Do's and Dont's of SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about making your website easy for people (and search engines) to understand. When done right, it can help drive more traffic to your site, build your site’s credibility, and grow your audience all at the same time. But when done incorrectly, it can actually have the opposite effect. To avoid that from happening, let’s look at some quick DOs and DON’Ts when implementing SEO.

• DO optimize your page titles and meta descriptions. Keep titles under 60 characters and meta descriptions under 160 characters. Make them clear, compelling, and keyword-relevant.

• DON’T “crop-dust” with keywords. Repeating the same keyword too often, especially within the same sentence or paragraph, can actually lead to ranking penalties. Plus it’s awkward for visitors to read. Aim for natural language and related terms instead.

• DO structure your content with HTML headings. Use H1 tags for your main title, H2s for major sections, and H3s for subpoints. This hierarchy helps both search engines and readers navigate your page.

• DON’T ignore technical issues. Broken links, missing alt texts, and bad formatting will undermine your SEO, whereas regular technical audits keep your site healthy.

• DO foster relationships that lead to natural backlinks. Links to your site from other higher-authority sites boost your credibility and thus your search ranking. Form partnerships, guest-post on reputable blogs or other marketing sites, and create shareworthy content to help funnel traffic back to your site.

• DON’T overlook internal linking. Failing to cross-link related pages on your site can leave visitors stranded and search engines guessing how your content pieces connect.

• DO feel free to revisit old content. Giving a fresh take on a piece of old content can increase your authority on the subject matter and give you a boost in the search rankings.

• DON’T just straight up copy or repost content, whether it’s yours or someone else’s. Duplicate content confuses search engines and actually dilutes your authority. Plagiarized content will do this too; plus it’s just a bad look all around. Always strive for fresh, unique writing.

• DO monitor performance regularly. Use tools like Google Analytics to track rankings, click-through rates, and user behavior so you can adjust your strategy based on real data.

• DON’T take an inactive approach to SEO. Best practices often evolve; what worked last year might hurt you today. Keep learning and updating your site to stay ahead.