SEO – it’s a three-letter acronym that can induce as much fear as confusion. I recently got asked this question on Instagram about SEO, “Audrey, does SEO even matter? Is there any hope that MY content will actually show up on Google?” Let’s talk about SEO mistakes.
Yes, I know the SEO “powers-that-be” and their ever-changing algorithm can be intimidating. It can also feel awkward writing with these “keywords” you wouldn’t usually say. That’s why in this article I’m going to share with you the SEO mistakes you’re making on your health blog.
One thing to keep in mind is that it’s not likely you’ll show up on the #1 spot on the first page of a Google search for every single keyword. If you keep that in perspective it’s a lot more rewarding when you do show up on say the first, second, or third page. If you’ve ever felt nervous or just plain lost about your SEO strategy, or heck, you may not even know what SEO or a keyword is, you are in the right place!
In this article, we will go over these common SEO mistakes:
- Not Using the Right SEO keyword
Bonus: How to easily find SEO Keywords
- Not Including Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
- Forgetting to Use Internal and External Links
- Writing Poor Content
Before you read this article, I have an SEO checklist for optimizing your health blog. If you feel like you may be making some of these mistakes, download this checklist! You can use it to evaluate your SEO strategy and hold on to it as an SEO outline for future blog posts.
SEO Mistakes #1: Not Using the Right SEO keyword
One mistake I often see health coaches make on their blogs is not using the right SEO keyword.
The first thing you want to do after you come up with ideas for your hero content or blog post is to create an auxiliary list of SEO keywords.
So, what is the “right” SEO keyword, and what is the “wrong” one?
The answer is subjective, but generally speaking, you should go for the long-tail keywords rather than the short-tail keywords. That’s just a fancy way of saying your keyword should actually be a keyword phrase rather than a single word.
Remember how I talked about being realistic about where your content will rank on a page of search results?
Well, this is the same concept. Most short-tail keywords have a very high level of competition, which means it is harder to rank.
When you choose a keyword phrase you are more likely to see success in your search ranking.
To give you an example of how to find the “right” keyword, I’ve included a screenshot in the SEO Keyword Research Guide.
Bonus: How to easily find SEO Keywords
There are many SEO keyword tools out there, but my favorite is Google’s Keyword Planner.
I’m going to quickly walk you through how to easily find SEO keywords using the keyword planner.
Step one: create an account and go to the home page. Click on “Discover New Keywords.”
Step two: Take your list of potential SEO keywords and start plugging them into the search bar.
Step three: Click search and review the list of keywords, average monthly searches, and competition.
Step four: Filter for highest average monthly searches and lowest competition.
Step five: Bam! There’s the “right” keyword.
(Hint: I go more in-depth on this in the SEO Checklist)
Now, it’s important to understand a quick distinction here. The Google Keyword Planner shows you the best keyword to rank for when writing ads. It will help you find keywords to use in your blog posts, however, there are other tools that specifically show keyword data for blogging. While it’s not the best tool it is a great one to start with and it’s free.
Essentially, I recommend it for anyone getting started with keyword research because it helps you get familiar with the terminology. It helps you start using keywords in your writing. And, as I said, it’s free.
SEO Mistakes #2: Not Including Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Here is a problem that is so easy to fix, but one that often plagues health coaches who just started a blog. This SEO mistake is to not include title tags and meta descriptions with each blog post.
Now, I gotcha, words like meta description and title tags instantly leave you feeling like a freshman in a junior-level class. You’re smart, you made it this far, but you feel a little bit out of your league.
Let me explain what these HTML components are…
- Meta Description – A 160-character, or two to three-sentence, snippet used to summarize a web page’s content. I.E. what your blog post is about (including the SEO keyword)!
- Title tags – This is quite literally the title of your blog post (should also include SEO keyword). You can check to make sure your blog post has a title tag by looking at the URL.
Depending on your website host, you should easily be able to add these components to each blog post.
But, don’t just take it from me…here is what SEMRush says about meta descriptions and title tags.
“Since meta descriptions appear with your title and URL on the results pages, they have the power to help or hurt your results’ click-through rates. Research has shown that having the keyword in the body of the meta description is a relevancy signal for search engines that can help your rankings.”
SEO Mistakes #3: Forgetting to Use Internal and External Links
Forgetting about link building is another SEO mistake I see health coaches make. It’s so easy to get carried away with providing value through your blog that you forget about all the SEO hacks that will make it shine.
Internal and external links are those sprinkles of glitter that will make your blog sparkle.
When writing your post, tag four or five relevant, super-unique websites that provide added information about the topic. For health coaches, it can be beneficial when you cite research studies from reputable sources as well!
Then, throw in a few internal links to your home page, services page, and any other relevant blog articles on the topic. It’s really that easy! You just don’t want to forget 😉
SEO Mistakes #4: Writing Poor Content
When I first started freelance copywriting I worked for a logistics company writing long-form blog articles. When I say long-form I mean 2,500-4,000 word articles. Yeah, it wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m just not passionate enough about shipping plants in bulk from California.
But, I did earn some pretty high-ranking search results for my articles.
Length doesn’t always mean quality, but usually, it does.
I’m not saying you have to write 4,000-word articles all the time! Actually, I think it’s better to vary the length of your blog posts.
What I am saying is that if you are going to pursue blogging for your business, you need to make sure you’re writing high-quality content.
According to Yoast, which is like the expert SEO website, “knowing how to write quality content helps you get more visitors, lower bounce rates, and higher conversions.”
You want to provide value, you want to build a brand, and you want to get found online – so write quality content.
I hope that gets your SEO brain juices flowing! Remember to download my Simple SEO Keyword Research Guide to master your health blog’s search engine optimization!
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