Don’t handicap your new website by falling into beginners traps. Here are some common pitfalls you should actively avoid.
Spamming Your Site
There are thousands of services offering to give you a “METRIC BUTTLOAD of BACKLINKS” for only $10! If it seems too good to be true then it almost always is and that’s no different here. If a single link costs you less than $10 or less than 5 minutes of work then it is probably not worth it, and doing it repeatedly will likely wind you up in the doghouse with Google.
Instead you should:
- Regularly add new unique content and publicize it on social media.
- Get active in popular forums & communities in your industry and post links to your site only when it’s on topic.
- Reach out to industry blogs & magazines and offer to guest write an informative article in exchange for being able to link your site in said article.
- Follow Google Trends and tailor content around up-and-coming searches.
- Reach out to local newspapers, radio stations, and TV news to find oppurtunities for local small businesses.
Not Having An On-Topic Blog
It’s hard to get motivated to create and update a blog for new websites because of the lack of traffic and feedback but it’s just something you need to do. Try to update it at least weekly with an article that is designed first and foremost to help people in or interested in your industry. Look at it as an investment in your future, if you provide unique & quality content then eventually it will lead to highly targeted eyeballs.
If your site IS a blog then you should try to branch out from that as well. Consider opening a small shop on your site with niche products. This point is to find another way to add unique content for search engines to pick up on.
Not Following Best Practices
There are tons of little things that can affect your site ranking, and while it’s beyond the scope of this guide you can get a lot of bang for your buck by doing the following.
- Make sure your site is using valid code.
- Use HTTPS when possible.
- Implement structured data.
- Create and update a sitemap.
- Make sure your site is responsive / mobile friendly.
Have a good tip I missed? Let me know in the comments below!