I've spent the last 2 years experimenting with different SEO strategies, here are the main ones that won't work.

After spending the last two years exploring various known SEO strategies suggested by most experts, I've learned that some of the most used tactics they've suggested simply don't work, at least for newly released products.

In this post, I'd like to share with you my insights and experiences about the ineffective SEO strategies I've followed, so you can save valuable time and avoid unnecessary frustration.

Instead, focus on effective methods and ultimately grow your website ranking faster.

Let's dive in and have some fun debunking those ineffective SEO tactics!

1. Directory Listing

Directory listing was the first strategy I followed when I launched my first product, Branition. Since it was the easiest and fastest method for getting backlinks quickly.

I remember starting with GitHub and forking every possible resource Iisting repositories, specifically those that were also linked to a website.

Apart from GitHub, I also used to search and add my website to directories that provided a follow backlink, regardless of whether they were of any quality at all or not.

This strategy was one of my biggest mistakes.

If I'm to follow this strategy anymore, I'll make sure to follow it very precautionary for my other 2 new products, Intools.co and Branding Colors.

Why was it a mistake?

Over time, I noticed that my website got flooded with numerous low-quality backlinks especially those that were from the result of my GitHub forks.

This ultimately led to my backlinks outnumbering significantly my referring domains, filled with follow and no follow links from pages that didn't provide much content other than listing hundreds of external links.

This isn't something Google likes.

2. Bloggers PR

This strategy can be found in most SEO strategy listing pages.

I also spent so much time on this method and it never gave me any noticeable benefit.

As mentioned by SEO strategies blogs, I used to pick up one of my competitors and search Google for the blogs linking to them, like this: "Competitor name" inurl:blog

Once I've found a blog, I would then try to somehow find the author's email address and then send a simple pitch, which included praising their article and suggesting my website as an additional alternative to that of the competitor.

No matter how much I spent learning and improving my pitches and using various writing formats, almost no one replied positively and updated their blog with my link.

Following this strategy, just led me to waste many precious days.

3. Social Media

Now, this strategy isn't something I find useless, in fact, it is one of the most beneficial strategies if followed correctly.

However, if you follow like I was and rely on it as a major source to drive traffic to your website, get backlinks, and increase your ranking, I don't think it works anytime soon, at least in my experience.

How I was doing?

I simply created Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest profiles for my website, and heavily spent time trying my best to post the most engaging content.

Although I managed to connect with great users and build some brand reputation, this strategy also, like the above 2 didn’t provide me any sort of benefit that would increase my ranking.

If you're using social media to promote your brand, I'd suggest you use it in a personal way and connecting way and do not use it as a formal account that just posts something daily.

Also, I suggest you use social media as your long-term marketing strategy and never rely on it as a strategy for ranking higher unless you're using it for Ads.

4. Creating Killer Content

While I always love creating the perfect content and the most comprehensive product, in my experience giving excessive love to your product “before release” is as wrong as my other 3 main mistakes.

I also had the idea that, if my product and content weren't "the best" quality-wise, it wouldn't rank higher than my competitor. That's wrong.

Over time, I noticed that quality doesn't necessarily lead you to outrank your competitor, even if you create skyscraper content.

Your platform can be so much better than your competitor and still rank below it, though it can also be the opposite.

What matters initially, isn't the quality of your content, it's the quality of your backlinks.

So, if you're working on a product and you haven't released it yet, make sure to create something that has everything necessary, spend your time on its marketing and gaining quality backlinks somehow, and later when you get into the growth cycle, spend time on adding extra features and UI enhancements.

Wrapping up, What Strategy Am I Following Now?

These 4 ineffective strategies I mentioned were just a portion of my SEO activities within these 2 years, however, they were amongst the main and most mistaken strategies followed by many like me.

Learning never ends and so does experimenting.

After self-experimenting various strategies, I’m now learning that the most effective strategy, perhaps, is to simply be active and participate in all possible communities to promote your product at the right time.

Additionally, instead of begging bloggers to write about your product, it's a better choice to get yourself active writing, whether it's guest posts or posting on different communities like here.

In my experience, these 2 can be regarded as the most correct strategy for building quality backlinks and increasing your website’s ranking at the start.

That's all!

I hope you found my insights helpful.

Did you have any similar ineffective SEO experiences like mine?

Feel free to share it in the comments below so we can learn from your experiences as well.