Dos and Don’ts of SEO in 2021 | Insights from a Top Phoenix SEO Company  

Search engine optimization, better known as SEO, is constantly changing. Adhering to the principles that saw your business achieve success in 2020 is a short-sighted measure. Google’s ever-changing search engine algorithm ensures that businesses must constantly adapt, and those that fail to adapt will find themselves behind the curve.

Based in Chandler, Arizona, Commit Agency has been helping businesses navigate the murky SEO waters for over 20 years. As a top Phoenix area SEO company, here are some of our tried-and-true tips for how you can excel at SEO in 2021.

Don’t: Put All of Your Keywords on One Page

Every webpage on the Internet wants Google’s attention, but stuffing all of your content with irrelevant keywords isn’t the way to get that love. That’s because your pages will actually end up competing against one another, resulting in none of them standing out in Google’s algorithm. Overloading your pages with keywords can also dilute the relevancy of each page’s purpose, disappointing searchers and hurting your stature with Google.

Do: Incorporate Relevant Keywords

Instead of slamming your content with keywords, take a more tasteful approach. Use keywords that are relevant to the page in question, and have a connection between the keywords you’re using and the title of the page on which those keywords exist. This will leave the reader feeling satisfied. Google will reward your site by recommending it to future searchers with similar intent.

Don’t: Engage in Keyword Stuffing or Unnatural Phrasing

Keyword stuffing was common in the early days of SEO, but it’s since been blacklisted by Google. Webpages full of keywords, particularly those that don’t make grammatical sense, alienate readers and will result in them looking at a competitor’s site to meet their needs. Google doesn’t simply reward a site for the presence of a keyword; instead, its algorithm is based around the user finding what they’re looking for.

Do: Use Related Keywords

While it’s ill-advised to bombard readers with awkward keywords, you don’t always have to stick only to the keywords you’re targeting for a specific page. Incorporating related keywords will help to break up the focus on the singular phrase you’re targeting, while also opening up that page to rise in the rankings for searches based on other keywords. The result will be a more natural piece that meets the needs of the reader, which helps with SEO way more than keyword stuffing.

Don’t: Ignore User Intent

You might have the ideal keyword for your company in mind, but if it doesn’t mesh with what people actually search for, the keyword doesn’t work. The same is true for phrases that mean one thing when typed out, but mean something entirely different in the mind of the searcher. If someone Googles “resorts in phoenix”, they probably aren’t looking for an article about the history of resorts. Keep the end goal of the user in mind when devising your SEO and digital marketing strategies.

Do: Create Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Title tags and meta descriptions exist behind the scenes, but they have a tremendous impact on SEO. That’s because those title tags and meta descriptions are direct messages to Google that let the search engine know exactly what to expect from the page. Including keywords in the meta descriptions and title tags is critical because those words will appear bolded in related searches, showing the searcher that they’ll find exactly what they’re looking for when they click on your link.

Don’t: Ignore Negative Reviews

Some companies think that responding to negative reviews only highlights those reviews and draws attention to them. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, a negative review is your chance to make it right. 97 percent of consumers who read reviews also read the company’s responses to those reviews. By responding to negative reviewers and making a sincere attempt at getting those customers back, you send a message that you care about all of your customers and want to make them happy. Additionally, because reviews get picked up by search engines, responding to all reviews — negative and positive — has a significant impact on your local SEO standing.

Do: Create the Best Possible User Experience

Modern marketing is all about the customer experience. The lowest price isn’t necessarily the top option — instead, an all-around immersive and intuitive experience will see brands have success. The user experience, though, isn’t just about suggested searches and seamless checkout. It’s also part of SEO. Including only relevant and organic text will remind the searcher why they’re on your site, giving them a level of comfort. You can enhance this state with an aesthetically pleasing site with plenty of white space surrounding text and images between paragraphs.

Don’t: Allow for Slow Page Speeds

Two seconds might not be a long time to you, but it’s an eternity for someone waiting for a page to load. Two seconds is the current tipping point for searchers. If your page takes longer than two seconds to load, they’re gone forever. Page loading speed is also an important component of Google’s algorithm for search rankings, and a slow loading page will sink your page in Google’s eyes. To counteract slow loading pages, consider caching your website pages, compressing images and limiting redirects.

Do: Track Site Metrics

If you want to stay on top of your site loading rate, be sure to track it and monitor the numbers regularly. Site metrics like conversion rate and click-through rate will show you how well you’re doing in terms of pleasing the searchers that come across your site. Traffic flow will show you where people go once they visit your site, and that can further inform your SEO strategies. When you see what people really want to find, you’ll know more about user intent, and that will clue you into new keywords around which you can optimize your site.

SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. If you’ve been following some of the practices in the “Don’t” category, there’s always time to get your SEO right. On the other hand, if you’re firmly into the “Do” categories, you’re on the right track — but be aware of the never-ending changes to Google’s SEO algorithms. If you need help getting your SEO game in order, contact Commit Agency today.