Don’t fall for these common SEO myths and misunderstandings
There are plenty of myths and misconceptions about SEO going around, each more frightening than the next. We’ll start by debunking 7 of these common misunderstanding so you don’t get put off of SEO.
SEO Is a Quick Fix
Unlike SEA, SEO is a long-term strategy that takes some time to set up. Through search engine optimisation, your website will climb the Google SERP rankings slowly but surely, but that doesn’t mean your work is done after the first few changes. Your competition will not rest, and the online landscape evolves constantly. So to stay ahead of your competition, you will need to keep improving your website.
SEO is a continuous process that requires regular updates and adaptations to keep delivering results.
Older Websites Rank Higher
Plenty of older websites are pretty much invisible in Google, while many newer websites are ever-present at the top of search results. While age is one of many ranking factors that Google uses, age alone is no guarantee that your website will rank high in SERPs. More important than age, is authority. Website, or domain, authority is an indication as to how strong that domain is. The more authority a website has, the easier it will reach the top of search results for relevant keywords. Website authority is dependent on the number of other websites that link to yours, and their authority.
Meta Tags Greatly Impact SEO
Meta tags, and especially meta keywords and description, used to be important SEO factors, but their impact has seriously dwindled over the last few years. Search engines now completely disregard meta keywords, and consider meta description as much less important than it used to be. Google will usually display the meta description of a web page in search results, alongside the title tag. Write compelling, eye-catching title tags and meta descriptions to attract visitors rather than filling them with as many keywords as possible.
SEO Requires Continuous Updates to Achieve Results
“My web developer says that I should publish new content often if I want to rank high in Google.” We’ve heard this more times than we can count. And while it’s not wrong, it is rather short-sighted. Quality should always go over quantity! We don’t deny the importance of regularly updating your content, even if only to give your return-visitors something new to read. But more importantly, that content should be engaging, and help search engines understand what you do.
SEO Is Built into My Website
It goes without saying that you should take future SEO strategies into account when designing and developing your website. The internet is extremely competitive, so anything you can do to stay ahead helps. But SEO is not something that you can build into your website and then let be. SEO requires regular analysis, updates and improvements. The competition never rests.
Engaging Content Equals Good Online Visibility
Search engines become smarter every day, and so the list of ranking factors grows. But through all those changes, keywords remain one of the most important ranking factors, and the foundation of every good web text. If you use no or the wrong keywords, you’ll soon see that Google refuses to show your website anywhere near the top of search results. Key here is to write content that is both engaging and uses the right keywords, only then will you see your online visibility grow.
You Don’t Need HTTPS for SEO
Safety becomes more and more important in all aspects of our lives, and the same goes for websites. HTTPS encrypts communication between websites and their server, making it impossible for hackers to read. HTTPS (or SSL) has evolved to be a ranking factor, and so an absolute must for your website or online shop. Google will even mark websites as unsafe if they don’t have a valid SSL-certificate.
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