Pitfalls of a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) project

1. Viewing Search Engine Optimisation as a technical task

A common SEO problem (that leads to multiple mistakes and poor outcomes) is that search engine optimisation is often viewed as a technical endeavour rather than a marketing exercise. This is because as websites are commonly seen as belonging in the technical domain. It is imperative to understand that SEO is a collaborative, yet primarily marketing-driven activity.

2. Underestimating the size and complexity of an SEO project

Another common mistake is not understanding about the complexity and size of an SEO project. For example, many companies expect that SEO will quickly make their website rank number one with search engines. This is an impossible scenario for several reasons:

• Search engines do not rank websites, they rank individual pages
• Search engines list keywords on web pages, likewise people search for keywords, not websites. The page rank depends on the keyword you are searching for. A site may rank very well for one keyword and not appear for others
• Each search engine (such as Yahoo and InfoSeek) weighs ranking factors differently, so keyword ranking will differ across search engines

3. Choosing generic search terms

Companies fall into the trap of not being specific enough in their selection of search terms. This mistake results from not realising just how competitive the search environment is and how difficult it can be to get ranked highly. It is estimated that there are in excess of 80 million websites out .

Use of generic keywords also demonstrates that audiences are either not clearly understood or are not precisely targeted. It is a natural tendency to wish to be ‘all things to all people,’ and

not restrict ourselves to a specific target in a particular market. This leads to a bland and generic message that appeals strongly to no one.

Companies therefore need to be very niche and very specific to have a chance against the vast number of competitors that are just a click away.

The internet can present challenges to companies that are used to only advertising in local markets. While the internet represents an opportunity to reach out to new national and international markets, it also means sharing that market with a much greater number of competitors.

4. Insufficient time and effort spent focused on external factors

Investing the appropriate resources into researching and negotiating quality external links to your website (sometimes known as backlinks) is a key Search Engine Organisation strategy that is vital to the success of any SEO endeavour.

5. Not following an effective plan

SEO projects require a plan to set direction and know where to begin, and perhaps more importantly, to direct tasks when difficulties or setbacks occur. Mistakes are made when there is no path to help the SEO team continue to make progress during times of limited feedback and delayed results.