There can be so many demands on your time as a business owner that you might not have the bandwidth to juggle them all. But some of them move the needle more than others.
That Instagram story you shared has already disappeared from your feed.
That heartfelt Facebook post? Poof – it’s vanished.
Your blog posts on the other hand? They can continue to work for you for years to come.
This article is to remind you why you can’t afford to ignore SEO if you want to grow your business.
An effective SEO campaign and quality content can attract more business and ultimately have a positive impact on your bottom line (more 💶💶💸in the bank).
Yet many business owners misunderstand the value of SEO or think it’s very technical so they ignore it altogether.
SEO is a very effective digital marketing strategy, but there’s no question that basic SEO mistakes can mean you’re virtually invisible to your target market.
SEO Mistake#1 Not Using Long-Tail Keywords
A common mistake is trying to rank for a very general term that’s highly competitive.
For example, instead of trying to rank for a keyword such as “coffee” select a more specific keyword, also known as a long-tail keyword.
Otherwise, it’s highly likely that your products will never show up in the search results because bigger companies will dominate the search results.
An example of a long-tail keyword is “iced coffee tasting [your town]”. Even though fewer people will be typing that term into the search engines, it’s likely that the ones who do intend to make a purchase in the very near future.
Check out lowfruits, a very affordable tool that will help you to discover less competitive keywords that attract a lot of interest.
SEO Mistake#2 Having a Static Website
If you aren’t blogging, you are missing out on opportunities to get more of the right eyes on your products and services.
A “business card” website just won’t cut it in 2023.
It’s crucial to regularly update your website with content that’s relevant to your audience if you want to rank in the search engines.
A blog can help position you as an expert, showcase your products and services and keep your audience engaged.
It’s always a way to boost your SEO because you’ll naturally be creating content that focuses on the topics you want to rank for. Don’t ever feel stuck on what to write about – check out my post on blog content ideas for coaches and therapists.
If you hate blogging, you’ll probably love this post, where I share 6 easy tips to create blog content faster.
SEO Mistake #3 Failing to Optimise the About Page
Your About Page is an opportunity to brand your business. It’s about creating copy that speaks to your reader, but it is also crucial for new visitors to your website because it can build trust.
Google crawls your website and the content on the About Page can help you to rank significantly higher if you can establish your authority as an expert.
Websites that demonstrate EAT – Effectiveness Authority and Trust tend to perform better when it comes to SEO. It’s really important to display your credentials if you work in the wellness space because Google will prioritise content created by experts.
Bonus tip: Create an author box that displays on each blog post you create so that when your website is indexed it’s clear that your website is an authoritative source of high-quality content.
SEO Mistake #4 Using Spammy SEO Strategies
Buying backlinks and keyword stuffing are just a couple of examples of SEO mistakes to avoid, but they’re more common than you’d think.
Search engines are getting smarter all the time and they will detect if you are trying to manipulate the algorithm. When that happens, your site will undoubtedly be penalized.
Avoid these spammy strategies by devising an SEO strategy that matches your business goals and adheres to ethical principles.
SEO Mistake #5 Writing for Search Engines Instead of Humans
Ultimately, when it comes to creating content for your business, you need to consider the language that your potential customers are using.
Avoid jargon or overly technical language. Think about what they are actually typing into Google when they are looking for a solution.
Market research is invaluable to help you to ensure that the content you create is driven by the needs of your ideal client.
If you want to get higher rankings, you need to write content that is focused on what your audience wants to read.
Focus on what’s important to the people you are hoping to attract, this will help you to create better content that is more likely to get found.
Imagine the difference it could make to your business if your website was showing up in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). Learning SEO is a skill that’s worth investing in. Discover more Simple SEO tips.
