6 myths surrounding SEO that aren’t true

There are all sorts of things said about SEO (search engine optimisation), much of which stems from the fact that no-one knows the full extent of the algorithms used by the search engines to determine ranking. Somehow, when you are designing and optimising your site, you have to get to the bottom of what is fact and what is fiction in the vast world of SEO. To help, we have uncovered six SEO myths you must be aware of.

1. Rankings, rankings, rankings

Your ranking in and of itself is not what matters – the things that a solid ranking lead to are what matters. Once you see past the “must get to the top no matter what” mentality you begin to understand the SEOprocess as an holistic thing that matters in so many ways. Of course, ranking should never be ignored, but you must not focus solely on this.

2. The more content, the better

Content is king, but only when it is high quality content. Lots of sub-standard content is not going to do your online presence any favours. Search engines recognise and reward high quality content – even if you do not have much of it.

3. The more links, the better

Again, more links is not automatically better – quality matters. A lot of spammy backlinks from low-quality sites that provide links to any site that pays is not going to help your SEO programme. Stick to good quality incoming links from reputable sites that are truly connected to your industry.

4. PPC brings organic benefits

Google’s PPC (pay-per-click) advertising and the way it generates natural ranking pages are completely separate – you will not get a better result if you launch a massive PPC campaign. However, some search engines in other countries (Baidu in China, for example) will give firms that take out PPC ads a better organic ranking, so know your local market.

5. SEO can be done on the cheap

It can be done, but not well, and not with any long-lasting results. You could spend a few hundred and get some immediate boosts in stats, but you will probably never see those same visitors again. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint – focus on the long-term sustainability, not getting a quick fix now.

6. SEO can turn a business around quickly

Too many people go to an SEO expert and expect them to turn a business around in a matter of months, but this simply is not possible. SEO is an integral part of any online business and must be carefully tailored and nurtured, with continuing investment and updates.