Targeting the wrong keywords

This is probably number one though I didn’t create the list in any particular order. Find keywords that are good for your site. Use a keyword suggestion tool if you need to even the experienced do. Think like the average user.

Ignoring the Title tag

One of the most important places to have a keyword is in the <title> tag. The text in this tag shows in the search results as your page title and the tag aids in optimization. 

Too much concentration on meta tags

Create relevant and meaningful meta keywords and description tags but this alone will not make or break your SEO campaign. There is no longer a great importance on meta tags as there once was.

Ignoring URLs

A good URL with keywords in it gives you a distinct advantage over your competition. You can still rank high without keywords in your URL or filenames for that matter but you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. It is my understanding that this weighs heavier with Yahoo! and MSN then it does with Google. But even Google gives it significant weight.

Backlink spamming

The more backlinks you have is not necessarily a good thing. You need quality backlinks. Do not use links farms or spam message boards and newsgroups. You may get your site banned.

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