3 SEO Strategies That Are Dead in 2020

Search engine optimization or SEO is a process utilized by business owners and webmasters to increase the quantity and quality of website traffic. SEO helps websites level up their visibility in the search engine so users can easily see or find them. Search engine optimization deals with organic traffic and excludes visitors or traffic through paid placements in the search engine results pages.

There are changes in the Google algorithm every day. These decisions can make or break your business if your website doesn’t keep up and implement the necessary adjustments. In other words, Google can block the flow of new leads and customers anytime it wants since you rely on your website for online presence.

So, before you go to your SEO service provider or whichever city you are in to help your local business, check the 3 SEO strategies that are dead in 2020 below. Avoid committing mistakes in your SEO efforts that kill your rankings.

Over-optimization for a Keyword

Keywords are essential in SEO. However, you have to use them correctly to prevent Google from penalizing you. The search engine has evolved and became even more sophisticated these days. The growth of search engines means that they are now more effective in determining what your page is all about.

Here are the things that you have to keep in mind when using keywords:

• Avoid keyword stuffing – One thing that you have to avoid when it comes to the use of keywords to help you with your SEO efforts is keyword stuffing. What is keyword stuffing? It’s the excessive use of a keyword in your content. Keyword stuffing may result in awkwardly phrased sentences and headlines.

• Produce quality content – While the use of a keyword helps, it should be smartly placed in your content without sacrificing the content’s quality. The most important thing when optimizing your content is structuring it to improve user experience, readability, and solve the queries of users.

• The intent behind the keywords – With Google getting smarter every year, the intention of your keywords should be clear. Google checks the purpose behind every keyword that you use in your content, not just looking at the keywords themselves. If you want to rank better in Google’s SERPs, have your keywords flow naturally and provide answers on the highest quality to users’ queries.

Excessive Use of Link Labels on Internal Link

The heavy use of anchor text could provide positive impacts on your rankings, maybe 3 to 5 years ago. Heavily placed anchor texts can help your website be seen in a crowded marketplace to reach more prospects, but that was in the past.

The way you use link labels before is not the same case today. In fact, Google is starting to punish websites that heavily use anchor texts. Google feels that the practice of excessively using link labels is overdone, manipulative, and spammy.

Here are things to remember when using link labels.

• Anchor texts have to be useful – An anchor text is going to help you, only if they’re utilized correctly. The idea is simple. Whether your link label is located in a sidebar, a footer, within the content, or navigation,  it has to be well-written and relevant. Just like your keywords, your anchor text has to be highly usable and flows well on your website.

• Link labels should focus on users – This is a common mistake that business owners, webmasters, and SEO strategists make. They always focus on ranking their website on Google, even in the use of anchor texts. Remember that link labels are for users, not for search engines. If your anchor texts are there with the primary purpose of increasing your ranking and not improve user experience, then Google can penalize, discount, or hurt your website.

Focusing on Search Engines

If you’re doing search engine optimization for the search engine, you’re not doing it right anymore. In 2020, search engine optimization is done to improve the user experience. With Google having more energy and time to invest in algorithm updates, the search engine results’ pages are now populated with websites that focus on providing value to users.

Focus your optimization efforts in providing relevant and valuable content, so users view more pages on your website and spend more time on every page. You have to be on the same page with Google as to providing value and relevance so it decides to push you up there at the top of the SERP.

Conclusion

As a business owner or a search engine optimization strategist, you have to remember that no SEO strategy is permanent. SEO strategies have to be constantly evaluated so you can implement the necessary changes along the way.

Many SEO practices that previously had significant impacts on websites and helped them be on the first page of the search engine results already died. The 3 SEO strategies mentioned above are just some of the many useful practices before that may cause more harm than good to your website today. Again, do not make the mistake of implementing them or find yourself languishing at the bottom of SERPs.