Google is constantly pushing out new updates to their algorithm, and rumor has it that the newest is going to have a significant effect on what’s ranking first, by weeding out sites with bad SEO practices and prioritizing those who offer unique solutions to user’s search queries.
So, is your SEO strategy ready to meet the increasing demands of the world’s largest search engines? Do you know how to tell if SEO is bad? If you’re not constantly implementing new strategies, what can you do about it?
You can learn how to distinguish between good SEO vs bad SEO, and how to keep the latter off of your site. The world of SEO can get incredibly complex, but we can start with the major red flags. Here are 5 signs of bad SEO on your site, and what exactly you can do about it.
1. Poorly or artificially written content
Most SEO specialists (at least the good ones) and Google can agree that the quality of your content matters more than following any set of rules. Thin, poorly written, clickbait-y content filled with unhelpful links and unnaturally placed keywords not only won’t perform well, but will turn off the few people who do end up on your site. If users don’t trust or value the content on your website, you can bet that they will be exiting early and won’t be returning — which defeats the point of having an SEO strategy in the first place.
What you should do instead:
Although it might be easier to outsource your writing to content farms, these writers are often cranking out a massive amount of work on any given day, and aren’t able to give your content the strategic focus that modern SEO requires. You might be able to build out your content library this way, but it won’t be with the quality, evergreen, helpful content that Google wants to see.
Instead, focus on creating a digital marketing strategy that includes specifically crafted content for your business. Whether you’re working with an agency for your SEO or hiring contract writers, you’ll want to make sure that whoever you partner with is producing people-first, optimized content that provides unique value.
2. Links to irrelevant pages, broken links, and spammy links
Another big SEO no? Paying for links on low-quality sites, broken links, overusing links, linking to irrelevant content, and linking to low-quality content. While links are an important part of crafting strong content, they’re best when used strategically and in moderation.
What you should do instead:
Links in all of their forms (internal links, external links, and backlinks) help to navigate qualified traffic to and around your pages. They also help Google understand the structure of your website. When adding links, the anchor text, or the text that is housing the links, needs to be relevant to the subject you’re referring to.
If you’re performing well for law firm SEO in Houston, for example, you wouldn’t want the anchor text “DWI penalties” to lead to a blog about choosing a DWI lawyer. Even though the subject matter is similar and that page may need extra support, the anchor text is misleading to the user, and SEO is all about connecting users to useful content.
What about broken links? Are 301 redirects bad for SEO? Nope! In fact, they’re actually considered best practices. 301 redirects tell a user that a piece of content has been moved and redirects them to where it lives now. Without them, the user ends up clicking on a dead link. If you’re designing a new website with a web design company or are making changes to the URLs on your existing site, avoid having bad SEO by being vigilant about redirecting broken links.
3. Keyword stuffing
Keywords are what get you ranking highly in search engines so you should use them as many times as you can, right? Not even close.
Keyword stuffing is one of many outdated SEO practices, and one that the Google algorithm is quick to catch onto. Attempting to manipulate your rankings by using keywords as many times as you can is a bad look. It can make the copy hard to read, grammatically incorrect, and unnatural in the flow of subject matter. It can also make you rank lower in search results, as Google values genuine, unique, and helpful content over content created solely for the purpose of ranking.
What you should do instead:
If we haven’t made it clear enough, keywords are one example of an area where you can have too much of a good thing. While they are a critical aspect of getting your site to rank, they need to be used strategically. Your primary keyword should be used naturally in the title, the first sentence, and once about every 200 words.
To make your content more competitive, you can use supporting keywords and phrases that are relative to the subject matter and different from the primary keyword. But again, you want to be mindful of how often these keywords are used as well.
4. Duplicate content
One sure sign of bad SEO practice is duplicating content either from your own site or someone else’s site. Duplicating content, and using other unethical SEO strategies, can get your site in big trouble. Directly copying content from a competitor’s site can confuse Google, and force it to bury one of the duplicate sites, usually the newer one. Duplicating content doesn’t just hurt your overall SEO, it can hide your pages from the public.
What you should do instead:
Unique content makes your site competitive in the search algorithms, while publishing cookie-cutter, copied content isn’t going to cut it. Although you may need to repeat certain selling points, try to do so in a way that is fresh, keeping the focus on your ideal client’s problem and how your business can help solve it.
If you don’t know how to write strategic copy yourself, do your brand a favor and hire someone who does. The results will be worth it.
5. Useless pages and blogs
You may be noticing by now, but there’s a theme when it comes to distinguishing good SEO vs bad SEO: search engines don’t like to see anything that is made to manipulate rankings. Unoriginal, duplicated, useless content on your sitemap will not go unnoticed, and that extends to your pages and blogs. Building out a library of content is a daunting task, but this doesn’t mean that pumping out thoughtless pages is the solution.
What you should do instead:
Creating a strong content strategy can easily solve the issue of useless pages and blogs. Take the time to decide the intention of each content piece, completing competitor and keyword research before diving into the writing. The focus should be on helping your ideal client while implementing best SEO practices, versus writing solely for the intention of filling your website with content that ranks. Your result will be copy that doubles as a competitive piece and a helpful piece of content, building rapport with your users.
As we mentioned, the new Google update is suspected to prioritize pieces of content that offer unique perspectives on common searches. If you’re a business owner working with a digital marketing agency for your SEO, help them, help you. You’re the expert in your industry. Any trends or insider information you give to the team writing your content will give your website that competitive edge that Google wants to see.
How can you tell if SEO is bad?
One of the easiest ways to tell if your SEO is bad is by looking at your organic search traffic, conversion rates, overall keyword rankings, and bounce rates. These data points are the best way to compare whether your tactics are resulting in the outcomes you want. If they’re not, they’ll provide a good baseline to track changes over time as you adjust your strategy.
Keep reading: Debunking SEO Myths
Looking to step up your SEO game? Contact Baal & Spots!
Bad SEO usually looks like poorly written content, misuse of links, keyword stuffing, duplicate content, and useless pages or blogs. Each of these factors are going to have an impact on how highly your entire site ranks, and with the algorithm becoming more sophisticated every day, it’s as important as ever to make sure all of your ducks are in a row.
If reading this has raised some concerns about your current SEO strategy, or lack thereof, let’s work together! Baal & Spots is a Houston-based digital marketing agency who creates digital experiences for brands of all kinds. Whether you need an entirely new site built or want us to create a custom strategy to drive traffic to your site, we can do it all.
Connect with us today to learn more about how we can help you bring your vision to life!