SEO Myths Dispelled By A Website Optimisation Company

Like fashion trends, SEO myths seem to surface every now and again, only to die out when a trusted expert from a search engine company puts play to their silliness. The majority of myths begin in forums started by individuals speculating on their “SEO failures”. People find it difficult to understand the way algorithms interpret their changes and subsequently arrive at nonsensical conclusions.

You see, the hardest thing about SEO is understanding cause and effect. There are so many contributing factors as to why SERPs behave in a particular way. Sadly, for those like me who run a search engine company, clueless individuals spread rumours around the internet misleading unsuspecting readers. This means we get bombarded with the same questions pertaining to the same myths month in month out. 

Recently, 5 myths have resurfaced and caught my attention. I have taken it upon my self to lay them to rest.

Myth 1: All You Need Is Lots of Backlinks

With so many budget companies offering “1000 links for $100” it is easy to see how this one got started. “Rank #1 in Google with 1000 backlinks” I hear them cry. Don’t be fooled, backlinks are all about quality and relevance, not quantity. One excellent backlink from a relevant, high ranking site will give you more power than 1000 irrelevant farmed links.

Myth 2:  WordPress Eliminates the Need for SEO

I come across this all the time, and no doubt it has served well for WordPress, yet it really isn’t true. Sure, WordPress is SEO friendly, but at a very basic level like so many other CMS platforms. WordPress is a great starting point but expect better results if your site is optimised by a professional search engine company.

Myth 3: Good SEO Copy Must Be 300+ Words In Total

Not necessarily true, perhaps anything less than 300 words might be less informative, but as long as the content is relevant and keyword friendly (not stuffed!) you can still rank well with 150 words or even less. Focus on the quality and structure of the copy rather than an exact amount of words.

Myth 4: Meta Tags Boost Rankings

This hasn’t been the case for a long time so don’t spend too much time focussing on this aspect of SEO. However, don’t just leave this area blank as you never know what might suddenly change. It is always safer to be thorough and cover all angles.

Myth 5: Keyword Density Must Be 7%

When this first started circulating it was almost believable, but it is hogwash. Strategically placing keywords is the key to producing good content for search bots; trying to achieve an exact density will always produce an unnatural flow to the text and may well be recognised as “stuffing”. Instead of focussing too keenly on density, make effective use of “Headings”, titles, sub titles and paragraphing.

If you are caught in a realm of SEO myths and don’t know which way to turn, simply ignore the rumours and seek out a website optimization company. Trial and error often results in more error when you are torn between “truths and myths”.