Nowadays too many people talk about search engine optimization without actually knowing what they are talking about. You surely heard many different theories about SEO practices. While most of what you read online is correct, there are also some SEO myths that simply do not disappear. They keep popping up from time to time and it is a shame to see that so many believe them. With all this in mind, let us talk about some SEO myths that you should never believe.
Myth 1 – It is Vital To Have Keyword Meta Tags On Your Pages
A few years ago the real secret to search engine optimization was the use of really good meta tags. The problem was that spam sites took advantage of this. Out of all the search engines, we only have Yahoo that still uses them for indexing purposes.
Keyword tags are not useful at the moment but Meta descriptions are important. Besides the fact that they do count when referring to search engine ranking, they also appear under your title when a user searches for a related keyword. This means that you have to use keywords in these descriptions and you need to do it while thinking about something that will compel the potential visitor to click.
Myth 2 – Paid Search Ads Will Improve SEO Rankings
This is a really common theory. Even some people that work as SEO consultants will tell you that you have to pay more on PPC advertising in order to improve organic rankings. When someone tells you this, you need to find a new SEO consultant.
You should be aware of the fact that there are companies that complain, complained and will complain about the fact that they spent millions on ads in AdWords and that they do not get a special consideration for ranking purposes. Some are even in spam lists and they complain that they are not taken out after contributing so much money. This should be proof enough that paid search DOES NOT improve your organic results.
Myth 3 – You Need To Have A Specific Keyword Density
This has been a recurring SEO myth for quite some time now. Some people will tell you that you need to have a keyword density of 2 to 5 percent. Others will say that you need to be as close to 5 percent as possible.
The myth appears as many see the Google mathematical algorithm as one that will divide page word numbers to the number of occurrences of a specific keyword. People will tell you that keyword density showcases relevancy and is vital for ranking positioning.
Out of all the common SEO myths, this is the one that was dispelled so many times that it is shocking to see it coming back. It is important to use appropriate keywords but they have to be used in a highly intelligent manner while thinking about the reader. Where does he expect to see the keyword on your page? This is the type of question you should be asking yourself!
Myth 4 – You Just Need Good Content To Rank High In Search Engines
A lot of people talk about the importance of offering high quality content. That is definitely something you need to stay focused on. However, you cannot simply write and expect search engines to rank you really high. You still need to do some SEO work and you have to market the content you create. Really good content helps as people will be inclined to link to you but how can they do that if they do not find you in the first place? Inbound links are still highly important and they need to be treated as such!
On the whole, dismiss all the SEO myths mentioned above and do it instantly. Do not believe what people tell you without investigating to see if they are correct! This has always been the golden rule for all people that do not know much about optimization but want to do something for their sites.