Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a dynamic and constantly evolving field, and myths and misconceptions abound, as they do in any dynamic business. It constantly updates its algorithms to provide the most appropriate results to its visitors, and with each change, SEO specialists get a few more grey hairs. It’s almost impossible to keep up with the updates, especially as major search engines like Google maintain their algorithms for ranking secrets.
Matt Cutts, a senior engineer at Google, said in a recent video that when someone searches, Google asks over 200 questions on each page before showing the results. Of course, the searcher is unaware of this because the results show up in just a couple of seconds.
Because the exact algorithms are unknown, there has been much speculation about what search engines want.
Myth #1: Keyword density plays an important role in Search Engine Rankings
A lot of SEO experts focus on keyword density, or how many times a keyword shows on a page. It is a common misconception that there is a magic number that will guarantee a top position for a specific keyword. Cutts dispels this myth by discussing how Google considers keywords.
A search engine gives a keyword a certain weight when it sees it for the first time. If it appears again, the SE finds and says, “OK, this page is about that particular subject.” However, if you keep mentioning the keyword, the benefits become extremely incremental. If you repeat it regularly, you have a chance of keyword stuffing or spamming, which may damage your ranking.
The key here is to include the keywords while making sure that the copy flows naturally and doesn’t seem awkward or fake. There is no hard and fast rule regarding keyword density… It depends on the area/subject and how other sites rank for it.
Myth #2: Using Article Marketing to Build Backlinks
It’s a common way to publish articles with the website’s URL link at the bottom of the article to build backlinks. Some people believe that if an article is published on multiple websites, the section with resource links will be measured each time. Cutts, on the other hand, is cautious of this concept. He says that many people write low-quality, keyword-stuffed articles and submit them to article directory sites and poor-quality websites. This is a bad way to build links because those sites typically have low PR and copied content. Instead, Cutts suggests making excellent original content that allows people to naturally link to it.
Myth #3: Meta keywords are Used by Google
Many people still believe that Google ranks websites based on Meta keywords. Google no longer uses meta keywords, according to Cutts. However, Meta description and title are used.
Myth #4: Google’s Organic search results provide preference to Adwords clients.
Another common misconception among SEO Experts is that running AdWords campaigns will help your organic search results. The truth is that they are two different things that do not affect others. If your organic ranking improves after running Google Adwords, it might be because more traffic is flowing to your website as a result of the advertising campaign, and more people are connecting to or talking about your content on social media. Google, does not rank your website better simply because you use their paid Adwords service.
Myth #5: Social Media Doesn’t Impact SEO Rankings
While social media signals themselves may not directly influence search engine rankings, there is a correlation between a strong social media presence and improved SEO performance. Social media can drive traffic to your website, increase brand visibility, and encourage natural link-building. Engage with your audience on social platforms and share valuable content to enhance your overall online presence.
Myth #6: The More Backlinks, the Better
When it became common knowledge that Google ranked websites higher if they had more incoming links, many website owners focused on getting as many backlinks as could. Building a diverse and trustworthy backlink profile is essential but generating spam or low-quality backlinks may damage your website’s reputation and rankings.
However, Google has put a stop to that, saying that although backlinks are important in rankings, they must come from high-quality websites and be relevant. If you have a shoe website, getting a link from a car website is practically useless. As a result, it is far more important to focus on quality over quantity.
Related Article: https://allaboutdigital.tech/blog/how-to-boost-your-search-ranking-in-google
Whether you are an SEO expert or a website owner who wants to rank higher in search engines, two things have remained constant over the years. Search engines favor websites that have:
1. Regularly updated relevant and original content
2. High-quality backlinks to the website
So, when you focus on these key points, you should be fine. Never be concerned about minor details like keyword density. Instead, provide the readers with useful information, and the rest will fall into place.
