role in SEO and subsequent ranking, they only work when inserted into content naturally. Keyword stuffing means poorly written content to Google meaning it flags off your content and you may get penalized.
- 404 Errors and broken links
Google dislikes broken links and 404 errors in websites. If your site isn’t delivering 404 errors or the broken links, then it means that Google and your users aren’t getting the information they are looking for. So, avoid the broken links and the 404 errors.
- Avoid the use of Meta description tags
The meta description tags play a significant role in SEO. However, using more than five meta keywords within a page is a mistake. This is because meta tags hold your page’s definition to search engines without which your page will not appear on search engine result pages.
- The use of duplicated content
The reason why unique content is considered the Holy Grail of SEO is that duplicated content is a big crime in Google’s handbook. When you duplicate content, it loses its usefulness to Google. As a result, you may get penalized. You must always check your content for plagiarism.
- Using poor quality and irrelevant links
You need to practice quality link building to avoid penalties. Opt for organic and natural links from reputable companies and sites. Linking to suspicious sites means that Google will also consider your content and your site suspicious.
- Buying links
While link building is a significant element in SEO success and high ranking by Google, you shouldn’t go around buying links. You should build links organically if you are looking to entice your users to read, link and share your content.
- Failure to analyze your profile
Checking your link profile regularly keeps your page healthy. For this, you should perform a comprehensive link audit, include nofollow tags to links that violate guidelines by Google and disavow sites that fail to nofollow.
