The Twelve Most Common SEO Myths

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Some people may call them SEO myths and others outdated information, but either way they can be detrimental to your online success with search engine optimization. Plus, you also have to consider that a lot of the information we find today is more opinionated than factual. So in order to combat the problem, today we’re going to talk about the 12 most common SEO myths wandering around cyberspace today.

#1- All Links are Equal- Even though this was once a successful SEO strategy, you will find that are links are NOT equal today. There are several ways to build backlinks to your sites, but only a few of them today are helpful. This is due to the search engines becoming more aware of what is relevant and what is not. So when you find someone with 50 backlinks to their site and a higher ranking then you with 1000 links, this is why.

#2- Keyword Density is Important- This is on the SEO myths list because so many people are wrapped up in keyword density. Granted, you don’t want to stuff keywords into your articles or web pages, but if you just provide highly searched uncompetitive keywords in these areas you will have more success and get indexed better.

#3- Meta Keywords Still Work- Okay, if you’ve been reading up on meta keywords you can stop wasting your time. Yes, they used to be extremely valuable, but after Google and Yahoo publicly announced they no longer use them in their algorithm calculations, it’s pointless. Just remember to stick with the meta descriptions and tiles because these still play a major role.

#4- Web Directories are Highly Valuable- Ah yes, back in the day web directories were extremely valuable, but one of the SEO myths is that they still are today. Granted, you can still achieve success with highly credible directories, but the general ones are pretty much useless anymore.

#5- Blackhat SEO Won’t Get you Caught- It’s still amazing today that people believe they won’t be caught doing something that is illegal. What it comes down to though is no matter how big or small your company is, using illicit marketing tacts can keep you from being listed in the major search engines.

6. SEO Success Happens Overnight: Another one of the most common SEO myths that people believe in is that SEO success happens instantaneously. It just doesn’t happen overnight. SEO is a process that works over a period of time, and the results gradually improve. It requires long term dedication and not a quick fix strategy.

7. Google is All That Matters: Obviously Google is the largest and most powerful search engine that’s out there today. However, one of the most prevalent SEO myths is that it’s all the matters for the success of your website. This can’t be farther from the truth. With Yahoo!, Bing, other search engines, a slew of important social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube and MySpace and various other tactics such as article marketing there are a variety of ways to drive traffic to your sites besides Google.

8. PageRank is Everything: Along the same lines, your Google PageRank isn’t the end all or be all of your website. Yes, a higher PageRank will help your website rank higher, but it certainly isn’t the only factor that carries any weight. Plus, the number you see in that green bar is only a visual, static representation of a complex and constantly changing algorithm.

9. Common Sense is More Important than Research: Just because you think one thing doesn’t mean that everyone else thinks the same way. This holds true for many areas, but is especially important when it comes to keyword selection. Don’t assume you know what people are searching for, what the competition is or anything else. Perform solid research that shows the facts of the situation.

10. More Traffic is Always Better: Receiving a lot of traffic is generally great, but if all of your traffic is untargeted you won’t be producing any results. Additionally, sites with high bounce rates can end up suffering in the search engines as a result because your site is viewed as having something wrong with it or being a match. Therefore, first strive for highly targeted traffic and then work to increase and expand your base.

#11- Purchasing Links and Link Farms Always Work- Years ago this was extremely helpful, but Google has figured out the loophole and basically put an end to it. Yes, it’s possible to receive a few benefits this way, but considering the money and time invested it’s definitely not worth it. Plus, many of these situations are considered blackhat avenues which end up being penalized.

#12- Once you Achieve a Ranking, You’re Done- Probably the biggest SEO myths out there revolve around the “one shot deal.” Many marketers believe they can simply write up 10 articles, submit them to directories, provide a few backlinks, and the money will start rolling in everyday. The truth is you have to constantly maintain your SEO strategies in order to be successful. If the competition is still working, why should you stop?

These SEO myths are why so many people fail in the marketing world. It’s a combination of stubbornness and just finding the wrong information when searching how to successfully market your website. If you can stay up to date with the latest trends, you will end up staying away from those schemes and pitfalls that cause others to fail.

Looking to find the best SEO services, then visit www.SmartMediaInnovations.com to find the best advice and information on increasing your website’s search engin rankingsright now.

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