There are probably 500 ways to get tripped up on an SEO project. Here are five that we see on a regular basis.

1. Focusing on traffic and rankings rather than conversions. Traffic and rankings are important, but one should always remember they are means to an end, not an end in themselves. Companies should balance their spend between SEO services and conversion optimization services. What is the right balance? Naturally it varies from case to case, but think of it as you would your sales organization. How much time and effort should your sales people spend cold calling versus closing? You certainly wouldn't want them spending all their time cold calling.

2. Selecting keyword phrases that are too popular. It's never a good idea to let ego get in the way of decision making. It would be great to be on the first page of Google for the most popular search phrase in your industry - but is it realistic? For a mid-sized player in a large and competitive field, getting to the first, second, or even third page of Google may not be cost feasible. But the good news is, who cares? The company in question can have zero clickthroughs on a 200,000 searches-per-month phrase they can't compete on, or 50 clickthroughs on a 30,000 searches-per-month phrase they can win on. You can do the math.

3. Selecting keyword phrases that don't fit the content of the target page. I think this happens when people get in that mode of thinking SEO rather than conversions. Consider these phrases - 

iphone information

iphone deals

buy iphone

Phrase 1 works for people who are at the research stage. Phrase 2 works for people who are at the shopping stage. Phrase 3 works for people who are at the buying stage. If a company targets all three phrases and sends the traffic to a generic iPhone page - a page that doesn't offer meaningful information, buying deals, or a way to order - your content doesn't match searcher expectations. Result - the visitor leaves your site and collects data, shops, or buys elsewhere. 

4. Selecting keyword phrases that are too broad. The point of SEO is not to bring in traffic. The point is to bring in qualified traffic. Along the lines of the last example, if the target phrase is successfully optimized but too general for the target page, you'll wind up with lots of traffic - but no leads or sales. Example: Suppose you sell forklift trucks that use half the electricity of a normal unit. Focusing on the phrase warehouse equipment is obviously too broad, as searchers could be looking for anything from air compressors to Zebra printers. But energy efficient warehouse equipment could be too broad as well, for the same reason. Strategic thinking and research are the only ways to make a good judgment.

5. Measuring numbers instead of trends.  Is 3,000 visitors a month good or bad? If your primary keyword phrase is in fourth position on Google page one, is it time to uncork the champagne or step out on the ledge? It's very hard to say without context. SEO is a discipline of continuous improvement. Danger lurks when the management team reviews a set of numbers that look nice and big - and consequently puts the firm's SEO program on autopilot for the next six months. Given the competitive nature of search marketing, prolonged inattention can lead nowhere but down. Smart firms evaluate results regularly and adjust quickly in light of negative or positive changes.