Data analytics and its Impact. Image Courtesy: marketingland.com
Data analytics and its Impact. Image Courtesy: marketingland.com

7 SEO Techniques to avoid in 2018 

If you run an online business, you ought to invest in Search Engine Optimisation. This is one of the most reliable ways to generate quality traffic to your business. However, you can generate the desired buzz by employing the right SEO strategies. Over the past years, there are businesses that have made SEO mistakes that caused them huge damages. For this reason, it is imperative that you get a clear understanding of SEO services, and learn how to survive online despite cut-throat competition. 2018 is underway and having the best knowledge of SEO techniques to avoid can help you wrap up the year with the best Search Engine ranking.

7 SEO Techniques to avoid in 2018

Use of manipulative links

Using manipulative link schemes on your website can easily cripple your business. This involves the use of distribution software, plugins or software with embedded back links. Google is more advanced today and it easily spots such links. You do not want your site to be placed under Google’s cross-hairs

Avoid Link Manipulation. Courtesy: TheMeMove.com
Avoid Link Manipulation. Courtesy: TheMeMove.com

Similarly, avoid using back links in hidden content or text because you hide information from visitors. Such links are considered organic and unnatural; therefore, they lower the ranking of your site. This can also result in penalisation by Google. For this reason, regularly check on your page and avoid using unnatural links in your source code.

Avoid over use of anchor text

Search engines and web visitors use anchor text in a web page to understand what a site is all about. This is the visible text in a link, and it is a major ranking detail used by all search engines. Use the anchor text as required and avoid overuse of the exact match. This is because it creates monotony and it can lead to a rank penalty.

Avoid overuse of anchor text. Courtesy: Serpstat.com
Avoid overuse of anchor text. Courtesy: Serpstat.com

However, if you wish to use the target keyword or phrase as anchor text, it is wise that you consider diverse backlinks. Include different phrases and keywords as your anchor texts.

Avoid Intrusive interstitial ads

Google updates its algorithm almost on yearly basis. Recently, it rolled out a program that targets mobile websites that include pushy interstitial ads. Such ads are not user-friendly based on the fact that they occupy a lot of space on a user’s device. Avoid the ads and if it is a must that you use them, ensure that you leave enough space in the background for good visibility.

Avoid Interstitial Ads. Courtesy: AdClickMedia
Avoid Interstitial Ads. Courtesy: AdClickMedia

Poor user experience

This is one of the factors that Google has emphasised in the past few years. Web visitors love sites that offer the best experience. Sites that are easy to use, make the experience of web visitors fun. For this reason, avoid making your pages complicated, slow to load and invisible.

Poor User Experience leads to poor SEO. Courtesy: MedTechEngine
Poor User Experience leads to poor SEO. Courtesy: MedTechEngine

What’s more, the Google algorithm works in an efficient way and it pays more attention to exit and bounce rate, returning web visitors, an average duration of a visitor online and mobile compatibility among others. Mobile compatibility, for instance, is a critical aspect because of Google’s mobile-first indexing algorithm. It is a feature that allows different search engines to crawl, index or rank mobile content in a website even before desktop content.

Keep in mind that a site that offers a poor user experience hurts conversation rates as well as your brand visibility.

Avoid duplicate content

Duplicating content on your website is a black hat SEO strategy. Never use automated software to get scrape content from competitor’s pages, more specifically without their permission. Similarly, no web visitor loves to read the same information over and over again, neither is Google.

Avoid Duplicate Content. Courtesy: Moz
Avoid Duplicate Content. Courtesy: Moz

Google has a way of identifying duplicate content on different sites. Therefore, if your page is mostly on the list of pages that have the old same content, it will be hard for you to achieve top search engine ranking. In the event where the same content appears on different pages, Google ends up distributing credit as it gives authority separately. This means you will not achieve the desired position on search engine.

Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Keyword stuffing is also another black hat SEO technique to avoid in 2018. It involves the use of irrelevant phrases to manipulate search engines. Note that Googles algorithm is advanced, therefore, not easy to trick like in the past. Rank Brain is very efficient and it can detect keyword stuffing within the shortest time possible. Therefore, focus on creating quality content to achieve top search engine ranking.

Always avoid Keyword Stuffing. Courtesy: SEOPressor
Always avoid Keyword Stuffing. Courtesy: SEOPressor

Avoid spamming

Comment and content spamming kills your website. Google has upgraded its features to prevent manipulation and to easily detect generic posts. Give bloggers and web visitors an opportunity to offer their views. This can be positive or negative comments. By doing so, you will make your site more interactive as opposed to spamming. Avoid harming your SEO possibilities even when you are tempted to spam positive comments.

If you want a successful marketing strategy, these are a few techniques to avoid. Monitor your progress with serp keyword tracker and employ white hat approach to achieve top SEO ranking. With 2018 coming to an end, if your SEO game is not right, this is the time to get it right. Keep in mind these 7 SEO Techniques to avoid in 2018. For more, tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj

About Atulmaharaj

A seasoned blogger and a content marketer for close to a decade now. I write about Food, Technology, Lifestyle, Travel, and Finance related posts. Blogging brings me joy and the best part is I get to read and e-meet so many amazing bloggers! PS: I'm also the founder for Socialmaharaj.com :) Favorite Quote: "Traveling is like reading a book, one who hasn't traveled, hasn't turned a page.

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8 comments

  1. Its been a while now that I am blogging on self hosted site, SEO is easy but gets tricky when dig in little deep (for non tech person like me). Thanks to the posts like these which help is learn and understand more about it.
    I have faced the burnt of GSC, but being suspended by google for a bad link on my site. Since then whole stats went into nosedive. I am still struggling with site’s DA which is stuck on 29 since 3 months now. PA has been upgrading regularly, but DA nah nah.

    • DA takes a lot of time of time to move, especially after 20. But anything above 20 is good. So you are in a good zone Dipikaji. BTW How did you know your site was suspended for bad link ?

  2. Very useful information about SEO. I’m still learning these techniques and your write-up will help me a lot. Thanks for sharing.

    • Thanks Vandanaji, I’m glad this helped. Do connect with me over Twitter, I’ll be more than happy to help 🙂

  3. All these are some new knowledge for me,thanks for sharing.

  4. I turn to your site to search for technical answers to blogging. This one has taught me of the things to keep in mind while writing a post. Thank you so much. Your posts help me understand in simple terms the complicated aspect of blogging.

    • That’s encouraging Dipaliji. I’m glad that you find posts helpful here. Feel free me to tweet/DM me anytime. Thanks for stopping by 😇

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