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On August 7th, Leslie To is sitting down with the folks at SEMpdx as part of their Engage VIRTUAL Conference to discuss the worst SEO mistakes that brands are still making in 2020. Leslie has over a decade of experience in SEO and is a regular on the SEO speaking circuit. SEMpdx is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting the digital marketing community. She shares information on how these mistakes are inhibiting growth and provides insight on how to make proactive changes to your SEO strategy.
Her segment highlights five key mistakes that companies should strive to avoid:
Ignoring the fundamentals
As we know, SEO is constantly changing. The ever-changing tech stack adds a layer of complexity and makes it harder for us to remember to stick to the fundamentals. Leslie says that the foundational work will always matter and that you should be accounting for all of your web properties at least once every other year. Just because a site was technically sound in 2018, does not mean that it will look as good in 2020.
Launching new content or optimizations at inopportune times
Leslie acknowledges that Google Keyword Planner shows the average monthly search volume, but fails to show the change in search volume from month to month. There may be some months that the volume peaks, but the average cannot and will not show that.
It is important to always download the full search statistics when you are doing keyword research. Including the previous twelve months will help you understand if there were specific months where optimizations/launches were more effective. Leslie says to remember that timing is absolutely key. You can plan for content and pick the right keywords, but if the timing isn’t right, you did all the work for little impact.
Using average monthly search volume as your measure of organic opportunity
Leslie mentions that search volume is only half of the picture. It may be important to go after keywords that have search volume, but all of the planning and strategy will be for nothing if users are not clicking. She suggests using additional research and digging into click behavior over time.
Investing in the same keyword strategy and expecting the same returns every year
Consumer behavior is always changing. It is safe to say that the keyword and content strategy you were using in 2017 will not work the same in 2020. Leslie says it is great to thank your old keyword strategy for its years of hard work and dedication, but it’s time to move on. Sometimes, it is best to get rid of old strategies and just start fresh.
Thinking about SEO in a vacuum
SEO is sometimes viewed as a siloed channel, but that should no longer be the case. There are many opportunities for cross-channel learning that would be more useful. Leslie says that getting all groups aligned and agreeing on a set of goals will help you better leverage each other to hit your business goals. Having a system that blends CAC across channels will allow each channel to respond more productively. You will only be able to do this successfully if you remove SEO from its vacuum.
Leslie will be sharing all of this information and more on August 7th from 10:25-10:55 a.m. (PST). Click here to learn more and to get tickets to the event!
