SEO – search engine optimization – is the term that refers to crafting digital content in a way that will rank in Google Searches. Ranking in Googe Search will drive traffic to your website. And when you think about it – what is the first thing that you do when you want to learn something? You Google it. You want your website to show up in those searches.
SEO is a skill that takes time to learn, and using the Yoast plugin is a great start. Today I wanted to share a few common SEO mistakes that might be holding you back.
1. Your Blog Posts are Under 300 Words
If your text is less than 300 words, the post won’t be indexed by Google, which means that it won’t show up in search results.
2. You are not Using Alt Text
Alt text is an image description for a photo. It is also the default text for Pinterest pin descriptions. You want the Alt Text to describe the image so that it will appear in relevant Google Image Searches.
3. You are not Using a Keyword or Key Phrase
Each blog post should have a keyword or key phrase that is repeated in the blog post title, the URL, the Alt Text, and in the text of the blog post. This word or phrase should be what a person would type into Google to find your blog post. The keyword or phrase should be specific. For example, “how to make deep dish pizza” is much more specific than “deep dish pizza”.
4. You Are Repeating the same Keywords in Different Blog Posts
You do not want to compete against yourself for Google Search Result rankings. Develop unique keywords for each blog post that you write.
5. Your Keywords are not Specific Enough
“Blueberry pancakes” is a better keyword than “pancakes”, but “easy blueberry pancake recipe” is even more specific. More specific keywords means less competition for ranking higher in Google Search.