1. Over-using
graphics instead of text.
Most search engines are not programmed to read graphics
but instead look for text. Therefore, if you are too
graphics-rich, you may be bypassed by the search engines.
Especially try to stay away from large flash files as
search engines do not like flash / graphics files.
2. Lack of Creativity in Keywords and Phrases.
If you are a small business selling digital cameras
in Wayne, Nebraska you will include the word "digital
cameras" as a keyword. However, that will lump you with
Best Buy and all of the other major electronics stores
and manufacturers who will still come up ahead of you
in search results. Therefore, you need to be creative
and think of words and/or phrases that might get you
to come up more readily for your target customers. Perhaps
"Wayne Digital Cameras" since local shoppers will seek
local businesses. Keep thinking and be creative.
3. Non Utilization of the Title Tag
How many times have you looked at a website where the
browser title reads Welcome to [company name]
s website or simply [Company Name] ? Nothing
wrong with that, you say? Well if you want to achieve
high search engine rankings, there s PLENTY wrong with
it.
While it may not be common knowledge amongst web designers,
most search engines index the content of title tags
and consider it to be one of the most important factors
in their relevancy algorithm. What you place in your
title can make or break your ranking for particular
search terms on the various engines. If you don t include
your most important search phrases within your title
tag, you are overlooking a vital opportunity in your
quest for higher search rankings.
Having said this, you should try and keep your title
tag to a maximum of 200 characters, as that is the average
limit most search engines will truncate to. If you really
insist on including your company name in your title
and you re willing to sacrifice good keyword real estate
to do so, put it at the very end of the tag, because
search engines give more relevancy weight
to content at the start of your tag.
4. Poorly Designed websites
Ineffective site design includes lack of clear navigation,
poorly designed frames, and large, load-intensive graphics.
Search engine spiders can actually be blocked from crawling
sites that are not well-designed, so it's a major part
of search engine optimization.
5. Using Automatic Submission Tools
In order to save time, many people use an automatic
submission software or service to submit their sites
to the major search engines. It is true that submitting
your site manually to the search engines takes a lot
of time and that an automatic submission tool can help
you save a lot of time. However, the search engines
don't like automatic submission tools and may ignore
your pages if you use them. In my opinion, the major
search engines are simply too important for you not
to spend the time to submit your site manually to them.
About
the Author
Carmen is the VP Client Relations of Ms. SEO Inc., a
Calgary based Search Engine Optimization & Internet Marketing
Company. Ms. Seo Inc. works with their sister company
Ms. Hype Inc., a
Calgary Web Design Company, and their parent company
Cre8 Hype Solutions Inc., a
Calgary based Internet Marketing Company, to offer
their clients a powerful online presence. |
