When you first start your search engine optimization campaign for your business website or if you are just in the process of learning, your head will most likely start to spin a little from all the information available online. It will be important for you to realize there are some efforts that are industry standards and some that are very much frowned up by all including the search engines.

Here are some SEO don’ts of things that you should not do (these are my white hat recommendations, you can always feel free to choose the path that you would like!):

1. Mass Directories: Did you come across an ad or software that will place your business into five thousand directories? This will not help you even in the slightest. I know the large explosive print on the packaging says otherwise but realistically there are only about 10 public directories that your website should be listed in that will give any SEO benefit. Some of the good directories that actually matter are, DMOZ, Yahoo! Directory, BOTW and Business.com to name a few.

2. Purchasing Links: It might sound like a great idea at first but eventually it could lead into much larger problems for yourself and your website. Buying links is actually prohibited by Google’s website guidelines so if you want to grow your website online the right way this is the wrong way. If you purchase a “link”, please invest in some sort of an online advertising instead that could generate visitors to your website that could lead to an increase of business.

3. Link Exchanges: Link exchanges is not something that is done proactively any longer. The only time a link exchange works the right way is when they occur naturally. Naturally means a blogger or website has decided to do a story or write up on your business or website and in return you have let your fans and audience know from your website. This is the correct way to go about this situation.

4. Flash: It might sounds nice to have a fluid motionless website that flash might provide but search engines have a very difficult time reading these types of websites so try to only incorporate certain elements into your website that are flash like a small image or your navigation.

5. Relying on Software: Software will not grow your business online, only you can grow your online business. There are great paid software products out there, but remember you need a brain to power that software. There are many human elements and factors that come into play when you start to think about how to market your online business that you simply cannot allow for software to take control.

5. Wasting Time: Understand if you have the time to learn search engine optimization properly. If you complete your ongoing SEO efforts in a haphazard manner the results will be poor. The bottom line is don’t waste time (or money) not doing it properly. You should either spend the time and do it right yourself or consider hiring a professional to build your visitors and sales from your SEO efforts.