These 10 SEO Mistakes Will Ruin Your Website Rankings in 2024

Are you confident your SEO strategy is up-to-date and error-free? In 2024, the SEO landscape is more competitive than ever, and staying ahead means knowing precisely what to avoid. This blog isn’t just another SEO guide—it’s your essential roadmap to mastering SEO and boosting your website to the top of search results in 2024.

Whether you’re an SEO pro or just getting started, keeping yourself updated with Google’s algorithm is crucial for your website’s success. Understanding the latest trends and avoiding common pitfalls is essential for driving organic traffic and helping your site rank higher on search engines. But even the smallest mistakes can greatly impact your rankings, leading to fewer visitors and lost revenue.

Don’t miss out on the chance to rank your website. 

Uncover these 10 SEO mistakes you might be making, and learn how to avoid them.

1. Ignoring E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)

Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines are essential for determining the quality of your content. Ignoring these can lower rankings as Google prioritises content from credible sources.

(Google E-E-A-T)

Understanding E-E-A-T is crucial for content creators. Here’s a breakdown:

• Experience: Emphasise content from real-world, hands-on experience. This can include personal stories, case studies, or examples that indicate direct engagement with the topic.
• Expertise: Produce high-quality content from industry experts. This shows a deep understanding and skills in your specific field.

(E-E-A-T Example of Expertise)

• Authoritativeness: Establish your website as a credible and influential source. Highlight official affiliations and publish original research to boost your site’s authority.

(E-E-A-T Example of Authority)

• Trustworthiness: Build trust through ethical practices, accurate information, and transparency. Ensure your site has clear contact details and positive user reviews.

(E-E-A-T Example of Trust)

It takes more than just high-quality blogs to improve E-E-A-T. By providing accurate information from subject matter experts, avoiding low-quality content, and enhancing user experience, you can improve your website’s quality and be recognized as an authoritative source by search algorithms.

2. Failing to Create Original and High-Quality Content

Duplicate or low-quality content can severely impact your rankings. Google favours unique, valuable content that provides a great user experience. Invest time in creating original articles, blog posts, and other forms of content that offer new insights or solutions. High-quality content should be informative, engaging, and free of errors. Regularly update your site with fresh content to keep users coming back.

Creating high-quality content for Google involves several essential steps to ensure it ranks well and provides value to its audience.

(Example of Writing High-Quality Content that Ranks on Google)

What It Means to Create High-Quality Content for Google

1. Informative Content that Caters to Your Audience’s Needs

• In-depth information: Your content should provide complete information about the topic. It should include new insights, detailed explanations, and valuable information for the audience.

• Clear purpose: Your content should have a clear purpose: to educate, inform, entertain, or convert. It should also address your audience’s needs and answer their questions.

• Accurate Information: Ensure that all facts and data are correct and up-to-date. Mention reliable sources to back up your claims and provide additional context.

2. Engaging Content

• Interactive Elements: Use multimedia elements like images, videos, infographics, and interactive tools to make your content more engaging. These elements can break up text and keep readers interested.

• Conversational Tone: Write in a conversational tone that resonates and connects with your audience. Avoid complex language that readers might not be able to understand. Instead, aim for a style that is welcoming and easy to approach.

3. Error-Free Content

• Grammar and Spelling: Ensure your content is free of grammatical and spelling errors. Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to catch mistakes and improve readability.

• Proofreading: Always proofread your content before publishing. Remember, having a second set of eyes can help identify errors you may have overlooked. Even the smallest mistakes can significantly impact your rankings, leading to fewer visitors and lost revenue.

4. Regular Content Updates

• Keep Content Fresh: Regularly update your content to keep it relevant. This helps with SEO and ensures that your information remains accurate and valuable to your audience.

• Repurpose Content: Turn existing content into different formats, such as videos, infographics, or podcasts, to reach a wider audience.

• Monitor Performance: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your content. Identify the things that are effective and those that are not, and then make the necessary changes.

5. Call to Action and Engagement

• Strong CTAs: Every content should end with a clear call to action. This could motivate readers to sign up for our newsletter, download a resource, or get in touch with our team.
• Reader Interaction: Encourage comments, questions, and feedback from your readers. Respond to their comments and create a sense of connectivity with them.

3. Overlooking User Experience (UX)

A poor user experience can drive visitors away, leading to higher bounce rates and lower rankings. Ensuring a positive user experience (UX) is crucial for retaining visitors and encouraging them to engage with your content, products, or services. Here are several key aspects to consider for improving UX:

1. Navigation

• Clear Structure: Organise your site logically with descriptive menu items.

• Breadcrumbs: Use breadcrumb trails for easy navigation.

• Important Links: Place important links and buttons prominently.

2. Mobile-Friendliness

• Responsive Design: Ensure your site adjusts to different screen sizes and orientations.

• Mobile Priority: Design with mobile users in mind to improve accessibility and SEO.

3. Speed and Performance

• Optimise Load Times: Compress images and minify CSS/JavaScript files.

• Use a CDN: Implement a content delivery network for faster content delivery.

• Performance Tools: Utilise tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify improvements.

4. Clean and Responsive Design

• Minimalist Approach: Avoid clutter and excessive ads/pop-ups.

• Responsive Design: Ensure your site adjusts to different screen sizes and orientations for a seamless experience.

5. Readability and Accessibility

• Readable Fonts: Use readable fonts and appropriate sizes.

• Content Structure: Break text with headings, bullet points, and images.

• Accessibility: Follow WCAG guidelines for users with disabilities (e.g., alt text, ARIA labels).

6. User Feedback and Analytics

• Track Behaviour: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor user activity.

• Feedback Forms: Implement surveys and feedback forms for direct user input.

• Analyse Metrics: Regularly review bounce rate, session duration, and conversion rates.

7. Continuous Improvement

• Stay Updated: Keep up with UX design trends and best practices.
• Regular Testing: Test your website’s performance, usability, and accessibility.
• Adapt and Update: Make necessary adjustments based on user feedback and analytics.

(Example of Mobile-Friendly User-Interface)

4. Ignoring Google’s Helpful Content Guidelines and Not Creating Helpful, Reliable, People-First Content

Neglecting Google’s Helpful Content Guidelines can be a significant misstep in your SEO strategy. These guidelines ensure content is created with the user in mind, emphasising helpfulness, reliability, and a people-first approach. 

A Brief on Google’s Helpful Content Guidelines

Google’s Helpful Content Guidelines aim to prioritise content that genuinely serves the user’s needs over content created merely to rank on search engines. This involves creating content that is informative, valuable, and user-centric. The guidelines encourage content creators to focus on delivering accurate and helpful information rather than manipulating search algorithms with low-quality, keyword-stuffed content.

(Example of People First Content)

How to Create People-First Content?

1. Understand User Intent:

• • Conduct thorough research to understand what your audience is searching for and why. Tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner, and AnswerThePublic can help identify common queries and user intent.
  • Address these queries directly in your content, providing clear, concise answers that meet the user’s needs.

2. Offer Comprehensive Solutions:

• • Go beyond superficial coverage of topics. Provide in-depth information, actionable advice, and comprehensive solutions to user problems.
  • Use a variety of content formats, such as articles, videos, infographics, and podcasts, to cater to different user preferences and learning styles.

3. Prioritise Clarity and Readability:

• • Write clearly and concisely, avoiding jargon and overly complex language. Use headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make your content easily digestible.
  • Utilise visuals like images, charts, and diagrams to enhance understanding and break up large blocks of text.

4. User Feedback:

• • Actively seek and analyse user feedback to understand their needs and preferences better. This can be done through surveys, comments, and direct interactions.
  • Use this feedback to refine your content and make it more aligned with what your audience is looking for.

Master content creation from A to Z with our blog on Content Development: 8 Proven Strategies to Rank in the Search Engines (+Insider tips).

5. Neglecting Intent-Based Keyword Research

Keywords are the foundation of SEO, but focusing solely on high-volume keywords without considering user intent can be detrimental. In 2024, search engines are becoming increasingly sophisticated, prioritising content that aligns with user intent over content that merely includes high-volume keywords. This shift means that understanding the motivations and needs behind search queries is crucial for effective keyword research and content creation.

Understanding User Intent

User intent refers to the reason behind a user’s search query. It is generally categorised into four types:

• Informational Intent: The user seeks information or answers to questions (e.g., “how to train a puppy”).
• Navigational Intent: The user wants to find a specific website or page (e.g., “Facebook login”).
• Transactional Intent: The user intends to purchase or complete a transaction (e.g., “buy running shoes online”).
• Commercial Investigation Intent: The user is researching products or services and is considering a purchase (e.g., “best laptops for gaming 2024”).

Focusing on user intent helps ensure that your content meets the needs of your audience, providing them with relevant and valuable information that aligns with their search purposes.

(Intent Based Keyword Research)

Conducting Intent-Based Keyword Research

To conduct intent-based keyword research effectively, follow these steps:

• Identify Your Audience’s Needs: Understand the different stages of the buyer’s journey and create content that caters to each stage. For example, someone in the awareness stage might look for general information, while someone in the decision stage might look for product comparisons or reviews.
• Use Keyword Research Tools: Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can help you identify keywords and phrases that align with various types of user intent. These tools provide insights into search volume, competition, and trends, enabling you to choose keywords that not only have high search volume but also match user intent.
• Analyse SERP Features: Examine the search engine results pages (SERPs) for your target keywords to understand what type of content is ranking. Look at the featured snippets, related questions, and the nature of the top-ranking pages. This analysis can provide clues about user intent and help you create content that aligns with it.
• Optimise Content Accordingly: Once you have your intent-based keywords, optimise your content to address the specific needs of users. For informational intent, create detailed guides, tutorials, and how-to articles. For transactional intent, focus on product pages, reviews, and clear calls to action.
• Monitor and Adjust: Remember, SEO is not a one-time task, it requires ongoing monitoring and adjustments to keep up with the latest trends and avoid potential pitfalls. Continuously monitor your keyword performance and adjust your strategy as needed. Use analytics tools to track how well your content meets user intent and drives traffic and conversions.

Creating Content that Aligns with User Intent

Creating content that aligns with user intent involves more than just inserting keywords into your articles. Delivering engaging and informative content requires a deep understanding of what your audience is seeking. Here are some tips:

• Answer Questions Directly: If users are looking for answers, make sure your content provides clear and concise information. Use headings and bullet points to make it easy to find answers quickly.
• Provide Comprehensive Information: For informational and commercial investigation intents, create in-depth content that covers the topic thoroughly. This can include guides, comparison articles, and long-form blog posts.
• Enhance User Experience: Ensure your content is easy to read and navigate. Use visuals, infographics, and videos to make your content more engaging and to cater to different learning styles.
• Include Clear Calls to Action: For transactional intent, ensure your content includes clear calls to action that guide the user toward purchasing or completing a desired action.
  

By focusing on intent-based keyword research, you can create content that not only ranks well but also resonates with your audience. This will provide them with the information they need and improve their overall experience with your website. This approach will help you build a loyal audience and improve your SEO performance in the long run. To learn more about it, read our blog on Why You Should Pay Attention to the User Search Intent?

6. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Keyword stuffing is an outdated SEO practice that overloads a web page with keywords to manipulate its ranking in search engine results. This practice can severely harm your website’s performance and credibility. As search engine algorithms become more sophisticated, they can easily detect and penalise keyword stuffing.

What is Keyword Stuffing?

Keyword stuffing refers to the excessive repetition of keywords or keyword phrases within a webpage’s content, meta tags, and backlinks. It often results in content that reads unnaturally and provides a poor user experience. Examples of keyword stuffing include:

• Repeating the exact words or phrases so often that it sounds unnatural (e.g., “Buy shoes. Our shoes are the best shoes. Buy our shoes now.”).
• Including blocks of keywords in an attempt to increase keyword density.
• Using irrelevant keywords to attract search engine attention.

(Example of Keyword Stuffing)

Why is Keyword Stuffing Harmful?

• Negative Impact on User Experience: Content stuffed with keywords can be challenging to read and understand. Users may find the content unhelpful and frustrating, leading to high bounce rates and low engagement.
• Search Engine Penalties: Search engines like Google have algorithms designed to detect and penalise websites that engage in keyword stuffing. This can lead to a significant drop in rankings or even de-indexing a website.
• Damage to Credibility: Keyword-stuffed content often appears spammy and unprofessional. This can damage your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness, discouraging users from returning to your site.
• Wasted Effort: Time and resources spent on creating keyword-stuffed content are wasted if it ultimately harms your SEO efforts. It’s better to invest in creating high-quality, relevant content.

Best Practices for Using Keywords Effectively

1. Prioritise Quality Over Quantity: Focus on creating valuable content that naturally incorporates keywords. The primary goal should be to provide helpful information that meets the needs of your audience.

2. Use Keywords Naturally: Remember to seamlessly integrate keywords into the content to ensure a natural flow without disrupting the readability of the text.

3. Optimise Key Areas: Use keywords strategically in important areas such as:

• • Title Tags: Ensure that your main keyword appears in the title.
  • Headings and Subheadings: Use keywords in headings (H1, H2, H3) to highlight the main topics of your content.
  • Meta Descriptions: Write clear meta descriptions that include your primary keyword.
  • Image Alt Text: Use descriptive alt text for images that include relevant keywords.
  • URL Slugs: Include keywords in the URL to improve SEO and provide context to users.

4. Write for Humans First: Always prioritise your audience’s experience. Write content that is engaging, informative, and easy to read. Search engines are increasingly prioritising user-friendly content.

5. Diversify Keyword Usage: Instead of using the same keyword repeatedly, incorporate variations and synonyms to diversify your content and enhance its optimization potential. Remember to mix up your vocabulary to improve the overall impact on search engine rankings.

6. Monitor Keyword Density: While there’s no strict rule for keyword density, a good practice is to keep it between 1-2%. Tools like Yoast SEO can help you monitor and adjust keyword density to ensure it’s within an acceptable range.

7. Use Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific phrases that are less competitive and often more effective in targeting niche audiences. Incorporating these can improve your chances of ranking for particular queries without the risk of keyword stuffing.

8. Regularly Update Content: Keep your content fresh and relevant by regularly updating it with new information and keywords. This practice helps with SEO and ensures your audience receives the most recent and valuable information.

By avoiding keyword stuffing and focusing on natural, relevant keyword usage, you can create user-friendly and optimised content for search engines. This balanced approach will help you achieve better rankings, enhance user experience, and build credibility over time.

7. Building Low-Quality Backlinks

Backlinks, or inbound links, are a crucial component of SEO. They signal to search engines that other websites consider your content valuable and authoritative. However, the quality of backlinks varies significantly. Building low-quality backlinks can harm your website’s rankings and reputation. Understanding the importance of quality over quantity and adopting best practices for acquiring high-quality backlinks is essential for effective SEO.

What Are Low-Quality Backlinks?

Low-quality backlinks come from sources that lack credibility, relevance, or authority. These can include:

• Link Farms: Websites created solely for the purpose of linking to other sites without providing any valuable content.
• Spammy Websites: Sites filled with ads, low-quality content, or those that engage in unethical SEO practices.
• Unrelated Websites: Links from sites irrelevant to your industry or content.
• Paid Links: Backlinks purchased with the intent to manipulate rankings, which is against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
• Automated Links: Links generated by bots or automated software, often without regard for context or quality.

Why Low-Quality Backlinks are Harmful?

• Search Engine Penalties: Google’s algorithms, like Penguin, detect and penalise manipulative link-building practices, leading to a drop in rankings or deindexation.
• Damage to Reputation: Links from spammy or irrelevant sites can harm your brand’s credibility, making your website appear unreliable.
• Wasted Resources: Time spent on low-quality backlinks could be better invested in high-quality, authoritative links.
• Poor Traffic Quality: Low-quality backlinks attract low-quality traffic, leading to poor engagement metrics such as high bounce rates and low time on site, negatively impacting SEO performance.

Best Practices for Building High-Quality Backlinks

• Create High-Quality Content: Produce valuable, informative, and engaging content like blog posts, infographics, videos, and original research that attract natural backlinks.
• Guest Blogging: Write high-quality guest posts for reputable industry blogs, including relevant backlinks within the content or author bio.
• Build Relationships: Network with influencers and industry experts to create natural backlink opportunities through collaborations and endorsements.
• Publish Original Research and Case Studies: Create and share original research, surveys, and case studies. Unique data and insights hold immense value and are likely to attract backlinks from other websites that reference your work, increasing your website’s authority and visibility.
• Utilise Social Media: Promote your content on social media to increase visibility and attract links from influencers and industry leaders.
• Optimise Internal Linking: While internal links aren’t backlinks, they help improve the structure of your site and make it easier for search engines to index your content. They also distribute link equity throughout your site.
• Monitor Your Backlink Profile: Regularly review your backlinks using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Moz, and disavow low-quality or spammy links.

(Example of a High Quality Backlink)

Building high-quality backlinks and avoiding low-quality ones can enhance your website’s authority, improve search engine rankings, and attract more organic traffic. High-quality backlinks boost your SEO and to improve your brand’s credibility and reputation.

8. Ignoring Semantic Search Optimization

Semantic search optimization is crucial in today’s SEO landscape as it focuses on understanding the intent and context behind a user’s query rather than merely matching keywords. This approach helps search engines understand the context of your content and improves your chances of ranking higher.

(Example of Semantic Search)

Mastering Semantic Search Optimization

• Use Natural Language: Write content in a conversational tone to help search engines understand the context and intent behind your content more accurately.
• Incorporate Related Keywords: Use a variety of related terms and phrases relevant to your topic to signal to search engines that your content is comprehensive and thorough.
• Provide Comprehensive Answers: Ensure your content addresses potential questions in a detailed manner, covering the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your topic.
• Structured Data Markup: Implement schema markup to help search engines understand the structure and meaning of your content, enhancing its display in SERPs.
• Content Depth and Breadth: Create in-depth content that explores topics from multiple angles, establishing your content as a valuable resource.
• User Intent Mapping: Tailor your content to meet different types of user intent—navigational, informational, transactional, and commercial—to satisfy diverse search queries.
• Contextual Linking: Use internal and external links contextually to enhance the semantic relevance of your content.

Benefits of Semantic Search Optimization

Optimising for semantic search not only enhances user experience but also increases the likelihood of higher rankings and more traffic. By understanding and implementing strategies that address user intent and context, you can create more relevant, comprehensive, and engaging content that meets the needs of your audience.

Example

Consider a health and wellness site that expanded its content to cover related topics such as “healthy eating habits,” “nutrition for weight loss,” and “meal planning for beginners” instead of focusing solely on narrow keyword phrases like “diet tips.” This broader approach positioned the site as an authoritative source on health and wellness, leading to higher rankings and increased traffic.

9. Overlooking Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics related to speed, responsiveness, and visual stability that Google uses as a ranking factor. Neglecting these can lead to a poor user experience and lower rankings. Monitor and optimise your Core Web Vitals using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse. Focus on improving loading times, interactivity, and visual stability.

What are Web Vitals?
Web Vitals are quality signals that measure a website’s usability. Web developers, marketers, and SEOs use these vitals to enhance user experience and website performance. The better the Web Vitals, the better the customer engagement. These metrics also contribute to your website’s visibility in Google search results.

(Example of Core Web Vitals)

What are Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals are a subset of Web Vitals that Google considers most crucial for user experience. They focus on three key aspects of a page’s usability: load time, interactivity, and content stability. The three Core Web Vitals are:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
• Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Now, let us understand each point in detail.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

LCP measures the loading time of the largest element visible on the page, such as a featured image, H1 tag, or video. Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool can help identify the LCP element on your webpage. Common causes of slow LCP include large files like videos or unoptimized images. To improve LCP, optimise these large elements and reduce their size.

Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

INP measures the time between a user’s interaction and the page’s response. Google recommends an INP of 200 milliseconds or less for a good user experience. Unlike its predecessor, First Input Delay (FID), INP considers multiple user interactions, providing a comprehensive view of the page’s interactive performance. To enhance INP, minimise Total Blocking Time (TBT), which includes tasks that prevent user interactions. This can be achieved by optimising JavaScript execution and reducing complex layout rendering.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

CLS assesses your page’s visual stability by measuring how many elements move during loading. To provide a good user experience, aim for a CLS score of less than 0.1. Prevent layout shifts by defining size attributes for images and videos and avoiding dynamic content that can cause unexpected shifts.

Checking Core Web Vitals

Using Google PageSpeed Insights:

1. Go to the PageSpeed Insights tool.
2. Enter the URL of the page you want to analyse.
3. Click “Analyze” to receive a performance report, including Core Web Vitals scores for desktop and mobile.

Using Google Lighthouse:

1. Open the webpage in Google Chrome.
2. Right-click and select “Inspect” or use the shortcut (Ctrl + Shift + I on PC or ⌘ + Shift + I on Mac).
3. Navigate to the “Lighthouse” tab.
4. Select the categories and device type for testing.
5. Click “Generate Report” to view the results.

How Can You Improve Core Web Vitals?

• Improving LCP: Identify the LCP element using PageSpeed Insights and optimise it. Use smaller, compressed images, and reduce the use of unnecessary plugins.
• Improving INP: Analyse Total Blocking Time and minimise it by optimising JavaScript and reducing render-blocking resources.
• Improving CLS: Avoid layout shifts by defining size attributes for images and videos and consider the placement and behaviour of dynamic content.

10. Avoid Scaled Content Abuse: Create Original and Value-Driven Content

Scaled content abuse involves producing a large volume of low-quality content to manipulate search rankings. This practice can result in penalties from Google. Instead, focus on quality over quantity. Create well-researched, in-depth content that provides real value to your audience.

(Example of Original and Value Driven Content)

Here’s how to avoid this and focus on creating valuable content:

• Prioritise Quality Over Quantity
  Instead of flooding your site with numerous low-quality pages, focus on producing high-quality content. Each piece should be well-researched, engaging, and provide real value to your readers, enhancing user experience and search engine trust.

• Produce Unique and Valuable Content

Create original content that offers fresh insights, solves specific problems, and provides detailed analysis. This uniqueness attracts a loyal audience and improves your site’s authority.

• Avoid Automated Content Tools

Automated content tools can generate repetitive and low-quality output. Invest in human writers who can craft thoughtful and engaging content, ensuring it meets high standards and provides genuine value.

• Ensure Each Piece of Content Offers Significant Value

Every article or blog post should offer meaningful insights and actionable advice. Content that addresses your audience’s needs and provides valuable solutions will keep them engaged and boost your site’s credibility.

• Personalise and Humanise Your Content

Incorporate personal experiences, case studies, and examples to make your content relatable and engaging. This builds trust and positions you as an authoritative figure in your field.

• Regularly Review and Update Your Content

Audit your content regularly to keep it relevant and valuable. Update outdated information, refresh old posts with new insights, and remove content that no longer serves your audience’s needs.

• Encourage User Engagement and Feedback

Invite readers to engage with your content through comments and shares. This interaction increases visibility and provides insights to refine your content strategy continuously.

By avoiding scaled content abuse and focusing on original, value-driven content, you can build a reputable website that ranks well and genuinely benefits your audience. This approach aligns with Google’s guidelines and fosters long-term success in digital marketing.

Conclusion

In 2024, mastering SEO is more critical than ever. Avoiding common pitfalls like neglecting E-E-A-T, failing to create high-quality content, and ignoring user experience can significantly impact your website’s rankings. You can drive organic traffic and achieve higher search engine rankings by focusing on Google’s guidelines and user intent.

Stay ahead by continually updating your strategies, monitoring performance, and adapting to changes in the SEO landscape. Avoid keyword stuffing and build high-quality backlinks to enhance your site’s authority and credibility. Prioritise user experience and semantic search optimization to ensure your content meets the needs of your audience.

By avoiding these 10 SEO mistakes, you can elevate your website’s performance and stay competitive in 2024. 

Need help optimising your SEO strategy? Contact us today to boost your website’s rankings and drive more organic traffic.