SEO Myths Busted

When it comes to SEO there’s a lot of misleading information on the web about what works, what doesn’t, and how you can attain that sought-after spot at the top of Google’s search rankings. These persistent SEO myths can lead to a lot of disappointment when people are looking for quick fixes to boost their […]

When it comes to SEO there’s a lot of misleading information on the web about what works, what doesn’t, and how you can attain that sought-after spot at the top of Google’s search rankings. These persistent SEO myths can lead to a lot of disappointment when people are looking for quick fixes to boost their web traffic, and inevitable frustration when a site refuses to emerge from the bottom of the barrel of search results.

Below are the main myths surrounding SEO, why their being busted isn’t actually a bad thing, and how you can start to make positive changes which will help your site to climb Google’s ladder.

Optimal Keyword Density

Although there are many tools out there which claim to prescribe the perfect dose of keywords for the content on your site there’s no magic number or specific percentage that could be described as the definitive optimal keyword density.

In reality, the keyword density should depend on your content and your own judgement, if it seems like the keyword is appearing so often that it becomes noticeable then you’ve probably overused it. Likewise if your keyword is appearing infrequently or not at all, then that’s also not going to help.

Using so many keywords that it becomes obvious what you’re doing is known as keyword stuffing and will appear spammy to your visitors, and possibly to Google as well. While it’s not clear what Google’s limit is for keyword usage it’s probably not going to incur you any penalties if you use a keyword too often. However, it might harm your user experience which will have a negative impact on your traffic if visitors decide to leave and not come back.

Google doesn’t change

Just because the search box doesn’t change whenever you go to Google that doesn’t mean the algorithms behind it don’t change either – every year Google updates its search algorithm 500-600 times. Most of these updates are minor, but some are major, and all will have an effect on how your site appears to people searching for it.

This means that SEO has to be an ongoing task in order to work, not something that’s done once and then forgotten about. Keeping tabs on Google’s changes and knowing how to respond to them is essential for gaining and maintaining a high ranking. It’s important to be aware of this busted myth whether you’re staring up at the top spot or down at the sites below you. Just because you’re number one today doesn’t mean you’ll always be number one.

Ranking is quick

One of the most frustrating things about SEO is that the time it takes for changes, even if done right, to take effect is unpredictable. The only predictable part is that they usually don’t happen quickly. The truth is that it may be days, weeks, or even months before changes take root and your website becomes easier to find in Google.

How quickly your site rises through the rankings depends on a lot of things – how old it is, how much competition it has, and how often it is updated, to name just a few.

Content is king

One of the most cited quotes about the internet is that “content is king” and a popular myth is that in order to rank well you need to have lots of it. While lots of content can be a good thing, a ton of content alone isn’t going to be enough to boost your rankings – quality is really the king when it comes to improving your search presence.

Hundreds of pages of rubbish isn’t going to engage anyone or encourage any visitors to stay on your site or share the page they’re looking at, which is what you really want. However one quality page that gives the visitor all the information they need will encourage them to stay and share as well, something which will send out all the right signals to Google that you have a site which is worthy of a better position.

More is more

Whether it’s keywords or content, quality will always win out over quantity. There’s a lot of information out there saying that longer articles will help you to rank higher when in reality it’s well-written and engaging content that holds the key to search engine success. It doesn’t matter whether the post is 1,000 words or 100 as long as it’s giving visitors all the info they need and doing so in an engaging way.

SEO is easy

Possibly the biggest myth surrounding SEO is that it is easy and not worth investing any significant amount of time or money in. The truth is that the results aren’t always immediate but they are quantifiable if enough time and resources are dedicated to getting them. While Google is secretive about how it calculates search engine rankings, there are certain fundamental aspects of SEO that will pay off if they’re given a chance. However, these methods require experience and skill in order to work, and to tailor them to the unique requirements of your site.

What these busted myths boil down to is that SEO takes skill and it takes time – basically SEO is hard. This is why it’s essential to hire an expert you can trust. Vu’s SEO experts have the knowledge and experience to help your website rise through the rankings, whether it’s training so you can do it yourself or applying our own skills for guaranteed results. If you have any questions about how to optimise your site for search get in touch with our team today.

Do you know anyone who may be interested in this project?

Click to share: