Avoiding the 5 Most Common SEO Mistakes

Since X, Y, and Z are so common, and the solutions to the problems are often the same, I decided to summarize the most common SEO mistakes, and their solutions, in this article. These SEO mistakes are:

1. using a non-standard title element
2. failing to optimize image markup
3. using spider-illegible JavaScript where legible code would do
4. failing to indicate the content hierarchy using header elements
5. poor grammar and spelling

Let's look at each of these problems in turn.

Using a Non-standard Title Element

First, let's define what we mean by a standard title element. Once that concept is clear, serious deviations from the standard will be obvious, and you'll find it easy to correct errors.

A standard title element should:

- include one or two of a web site's keywords
- include a reference to the page's fundamental content within the first three to five words (It's okay to include variations on one of the web site's keywords.)

The logic behind this definition is that spiders only really consider approximately the first 60 characters of a title element. Additionally, they're adept at identifying cases of keyword stuffing, which we'll look at later, and which should be avoided.

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