| SEO seems relatively easy at first, but danger lurks | | | | unnatural. One pattern that is highly unnatural is that |
| around every corner. One false step and all of your | | | | everybody links to your site using the same anchor |
| SEO work vanishes into a de-indexing or the dreaded | | | | text. If there are no "click here for more information" |
| Google sandbox. In this article, we'll explore the seven | | | | type of links, then your inbound links will appear |
| SEO mistakes to avoid. | | | | unnatural. |
| Mistake Number ONe: On-page SEO Mistakes | | | | Recall from step #3 above, each of your pages |
| This is one area in which you have absolutely control. | | | | should have multiple keywords. Use these varying |
| Every page should have proper Heading Tags | | | | keywords as anchor text while including some other |
| (H1,H2,H3, etc.), Meta Tags (especially Meta | | | | variations. This will ensure that the anchor text used in |
| Description), Alt Tags on Images, Titles, and file names. | | | | your links is natural. |
| Each of these should include your keywords for the | | | | Mistake Number Six: Links Are Not Varied |
| page. If you commit this sin, you will lose. These are | | | | Your inbound site links should come from a variety of |
| basic OPSEO practices that your competition will | | | | sources with a varying degree of relevance and |
| implement. | | | | importance. |
| Mistake Number Two: Ineffective Linking with Your | | | | Many people create one-site, or multiple sites, to link in |
| Site | | | | to their principle site. This will only achieve a modicum |
| You cannot always control how others link to you but | | | | of success and may get you banned entirely on |
| you can have ABSOLUTE control on how you link to | | | | Google. For example, if all of your inbound links come |
| yourself. If you are in a non-competitive keyword | | | | from the same IP address or IP address block, Google |
| arena, effective inter-linking within your site will bring | | | | will discover this. If all of your inbound links come from |
| you visitors. | | | | shady sources (like paid link farms), or all from page |
| Mistake Number Three: Improper Keyword Usage | | | | rank 0 sources, Google will also discover this. |
| You should never write a page without keywords in | | | | Your site may achieve temporary success with |
| mind. You may write a great article that nobody will | | | | sketchy strategies, but your treachery will be |
| ever find because nobody searches on the terms that | | | | unearthed over time. And then you are left |
| you use. I use three tools for keyword research | | | | with...nothing. |
| before I write any article that I wish to be popular for | | | | Mistake Number Seven: No Links |
| search engines: Wordtracker, Google Keyword Tool, | | | | As mentioned in Step #5, the initial excitement of |
| and SEO Elite. | | | | creating a website causes many to create inbound |
| Mistake Four: Too Many Links Too Quickly | | | | links to fast. After their site goes into the sandbox, |
| When someone launches their new website, they are | | | | they give up. In fact, this happens to most website |
| overcome with the energy and enthusiasm to make it | | | | owners. |
| great. They read that inbound links are what will get | | | | When they give up in defeat, they are not creating any |
| you to the top of the Google results. Thus, they | | | | more inbound links. Thus, their place in the sandbox is |
| embark on a mission to get lots of inbound links quickly. | | | | assured. This is unnatural and inconsistent. |
| While they may achieve short term success, their site | | | | To avoid this fate, implement a consistent strategy for |
| quickly disappears from the search engines and gets | | | | obtaining inbound links. |
| placed in the Google sandbox. | | | | If you avoid these seven SEO mistakes, you are well |
| Mistake Five: All InBound Links Use Same Anchor Text | | | | on your way to solid Google results. |
| Remember, Google is seeking patterns that look | | | | |