SEO is the most valuable form of marketing that there is and don’t ever let anybody tell you otherwise. Yes, that’s awfully convenient coming from a blog post on a digital marketing agency website. However, if it wasn’t worth it, we wouldn’t be doing it and it’s as simple as that.
Now, being what it is, SEO does come under quite a lot of flak. Additionally, being such a saturated marketing, with every man and his dog being an “SEO specialist”, there’s an awful lot of misinformation as well. We’re here to set the record straight. The truth will set you free!
1 – Keyword density is a massive ranking factor
Yes and no. Certainly, keywords are important. However, spamming a page with all of your relevant search phrases without compromise is definitely not the way to go.
Don’t fall prey to this “minimum” number of keywords. Yes, they have to be present, yes, the content has to be relevant; however, if its to the detriment of the piece, the reader will notice, and so will Google. Be a little more conservative and focus on ensuring that your titles and META are correct, and the rest will fall into place.
2 – Links are no longer important
False. Links are very much important. However, not all links are born equal, so you have to be careful about the ones that you build. That means shy away from buying 20,000 links for $10. It’s no good to you. However, investing in high-quality links from reputable, relevant domains will almost certainly have a positive effect on your rankings.
If you’ve been told otherwise, it could be that the marketing company that your dealing with is either misinformed, inexperienced, or you’re being steered towards other avenues where they are more comfortable.
3 – Content is dead
This is another misconception that has been doing the rounds lately. No, content is not dead! In fact, content is indeed, the most important factor of an SEO campaign. Why? Because you’re interacting with real people. After all, that’s what SEO is all about, isn’t it? It’s getting your content in front of people who are typing various search phrases into Google, in order to convert them into customers. You could argue that “poor quality content is dead”. However, relevant, well-written and authoritative content is very much here to stay!
4 – Position one is the be all and end all
Yes, ranking position one for your target key phrases is the dream. It’s where everyone wants to be, and it is certainly where the money is at. That said, position one is not the only profitable position. In fact, positions’ two and three are also incredibly valuable as well. So, if you seem to be stuck at two or three, don’t lost heart. Instead, you should focus on the product and service descriptions on your website and ensuring that your website is as “user-friendly” as possible. If you think about the way that most people search, they tend to explore 3 or 4 pages before going ahead and making a decision. Even if you’re not at number one, you may still be able to secure business! All you have to do is be the best!
5 – Social signals directly affect your Google rankings
This isn’t the case, however, that’s not to say that you should stop focusing on social media. A well-optimised social media marketing campaign can certainly have a positive impact on the strength of your links, and it’s a great way to bolster your brand image and awareness. However, to say that social signals directly affect your SERP rankings would be incorrect.
6 – Mobile first is not important
When you consider the fact that 70% of web traffic happens through mobile devices, it’s fair to say that mobile first, is indeed important. Think about the way that you search online. Do you wish to be faffing around with dated websites that requires you to “pinch, grab & zoom” in order to be able to navigate? Or would you rather a simple, “click & scroll?” We know which we’d prefer.
7 – SEO is a “one-off”
This is absolutely incorrect! If you’re being led to believe that a SEO is more of a “one-off” campaign, then you’re being fed dangerous misinformation. Why? It could be because they’re trying to fool you into one hefty, initial investment, to do some initial work, throw some links at your URL and then move onto the next victim. Be careful! SEO is very much on-going campaign. It’s something which requires constant work and attention. Think of it as a marathon of sorts; You may get to position one soon enough, however, if you wish to maintain that position then you need to keep on running; otherwise, the businesses that remain in the race will eventually overtake you.
8 – SEO is a scam
Wrong, though we do understand why certain people might think so. If you’ve been burned in the past by working with a company that promised you the world and failed to deliver anything, then that would explain your line of thinking. The reality is however, that SEO does indeed work, it just requires a lot of effort and dedication.
If you come across a company that promises you anything, then they should be avoided. They can certainly be confident in the fact that they can get you onto the first page and see a significant rise in traffic through your website, but to promise anything more than that is dangerous. It can take from three to six months to experience a positive push through SEO, and even then, it requires even longer to secure a top position and start experiencing a significant ROI.
It really depends on your industry, the phrases that you’re targeting and how competitive they are. Does that mean you shouldn’t try? No. Does that suggest that SEO is a scam? Absolutely not! The difference is that you should find an agency that you can rely on; people with proven results who are open and honest about what they aim to achieve for you and will keep you updated throughout the entire process.
Conclusion
Why not sit down with one of our experts and have a thorough consultation? We can take you through the facts and shed some light on SEO. Then we can begin strategizing you a campaign which is designed for success! Will it happen overnight? No. Will we do everything in our power to get you the best results? Absolutely! Simply get in contact with us today for more information!