2 tips for more effective SEO

2 tips for more effective SEO

As any search engine optimizer knows, there are two categories of search engine optimization (SEO) – on-page and off-page. In this article we will look at 2 ways we can increase our SEO results in each category by avoiding common downfalls and mistakes.

Off-page tip -

Mix up your link strategy – As SEO specialists, we are normally given several keywords and asked to increase the search engine performance of those terms. What is sometimes forgotten is that you cannot build an effective SEO campaign by focusing on keywords alone. If too many links are developed using just the keywords as anchor text, search engines may see this as an automated generation of links and issue the destination URL a penalty. In order to avoid the damage a penalty can bring, it is suggested to use a healthy mixture of anchored keywords, anchored relative keywords, and anchored URLs. Additionally, do not neglect alternate domains such as .edu. Search engines give special credit to these domains and they should definitely be a part of your linking plan. Following this strategy will not only help you to avoid a penalty, but will also provide better SEO dividends.

On-page tip –

Don’t forget to write – Too often we see websites become stagnant and static. A highly ranked website is one that is updated often with fresh, new and relevant content. Always consider recommending clients re-write and update content and add a blog if possible. A blog has incredible value for many reasons including potential for new traffic, link exchanges and overall freshness along with relationship building and community outreach. There are few SEO strategies where the addition of a blog does not make sense for the client.

While there are several hundred factors that go into a successful and fully developed SEO campaign, the above tips are especially important and too often neglected. Next time you launch an SEO campaign, pay special attention to these two factors and see how much of an impact they have on your goals.

Michael Spooner writes on behalf of inSegment, Boston's leader in search engine marketing, internet marketing, and the home of Boston SEO.