Avoid These 5 SEO Rookie Mistakes
Everyone is a beginner at everything at some point, and learning about SEO is no exception. Few people come into the world of listings placement with advanced knowledge of the subject, and as such, there is a learning curve involved. Fortunately, by applying yourself to acquiring skills and learning from mistakes, expertise in SEO can be gained fairly quickly. Here are some common rookie mistakes that we all can gain some wisdom from.
1. Resting on Their Laurels
Technology, algorithms, and pertinent keywords are changing all the time. Any SEO professional who is not up to date on the current popular search parameters and best keyword research practices is not doing himself any favors. Plus, he’s not helping his clients as best he could. Reliable SEO service providers have to be on top of recent changes and, even better, anticipate shifts that are coming down the pike so that clients will not be caught off guard.
2. Forgetting the Bottom Line
SEO professionals have clients who, for the most part, are business owners. These owners have products or services to sell, and that’s the main reason they created and maintain their company websites. Although it may be easy for an SEO rookie to get the business name to the top of the rankings using easy keywords, that might not be generating revenue. A seasoned SEO pro knows how to use the right tactics to get the products with the best margins to the top of the listings. After all, if a business owner cannot tie SEO efforts to an increase in revenue, he or she won’t be a client for long.
3. Slow to Effect Change
When the SEO analytics don’t show the numbers a company is looking for, an SEO rookie might be slow to let them know and to make adjustments. An SEO veteran knows that sometimes things have to be switched up so that he or she can track the changes that result. Perhaps the issue is not even related to SEO, such as broken links or other problems on the site. Rather than worry about finger pointing, a professional will be honest with the client and keep working toward improvements.
4. Being too Rigid About Services
If a company asks an SEO rookie to do some work not originally included in the contract, he or she might refuse. That’s not usually the best approach. Often additional services can be added to the contract if they prove effective over time. The opposite is true as well. When an SEO professional has agreed to provide a service but it is superseded by a more pressing issue, he or she will be prepared to shift gears in order to serve the client.
5. Not Working Hard to Retain Clients
Outside of the tangible SEO results a veteran offers, he or she also practices excellent customer service. Rookies tend to focus on just the technical work and not on the client relationship as a whole. Any seasoned professional knows how they have to follow strategies both technologically and interpersonally in order to run a successful SEO business. After all, it costs more time and money to get a new client than to keep an existing one.
