Want some SEO advice direct from the experts? Of course you do, who wouldn’t.

Well, Google is here to share their pick of the 5 most common SEO mistakes you should avoid. Oh and it seems Mr Google, Matt Cutts, might have a bit of competition in the video advice caper at the moment in the form of Maile Ohye, Google’s Developer Programs Tech Lead.

Don’t expect any ground-breaking revelations in this advice; it is aimed squarely at beginners to SEO.

Here is Maile’s list of 5 common mistakes SEO experts and webmasters should avoid, as outlined in her video:

1. Having no value proposition: Think deep into the usefulness of a web site to searchers rather than just trying endlessly on trying to get it to the top.
2. Segmented approach: Make sure to set your SEO related goals to be working in synchronization with your company’s overall objectives and the goals of other departments.
3. Time-consuming workarounds: Try to find new features which tend to help you simplify your tasks rather sticking to some unconventional approach.
4. Caught in SEO trends: Keep your eyes and ears open to new tips and tricks which work for others or rather tend to work, but do not forget to follow the fundamentals of good SEO which makes sure to bring lasting visitors.
5. Slow iteration: Make your work flexible rather than stubborn, just to ensure you have a plan “B” in place if plan “A” goes wrong and so on, this will make sure you are not caught unaware in times or crises.

And as an added bonus, Maile has also outlined 6 fundamental tips that should be included in every SEO campaign:

1. Do something cool: Make sure your site stands out from the competition — in a good way!
2. Include relevant words in your copy: Try to put yourself in the shoes of searchers. What would they query to find you? Your name/business name, location, products, etc., are important. It’s also helpful to use the same terms in your site that your users might type (e.g., you might be a trained “flower designer” but most searchers might type [florist]), and to answer the questions they might have (e.g., store hours, product specs, reviews). It helps to know your customers.
3. Be smart about your tags and site architecture: Create unique title tags and meta descriptions; include Rich Snippets markup from schema.org where appropriate. Have intuitive navigation and good internal links.
4. Sign up for email forwarding in Webmaster Tools: Help us communicate with you, especially when we notice something awry with your site.
5. Attract buzz: Natural links, +1s, likes, follows… In every business there’s something compelling, interesting, entertaining, or surprising that you can offer or share with your users. Provide a helpful service, tell fun stories, paint a vivid picture and users will share and reshare your content.
6. Stay fresh and relevant: Keep content up-to-date and consider options such as building a social media presence (if that’s where a potential audience exists) or creating an ideal mobile experience if your users are often on-the-go.

If you prefer your advice in a more visual format, here is the original video for your viewing pleasure.