Avoid These 6 Website Content Mistakes

Content performance got you down? Crafting original, engaging content seems to be a growing challenge facing many organizations, especially when it comes to blogs. If you are struggling with improving clicks, reads, and impressions, you may be making some serious content mistakes that hinder your blog’s performance.

When avoiding the pitfalls of online posting, check out our guide to learn about 6 content mistakes you may be making and tips on how to fix them. These practical applications will free you to focus on letting the creativity flow in content production and concentrate on what’s important: your brand.

Duplicate Content and Keyword Cannibalization

Don’t add yourself to your own competitors list. Duplicate content is content that can be found on multiple web addresses. While this is not against the rules, it can be a costly content mistake, and makes your content compete against itself. Duplicate content can have a negative impact on SEO performance and page rank, forcing Google to choose which of your identical pages to put first.

Similarly, keyword cannibalization occurs when the same or similar keywords are used excessively across content on your website, confusing Google with which content to rank. Keyword cannibalization can cause Google to rank content that may not be a priority, misdirecting your purposes and putting the wrong foot forward. It is often more effective to use specific variations of keywords to hone in on your target audience, or you may need to find new keywords altogether.

Outdated Content

If you want your consumers to see that you are in-the-know and up to date, removing outdated content is a must. Outdated content can deter readers from engaging with content for lack of relevance or trust. A content audit can help you review what’s working, what’s relevant, and what’s worth keeping.

It is important to remove content containing outdated statistics, coupons, or time-sensitive information. In some cases, outdated content can even be a liability, advertising information that may not be true anymore. Old content that may be relevant can be repurposed for a fresh take, combined, or simply redirected. Don’t miss an opportunity to publish material with new updates! Up-to-date content communicates to the reader that you are active, trustworthy and relevant.

Poor Formatting

Want to keep readers scrolling? Proper formatting invites the reader to come alongside the content and follow through to the end. Formatting is like a roadmap. Formatting makes the information easy to digest, remember, and return to. Avoid this content mistake by picking an appropriate layout for your post’s intended purpose. Formatting should match the subject of your blog – is it a how-to? Interview? Informational? All of these questions should structure your blog into an appropriate format to best answer the questions being presented and solved.

No SEO Value

SEO spearheads the hunt for searches on the internet. It is an extremely important aspect of online content sharing and promotion. SEO helps to improve your website traffic by presenting people searching for your keywords with relevant content. By narrowing down the type of content your readers want to consume and optimizing your website for that content, you can help Google and other search engines direct them to your page.

Content with little or no SEO value will not be displayed in these search engine result pages (SERPs), ultimately losing potential traffic. To get more information on the nitty-gritty of increasing your website’s SEO value, dive in further with PHOS.

Inconsistent Posting

Consistency is a cornerstone in the pursuit of building a relationship with the reader. Sporadic posting will not aid in building trusting relationships with clients, and it will result in losing valuable touchpoints with customers. Avoiding the mistake of inconsistent posting will help establish trust with your consumers and maximize your relevancy in their lives. Using tools such as Google Analytics and sharing via social media or email can track the optimal times to post on a consistent schedule and capitalize on reads.

Not only is consistency in timing important, but consistency in the quality of your posts. Building your reader’s expectations is a process, and a surefire way to establish a brand is through dependability and quality. If you are looking for a loyal clientele that sticks around, consistency is key.

Visually Unappealing

Sometimes, the right image is worth 1,000 words, or in this case, 1,000 clicks. Visual elements can boost the amount of time readers spend on your page and, done properly, even add to SEO value. Visually unappealing sites lose reader attention and can be a hindrance to website performance. Images grab the reader’s attention, engage with them and break up copy. Relevant, purposeful images grab the reader’s attention, engage with them and break up copy – adding strength to your message.

Visual elements are a strong way to build brand recognition. However, images can slow your website down. Make sure to compress your images, choose the right format and optimize image alt text so your website can perform efficiently.

We are Committed to Content Wins

Our team at PHOS Creative focuses on communicating your vision clearly and creatively. As the world of online posting grows each day, we are here to help you reach your business goals and guide you to a successful content strategy.

For more on content creation, read our article on “Avoiding Content Fatigue” or connect with us today.