SEO GEO: Bad SEO Practices That Are Hurting Your Website (And How to Avoid Them) with Iva Jovanovic (episode 294)
by Chloe ThomasIva Jovanovic is an SEO and content strategist working across a range of industries, and for brands big and small. She also speaks at events across Europe and is involved in organising many SEO and Tech events in Serbia.
In this episode, Iva breaks down the bad SEO practices that can seriously damage your rankings, traffic, and long-term growth — and how eCommerce brands can avoid them.
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Dive in:
[05:05] “SEO Mistakes to Avoid”
[08:26] “Black Hat SEO: Link Farming”
[12:22] “Cloaking and Keyword Stuffing”
[16:30] Avoid Duplicate or Plagiarized Content
[20:08] AI vs Human Content Creation
[23:25] “Prioritize Key Pages in Menus”
[25:17] “Continuous SEO Is Essential”
[27:22] Insider Tips from Iva!
Bad SEO doesn’t just slow growth — it can wipe out your traffic
Shortcuts in SEO almost always backfire. Tactics like link farming, hidden links, or keyword stuffing can trigger penalties that are hard to recover from. Some sites see traffic disappear overnight after an update. For eCommerce brands, this means lost product visibility and fewer sales. Once trust is damaged, rebuilding rankings takes time, money, and patience. Clean, honest SEO is always cheaper in the long run.
Many SEO problems happen by accident, not intent
Some of the most damaging SEO mistakes are simple oversights. Sites are often launched with “noindex” settings still turned on. Location or category pages get copied with little change, creating duplicate content. Website structures become messy as new products and pages are added. Search engines struggle to understand what matters most. Regular technical checks can prevent months of lost traffic.
SEO is not a one-time project — it’s ongoing infrastructure
SEO works more like store maintenance than a campaign. You cannot “set it and forget it” and expect results to last. Brands that stop investing often see traffic fall six to seven months later. Search engines and AI tools reward sites that keep improving. For eCommerce teams, this means continuous optimisation of content, structure, and user experience. Consistency is what protects revenue over time.
Takeaways:
- Want lasting SEO success? Iva Jovanovic says it’s never a one-time setup. SEO needs consistent attention.
- Linking your sites together in a sneaky way might feel clever. But Iva warns it can lead to long-term damage and a ranking crash. Build links that truly add value instead.
- Mistakes happen. Even accidental ones like leaving your new site “noindexed.” Iva highlights that small tech slip-ups can quietly destroy your visibility. Double-check and stay curious!
- AI tools? Use them for inspiration, not as your voice. Quality content is always human at heart. Stand out by sharing your unique story and perspective.
- Culture in the digital world is about ongoing learning and curiosity. Explore, Experiment, and always look to improve. This is both for yourself and your brand’s online presence.
Listen to hear Iva’s Insider Tips on SEO!
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