Search engine optimization (SEO) is a vital aspect of developing and managing your online brand. How to properly optimize your search engine results can be a tricky process, and mistakes can have lasting negative effects on your online image. Many business owners believe the many myths about SEO and its importance. To follow are the top 5 most commonly believed myths regarding search engine optimization.
SEO is a quick fix for improving your rank on Google. Just a few years ago, this statement was true. However, Google has since changed its algorithm for page ranking to curtail spam link building that was pushing less reputable sites to higher ranking spots on search engines. The old way of approaching SEO would catapult websites into top spots within the matter of days. Now, SEO is a long-term investment. It takes an undetermined about of time for a site to organically rise to the top. By consistently posting unique keyword-heavy accurate information over social media platforms and well-written blogs, SEO ranking increases.- SEO has been replaced by content marketing. Arguably, content marketing has existed on its own for decades, however SEO and content marketing have a symbiotic relationship. In years past, marketers produced content just for the sake of content. Nowadays, quality, concise content that is formatted in well-written blog posts holds more weight. The entire goal of content marketing is for content to be shared over and over again and to reach a wider audience over the internet.
- Social media signals take care of SEO for you. The more Facebook likes and tweets a business gets, the more likely it is that content is reaching a wider audience- ultimately meaning the more shares the better! However, shares, likes, and tweets really have nothing to do with search engine ranking algorithms. Social media signals won’t hurt a medical practice’s’ SEO value, but it won’t increase its ranking either.
- If you put keywords in hyperlinks, it helps your SEO. This too is a thing of the past. Hyperlinks are highlighted text that link out to another related webpage. When Google changed their system, SEO value for hyperlinks decreased. Therefore, loading up our page with keyword-heavy tags out to other sites may even hurt your SEO ranking, since Google essentially recognizes them as spam.
- Spamming for links helps your SEO. Not anymore! Spam practices of the past can hurt your online brand now. In a sense, Google isn’t forgiving and forgetting about the SEO spamming tactics of yesteryear. Its recommended to clean up your pages, and have your SEO manager send requests to other sites to remove links to your site from less reputable sources. Good link building practices are essential.  It is also advised to rewrite any blog posts that are of poor quality, or overly saturated with keywords.
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