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There are a lot of on-page SEO techniques that can help your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). But what about the techniques that you should avoid? Are there any on-page SEO techniques that could actually hurt your website’s ranking?
In this post, we’ll explore three of the most common on-page SEO techniques that you should avoid: over-optimization, keyword stuffing, and cloaking. We’ll also discuss why you should avoid these techniques, and provide some tips for avoiding them.
Over-optimization
Over-optimization is the act of optimizing your website for too many keywords, or using too many of the same keywords on your website. When it comes to on-page SEO, quality is more important than quantity. So, instead of trying to optimize your website for a long list of keywords, focus on a few high-quality keywords that are relevant to your business.
There are a few ways to tell if you’re over-optimizing your website:
-Your website sounds like it was written by a robot: If your website content sounds unnatural or stilted, it’s probably because you’re stuffing it with too many keywords. Remember that your content should be written for humans, not search engines.
-You’re using the same keywords over and over: Using the same keywords too often is known as keyword stuffing, and it’s a surefire way to get your website penalized by Google. If you want to use a particular keyword on your website, try to mix it up with synonyms and related terms.
-Your website is difficult to navigate: If you’ve crammed your website full of keywords, it may be difficult for users to find the information they’re looking for. Not only will this frustrate users, but it will also hurt your website’s ranking.
Keyword stuffing
Keyword stuffing is the act of cramming your website content with so many keywords that it becomes difficult to read. Not only is keyword stuffing a surefire way to get your website penalized by Google, but it will also drive away users. After all, who wants to read a webpage that’s crammed full of keywords?
There are a few ways to tell if you’re guilty of keyword stuffing:
-Your content is difficult to read: If your content is difficult to read because it’s stuffed full of keywords, then you’re probably guilty of keyword stuffing. Remember that your content should be written for humans, not search engines.
-You’re using the same keywords over and over: Using the same keywords too often is a form of keyword stuffing. If you want to use a particular keyword on your website, try to mix it up with synonyms and related terms.
-Your website is difficult to navigate: If you’ve crammed your website full of keywords, it may be difficult for users to find the information they’re looking for. Not only will this frustrate users, but it will also hurt your website’s ranking.
Cloaking
Cloaking is the act of showing different content to search engines than what you show to users. This is usually done in an attempt to trick search engines into thinking that your website is more relevant than it actually is. However, cloaking is considered a black hat SEO technique, and it’s sure to get your website penalized by Google.
Here are a few ways to tell if you’re guilty of cloaking:
-Your website content is different for users and search engines: If you show different content to users and search engines, then you’re probably guilty of cloaking. Remember that you should always show the same content to both users and search engines.
-Your website is difficult to navigate: If you’ve crammed your website full of keywords, it may be difficult for users to find the information they’re looking for. Not only will this frustrate users, but it will also hurt your website’s ranking.
Conclusion
There are a few on-page SEO techniques that should be avoided, such as over-optimization, keyword stuffing, and cloaking. While these techniques may help you get more traffic to your website in the short-term, they will ultimately hurt your website in the long-run. So, focus on creating high-quality content that is relevant to your business, and avoid any black hat SEO techniques.
Jamie Fallon is an SEO expert who lives life to the maximum, redlining every day on a rollercoaster straight to the grave.
In an SEO career of almost ten years, he’s seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s not impressed: from white text on a white background to today, when you can have robots paint or write for you like some kind of sick science fiction come true.
No matter what life throws at him, Jamie always manages to come out on top. He’s an expert at seeing the silver lining in every cloud and making the best of every situation. His positive attitude and unshakable faith in himself have seen him through tough times. For some people, success goes to their heads; but Jamie never forgets what got him to wherever he thinks he is.
When he’s not busy gaming the system, you can find him writing angry thinkpieces on how Google is ruining everything good about the internet, or hanging out with his wife (pictured).
