4 common myths about Search Engine Optimization

Google’s experimentation with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a continual process. Your understanding of SEO may be outdated and that is the eternity in Web time. In the world of Internet marketing, misconception and misinformation are profound which get multiplied exponentially by today’s dynamic and rapidly evolving world. Things you know (but actually don’t) about SEO, might have been factual a couple of years back but have changed now. But each of the following was always a myth.

Here are the myths you must move beyond to get wiser and smarter about SEO.

• Myth 1: More inbound links are better – More inbound links have nothing to do with SEO. The latest updates to Google’s algorithm, the giant search engine has emphasized to have quality over quantity. Gone that era of having thousands of low quality links drove up ranking and now such spammy links can make your site penalized. Rather try to get links from sites which are relevant to your services, products or niche industry and on having those quality links surrounded by pertinent text. For example, if you’re talking about real estate Mumbai, you should get a link from an Indian real estate site.

• Myth 2; Metatag description helps ranking – False; in fact, they are not being indexed by search engines like Google and Bing anymore. But you should not ignore them. Metatags from the text which is displayed along with your link in search results and a compelling description would surely compel more number of visitors to click on your listing.

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• Myth 3: PageRank matters – Google’s PageRank is a 1 to 10 ranking of overall authority of every site – bigger number depicts higher ranking. Previously, this number game dominated attention of SEO pros. But the thing has changed a lot. Single indicator doesn’t rule the web anymore. But PageRank still there and it matters. If other criteria are equal, a higher PageRank wins over a lower one though factors like context and relevance matter simultaneously. For example, if you run your dental practice in Dallas, it is always recommended that you have a link from a website which reviews dentists and doctors in Dallas even if its PageRank is 4 than a paid link with no context in a highly popular site with PageRank 8.

• Myth 4: Google likes keyword-rich domains – Not at all – during previous years, Google might have put asymmetrical amount of stress on keywords in the domain name or the URL.

For example, XYZ.com may be ranked first if you search for XYZ, but that is not only for its domain name but for its authenticity and relevance to the search.

When it comes to ethical SEO, it’s not about trickery. It’s about creating informative and relevant website with genuine content that ensures great user experience.