There are many SEO myths, seotechyworld.com/online-advertising-seo-top-myths/ some of which are based on outdated advice, misunderstanding of Google or the search engines, and others that are just plain wrong. Some myths are so common that they need to be explained – let’s examine four of the most common myths about search engine optimization. Correlation is a dangerous thing! People can mistake correlation for causation and think optimization caused their ranking to change.
Nofollow links
There are many misconceptions surrounding nofollow links in search engine optimization. First of all, it is important to know that these links don’t pass any link juice. This means that your website won’t benefit from any links on the web with a high domain authority. Secondly, nofollow links can mask spammy websites that use link schemes. Google has taken steps to address this issue, and you should know that nofollow links are now “strong hints.”
Keyword density
Many SEO experts still hold onto the age-old idea that using more keywords will improve your rankings. Although keyword density used to be an important factor in ranking, it is now largely irrelevant for ranking. Instead of being important, keyword density only has a marginal effect on ranking. In fact, the idea of keyword density has become a major source of controversy. This article dispels the most common myths surrounding keyword density in SEO.
PageRank
One SEO myth is that you can manipulate PageRank to your advantage. PageRank is a ranking system calculated by Google using a mathematical formula. Essentially, it is the likelihood of someone arriving at a page after clicking on a large number of links. The older a page is, the higher its PageRank. New pages will not receive as many links, unless they are already part of a website. So how do you manipulate PageRank?
Meta descriptions
There are a few myths surrounding meta descriptions. The first is that Google doesn’t use meta descriptions to determine rankings. The truth is that meta descriptions do matter. While a well-written meta description can help a site gain click-throughs and retain visitors, it isn’t necessarily important to use keywords to boost rankings. Instead, write for your audience – not Googlebot. And keep in mind that Google only displays 160 characters for meta descriptions.
Link building
There are many myths surrounding link building. Although it is vital to increase the visibility of a website, doing it wrong can cost you time and hurt your ranking. To avoid these mistakes, read The Link Building Book by Paddy Moogan. It provides an in-depth history of link building and dispels many of the common myths that surround it. Here are four common myths about link building and why they should be avoided.
Social media channels
There’s no direct correlation between SEO and social media channels, but they can definitely boost your business’ visibility. They not only promote brand awareness, but also increase your follower base and website traffic. The fact that social media is so widespread doesn’t affect your organic ranking by any means, but it can help you double or triple your website traffic and generate free referrals. So, despite the myths surrounding social media, you should not be scared of implementing them into your marketing strategy.
Sitemaps
Adding a sitemap to your website is vital for improving your rankings and allowing Google to index your pages. But many people think this isn’t necessary. A sitemap is a list of all the URLs on your website and it helps Google know where they should index your pages. However, there is no guarantee that your rankings will improve because sitemaps are not the cornerstone of content marketing.
