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Every digital marketer can tell how effective SEO can be when it comes to helping one get his content in front of their audience.
Thankfully, a great deal of information is available to help you get it right.
In fact, there is surplus information out there that talks about SEO and how to achieve it.
However, there is a catch along the way.
Some of this information is not true and have been mixed up with fundamental working strategies that add to the difficulty of achieving good results for an average digital marketer.
Suppose we can genuinely demystify the myths or misconceptions we’ve had about SEO.
In that case, we will be able to filter and maintain the most efficient SEO strategies that can reduce our efforts and increase our chances of success.
Now let’s figure out one thing here; why do we have a couple or so many misconceptions about SEO?
A straightforward answer to this is that search engines like Google keep from the general public exactly how their algorithms work.
That leaves us with no option but to keep experimenting and putting together all the ideas we can obtain about how things work.
We get to acquire beneficial information and misconceive some of it in the process.
So, we will demystify 15 SEO myths that are not true and the facts behind them.
1. The More the Keywords You Use, the Better You Rank
People generally believe that adding so many keywords to your content adds to its relevance in the eyes of search engines.
Well, this is supposedly the case, but not actually.
Search engines have evolved from the point of ranking Web pages based on the number of words that correspond to users’ searches.
It has advanced to a more sophisticated type of targeting that also detects when content sounds unnatural, or keywords are being stuffed in it.
To do things properly, you need to maintain a good density of keywords in your content, and your keywords must naturally blend into other texts that give it meaning.
2. Backlinks are Generally Helpful
We all understood the necessity of building backlinks to improve our search engine visibility, but there’s a little misconception around this as well; that is, every backlink counts.
The thing is that specific backlinks may even increase your spam score, which is not good, and that is why backlinks are classified according to their relevancy and quality.
3. Good SEO Means More Sales
Although SEO will bring more traffic, it does not mean that you will get more conversions and sales.
SEO is only one segment in digital marketing that must be coupled with other strategies, including good content marketing.
4. If Your Site Looks Good on a Desktop, that’s it
Many people see no need to make their sites responsive to mobile devices, which is not good.
Your site needs to fit in mobile users as much as it can for people with desktops because ever since the mobile-first indexing update by Google in 2018, mobile-friendly websites have been taking away more SEO perks.
5. SEO Tools Give the Absolute Metrics
While SEO tools provide great insights about your SEO performance and outline room for SEO improvements, the results may not be as accurate.
That’s why parameters tend to differ when you use different analytics tools.
6. Once You Setup SEO, You’re Done
This is another myth that is worth its debunk.
SEO is an unending process, so it’s something you keep implementing throughout your site’s existence.
7. SEO is an Experts-Only Zone
SEO can have so many complexities and, at times, inconsistencies, but beginners shall never be excluded from the equation.
8. Keywords With High Volume of Searches or Nothing
While keywords with high search volume denote user interests and potential audience, those with lower search volumes must not be overlooked either because they probably have less competition and are thus easier to rank.
9. SEO is Generally Expensive
Some people believe that SEO requires a lot of investment, and while it does, it doesn’t always happen to be the case.
It depends on several factors, including your competition, requirement, industry, and more which add up to the amount of investment it will cost you.
“SEO is expensive” is one of the most popular SEO myths that are simply not true.
10. SEO Agencies Have Guarantees
Agencies undoubtedly have strong feet in the SEO industry due to their expertise, but when you are guaranteed the first position on the search engine results page, It’s probably some sort of red flag.
The fact is that, although they can help you improve significantly, the first position must not be an assurance.
11. To Win, You need to Trick the System
Black hat SEO strategies might give you quick results but are unsustainable.
One misconception so many people have, especially when great results are delayed, is they tend to believe only black hat can make them succeed, which isn’t.
White hat SEO is the best anytime.
12. Content Marketing had Taken Over SEO
Content marketing and SEO work hand in hand because they complement one another, but never must you believe that SEO is dead to content marketing.
13. Every Google Update Has its Curse
Another myth here is how people feel with each Google update implemented.
They believe with each Google update, their site ranking would indeed decline.
The thing is that Google updates are dependent on their effect or the features they cover, and regardless, they do not intentionally come to the detriment of a good SEO.
14. Google is the Only Search Engine Worth Your SEO
Popping up on Google’s first page is everyone’s SEO dream.
However, this is not sufficient reason to make us undermine the fact that there are other search engines, though more petite, with excellent traffic potential, one can easily attract.
Examples are Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo.
15. Great Content is Synonymous to Better Ranking
The unfortunate reality is that you may have the best content on the Internet, but the algorithm fails to push your content to the front page.
This is to say that good content without good SEO may not get enough search engine traffic.
Final Thoughts
SEO myths have become prevalent to the extent that they’ve gained roots and are perceived as facts.
Hopefully, these 15 SEO myths that are not true will help you uncover more of them that are setbacks in your SEO strategies.
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May 25, 2022This was such a helpful read! I’m still learning a lot about SEO and my biggest take away before this was the importance of keywords, so this has made me feel slightly better about that as well as how to actually go about using them. I definitely agree it’s super important to ensure your site is mobile friendly too! Thank you so much for sharing x
Molly | Transatlantic Notes
May 25, 2022This was such an informative post; SEO can seem like an elusive thing especially with the misinformation, etc. Thanks for clearing some of these myths!
Dipak Singh
August 2, 2022Hey, Epifania, I really agree with your points and this article is really helpful for beginners to clear their doubts.