How to Spot an Outdated SEO Strategy

Just because something works great for a while doesn’t mean it always will. This is especially true when it comes to technology. Search engine algorithms are constantly changing, and with each new update comes new do’s and don’ts if you want to be successful. If you are still using these outdated practices, you may not realize just how outdated your SEO strategy is:

Keyword Obsession

Do keywords matter? Absolutely. Keywords are not, however, the end all be all. As algorithms have gotten smarter, they’ve developed the capability to rank user experience over keywords. This means using as many keywords as you can think of will get you nowhere fast. This is the most common outdated SEO strategy we see here at Dog Star Media when we begin helping a new client breathe life back into their website and search rankings. It’s no longer enough to just have the keywords - you have to be providing valuable content in reference to those keywords for them to matter.

Multiple Pages for Keyword Variety 

In the past, it was a really popular practice to utilize a variety of keywords with pages for each one. For instance, local dentists may have pages like:

• Dentists in Dallas, TX
• Dentists in Frisco, TX
• Dentists in Plano, TX

This attempt to compete in multiple nearby locations becomes redundant and is often penalized. The same goes for multiple service or product keyword pages such as:

• Stem cell therapy
• Stem cell treatment
• Stem cell therapy treatments

The most successful way to rank these pages is to include all the content in one page. Quality over quantity is now the name of the game, and as algorithms continue to get smarter, gimmicky-looking tactics like these simply won't work.

Using Duplicated Content

Fifteen years ago, content of any kind, even copied from other sites you owned, was enough for your site to rank well. Now, pages with duplicate content get docked big time by Google and other search engines. To perform well, search engines want to see consistent, useful content before they'll rank you anywhere near the top. This includes the home page, each unique service or product page as well as adding a blog. Blogging allows you to consistently increase the amount of unique, original and relevant content on your site. The search engines LOVE this.

The three above-mentioned SEO strategies are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the outdated SEO strategies people all over the nation are still using. We haven’t even covered internal links, anchor text, SERP snippets, link building, link bait, paid links, directories and more.

If you think your business may be struggling with SEO due to some of these outdated practices, Dog Star Media would love to help. Technology is advancing every single day, and since you're busy running your business, it may be time to let our SEO, content and social media experts bring your website and digital presence to the next level and keep it there for years to come. We keep our finger on the pulse of emerging technology so you can focus on taking care of your clients and customers. Give us a call today at 214-654-9180 or email us at helpme@dogstarmedia.com.