We all know that search engine optimization(SEO) is important. After all, having a properly optimized website can mean the difference between getting boatloads of traffic and hearing nothing but crickets for all eternity. However, sometimes even the most seasoned marketers forget small details that lead to SEO mistakes. In turn, this can seriously hurt your efforts to improve your ranking and make it harder for potential customers to find your brand. Thankfully, our team has you covered with a quick list. Here are a few of the most common SEO mistakes you need to know.   #1: Not Tracking Your SEO Efforts to See What Converts Are you tracking your SEO efforts? Not keeping a keen eye on your accomplishments or lack thereof can be a serious mistake that far too many people make. Furthermore, not paying attention to the keywords that are converting versus those that just bring junk traffic can also be a big issue. Google Analytics offers a variety of reporting tools to help you determine what keywords and longtail phrases bring the traffic to your page that matters—the terms that convert. Paying attention to this metric can allow you to target lower-traffic phrases that have a higher conversion value.   #2: Forgetting to Optimize for Local Search It’s also important to remember to optimize for local search. Doing so helps bring in a better ratio of targeted traffic that includes people who either live or work in your local area and need the goods or services you provide. If you’re skipping out in this, then you’re really missing the boat when it comes to optimizing your site! What do you do if your business is national, global, or encompasses quite a few cities or towns? Consider creating content around a variety of bigger markets where your target audience resides.   #3: Optimizing for the Wrong Keywords Another mistake many people make when it comes to SEO is optimizing for the wrong keywords. Think about this for a second. It can be easy to drive tons of traffic to your website, but if it isn’t the traffic you want, then the process really doesn’t matter. Instead, look for keywords that target people intending on making a purchase—not just those searching for free information or advice. Continually put out content that drives your customer through the funnel and includes those winning keywords. Sometimes it isn’t about having the most traffic to your site, but rather the type of traffic that ends up becoming a loyal customer.   #4: Not Optimizing Images Many people also forget to optimize images with alt tags and properly named files. Not only is this incredibly easy to do, it can also mean a small boost to your SERP. Of course, there are quite a few different best practices to consider when it comes to getting the best benefit from this practice. Make sure you’ve done a bit of homework first and are following all guidelines before you implement this process into your site.   #5: Staying Too Lean on Good Content Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to SEO is staying too lean on good content. It seems that they either don’t have enough content or simply what they do have is just poorly written. Start by thinking about what your target customer might type into a search engine like Google. Then write content that includes the information they need while sprinkling in keywords and target phrases. This is a great way to not only improve your site’s optimization but also build trust with customers. One more big issue? Forgetting to use anchor text for internal links.   #6: Not Having Unique Meta Descriptions and Title Tags When was the last time you took a look at your title tags and meta descriptions? If you’re like most people, it has been quite a while. In fact, you might have never actually changed out the auto-generated versions with custom optimized ones. Instead, opt to have a unique keyword on each site page. There are a variety of ways to include your company name without getting repetitive. Use your target keyword or phrase in the title and meta description. And, for e-commerce websites, never trust your site to auto-generate the best title or meta description for individual products. Always custom write them, evaluate your analytics, and adjust as necessary.   #7: Skipping Potential Guest Post Opportunities Another easy digital marketing win is with guest post opportunities. Sadly, many people overlook this as a way to both bring attention to their brand and give their website a little backlink boost. It’s important to not get too spammy with this, however. Search out top-notch blogs that share a common audience with your target market and submit quality content. Don’t overuse the practice, either. Google frowns upon sites that post too main inbound links in a short period of time.   Conclusion To conclude, there are quite a few small wins you can do to help improve your overall SEO ranking. Keep these often-missed tips in mind the next time you complete an audit of your site, make appropriate changes, and enjoy the benefits.   About the author: At Actuate Media, we know what it takes to improve traffic and conversions effectively. As an experienced digital marketing firm, we’re here to help you with all of your search engine optimization needs. Please contact our team today to schedule an appointment.