Search engine optimization is always changing. Specific keywords, content, websites, and digital marketing trends fluctuate in popularity. If only it were as easy as doing some keyword research, creating well-written web copy, and watching your web page climb the Google rankings. With all of this change comes the potential to make some major SEO mistakes.

But we've already gone over the fact that SEO is often a long-term investment. As such, making massive blunders is obviously not an option. In short, cutting corners, leaving things up to chance, and not crafting the perfect SEO strategies for 2022 is a golden opportunity wasted.

That's why it's more important than ever to make sure you're on top of trends and learn what not to do going into 2022.

After all, your SEO could suffer because of it. Let's look at the biggest and most common SEO mistakes as we approach 2022.

SEO Mistake 1: Not Having A Goal

Surprisingly, perhaps the most fundamental SEO building block is one that's often put on the back burner. The result? One of the biggest SEO mistakes you can make.

Think of this common SEO mistake as the equivalent of not writing your name on your test in class. Pretty embarrassing, right?

Simply put, having a goal is a big deal and can mean the difference between content performing well or falling flat. Having an ill-defined plan or simply 'winging it' won't cut it for your SEO efforts.

Ask any SEO specialist, and they'll tell you how important having even a broad SEO goal can be. What are you and your business trying to accomplish this month? Maybe you're looking for an uptick in website traffic or some solid business leads.

To sum up, work hard to develop a cohesive plan of attack, taking into account your target audience, browsing habits, and more.

Speaking of web page browsing habits, it’s crucial to examine search intent and how it can affect your SEO strategies.

SEO Mistake 2: Not Focusing on User Search Intent

When typing in a query in a search engine, what are you searching for? What's your search intent? In short, what are you aiming to accomplish by entering a query?

These and similar questions are ones you and your SEO team should be asking all the time. When a business considers its customer, browsing habits wants, and needs, it's vital to home in on their intent.

For example, there's a clear distinction between providing information and providing products and services. Let's say your customer wants to rework their brand and build a custom website.

In this case, your audience's search intent is action. They're looking for something that can help them accomplish a goal.

If you have a web page dedicated to informing Internet users about website branding information rather than providing a service, the user experience can be diminished.

For example, in our recent piece reviewing Canva website templates, we provide our honest opinion on this Canva feature. If that's what you're on the lookout for, great! However, we don't provide Canva website templates for users to actually use.

By focusing on user intent, you anticipate what your target audience is looking for, their needs, and how you can help them. That's just marketing 101.

SEO Mistake 3: Not Building Trust

If you're not familiar with Google's EAT pages, or pages that exhibit effectiveness, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, they go a long way towards positive SEO.

Unsurprisingly, Google tends to favor web pages that exhibit these three qualities. You can optimize your content by always ensuring that you're crafting quality, trustworthy content that people gravitate towards.

Who would you trust more: a company who has vast experience in

Additionally, by boosting your website or company credibility, issue press releases about your business, and simply fill out detailed descriptions on your web page.

Yes, everything from author bios to meta descriptions can have positive SEO outcomes. Make sure you use these principles to craft content, and the next time you check if your SEO is good, you may be pleasantly surprised.

SEO Mistake 4: Not Changing Your Old Ways

Sticking to what you know, especially in terms of SEO, is totally understandable. If certain SEO strategies helped you and your marketing team in the past, why fix what's not broken?

However, Google is pretty finicky. Google is always on the move, updating and changing algorithms. That means that you and your team need to change with the times. Ensure you prepare your content for that next inevitable Google update that can affect your web traffic.

Good SEO is all about adaptability. You and your team should adapt to changes in web traffic, SEO trends, and keyword relevancy.

So, if you're using the same SEO practices from years back, it's time to update that playbook. Otherwise, you're willingly making some common SEO mistakes and blunders.

In keeping with the theme of progressing towards the new year, it's well worth examining whether or not you're engaging in outdated SEO practices.

Consider updating your repertoire as your New Year's resolution.

Side Note: Stay Away From Black Hat SEO

Engaging in black hat SEO, namely manipulating search engine results through things like stuffing keywords, meta tag stuffing, and including invisible text, are major SERP fouls.

And, fittingly, Google will likely penalize your site for engaging in these fruitless shortcuts.

Wrapping Up The Biggest SEO Mistakes To Avoid

SEO is much more than clever keyword placement, although that can certainly help!

You can easily avoid the most common SEO mistakes by engaging in your usual sound backlink strategies, studying SEO trends, and optimizing your web page content.

By building trust, learning about user intent, changing the SEO playbook, and simply setting a goal, you’re setting yourself up for success.

And, going forward into 2022, you can't afford to get caught flat-footed with your SEO campaigns.

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