SEO is many things: a science, an art form, a discipline and a tactic to scoring more online traffic for commercial enterprises.
However you approach this unique field where digital practices are evolving at a rapid rate, this is where the business battlegrounds have been drawn.
The amount of revenue that can be gleaned from a page one position in Google makes this a fight to the top and in that flurry of activity, there are more diverse opinions and concepts that have emerged.
Many are warranted and worthy of your time, others should be dispelled as myths and misconceptions.
Let us address those right here.
“SEO Is Incredibly Expensive”
SEO does require a financial investment in some cases, but the bottom line is that this practice involves personal endeavour and education to repeat positive behaviours. How much monetary value do you place on that? The response to that question will let you know if this is expensive or not. On the face of it, optimization is just clever business.
“PPC Is Far More Effective”
Do not be fooled – there is no quick fix or way to bypass SEO as an operating system. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements are a popular format for businesses to utilize to score some short-term traction, but it is by no means a way to overlook how organic optimization can work for your enterprise.
“Long Form Content Always Works”
There is a notion out there in the marketplace for amateur SEO operators that crafting a blog post that is extensive in length will be enough to satisfy Google’s algorithm machine. That is simply not true. Long form content can often lead to keyword stuffing and needless written text that does not add any tangible value or insight. If it is not complimented by multimedia content or intricate information that is relevant and unique, then Google will see through that charade.
“Adding Any Backlinks Will See My Ranking Rise”
Sadly in the world of SEO, the tactic is never that simple. Consider Google like you would an accountant or a surveyor, a professional that scours over every little detail to ensure that the initiative is running at optimum level with no stumbling blocks in its path. In that spirit you cannot game the system by adding back links for the sake of it, as the veracity and authenticity of the outbound links says something about your brand and willingness to understand the intricacies of the market. Carefully consider the context of your outbound links as the quality is more important than the quantity.
“You Must Implement Your Keywords At All Costs”
Given the alterations that have taken place with Google’s algorithm shifts, the work of SEO operators today is very different to what it was just a few years ago. Back then, keywords were tangible currency that were direct signals. You could score immediate traction through specific use of various keywords.
In the current climate, that has changed to see conversational language and long tail keywords take centre stage. Do not throw out your central core of terms, but rather expand on them and utilize related terms to grow your base. To be an authentic presence online, there must be an understanding that exact match keywords is a concept of a bygone era.
Summary
What you should take away from these misconceptions is that they are born out of past behaviours that were accurate, only that they have not moved with the times. Most of these attitudes are genuine, yet there are some that derive from dubious sources attempting to perpetuate black-hat SEO techniques.
SEO is a long-term commitment that sees campaigns begin and end in quick succession. Once managers understand the dedication required and the results it can glean, it becomes an easier practice to embrace.