First of all, let's define SEO. What does SEO mean?
SEO or in complete terms, Search Engine Optimization, is the number-one key to driving the highest quality and quantity of website traffic.
The Importance of SEO
The goal of publishing online content aside from spreading relevant topics or valuable data is to reach out to a bigger audience and gain visibility.
- Traffic Quality - The possibility of gaining a worldwide presence is possible if given the right tools. A bigger audience can be attracted to visit your website especially if Google tells them that you're the one they need.
- Traffic Quantity - When the right audience clicks through the search engine result pages or SERPs, the more you gain visibility. Your ranking online will skyrocket in no time.
- Organic Results - Imagine a free ad made by SERPs. It'll not only help you save financially but it'll help you build bigger traffic than ever before.
With that being said, a lot of SEO myths still exist and are practiced by so many.
But, how and why do these myths exist in the first place?
Possible Risks of SEO Myths
Most of these myths exist because we just don't understand how SEO truly works in the bigger picture.
Say, for example, you're a freelance writer and you have two bosses who have different opinions on how SEO works. That for sure can be very confusing.
Most or some will end up following other's "best practices" or still under the phase of "trial and error".
The following might happen if proper SEO is not observed,
- Attracting the wrong audience
- Imitating outdated "best practices"
- Competitors getting ahead
- Poor traffic and less engaged audience
How Do You Spot if it's a Myth or Not?
How do we ensure that a difficult keyword such as "SEO Company Coffs Harbour" will rank first place in the search bar?
Debunk the myths and stop doing them.
We label something like a "myth", if and when success was not realized after the execution of the process. Meaning to say, there were more negative results than the positive ones after implementation.
Here are the most common SEO MYTHS you need to watch out for.
Web Rankings are based on Tabbed Content
Google has long debunked this myth but still, there are some who believe that it affects the value of the content. It has been said that the text can't be viewed if it's positioned behind an accordion or tab, believing that the loaded content might not show up on the first page.
As long as the content is traceable via HTML, the content cannot be devalued just because it does not appear on the user's first page. The content was by no means altered or deleted for it to not be visible on the web. Therefore, it shouldn't be a problem.
Domain Authority is What Truly Matters
Truth be told, Google used to measure display rankings through "Page Rank". It's an essential algorithm that measures the value of a certain webpage. It tells you how you are in terms of rankings. But take note that Google stopped using the algorithm 4 years ago.
The elimination of this toolbar gave way to third-party authority, which provides more opportunities for domain visibility. Other than that, SEOs also rely on backlink profiles to increase and even measure ranking power.
The Famous Google Sandbox
Allegedly, Google monitors and controls the visibility of new website domains in the organic search results. Though it does not take much time for this phase to be over, it's still a pain to know that you can't rank freely.
Most experts can attest that this false account actually supports and debunks the overall truth about the sandbox. To shut down this argument, a Google representative denounced this myth last August 2019 via a Tweet.
Using More Pay-per-click Advertising
I'll be more straightforward on this one. This is absolutely not true. Google does not measure web rankings in organic search results through pay-per-clicks alone.
Though it might favor your website for paying extra bucks for ads, it won't make much of a difference.
Google Penalizes Duplicate Content
A manual action happens if your webpage has been removed from Google's index because your content resembles someone else's. The website owner shall be notified once it takes place. While an algorithm suppression occurs when your webpage ranks poorly due to its algorithm's filter process.
Meaning to say, it is not Google who's giving your webpage a penalty but it's the automatic algorithm taking place. Then again, it might be best to avoid this in case a legal action will surface.
Domain Age is a Big Factor
Just because a website has been around for a long time does not always scream SUCCESS. A lot of new domains are more successful than the old ones these days due to different factors other than seniority.
Google's Webmaster Trends Analyst, John Mueller stated, "No, domain age helps nothing." I've personally seen younger websites that are quite doing better than the older ones. The age thing is definitely a myth when it comes to SEO success.
Rankings in Google Analytics Data
Constant monitoring and study with Google Analytics report may create fear among website owners. Of course, it wouldn't be appealing to see how owners got the lowest rankings according to Google. Some attest that Google uses the report from your Google Analytics to measure your account's ranking as part of their algorithm process.
This metric might be too complicated to understand since it's driven by so many factors. Your website's ranking problems can be caused by other factors and can't be only based on a report from Google.
Done with MYTHS?
I hope you are. Though most of them stemmed from other people's past experiences, it doesn't mean that they're still applicable at the present. It's important to note that SEO strategies have changed over time.
What worked before might not work now. Stay up to date with the current SEO trends and let go of the ineffective myths.