SEO Myths - Debunked!

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an area of marketing that is especially prone to misconceptions and misinterpretations. With new strategies, tactics and theories popping up every day, it can be hard to stay focused on real, best practices (white-hat) optimization techniques.

Here are some of the top myths that we frequently encounter and why they are true or false according to the best practices being developed by the SEO experts here at Digital Brand Expressions. Use the form to your right to download a list of more SEO myths including, " Personalized search has rendered SEO obsolete," "Site load speed factors into Google’s ranking algorithm," "Meta tags are obsolete and no longer need to be used," and more.

It’s no longer necessary to optimize for Yahoo
TRUE & FALSE: Yahoo searches are now powered by Bing, so optimizing for Bing will impact your rankings on both Yahoo and MSN. However, while Bing powers the core search results, Yahoo still powers its Yahoo News, related searches, etc. So, if you have a publishing site, for example, it is important to continue optimizing for Yahoo News in addition to other News engines.

A website can only show up twice in Google’s search results
FALSE: Google recently announced that branded queries, for example “Microsoft windows,” can result in up to eight first-page natural search results from the same domain.

SEO is a one-time event
FALSE: Making a one-time event of optimizing the tags and text on your site and ensuring the search engines can read through your code will most likely give your site a modest bump in search engine traffic followed by a return to pre-“optimization” levels. Optimization requires an ongoing analysis of how the sites that are ranking are achieving success. Creating enticing content and generating quality links from authority sites requires an ongoing investment in the evolution of your website.

Google gives higher rankings to sites that advertise with it
FALSE : This rumor has been around for as long as Google. It’s just not true, as has been shown time and again. Check out this link to read what Google has to say on the subject: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35291

Optimization “ruins” website copy
FALSE : Tediously repeating keywords would ruin any copy. But that’s not real optimization. Real optimization involves understanding the brand, its messaging, its audiences and their behaviors AND THEN writing copy that first satisfies the audience’s need for information, and then raises its hand for the search engines to notice.

Frequently updating the content of a page will improve its ranking
FALSE : A page's position in the rankings is determined on other merits, such as its inbound links, along with on-page factors like keyword placement in the body copy, title tags, headlines, and so forth. On the other hand, adding new content pages in the form of articles, resources or blog posts can increase your search engine traffic. You create more indexable content for the search engines to crawl, as well as attract more links. And remember, it's very important that the content be interesting enough to attract links on its own.

Download a list of more SEO myths by filling out the form to the right.

Learn more about Digital Brand Expressions' search engine optimization services here .

Considered a top-tier SEO company, New Jersey-based firm Digital Brand Expressions provides findability marketing services to companies that value being found quicker – and ahead of their competitors – on the Web. Contact us to learn more about how we are working with NJ and national companies to provide business-driving SEO services.

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