Websites inadvertently block their users all the time. The way in which this happens can range from huge mistakes, such as page failures or code errors, to smaller things like design errors and bad website structure. Some blocks are so subtle that a website won’t even notice that the block is there. Sometimes, the only observable effect is a low ranking, which is the least desirable effect of all.

The smaller blocks are of course the hardest ones to cope with. The subtle effect of these blocks requires just as much subtlety to fix. The first step is in recognising that the block is there.

One of the main problem areas for blocks is in your site’s content. Luckily, there are common content blocks that are fairly easy to spot. A good writer is aware of the blocks and can avoid them. A new writer, however, may not have the experience.

It can help to picture web content as a water feature. You want users to flow through your content at a certain pace. To this end, you place subheadings and titles as the rocks and falls over which the water will flow. Your SEO content contains keywords and hyperlinks in the right places to provide interesting eddies and diversions in the flow. The end result is that your user flows past at the right pace to take in your message.

Some things are the metaphorical equivalent of a brick hefted into that flow. Obvious mentions of your business aims, for example, halt users when they are browsing an informative article on your site. Marketing language has a similar effect. These both bring users out of the tranquil flow of general content because they are sharp reminders that the piece has a hidden agenda. If you mention your business aims, it is best to couch them in terms that fit with the rest of the piece and keep the mention small, rounding off the hard edges of the brick into a small rock that only slightly disrupts the flow.

Chunky text has the effect of a solid wall across your flow. There’s nothing like a big, solid paragraph to make a user stop reading your piece. Long, rambling sentences block off flow like a bag of cement.

Bad use of language is another common block. Mistakes in spelling and grammar thin out a piece of content, meaning that the flow is revealed as shallow and unattractive. Good use of language is one of the easiest things to do to achieve a smooth flow in your content.

Content is one of the areas in which the greatest number of mistakes are made. This is because content mistakes are so easy to make. Although sites post content all the time, it’s actually quite hard to create content that suits your target users and also achieves your business goals. It’s very easy to be slightly off-target. For this reason, many businesses consult their search engine optimisation company for advice, and you can talk to us at SEO Consult about your content.

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