The internet provides a lot of information concerning search engine optimization (SEO) and digital marketing. Sorting through and figuring out the difference between fact and fiction can be incredibly overwhelming for someone who is new to the industry. To bring clarity and to help you accurately boost your visibility online, our digital marketing gurus have debunked some common SEO myths and misconceptions.
SEO Myths & Misconceptions, Exposed
Myth 1: SEO doesn’t work
Many digital marketing newbies are skeptical of SEO because it is so complex and takes a few months to see results. However, some SEO methods have been proven to work, such as high-authority link building, keyword optimization, and content creation. For the patient business owner, SEO can be incredibly helpful if you are willing to stay consistent in your efforts. We like to think of SEO as similar to the stock market — you get out of it what you put into it.
Myth 2: Content is King
While it is extremely important and beneficial to have relevant and quality content on your website, just focusing on this area won’t give you the results you crave. Building a diverse backlink profile is just as important because you’ll want to show the Google bots that crawl your website that other websites see you as a reputable source in your industry.
On top of this, you’ll want to include links to other websites to provide a sense of accuracy and reputability to your readers. With this in mind, consider content and links to come as a package deal; you can’t have one without the other when building an SEO-optimized website.
Myth 3: Investing in PPC will help your SEO
It is incredibly important to know the difference between PPC and SEO and to realize they are separate digital marketing strategies. PPC stands for paid-per-click advertising and is when you pay Google for a position on the top of the first page of the search results for a specific keyword. In exchange for this placement, every time a person clicks on the link to your website, you pay the search engine. This form of advertising is also known as inorganic because it is not considered a natural method of getting customers to your website.
On the other hand, SEO is a collection of digital marketing techniques with the goal of improving your organic search engine results. SEO takes a few months to really see results, whereas you can see immediate results with PPC. Paid search results have no impact on your SEO efforts. Rather, each brings its own separate benefits to your business depending on your short term and long term goals.
Myth 4: Having more pages on my website will help me rank better
When a Googlebot crawls your website, it is looking for relevancy, consistency, and information that is helpful to your readers. It’s looking for quality content, not a certain number of website pages. Instead of focusing on building as many pages as you can, it’s a good idea to work on your existing pages and make them SEO-optimized.
Myth 5: If my competitor is doing it, it must be right
Keeping up with everything new that happens in the digital marketing world is almost a full-time job. It is crucial to keep yourself informed with what is and isn’t a good practice instead of looking at what your competitor is doing. Above anything else, SEO works best when it is personalized to your industry, your audience, and your needs. Don’t copy anyone else, or you may end up paying the price later.
With these common SEO myths debunked, we hope you understand a bit more about this important digital marketing practice. If you have any implementation questions or how SEO can work for you, don’t hesitate to ask a professional for help today.
