SEO can be a powerful tool in the hands of a digital marketer. Gaining proper visibility for your content on the internet with SEO, however, is a lot easier said than done. It requires a proper strategy that involves multiple components like meta descriptions and tags to be successful. Even if you know this, there are some common SEO misconceptions that can still doom an SEO strategy.
Here are some of the top SEO misconceptions you need to know.
SEO Keyword Stuffing Works
This might be one of the biggest SEO misconceptions around. Keywords are an important part of an SEO strategy, but they are not everything. Commonly known as keyword stuffing, the theory is that including more keywords on a page or within content pieces increases your odds of ranking organically.
The reality of keyword stuffing? It actually does the exact opposite of the intended effect. Creating a heavy keyword dense piece of content can come across spammy and hurt your chances of visibility and a good ranking. It’s better to use keywords intelligently and strategically.
Google is the Only Search Engine
I’m just like a lot of people who immediately turn to Google to find any information I need. It’s important to remember, however, that Google is not the only search engine out there. Search engines like Bing are not going to overpower Google anytime soon, but they can still be useful to your SEO strategy. For example, while Google has been encrypting keyword data in user searches, Bing provides keyword data to marketers.
Optimizing for Google should probably still be your first goal, but Bing is not necessarily to be forgotten and could present good opportunities for you if Google isn’t proving as effective as you’d like.
SEO is only Keywords and Links
Keywords and links are probably some of the first things to come to mind when you think of the word SEO, but there is way more to it. Mobile optimization of your site can be a critical influencer of your search rank. Inbound links certainly help with page ranking, but you might want to consider shifting your focus from finding places to place links in your content and create the sort of content that is more likely to be shared.
SEO is Only Necessary Once
Incorrect. SEO is not a one-time project; it is an ongoing process. Consistency is one of the most important factors of SEO strategy, which means regular content creation, traffic efforts, and web optimization is critical. It can be time-consuming and tricky to get to a high ranking or number one ranking spot on a search engine, but it takes very little to fall back down.
The Content Doesn’t Matter, Only Keywords Do
It can be easy to forget that one of the biggest influencers of the success of those keyword efforts is the actual content they are found in. The content that you try to enhance with different SEO practices has to be relevant and engaging to the keywords you use to rank. If it’s not, people will be less inclined to find and engage with your content.
SEO can seem confusing and intimidating, especially with SEO misconceptions floating around, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a million factors that can affect how SEO will work for you, from target audience to organization size. The best things you can do for SEO are to stay current with SEO news and trends and find what works best for you.
Leave a comment