SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a practice that is being taken on by individuals or businesses that own a website. This is done in order for sites to show up on SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) and consequently rank towards the first page or to show up as the top result. Google’s algorithm is extremely complexed and has many rules and guidelines in order to guarantee the most organic and relevant results for the person who initiated the search. Due to the high level of complexity, there are many myths that have surfaced over the years, and it is important for you to know what are myths and what are facts.
Here are some of the common myths debunked:
Myth No.1: You only need good content to gain traffic
It is a common misbelief that creating high-quality content is the only tactic required to attract all the organic traffic your site needs. There is more than one way to increase the number of visitors on your site, in fact, it is more important for you to aim to rank on Google. The higher the rank, the better. Ranking towards the top, or towards the first page means that there is a higher chance for relevant visitors to click into your site when they make the corresponding search, thus increasing your traffic.
The myth is partially correct in the sense that you do need high-quality content, however, it is so that it can help retain traffic. To gain traffic, however, you will have to rely on SEO tactics. This includes keyword optimisation, link referrals to your site or if you want an added boost, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and ads can often allow you to drive traffic to your site too – not just by creating high-quality content. If you want professional guidance on how this can be done, feel free to contact https://www.click.co.uk/services/paid-search-ppc/.
Myth No.2: Link building is the only rewarding SEO tactic
While links are still vital to gaining a higher authority score for your site, it is not necessarily the only rewarding SEO tactic. As mentioned above, a few practices include writing quality content, keyword optimisation is some things that can help your site.
On top of that, there are other things you can do, these include:
-
Headings – You can label headings and subheadings from H1 to H6, H1 being the most important. This helps Google bots identify the keep points to your article. Including keywords in your headline also helps the post rank higher.
-
Alt text for images – Besides the headings, you should also optimise your images by including the alt text for every image in the post. This will help the Google bots identify what has been included in the post.
-
Writing the metadata text – The meta text is both useful for a bot and any readers, it gives a summary of what the post is about
-
Submitting your sitemap to Google – Nonetheless, with complexed structures of different sites, Google can read your site efficiently and accurately if you provide a sitemap.
Myth No.3: There is no need for mobile optimisation
There is a growing popularity with the use of mobile phones. Rather than desktops, people are more likely to use a portable, smaller screen while on the move. However, mobile phones are less likely to have a smooth network and the processing power to deal with a website that hasn’t been optimised for mobile use. One the technical side, this means it can be a pain for the user to load up the content; on the practical side, users might not be able to see the features that you have included on your desktop site.
Therefore it is extremely important for website owners to optimise their site for mobile users.
Myth No.4: I’m not seeing results, therefore it’s not working
Many people want to work on their web page’s SEO in order to see results. However, more often than not, people believe that because the numbers aren’t reflecting any growth that it isn’t working. Truth is, it takes a long time for Google bots to run through your site, and to identify all the SEO efforts you have been putting in. Sometimes a change might not reflect on your site until six months later. However, it is important to acknowledge that SEO is not a quick fix, instead, it is a long-term plan. As long as you keep implementing SEO practices on your web page you will see changes eventually and gradually.
Myth No.5: Social signals are a waste of time
There is a common belief that social signals are only for you to keep your followers updated and has no SEO benefits. In fact, social signals, whether it is a link on Facebook or a link on your Instagram caption can still be picked up by Google. Although not as influential as a direct backlink, it most definitely still has some impact on your website.
Here are some of the most common myths debunked. These are practices that you can do yourself, however, if you want to take it to the next level you can reach out to experts to help you with your websites SEO tactics.