As Marketers, we know word of mouth is one of the strongest forms of marketing. Information spreads like wildfire if enough people are talking about it, even if the information is incorrect. The practice of SEO has been around for a long time, and there are so many different ways to form an effective strategy. However, the world of SEO falls victim to incorrect beliefs that are spread by word of mouth. Things change rapidly in the digital marketing industry, and many of the practices that used to work are no longer relevant. Here are some of the common SEO misconceptions that you should be aware of!
Only Focus on Content
The widely used phrase, “content is king,” may not be the best strategy after all. Writing great content that is valuable and relevant to users is important, but it is not enough to solely focus on content. SEO has shifted from focusing on content to concentrating on your audience. The user is now king. Recent algorithm updates view user experience as the primary ranking factor.
Keywords are No Longer Important
Yes, new Google algorithms have been created to rank based on other factors, but keywords are still significant. The days of keyword stuffing and using only single-word keywords are over. However, it is essential to incorporate what users are searching for into your content, or you will never show up. Using long-tail keywords in your SEO strategy will satisfy the algorithms created to understand conversational language better. Eliminating the use of keywords and research will harm your rankings significantly.
SEO Does Not Have to be Continuous
A common SEO mistake is halting your efforts once you have received the ranking position that you desired. If your SEO strategy isn’t continuous, your competitors will surpass you quickly. You must be consistent in optimizing new pages, posting fresh content, and increasing user experience, or your rankings will suffer.
SEO is a Dying Effort
This may be the biggest misconception of them all. The idea that SEO was a waste of money spread rapidly a few years back. However, this belief was quickly squashed. As long as people are using Google and other search engines as their primary source of information, SEO will continue to be extremely important to a business’s success.
SEO can be a tricky industry because there are so many different ways to form a strategy. One may be successful for one business and fail for the next. Boston Web Marketing is here to help guide your small business through the complex world of SEO. Contact us at 857.526.0096 to speak with a professional about your business today.