By Hemal Bhatt
How long are we going to keep living in a world where we still believe that SEO is a scheme created for an ulterior motive that cannot be figured out. For numerous people, generating SEO myths and broadcasting them, is the bread and butter they live on, considering how profitable it is.
So in this article, I will be busting many SEO myths, hoping they don’t linger around for long. Let’s not live in a world full of misconceptions about SEO, shall we?
1. High Keyword Density = Higher Page Ranking
I can’t stress enough on how untrue this statement is. Turns out Google uses TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency) which compares the keywords used throughout the internet of other content vs. yours to check the keyword density. If the algorithm finds that your content obsesses over the density of adverbs or is unusually full of keywords, the content would be considered manipulative and an irrelevant source of information, thus harming you.
2. Syndicate Content Will Hurt SEO
There’s a huge difference between syndicate content, duplicate content, and article spinning. While duplicate content is when the same or highly similar content is available on multiple URLs, article spinning is when articles are rewritten to add a different spin on each with particular sentences, keywords, and phrases. Duplicate content is not penalized, but article spinnings are.
On the other hand, syndicate content is when a website publishes an already published article belonging to someone else, with credits. Since doing so does not violate the PLR (Private Label Rights), all while offering a Creative Commons license for reposting purposes. SEO is not damaged since none of the rules are broken.
In fact, when syndicated content is used as an amplification technique, it can bring a larger and rich audience.
3. Google Will Do All the Work
I’ve come across people who think that search engines will work on their SEO for them. These developers and website owners are known to create multiple URLs for Google’s crawlers to find and directly deliver them to users. They forget that every search result on the page is valuable, unique, and house indications so that crawlers can find their page. For Google to be able to dig out a particular page without these qualities is next to impossible.
4. Only Long-Tail Keywords Will Get #1 Ranking
Yes, keywords do drive traffic to websites, but that’s not all that matters. In order to rank, you need much more than just long-tail keywords. Creating content that is meaningful and will provide visitors with the information they needed will serve better. It’s not necessary that people find your page due to the keyword they looked for, rather just the information caught their eye.
5. Google Ads Increase Organic Ranking
Even Google says it. The thing with paid ads is that they let you refine and identify your keywords so that they’re targeted organically. This does not mean that they’re able to improve your organic ranking.
6. Quick, the Algorithm Was Updated
Just because Google decided to come up with yet another update, doesn’t mean it will affect your website. Most of these updates might not even affect your rankings, positively or negatively. The smart thing to do when Google updates its algorithm would be to wait and see how it has affected you. There could be chances that the update gave you a boost, and if not, you could always tweak your strategy.
7. Who Cares About HTTPS?
Google, that’s who! Google has made it very clear that the secured sites are going to be given more preference due to the benefits of HTTPS like integrity, confidentiality, and identity. Encryption is not just an important part of the e-commerce industry, but for every website. Without the green lock on the side of the web address, most people would leave your site before it has the time to open.
8. Backlinks Are All The Same
I’ll start by saying, “It is the equity you must strive for, not equality.” Let me explain. Say you look up a keyword and various websites appear in your search results. Website A has detailed information on the topic with 10,000 links, while website B has a small article with poorly written information and 20,000 links. In this case, a link for backlinking should be website A, considering its valuable information. Backlinks are not equal and should never be considered to be so, to maintain credibility.
9. Tabbed Content = Penalty
This might have been the truth when Google wasn’t as advanced as it is now. Earlier, according to Google, using tabs meant that the website was trying to hide information from the viewers. In reality, it was only to make things easier for the visitors to navigate through the site and keep it neat and clean. When SEO bots couldn’t read the content, the site wouldn’t get ranked.
Today, the scenario is different. Google can analyze when the website is trying to use hidden text to deceive its viewers and penalizes them. Using JavaScript for collapsing content is a highly acceptable practice now, even Wikipedia uses it!
10. SEO and Social Activity Are Not Related
Google went through various phases where it didn’t consider activities on social platforms, to trying it out, and back to not considering it. Does that really mean that your social activities will not affect your SEO? Absolutely not. Just because there’s no direct connection doesn’t mean there isn’t one at all.
Being active on social platforms means getting traffic on your website through these posts and pictures, intriguing people into clicking on your website. Social posts act as a search engine discovery and help with distributing content.
11. Who Needs an SEO Specialist?
SEO is the perfect blend of technical duties and IT expertise. I’m not saying IT guys are incapable of handling SEO. All I’m saying is that the chances of your SEO strategy acing are higher when you decide to invest in an expert, who actually knows what he’s doing. An expert in SEO can analyze user behavior, has knowledge of the content and context, semantics, equity, amongst a lot of other areas. An IT expert, on the other hand, can help you with the speed of loading pages, website crawling, website audits, etc.
So you see, you can’t believe everything you hear. Only when you hear it from Google, should you believe it. Keep an eye out on what Google’s blogs, Twitter, and YouTube are saying.
Your SEO experts, the ones who fact check everything, should be able to handle this job well. Along with that, remember that the best SEO technique comes from experimenting.
Rather than believing what people have to say, it would be better to try things for yourself, see what works for your website and users. Create a business strategy that actually works for you and brings profit.
You might hear people say that, SEO is hard, trust me, it’s not. Once you get a hold of it, learn the ins and outs, and keep track of the changes in the market, you’ll be great.
