RSS Feed (xml)It would be an exaggeration to suggest that you have to be excessively positive when optimising a site. However, when you’re negative or even passive, this can have an adverse effect on how effective your SEO is.
That might sound a little bogus, after all your personal misgivings shouldn’t really be projected on a whole business, should they? The trouble is, negativity spreads. If you’re not sure that you’re doing the right thing or that writing copy is just a waste of time, this will almost certainly show in your work and efforts.
Link building is usually a good example. Let’s say you’re really positive when it comes to link building. You will probably approach a number of site owners and discuss the possibility of securing a link. You might even develop a content marketing strategy to help develop links beyond your standard sources.
If you’re apathetic about the process or just can’t be bothered, you’re unlikely to get anywhere near the same results. Okay, so you won’t invest hours of your time either, so at least there is a small plus side. But the point here is that you could be actively undermining your own processes, particularly if you seek a quick solution – such as signing up for an automated link swapping service.
The same is true of on-page content. If you hire somebody to write copy for you, it’s important that you work with them to achieve a result that is optimised, works for your customers and also sits with your businesses values. If you’re obstructive or provide minimal feedback, then the results simply won’t be as good.
If you choose to write it yourself, don’t just think that you can bash out 100 words and leave it at that. Sloppy copy can really damage your site; not just in terms of optimisation but also user perception. If you can’t be bothered, outsource it to somebody who can be.
Misgivings are one thing, but being stubborn and refusing to accept the advice of others can be hugely damaging. Your website is a very public representation of your business. If you want people to be able to find it, and enjoy it when they do arrive, then it’s vital that you abide by best practices – something that SEO can certainly steer you towards.
Lacklustre efforts are rarely rewarded and in the competitive world of Google rankings, it can be critically damaging. You can succeed despite lethargy, but it’s rare and you certainly won’t be doing yourself any favours by remaining negative. So if you have hired an expert, listen to them. If you don’t trust them or aren’t happy with the results, get a new one. Giving up is easy to do, but it’s a long way back.
