It will not be wrong to say that Google is the Holy Grail of internet today. The omnipresence of Google in every sphere of the virtual world is changing the definition of SEO. It is due to this reason almost every business develops its website keeping a detailed aspect of Google algorithm in mind.
Though continuous modification is an attribute of the internet world, there are websites still following some traditional Search Engine Optimization methods. To catch such websites, Google employs its own tools. Every now and then, we hear, the frequent release of Google Panda and Penguin updates penalizing websites using old SEO methods.
Once Google penalizes a website, it is hard to recover, and the reputation of a website is gone for long. In my experience, if belief is shattered, it is impossible to build it back. If built, it would rarely be with the same client.
You can now understand how much practicing these SEO methods can be dangerous for your website.
Here are seven traditional SEO methods you need to drop now:
1. Mismanaged Content:
Around 80% of the online traffic flows around the web content. The need of strong online presence is not just to be on the internet with content, but it is – to have a proper, relevant, and engaging content that is self-promoting. In short, a completely managed content is what you need today.
If you are an average observer then it will not be hard for you to find the contents with errors, irrelevancy, and most of all mismanaged stuffs. If the online users are your business-need then start thinking like one of them. Moreover, when you will start thinking like them then you will know why a person rebounds from a website on a single glance.
2. Ignoring The Power of Social Media:
If your website does not have a social sharing button then your business is in grave danger. The power of social media is most strong and effective on the internet today. Many websites are ignoring this power and are not considering what impact social signals can have on their business. Either they do not understand its potential or they do not know what does being social on the internet means at all.
In response to a question, Larry Page, the CEO of Google told that having real feedback from users is very useful for search and Google incorporates many such signals.
3. Article Submission:
If you are posting unaccountable articles just for the sake of getting some quick links for your website then it is not long before Google Panda detects your website.
If you are living in the present age of internet then you should get this through your heart and soul – ‘like optimization, link building also takes time and untiring effort’.
Instead of submitting your own articles and getting links for your website, try to build relationship with the famed web writers and bloggers. In addition, with time, try to benefit them by commenting on their blogs or writing guest post for their websites. This will not only help you in getting a quality reference, but will also expose your business to their audience.
4. Link Exchange:
Now, to be frank, these things do not work these days. Means, it is not the beginning of internet awareness. It is a much farther stage, the boom of internet awareness among the mass.
Earning trusts of search engine by exchanging links is a stuff of past and you know it already that practicing link exchange among websites is the easiest way for a search engine to determine the blacklisted practice. Link exchange is the lamest signal that even the worst search engines will detect. What do you think will Google do?
Your best chance is by building a link that makes sense and points a visitor to some additional resource or information.
5. Implementation of Plan Without Strategy:
Well, this point is a big picture of all the previous points and the upcoming ones. The implementation of plan without strategy is the worst tactics and in the internet domain, plan without strategy is what leads to the use traditional methods of SEO. This is the reason why so many people fail at online marketing.
6. Focus On Ranking:
In the present era of internet, blindly focusing on ranking will not take your website anywhere. One thing that you need to understand very precisely is that the result of SEO practice is an optimal combination of dozens of factors.
Mere focus on the ranking of your web page is neither going to help your business nor your clients or the online users. It is like trying to get fruits from a tree without giving it the necessities or factors that help it grow, i.e. water, sunlight, and fertilizer.
Now, it may give you a high rank on the SERP and the search engine ranking reports may show a growth for your website. However, the graph of your business growth, will eventually point down.
7. Ignoring Design Layout:
For a moment, try to think like a regular online surfer. Now answer this – what is the thing that makes you stay on the page or makes you bounce-off it. I know it takes like 5 seconds for you or anyone to decide whether to stay on the page or not. However, what is the thing that really strikes you.
Yes, it is the presentation of a website or in more defined terms “the design layout.”
The design layout of a website is the only thing that initiates the process of engagement of an online visitor to your website. Being one of the most important SEO factor, yet the most ignored ones.
A regular user gets to the internet as soon s/he remembers something. Be it a product, a service, or even meaning of a word, the urge to find answer to that query starts from here.
After that, goes the “standard process” – a Google search, opening all the websites in new tabs, closing those that do not look good, and staying with the ones that look good.
Make your website so that it appeals an average online user at the first glance.
Try to observe the top websites and determine why they are the only top ones, what makes them stand on that level, what is the different thing that they incorporate and the others don’t and most of all – what are the things they do not incorporate. I am sure you will find all the 7 points mentioned above and more, if you observe more closely.
This article is written by Savita Gehlawat. She is a professional content writer. Now, she is working with Saffron SEO. She loves music, ethical hacking and reading digital marketing strategy.
