Deadly Sins of SEO. Not having an onsite content strategy.

Prior to Google's Panda algorithm update last year, it was common to see small, one-page microsites dominating the search engine results pages (SERPs) based on the strength of their inbound link profiles -- the links pointing to these microsites from external websites -- rather than the quality of their onsite content.

Deadly Sins of SEO. Not devoting enough budget to the campaign.

I've often seen business owners get lured in by low-priced SEO service providers promising them the world and delivering useless service. One time, for instance, after reviewing the previous work of a low-budget SEO firm, I discovered it had populated the client's site with various posts that were written in broken English, keyword-stuffed and delivered no real value or service.

Deadly Sins of SEO. Not distributing the workload. Online marketing is too vast and complex to be managed by a single person.

To be done right, it requires a team of professionals knowledgeable across one or more of each distinct discipline. Of course, hiring an in-house team can be costly, which is why many business owners choose to source their online marketing to agencies. For example, you could hire freelance writers and an editor from sites like Elance to write content for your company blog.

Deadly Sins of SEO. Not giving it enough time.

Online marketing can be a lot like the stock market. Over time, the return on your investment should trend upward, but if you stop too soon you might end up worse off than when you started. Before starting any SEO initiative, it can be worthwhile reading a post by Sam McRoberts, CEO of Seattle-based SEO services firm Vudu Marketing