What is Over-Optimization?

And how can you avoid it?

With the ever increasing number of Google algorithm changes, including Panda and Penguin, a term has been tossed around pretty frequently: over-optimization. But what exactly does it mean?

Well, it’s actually pretty simple. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) deals with making your website ideal for search engines to read, determine relevancy, and relay to appropriate audiences. When internet marketing companies make websites optimized helps search engines find them by including keywords that intended audiences search for, directly speaking to clients, and providing pertinent content.

What is the problem with optimization?

Ideally, nothing. But in a competitive world where every business is trying to get ahead, over-optimization strategies are often deployed.

Thinking that they could skyrocket to the top of the search engines, businesses and marketers utilized keyword stuffing and irrelevant page creation to convince the Google bots that the website was a more perfect match for the people searching that topic.

These strategies have been in SEO limbo, not exactly recommended, but not punishable, either. “Frowned upon,” is the best way to put it.

But with technology improving, programmers are even better at stamping out former problems and punishing the people who choose to use them.

What can I do to fix my website?

If you utilized over-optimization, don’t panic. There are still ways to reverse the damages.

First of all, go through your website and start removing keyword stuffing. We recommend that main keywords only be represented at 4% on their specific pages and additional keywords not exceed 1% on supplementary pages. This formula is designed to replicate human speech and sound more normal.

Secondly, you can remove high-importance uses of keywords, such as in links, header tags, meta data, and URLs.

Lastly, resubmit your website to Google (and Bing, Yahoo!, etc.) with an explanation of changes you have made. They will rescan your website and either approve or suggest further improvements.

Conclusion

SEO can be difficult, but don’t be afraid. The best advice is to try to build your website content legitimately from the start and slowly gain ranking. Shortcuts may seem smart at the time, but could retroactively come back and bite you in the behind.