6 SEO Myths and Pitfalls To Avoid

Myths About Search Engine Optimization

Weed Out The Myths

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are so many myths about search engine optimization. The internet is filled with techniques on how to do it, how not to do it, what works, what doesn’t work, how to get to the first page of results, etc. If you really want to develop a good SEO strategy, you need to know how to weed out the myths.

Here is a look at some of the myths and pitfalls that you want to avoid falling into when doing SEO:

Myth #1: There is only one search engine worth optimizing for

Many webmasters make the mistake of putting too much focus on Google. There are other search engines as well, including Bing, MSN, Yahoo, etc. Yes, Google is the most important one, but you should not neglect the others. You might even have an easier time ranking in the other search engines since there isn’t as much competition.

Myth #2: All you need is the right keywords

Keywords are important, but only if they are used correctly. If you use them too often, your site will only become penalized. In the early days of SEO, many webmasters would use keyword stuffing as a strategy. Today, keyword stuffing is BAD. The overall content itself is more important. Natural keyword placement is ideal.

Myth #3: An SEO company will get your site the #1 spot

The #1 spot is NEVER guaranteed. Not all SEO companies are trustworthy, anyway. This doesn’t mean that it’s not beneficial to work with one, they can still increase your chances of getting a high ranking by creating a custom plan tailored just to your site’s needs. The right company will do everything the “right” way and eliminate guesswork, saving you both time and money in the long run.

Myth #4: The more pages on your site, the better

Quality is always more important that quantity when it comes to search engine optimization. It is not true at all that a lot of indexed pages will increase your ranking, since many of those pages might just be “fluff” and/or duplicate content. Fluff and duplicate content will actually HURT your SEO rankings, not help it.

Myth #5: Navigation doesn’t affect ranking

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Navigation plays a very large role in ranking. Google has made it no secret that it factors in user-friendliness and page loading time in its rankings. It’s in your best interest to make your website as easy to use and navigate as possible. Don’t overload it with anything that might make it load slowly. Remember, some people still use older PCs and cannot run too many graphics.

Myth #6: If I have a high ranking today, I’ll continue having a high ranking in the future

While some large companies always have high rankings, most do not. Ranks go up and down all the time, due to factors such as search trends, viral content, etc. Rankings are not permanent, so if you are able to rank on the first page today, this does not mean you will always be on the first page.

When creating and implementing an SEO strategy, be sure not to fall into any of these pitfalls.

 

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