The Dos and Don'ts of SEO

SEO isn't magic — it's a set of practices that help search engines understand and rank your content. But for every effective tactic, there's a corresponding mistake that can set you back. Here are the key dos and don'ts to keep your SEO on track.

DO: Use SEO Analytics

You can't improve what you don't measure. Tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics show you which pages rank, which keywords drive traffic, and where users drop off. This data should inform every SEO decision you make.

Check your analytics regularly — not just monthly, but weekly. Look for trends, identify pages losing traffic, and spot opportunities where a small optimisation could yield significant gains.

DON'T: Overstuff Keywords

There was a time when cramming as many keywords as possible into a page worked. That time is long gone. Keyword stuffing now actively harms your rankings and makes your content unreadable for humans.

Instead, use your target keyword naturally in key locations — the title tag, first paragraph, one or two headings, and a couple of times in the body. Focus on writing for people first, search engines second.

DO: Keep User Search Intent in Mind

Google's primary goal is to match searchers with content that satisfies their intent. Before creating any page, ask: what does someone searching this keyword actually want? Are they looking for information, trying to compare options, or ready to buy?

Align your content format and depth to the intent behind the keyword. Informational queries need comprehensive guides. Transactional queries need clear calls to action and minimal friction.

DON'T: Rely Solely on External Links

Backlinks remain a ranking factor, but chasing links without a foundation of quality content is building on sand. Low-quality or spammy links can actually harm your rankings through Google penalties.

Focus on creating content worth linking to, and build a strong internal linking structure that helps search engines understand your site's hierarchy and helps users find related content.

DO: Make Your Pages Mobile-Friendly

Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of your page for ranking. If your site doesn't work well on mobile devices, your rankings will suffer regardless of how good your desktop experience is.

Test your pages on multiple devices. Ensure text is readable without zooming, buttons are easily tappable, and content doesn't require horizontal scrolling.

DON'T: Ignore Metadata

Title tags and meta descriptions don't directly affect rankings as much as they once did, but they heavily influence click-through rates. A compelling title and description in search results can be the difference between a click and a scroll-past.

Write unique, descriptive title tags for every page. Keep them under 60 characters. Write meta descriptions that accurately summarise the page content and include a reason to click.