7 SEO Myths You Should Forget About
With emerging markets receiving access to quality Internet connections, search engine optimisation (SEO) has increased in value for modern businesses. In some industries such as software development or creative arts SEO is among the top 3 marketing platforms driving competitiveness. Despite its significance, however, there are a number of myths surrounding SEO; paying attention to those could cost you time and money. Avoid the following myths to build a strong SEO profile and achieve visible results.
1. Website Security Doesn’t Matter
A lot of so-called experts focus on keyword optimisation and paid ads to boost their SEO. However, now nearly all top browsers such as Firefox or Vivaldi are equipped with a built-in security sensor warning their users of the potential security breaches. If somebody encounters such a message on your website, your traffic will suffer.
2. Sitemaps are Required for Higher Ranking
Sitemaps are pieces of code generated specifically for search engine crawlers to have an easier time indexing new content. Recent studies have shown that the crawlers designed by Google prioritise sites with pre-generated maps when indexing. In some cases, the indexing time was 100 times faster than for sites without a map! Nonetheless, this did not automatically mean that such websites had a higher ranking.
3. Social Media Links Are Irrelevant
The focus of many SEO efforts is on content and keyword optimisation. While this is valid, the recent Hummingbird Google update demonstrated that social media were a ranking factor. In other words, the more people visit your website using links on Facebook and Twitter, the higher it will be ranked in the search engine results page.
4. Hiring SEO Agencies Guarantees Results
There’s a myriad of SEO companies claiming that their services could transform an under-performing website into an SEO powerhouse. While these may have some merit, the introduction of the Hummingbird algorithm was a clear indicator that SEO is a dynamic industry. Understanding one search algorithm does not mean understanding them all which is why you should hire an SEO agency as a supportive measure.
5. All Fresh Content is Quickly Indexed
Even with the recent update, Google or Bing could take weeks or even months to index your website after adding new content. It’s not just content – it’s the way it’s organised. Hiring good copywriters is crucial but so is building a support infrastructure for keyword optimisation.
6. Keyword Ranking is No Longer Valid
Speaking of keywords, SEO specialists have started to doubt their validity after the Google Hummingbird update. The myth is that meta tags and the total number of pages are currently much more important than keywords. That said, this is not the case with insight into Hummingbird showing that the algorithm still focuses on text queries to determine user intent.
7. Well-Known Domains Receive Priority Ranking
A lot of SEO agencies recommend their clients to purchase .com domains as these are supposedly ranked higher in the results page. While .com pages typically appear more trustworthy to the end users, the preferred domain names differ from search to search. For example, .ca websites should have a higher ranking for searches on Canada.
The most valuable lesson from ignoring these myths is to start believing in yourself and not necessarily everything you read on forums or blogs. If you study how SEO works, these and any future misconceptions should fly right by while you accumulate traffic. We hope that our guide will become a starting point for your future achievements. If you need additional support with your SEO progress, we offer support with outreach and link building.