3 SEO Sins to Avoid at All Costs
Every savvy business owner understands the importance of having a good website that clearly explains what their business does, who it serves, and why it's valuable. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about making sure your website shows up higher on Google when people search for relevant terms. Some misguided website managers will exploit Google’s algorithm with certain “black hat” techniques. These methods are not only dishonest ways of boosting a page’s position in search results but will ultimately lead to being penalized by the search engine, sometimes even removing the website from search results entirely.
Hidden Text:
Concealing keywords by making it white font on a white background or making the size 0-point font is a cheap way of incorporating relevant terms on a website. For instance, a website centered on aviation training might covertly embed phrases like "Aviation training essentials" or “Pilot Prep Courses” in illegible font. However, this tactic contravenes Google's guidelines and is liable to elicit disciplinary measures, potentially culminating in exclusion from Google's search index.
Keyword Stuffing:
While strategic incorporation of keywords is essential for SEO, excessive repetition can yield adverse results. Google's algorithm is fine-tuned in discerning unnatural keyword density, and websites guilty of "keyword stuffing" risk undermining their credibility and search ranking. To use the aviation training website as another example, a black hat technique would involve overuse of the phrase “aviation training”, or slight variations, in an unnatural repetitive tone.
Buying Backlinks:
Backlinks, when other websites link to yours, are great for boosting your site's credibility. But purchasing backlinks from is against Google's rules. If Google suspects you're paying for links from shady sources, your site could be penalized.
Avoiding these mistakes is key to improving your website's Google ranking. Stay tuned for our next session, where we'll share five practical tips for driving more traffic to your site.
