1. Not Paying Attention to Local SEO
Small businesses typically rely on local customers, and if you don’t optimize for “near me” searches, or haven’t setup Google My Business, you are missing out on valuable leads.
2. Keyword Stuffing
Writing with too many keywords in the content looks like spam and distracts from ranking. Focus on natural and user-friendly writing that communicates the value of your product or service.
3. Not Optimizing your Site for Mobile
Most searches are conducted on mobile. When your potential customer lands on a website that is not mobile-friendly, they are going to bounce off your site to a competitor.
4. Poor Website Speed
A slow website destroys conversion. Fix your page speed by compressing images, implementing cache, and picking a quality hosting option.
5. Not Tracking Analytics
If you aren’t tracking results, then you will never improve. Every business should be tracking traffic and conversions. Use tools like Google Analytics to track this data within your website.
Takeaway: SEO is more about strategy and less about hacks. If you follow the recommended strategies, your are making great progress against your competitors.