Web site optimization – how NOT to do it

Thanks to the massive amount of traffic pushed through search engines every day, competitive and forward thinking webmasters are doing all they can to push their websites to the top of the ranks.

SEO (search engine optimization) has been a major part of internet marketing for the better part of a decade, but only recently has it truly come into its own as a true online industry.

SEOs (search engine optimizers) have started offering their professional services, both as planners and technical employees, and some webmasters are seeing great results.

But that raises a question: why can’t you just do it yourself?

The fact of the matter is that you can, quite easily, do your search engine optimization on your own.

However, the major problem is that few people optimize their web sites properly. Web site optimization isn’t rocket science, but it still requires a careful and precise touch.

Here are some mistakes that seem to happen quite frequently, and should form the ‘what not to do’ list for your next web site optimization project.

#1: Wasting time on nofollow link websites.

Blog comments are a great way to generate linkbacks for your web site optimization campaign, but they’re completely useless when posted on a nofollow blog (if you are only commenting for backlinks and not building relationships). Run your potential linkbank websites through a link checker before you post. That way you save yourself time, effort, and money. While nofollow links are indexed by some search engines, most ignore them and assign little link value to them.

#2: Spamming aimlessly.

Spam can get your numbers up quickly, but it’s a horribly short-term strategy. Focus on acquiring links that actually add value, not just one-off comment posts and forum signature links. When you link with value, the high authority websites will boost your rankings a lot more than a few spammy links could.

#3: Paying for needless SEO services.

SEO services are incredibly useful when done right. The problem is that most newbies simply don’t need them. The vast majority of SEO can be done on your own, provided you’ve got enough time and determination. If you’re short on cash but large on time, do your SEO yourself.

#4: Short-term Blackhat strategies.

Cheating the search engines is a sure-fire way to find your website banned from their indexes. While optimization and strategy is always a good idea, simply scamming your way to the top of the rankings isn’t a strategy that lasts long. When you focus on the long-term effects of your SEO work, you can craft a strategy that doesn’t fade once the search engines work out what you’re doing. Black hatters will make it to the top once in a while, but it’s short lived and temporary. Focus on permanent solutions instead.

#5: Poor page tags.

Good image, header, and meta tags are essential for great page optimization. Lots of people spend hours focusing on keywords, all the while ignoring the importance of great page tags. If you’re using WordPress, look around for an SEO plugin to install. (All in-One-SEO, SEO Friendly Images) Otherwise, get ready to tag your images, headers, and page information for maximum SEO effect.

Just a few ways on how NOT to optimize your site.

How would you NOT optimize your site or how would you optimize your site? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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